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The Tampa Tribune

Published: August 7, 2008

Just Natural Seepage

Regarding "Tarballs, Anyone?" by Buzz Kelly (Other Views, July 31):

The writer would have us believe there will be slicks floating from oil rigs in the Gulf. Sorry, but I spent over 20 years in the Coast Guard and, in my opinion, that simply won't happen.

Flyovers are conducted almost daily, plus tips are received from boaters, fishermen, sometimes airline crews and others. If there is a slick extending from a rig, that rig isn't running until it's fixed and the cleanup is completed.

If ownership of the spill is denied, Coast Guard labs have the ability to identify the source and the power to confront the culprit.

To excerpt from the Minerals Management Service impact statement before the 2001 Area 181 lease sale for the Gulf: "Tarballs have always been found along Gulf beaches for centuries. Indians used them in tool building. These tarballs were from natural seepage. Recently, researchers have estimated a natural seepage rate of about 120,000 barrels per year - from just one area in deepwater."

WAYNE HAYS

Hudson

'The Facts' On Tarballs

Regarding "Texas Beach Experience" (Letters, July 29):

There has been quite a lot written in Tribune recently concerning tar balls on Texas beaches. As important an issue as offshore drilling is, I would think you would have a crack reporter research the science of tarball occurrence and not rely an conjecture or myths.

Tarballs have been washing up on Texas beaches at least since the days of the Karankawa Indians, who used them to waterproof baskets and pottery. At that time this was a result of normal oil seepage from the Gulf floor and the meeting of the Gulf Stream and an opposing current from Mexico that result in the deposit of all sorts of material on Texas beaches.

According to the Texas General Land Office, "only 5.5 percent of 733 oil incidents in 2007 were related to oil drilling activity." They also reported "stormwater runoff is a far bigger environmental offender than Big Oil."

MICHAEL RILEY

Largo

Start Drilling Now

Restaurants are closing. Businesses are failing. Food prices are soaring. Much of this is due to high fuel prices.

Why do Nancy Pelosi and liberal Democrats refuse to allow drilling in the Gulf of Mexico and a minute section of Alaska? Is it to destroy our economy or just economical stupidity?

We hear claims about Gulf drilling affecting tourism. Beaches are closed now due to fecal and red tide contamination. Tourism is affected.

Millions of gallons of oil seep through the earth's crust into our oceans. Many tankers delivering foreign oil to us are single-hulled, not double. Oil leaks into our waters through their eroded hulls. I'm a senior and can recall stepping in oil globs washed up on New York beaches 65 years ago when offshore drilling didn't exist.

Drill now! When oil-producing countries fear we will become independent, the price of oil will drop. Tell Congress to think of what's best for our country, not their next election.

MURIEL FREEMAN

Hudson

Is Any Oil There?

The Republicans demand that more areas be opened for drilling; the Democrats say that the oil companies have 68 million acres in which to drill. Charge and countercharge, the same old thing in every election cycle!

Has it ever been determined if there is actually any oil on those 68 million acres that are open for drilling? If there is oil, why is it not being produced by the oil companies? If there is no oil there, why aren't the American people being told?

Barack Obama claims to be for change, but he appears to be just another political hack spouting the same old bromides! A good start for change would be actually telling the American people the truth! Is there oil or not in those 68 million "open" acres?

STEVEN C. ATKINSON

Spring Hill

Show Some Leadership

Energy in the USA - lead, follow or get out of the way.

This is my frustrated plea to our presidential candidates. I hear them saying the popular things, but not the right things.

We need a leader to tell us like it really is - even if we don't want to hear it - and lead us toward energy independence. I don't hear any candidate telling us how to achieve that.

All I hear is fill up your tires, drill offshore, and drive less. Band-Aids on a hemorrhaging body, in my opinion.

No candidate is showing true leadership in this arena. The key is energy independence, not short-term, lower-the-price solutions using oil. That kind of shortsightedness is exactly why we are in the mess today.

DON FOWLER

Spring Hill

Can't Have It Both Ways

Regarding "Nation's Record Budget Deficit Cause For Shame And Action" (Our Opinion, July 30):

Your editorial points out some good examples of waste, however, I think when you throw out a number like $482 billion, you need to dig a little deeper.

In 2007 the United States spent $586 billion on Social Security, $394 billion on Medicare, $294 billion on unemployment and welfare and more than $403 million to purchase and distribute emergency relief supplies and to support relief activities throughout the world. The War on Terror costs billions.

We cannot have it both ways. We cannot continue to spend a trillion dollars on social services and then lament being in debt. We have not been attacked on American soil since Sept. 11, 2001; how much is our way of life and safety at home worth?

KARYN HEDGPETH

Valrico

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