O why?
Dear ER:
As a South Bay resident, local businessman, and leader of one of our region’s most-respected environmental organizations, I feel compelled to simplify the economic choice facing Hermosa residents.
There has been much discussion about the $17.5 million settlement fee payable to E & B should Measure O not pass. What is often overlooked is the $19.4 million in costs should Measure O pass. These costs relate to the moving of the city yard and lost storage rental revenue.
It is true that if Measure O passes there will be some royalties for the city and schools, but hardly an amount that provides some incredible financial boon to the community given the risks. The City would net about $880,000/year (approximately two percent of the City’s annual budget). In addition, the school district would receive approximately $40,000/year and the Education Foundation would receive approximately $210,000/year.
These estimates come from the Development Agreement Supplement to the Cost Benefit Analysis released by the City in January. These estimates show the “expected” outcome given the recent oil price environment, not an optimistic projection of inflated oil prices as shown in the early versions of the Cost Benefit Analysis.
Residents risk serious diminution in property values, most significantly for the 50 percent of Hermosa residents who live within one-half mile of the proposed facility.
But the issue is more than a simple economic choice. The hard costs to the community include noise, odor, traffic and health impacts. What price would you put on the health and safety of your family, friends and neighbors?
Why take any chance of a significant oil spill in our backyard? What would happen to our beach, ocean and quality of life should E & B’s risk abatement measures come up short?
Energy independence for our region and nation is an important goal. But the proposed project is expected to produce only about half a million barrels per year, an inconsequential amount for meeting our region’s energy needs.
Don Kinsey
Manhattan Beach
Heal the Bay chairman
Keep it cozy
Dear ER:
As we approach March 3, I urge Hermosans to remember what we have: a fun and funky, casual, pedestrian lifestyle and wonderful environment. There is no amount of money that can make it worth the risk of losing the unique character of this place. We can’t afford to give it away to oil interests who see dollar signs and make illusory promises. They don’t live here. There’s no going back, once we give it all away. Even in Texas there is a setback law that prevents drilling within 1,500 feet of homes, schools and parks. We are all in the impacted zone. Keep Hermosa Hermosa and show big oil that we aren’t mesmerized by their promises, which come at the expense of our lifestyle.
Missy Sheldon
Hermosa Beach
Keep it logical
Dear ER:
I want to remind voters that Hermosa Beach Measure O is not a refinery. Any incidents one might hear about with refinery safety have nothing to do with Measure O’s well studied safety. The environmental experts and scientists who looked at this have all concluded there is no danger from spills or accidents. The City’s Health Impact Assessment says it poses no health issues. Let’s vote based on science, facts and benefits, not emotion, rumor and distortion. There are no ocean platforms, no fracking, no above ground pumps and no visible oil machinery above the walls of the facility. The experts have reached their verdict: Measure O is safe. It is no different than the directional drilling projects we see all over Southern California; from Long Beach to Santa Barbara; across the street from Cedars Sinai Hospital and in the middle of an exclusive Newport Beach neighborhood. And those operations don’t even have the cutting edge technology like Hermosa’s project will have. For those of you who just “don’t like oil,” keep in mind domestically produced oil is far better for the environment and does not support countries who are not friendly to us. Plus, lots of revenue for our perpetually underfunded city. Please vote yes on Measure O.
Joe Montana
Hermosa Beach
B realistic
Dear ER:
I am a 40-year resident of the South Bay and have been living in Redondo Beach for the last 10 years with my family and business near the Harbor and Pier area. I am the generation of old school Manhattan Beach locals now proudly living in Redondo Beach. That is why I implore anybody in Redondo Beach who is on the fence about their vote on Measure B to vote “Yes” on B. This election is about “realists” versus “idealists”. Voting Yes on Measure B is about the reality of changing the waterfront now with a developer with financial backing versus “The idealist” who has no plan and no financial backing.” The problem is the “idealist’s” viewpoint paralyzes progress because the plan is never perfect. The “realist” viewpoint works for the greater good, while recognizing there are challenges to overcome. I can’t afford to wait 20 years to have the same tired argument with a different developer. Can you?
Christsiansen
Redondo Beach
Listen to the mayor
Dear ER:
AES is attempting to buy our election on March 3. Have you noticed how many mailers you’ve received with “Paid for by AES” on the back of the envelope? Such blatant, shameful tactics typifies AES’ strategy to deceived and delude Redondo residents into thinking we must pass Measure B to get rid of the power plant. Not true.
To quote then Mayor Steve Aspel from 2009, “I firmly believe people were duped by AES” (referring to Measure UU)….”our relationship with AES is forever tainted.” Nothing has changed except that now Aspel has been duped by AES.
A. Hartunian
Redondo Beach
Let me breath
Dear ER:
I’m a three year survivor of Stage 3C Colon Cancer and know that the chemicals released into the air from drilling, as well as the diesel fumes from all trucks will be very threatening to my health and that of my stepson, who undergoes dialysis six times a week for five hours a day. He lives approximately 200 yards from the proposed drill site and I live four blocks away. If you have children or elderly family with compromised immune systems or past histories of cancer, please join me in voting No on Measure O.
Norman Potter
Hermosa Beach
Yard cleanup
Dear ER:
I’ve already voted Yes on Measure O because, after years listening to the arguments, I believe it is a safe project and Hermosa will be a better place for it. The experts say Hermosa could receive hundreds of millions of dollars if the project goes forward and the lead-contaminated City maintenance yard will be decontaminated. The Tideland Fund can be used to fix the pier, which the City says will cost hundreds of thousands. It can be used to pay for police and emergency response, beach improvements and maintenance. Look at Newport Beach, Huntington Beach and Long Beach. We will not have to pay back the $17.5 million plus interest we borrowed from E & B to settle our City’s legal problems with Macpherson Oil.
Finally, our schools and children will benefit from millions in new revenue that will go to the Education Foundation. Losing this money from a project that every scientist who’s studied it has declared safe would be foolhardy. Please join me in voting Yes on Measure O.
Cindy Lee Smet
Hermosa Beach
Ask not
Dear ER:
At the recent Hermosa Beach Environmental Impact Forum. Robert Kennedy, Jr., who has worked for decades with commercial fishermen to save and protect waterways said: “Good environmental policy is identical to good economic policy.” Most poignant were the comments from Dallas Councilman Phillip Kingston. He said Dallas had compromised on a minimum setback of 1,500 feet. In his words, “I like hog fat and batteries, but do not want either one made behind my house.” Regarding the water injection wells that E & B Oil is proposing, he said “You have fault lines here. Are you people suicidal? When things go wrong, go explosive — things can fly long distances. I’ve delivered checks to surviving children…” Please join me and vote NO on O on March 3.
Lauren Mains
Hermosa Beach
On balance
Dear ER:
All the estimates I’ve read indicate there could be upwards of 100 million barrels of oil remaining in the Torrance field. Estimates of recoverable oil range 20 million to as high as 40 million barrels. Let’s be conservative and call it 20 million. At today’s price of $50 per bbl the oil is worth $1 billion. This oil is owned by Hermosa Beach and far and away the most valuable asset the city has. City Councilman Hany Fangary was recently crowing that Hermosa Beach has assets totaling about $90 million. The oil is worth more than 10 times all the rest of the city’s assets.
Jim Sullivan
Hermosa Beach
Out of the Fogg
Dear ER:
My thoughts and heart are with much-beloved Hermosa Beach on March 3, as the baton is again passed to the voters who for almost a century have proudly, bravely, sometimes defiantly, said “No to O.” As one of the many who tried to help Keep Hermosa Hermosa in years past, I learned long ago that no matter where you live in Hermosa Beach, an oil drilling field would impact you. Many decades ago, the Santa Monica Bay was declared a sanctuary from oil and gas drilling. Periodically, drillers try to skirt this ban by trying to drill from onshore. So far, courts have maintained that the intent of the sanctuary was never to “trade an orchard of industrial apparatus in the ocean for an orchard of industrial apparatus on the shoreline.” The real prize in drilling in Hermosa Beach is that it sets a precedent to eventually violate the Coastal Act that protects all 840 miles of California shoreline. Vote No on O March 3.
Rosamond Fogg
Hermosa Beach Stop Oil 1993 to 2001
Los Angeles
Correction: mud slinging
Last week’s Easy Reader cover story “Huntington oil site may be Hermosa’s Future” erroneously reported that the drilling mud used by E & B Natural Resources at its Huntington Beach oil facility is the same mud used by Glen Ivy Hot Springs. That statement is incorrect. “Glen Ivy Mud is a dry, very fine sand-like base that we combine with mineral water to achieve the proper consistency. It is not pumped or removed wet from the ground and is only sourced here in the Temescal Valley,” according to Glen Ivy president Jim Root. Easy Reader apologies for the error.
Correction: wrong chef
Last week’s A La Carte column mistakenly identified the chef at the new Manhattan House restaurant in Manhattan Beach. The chef at Manhattan House will be Diana Stavaridis, the founding chef at BLD. The chef will not be, as reported, Amy Fraser, who was the manager there. The Manhattan House is scheduled to open in April and will feature locally grown produce, including herbs raised by students at Pacific School.
