Will ECan support the Christchurch City Council on their deep sea oil drilling stance?

On Wednesday November 2, the Christchurch City Council voted 16 to 1 to make a VERY strong submission to the government against the deep sea oil drilling block offers off the coast of Canterbury.

Vicki Buck described drilling deep sea oil wells as 'Lunacy.'

The Council also agreed to request Environment Canterbury and Ngai Tahu to back the council's stance with strong submissions against deep sea oil drilling. The government is not accepting submissions from the public, only from local bodies and iwi.

"For the last two years both ECan and Ngai Tahu have taken neutral stances in their submissions," according to Oil Free Otautahi's Charles Drace. "ECan has the responsibility of protecting Canterbury beaches and estuaries from environmental damage. Will they step up?"

A deputation from Oil Free Otautahi and climate protection organisation 350.org Christchurch will ask Environment Canterbury to back the Christchurch City Council with their own strongly worded submission against the block offers.

"For economic, environmental, climate and moral reasons, there is no alternative but to oppose deep sea oil drilling in the Pegasus Basin and Hector's and Maui dolphin habitat," says Drace. "The Pegasus Basin block offers are at depths almost twice that of the Deepwater Horizon disaster. The penalties for oil spills or blowouts are minimal; the potential for disasters are immense. Any way you look at it the idea is insane."

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