Gray Davis News

Senator Slade Gorton (R-Wash.) introduced the "States Prevention of Oil Tanker Spills Act" (S. 2506), which seeks to reinstate Washington state oil tanker safety laws overturned by the Supreme Court in Intertanko v. Locke and United States v. Locke. In a press release, Senator Gorton said, "I disagree with the Court's decision, because I believe Washington State should be allowed to protect its shores as it sees fit." The Gorton legislation would reinstate the right of all states to adopt additional standards beyond existing federal requirements governing the operation, maintenance, equipment, personnel and manning of oil tankers. While the legislation would apply to all coastal states, Gorton's interest is focused on recently overturned Washington statutes.

The U.S. Interior Department's Minerals Management Service (MMS) announced it will delay its decision on whether oil companies can drill for oil and natural gas off California's coast, until August 16, 1999. The MMS was scheduled to decide by June 30 if drilling would be allowed on 40 undeveloped leases off the central coast of California, but said it needs more time to review the oil company requests. The plans to drilling offshore California are receiving opposition from California Gov. Gray Davis, who opposes any expanded offshore drilling, and Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), who asked the Interior Department this week to deny the oil company requests.

California's governor, attorney general and the California Coastal Commission filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Interior Department to allow the state a say in the fate of oil drilling leases off the state's coast. California Coastal Commission Chair Sara Wan said the state was denied its mandatory right to review the leases for environmental issues. "It doesn't mean we would necessarily seek a ban on offshore drilling," Wan said. "The commission is saying (the leases) could have serious impacts on coastal resources and the state needs the right to look at the leases. The lawsuit was filed in U.S. District Court in Oakland, Calif., the state attorney general's office said.

Under a plan spelled out in SB 428, by state Senator Don Perata (D-Alameda), a new panel will be created to oversee the development of a proposed network of high-speed ferries serving the entire San Francisco Bay Area. The new panel will be called the San Francisco Bay Area Water Transit Authority. Governor Gray Davis signed the bill last year, giving the Transit Authority the go-ahead to prepare a detailed plan for expanding ferry services in the San Francisco Bay Area for the legislature's approval. The authority's 11-member board will be made up of local elected officials, environmentalists, business leaders and transportation experts; four appointed by the Governor and two each appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules and the Assembly Committee on Rules.