5.3 — WASHINGTON STATE 



Outer Continental Shelf development is, presently, not a major 

 issue in Washington State. There are two reasons for this. One, BLM's 

 initial lease sale off the coast of Washington is not scheduled until 

 late 1978. Being 2 years away, most state residents and government 

 officials are preoccupied with more immediate issues and problems. And 

 two, the prospects of finding large amounts of oil and gas on Washington's 

 OCS are not favorable. Since the oil industry has judged the Washington- 

 Oregon area as having the least potential for petroleum development of 

 any domestic offshore region being considered by Interior's accelerated 

 leasing program, the prospects of large-scale impacts resulting from 

 leasing seem remote. 



Alaskan OCS development may have a greater impact on Washington 

 State than OCS operations adjacent to its coast. The economies of both 

 states are tied closely together and development of large amounts of 

 Alaskan OCS petroleum will no doubt stimulate economic activity in 

 western Washington. In addition, once production begins large amounts 

 of offshore Alaska crude could be transshipped and/or processed in 

 Washington State which may result in environmental impacts such as oil 

 spills and air pollution in the state. However, even if large amounts 

 of petroleum are found on Alaska's OCS it will take several years of 

 exploratory drilling before large-scale development and construction 

 activities can begin and it will be close to a decade before large 

 amounts of OCS petroleum could be transshipped to Washington State. 

 Thus while Alaska OCS development may become an important issue in the 

 future in Washington State, it is not a matter of immediate concern. 



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