1 Again, this is a romantic notion, it's a nostalgic notion, but 



2 it's a notion that really has to be dealt with if we're to talk about 



3 anything as controversial and as emotionally charged as drilling in the 



4 submarine canyons. 



5 The fisherman, as I mentioned before, is looked upon as 



6 beleaguered, and the environmental groups are looked up as the 



7 fisherman's champion, so there seems to be a natural affinity in the 



8 view of the general public, anyway, for the two groups. 



9 The point is, whether we like it or not, supporting offshore 



10 drilling is unpopular in New England. So, any policy that a governor 



11 takes endorsing OCS exploration, has to be tempered not only by 



12 environmental considerations, not only by scientific considerations, but 



13 also by political ones. 



14 For my governor or any governor to reverse his policy on drilling 



15 in the canyons, will require far more than a statement that such 



16 activities are relatively benign. As I said before, economics is a 



17 consideration. 



18 I suppose we have to ask, if we are political creatures, as the 



19 governors are, what's in it for New England? Are the oil companies 



20 willing to make any sort of long-term commitment to the economic health 



21 of the region that will balance the risks, whether it's perceived or 



22 actual, to allowing offshore drilling, especially in as controversial an 



23 area as the submarine canyons. 



24 I don't think such a long-term commitment on the part of the oil 



25 industry is possible, simply because of the nature of offshore 



26 exploration. The odds are against finding anything, and I understand 



27 even in a proven area like the central Gulf of Mexico, the odds are 



28 still against finding a commercial discovery. 



29 Am I right? So, in an area where you have only eight wells 



30 drilled, all of which have been dry holes, there has to be some sort of 



31 a suspicion on the part of the general public and the governors as to 



32 what exactly New England is going to get from allowing future drilling 



33 in the submarine canyons. 



135 



