THE SUBMARINE CANYONS: 



DRILL OR DEFER? 



(A RHODE ISLAND PERSPECTIVE) 



by 



Bruce F. Vild, Principal Planner 



Rhode Island Department of Administration, Division of Planning 



The author has followed the Georges Bank/North Atlantic Planning Area 

 controversy for almost ten years, and has advised two Governors on the position 

 the State of Rhode Island should take on issues germane to offshore drilling 

 and habitat protection. A recurring problem, the author observes, is that 

 of allowing oil and gas companies the opportunity to drill in the North 

 Atlantic submarine canyons. Rhode Island traditionally has recommended 

 that canyon exploration for oil and gas be deferred. The author believes 

 that Rhode Island's position remains a sound judgment, in light of the findings 

 of environmental studies, and political realities. The data collected so 

 far do not lend themselves to hard-and-fast conclusions about the impacts 

 of drilling on canyon habitats, making prediction difficult. The commercial 

 fishing industry and environmental groups remain powerful constituencies. 

 The New England governors have no assurance that the oil and gas industry 

 is willing to invest heavily in the North Atlantic within the forseeable 

 future, so the benefits to our states from such activity are not forthcoming. 

 The problem of whether to allow drilling in the submarine canyons has many 

 facets other than science. In whatever solution becomes policy, the strongest 

 component is likely to be politics, not science. 



B-18 



