Gas Drilling Rally in Biloxi, Miss., Urges That Beaches Be Left Alone
Aug. 22–BILOXI, Miss. — Speakers at Sunday’s 12 Miles South Coalition rally repeated the message: Mississippi has little to gain from drilling for gas within view of the islands and beaches.
They also gave the governor and the state’s two U.S. senators, who did not attend, some heat.
“In spite of what certain politicians tell us, your mother is right,” said MIT-trained engineering consultant Jeffrey Bounds. “You can’t have your cake and eat it too. Keep that in mind when anyone wants to talk to you about drilling.”
The cake comment referred to a recent quote from Sen. Trent Lott, who said he is hoping to appease both sides on the issue.
Bounds showed the crowd at the Coast Coliseum the significance of the amount of natural gas estimated to be under Mississippi waters. He said the total — 350 billion cubic feet — would meet the nation’s demand for only four or five days. And it would take 10 to 20 years to extract it.
“It’s looking like a pretty small slice of cake,” Bounds said. “It won’t help the energy crunch … and it’s not enough gas to make any difference in the market.”
He then outlined the cost to the state over the years to regulate the drilling and the revenue loss if one in 10 tourists decided not to visit the Gulf Islands National Seashore because of drilling. He said the state would lose several million dollars.
Bounds was flanked by elected officials and other speakers who drove home opposition to drilling offshore. The 12 Miles South Coalition calls for keeping rigs 12 nautical miles south of the barrier island national parks.
Speaking on video, Rep. Diane Peranich, D-Pass Christian, referred to “regrettably shortsighted politicians and their cronies who just don’t get it.”
Rep. Gene Taylor, D-Miss., brought up the 17,000 casino and tourism jobs on the Coast and said, “We’re doing all that we can to make things better, and I do think drilling in state water jeopardizes that.”
He also told the crowd that the move toward drilling near the islands “can’t be turned around without the help of Gov. Barbour.”
Outside the Coliseum, Taylor said he thinks he has seen some moderation on Barbour’s pro-drilling position and hopes to see more.
“I want to give him the opportunity to change his position,” Taylor said. “I don’t want to paint him or anyone into a corner.”
Attorney General Jim Hood said he would not want to see anything imposed on the Coast that the residents don’t want. Taylor, the senators, the governor and the Legislature have the power to stop drilling in federal and state waters near the islands, he said.
State Sen. Billy Hewes, R-Gulfport, said that what struck him was the passion that the people on the Coast have for their natural resources.
“Most issues have a shelf life of a couple of weeks,” Hewes said. “But I think this is one of those issues that won’t go away.”
Rep. Bobby Moak, D-Bogue Chitto, got applause for urging the Legislature in January to kill or change the 2004 drilling law.
Rep. Jamie Franks, D-Mooreville, got a roar of applause, and new Coast fans after the rally, for blasting the drilling law, blamed for opening the door.
He said it would allow drilling in all the state’s parks, not just near the islands.
Franks told the crowd that Barbour can end the drilling issue with an executive order but he outlined the governor’s ties to the oil and gas industry and said that might take some pressure from Coast voters.
He also stressed using all the state’s clout to push for a federal buyout of the mineral rights.
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