WHITTIER, California (AP) - Whittier city officials who has Bob Henderson account for three decades by his own spent, help save vast expanses of this hilly area from further drilling of oil companies. As head of the conservation authority was his responsibility is to protect the country.
But now, with oil hovering around $100 a barrel, the same man who led the 1.290 acre Whittier wilderness preserve to save the fee it interested drilling. Proponents believe that Whittier could get about $ 177 million a year in oil revenues, by new technology, they say, is the large hills of Whittier interfere with only 7 hectares. The proposal has bitterly divided this suburb of Los Angeles, which was founded by Quakers in the late 19th century, a religion with a strong commitment to environmental protection.
Henderson, who think continue to itself as a conservationist, said that he surprised, to find more in the direction of drilling.
"It is not that I have decided to destroy the preserve,", he said. "What I faith strong is having open and help on the Habitat and the city." This has the potential millions of dollars for the conservation efforts and ensure that the fencing is viable over the long term contribute.
Drilling opponents see not their former hero or his current argument in such nuanced light. You do to ensure that once drilling in a spot is allowed future City Council members elsewhere fencing could agree on that.
"" One can say one minute I want to save these hills, and then click it, drilling ' "Paula Castenon said watch resident with Whittier Hills oil."He is definitely on his word go back. "The whole point in obtaining the mineral rights too, that country and to prevent olive oil in the future."
The pool of Los Angeles has more oil per square foot than almost anywhere in the world. It is hidden behind an office building Street and undercover in a painted Tower in Beverly Hills high school drilling facade on a major city.
If the project approval gets county in the coming months some could however make a precedent beyond the Whittier Grenzen--thousands of acres of open space as other funds Southern California endanger communities search are set for money in tough economic times.
"Certainly the County would approve this it would be much pressure on the County, if other cities want to run same thing Park, can be restored", said Sean Hecht, the Managing Director of environmental law Center at the University of California, Los Angeles. "It opens the door to more people for questions."
Whittier received to buy oil companies an estimated $16.3 million dollars in 1992 to the properties and oil rights of Chevron and Unocal that on the site for decades drilling been, Henderson said. Once healed has since was allowed again and now the only signs of the last holes are the occasional metal pole, marking an ancient well in an otherwise green area of grassy hills, Sage and oak.
The money was part of the estimated $859 million in State bond money, beaches, parks, and Wildlife Habitat to improve. The funds have bought more than 21,000 hectares mainly open space in cities and towns throughout Southern California.
But in the early 2000s, Whittier city began to examine what was below the country officials and Santa Barbara finally approached based matrix oil co., which was already in a different part of Whittier drilling.
Unanimously in 2008 the City Council, leasing features matrix for 30 years. Proponents say with advances in technology as more precisely and in a way that the environmental damage, noise and smoke, to protect the community surrounding would minimize holes in a slope instead of just down, that drilling can be done. The conditions of the lease limits the drilling on 7 hectares.
Whittier turned to the woman behind the original Park bond measure, Esther Feldman, study proposal of the drilling and lobby County for approval. Feldman, who was paid 15,000 US dollars per month, said that the proposal be violated no open spaces-proposition, and that if they the draft measure, which they a mechanism for the conversion of open space for a not Park county agreement to allow.
The tantalizing promise was safe, legal and lucrative that enough, take some longtime residents a chance to convince.
"If it is possible without hurting to do a wonderful source of revenue for Whittier, the community then it is," said Virginia ball, who has been living since 1963 in Whittier, California.
Others are stubbornly against and responded with the filing of a complaint and planting "not drilling" signs on their turf with pictures of pump jacks. The suit alleges that because the city of Whittier property using bond money purchased, it in fact an agreement to preserving space and correspond to the status of open space policy that does not allow oil exploration.
Susan was Carroll, an environmental consultant for the open space legal defense fund, which said the lawsuit against the city, County, and Feldman, it makes no sense, an important sensitive Habitat to drill.
"That the part that the Environment Agency was designed is to important enough, call core Habitat and restrict," she said. "People can go without it." "There is no public footpaths are."
For others such as Roy McKee, the drilling proposal is a very personal level. McKee was born in Whittier, three daughters grew up here and has observed, as his wife not sleep of Sorge about what, can do this for their lives.
"We are a beautiful, quiet, beautiful community, it is so blessed to have what we have," he said. "Not this as a godsend to the community, but a stroke of luck for an oil company displayed."
McKee points cracked on other Los Angeles communities such as Baldwin hills, blamed health problems, to renewed drilling houses and declining property values. He has also decided what he would do if the proposal is adopted.
"I this city will be left forever," he continued. "And never look back."
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