The Virginian-Pilot
©
RICHMOND
Chris Sehman graduated from Old Dominion University in 1991 and has since made a good living running three restaurants in the Florida Panhandle. That is, until the oil disaster in the Gulf of Mexico.
On Thursday, Sehman and two other Gulf residents flew to Virginia to deliver a stark message: Offshore oil drilling is not safe and not wise, and the country needs a new and cleaner energy policy.
"I never thought I'd be back in Virginia under these circumstances," Sehman told a roomful of reporters, "but I got to tell you, if this is not the time to recognize the need for change in this country, when is?"
His visit to Richmond was paid for by a coalition of environmental groups hoping to pass legislation currently before Congress that would combat climate change and more aggressively pursue alternative energy sources, such as solar, wind and biomass.
Sehman and his Gulf colleagues have been to other swing states in recent weeks, and even spent time lobbying on Capitol Hill, telling their stories and hoping to gain some votes for the bill.
They are not sure their efforts will work; the legislation is mired in concerns about its enormous costs and its potential to unhinge a floundering economy. Virginia's two senators, both Democrats, remain uncommitted over the measure.
Still, the three advocates felt strongly enough about the issue, and about their experiences with the largest oil spill in U.S. history, to at least try.
"We had people in Washington tell us they wouldn't even discuss the climate-change bill," said Daniel Kipnis, a Florida charter boat captain who described his industry in the Gulf as "pretty much shut down."
"They said they wanted to make sure BP paid us for the damages. But that was it," Kipnis said. "They were scared about the politics of going any farther. I could barely stomach it."
Aimee Dominique is a clinical social worker from Louisiana, the epicenter of the disaster. She has noticed an increase in depression and anxiety among the people she sees. And in herself.
"It affects my sleep. It affects my heart. It affects my spirituality," Dominique said.
The trio held a news conference at a Cajun restaurant in downtown Richmond called Louisiana Flair. Outside, banners proclaimed support for the environmental campaign, called Gulf Voices. Inside, memorabilia from New Orleans hung from the walls amid the spicy aroma of gumbo and jambalaya.
Asked about the prospects of oil drilling off the Virginia coast, Kipnis, wearing a Panama hat and shades, did not hesitate.
"Trust me, you don't want to drill for oil here," he said.
Sehman, a former student body president at ODU, concurred.
"How do you wean yourself from oil by drilling for more and more oil?" he asked. "If we've learned anything from this, I hope it's that the days of 'drill, baby, drill' are over."
Scott Harper, (757) 446-2340, scott.harper@pilotonline.com
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Reality
have to go oil my windmills and clean my solar panels on my SUV, Can't find my ladder because it is as big as a dump truck.
Some short order cook?
So you feel being warned of the potential devastation to the area where you reside by someone who works in a restaurant is beneath you? Well wake up, if we suffer the same fate as the gulf you won't even be able to afford to go to a restaurant. We need an alternative to petroleum for environmental, security, and financial reasons. To believe otherwise is pure stupidity. Maybe you need to move to Alaska where you would feel right at home. Apparently you can chant, "drill, baby, drill" and be elected Governor no matter how ignorant your beliefs.
we need alternative energies
So long as we rely on petroleum more and more, our nation will continue to fund foreign nations escrows, many of which are wholistic threats to our way of life - Iraq, Iran, Venezuela. Furthermore, petroleum is not limitless. It WILL run out. Then our cars won't run, plastic would have to be redesigned, no more petroleum jelly, and so forth. Let's come up with something else, keep jobs and monies in our country, export the product to make more money, and 'save' the environment for future generations.
Drill Baby Drill
Every time I hear someone repeat that or remember the sound of it actually come out of the mouth of Palin, it makes me want to "Puke Baby Puke". The Drill Babies whose coasts and local economies that are destroyed in the next catastrophic spill will be the first to cry and complain, "Why didn't the government inspect and impose regulations that keep oil companies from cutting corners or short cuts that undermine safety all just to save a buck. It's kind of funny to see time and time again how big corporations will spend 5 million just to save 500 dollars. What also has to be remembered is that lives were lost who had families and friends. Can't we just step back and reevaluate. Drilling is fine if the oil companies follow the rules regarding safety, not only for the environment, but also for the guys who work on these rigs. We need to understand what happened and how to prevent catastrophes in the future. If that makes any sense you wont have to worry about that happening. Those in Washington know who their masters are. You most certainly can't pressure those who finance your campaigns.Once they get to Washington, they are one and the same. No left or right. It's all the same. Th
Tell Chris Sehman to go back
Tell Chris Sehman to go back to the Florida Panhandle and stop lobbying for a bunch of hypocrites. I'm all for drilling and I don't need some short-order cook telling me how bad it is. The news networks are doing that. Good to see you, now go back home and leave us alone........we don't need more rabble-rousers such as you who think they have all the answers!
the wait at DMV
DMVs are by legend the black hole of time spent in line waiting. Alternative energy is the driver's license, vehicle registration, or any of the other services offered by DMV.
So what do you while you wait in line? Do you read a book, have conversation with the other people waiting, glare at the clerks, or do nothing but wait? While we are waiting for alternative energy to be widespread and viable, what should we do?
How about simply make full use of the energy sources we have NOW!!! And while doing making full use of the energy sources we have now, we ALSO work on alternative energy sources.
When did this become an either or situation? Why can't we drill baby drill AND develop alternative energy sources? I hope that those who oppose drill baby drill understand that we are going to keep using energy.
Who cares
I'm sure I could find all kinds of people that will say what I want on any issue if I pay them.
Who Cares
Well said!