en-us https://www.intensedebate.com/users/277350 Comments by Swells http://robnixon.blogspot.com/2010/06/oils-legacy-iconic-blowout.html#IDComment80472489 Well I think you'll see some regulations and then the existing deepwater areas will be opened up for drilling and exploration again. The "moratorium" you're referring to meant no drilling off the East and West costs and Gulf Florida, which would possibly remain in place. My thoughts about BP are that they were and are criminally negligent, and somebody needs to be tried for the murder of 11 men, in addition to the environmental offenses. The other majors know how to drill in deep water just fine, although the Fed will probably require new offshore response plans (OSRP). Oh, and ban the nuke instead, OK? Wed, 16 Jun 2010 19:59:26 +0000 http://robnixon.blogspot.com/2010/06/oils-legacy-iconic-blowout.html#IDComment80472489 http://robnixon.blogspot.com/2010/05/spi-parking-ordinance-putting-cart.html#IDComment74871838 Good post Rob! It was obvious to me that the city council wanted to give some residents some relief, but in the process caused several other big problems. So you'll see that the residents love it but the beach-goers and businesses hate it. Congestion will only get worse on Gulf, a major unintended consequence. While those places were not counted towards parking slots intended to provide public access to the beach, the bet effect was to violate the spirit of the Texas Open Beaches Act. Sure looks like referendum material to me! Tue, 11 May 2010 14:39:59 +0000 http://robnixon.blogspot.com/2010/05/spi-parking-ordinance-putting-cart.html#IDComment74871838 http://robnixon.blogspot.com/2009/08/is-2009-pivotal-year-for-public-beaches.html#IDComment32725463 Excellent post sir, and I wasn't aware of the Supremes case with Florida. I did have to laugh. If some erosion, hurricane, or storm comes along and takes away the front 40 foot of your seaside property, are you telling me that the landowner can sure the government for compensation? That has to be the silliest, most stupid thing I have ever heard. Tue, 1 Sep 2009 00:12:35 +0000 http://robnixon.blogspot.com/2009/08/is-2009-pivotal-year-for-public-beaches.html#IDComment32725463 http://robnixon.blogspot.com/2009/08/mohawk-is-saved.html#IDComment32504052 I think it was rather expensive, although I don't know the financial situation. George & Scarlet are so cool, you ask them if they need a fundraiser or some help and they say "sure, make a donation." Too proud I guess. Sat, 29 Aug 2009 22:39:03 +0000 http://robnixon.blogspot.com/2009/08/mohawk-is-saved.html#IDComment32504052 http://robnixon.blogspot.com/2009/08/offshore-oil-exploration-is-obama-just.html#IDComment32064662 Well that's the crux - getting off petrochemicals such as for transportation fuel. There's no real alternatives out there, and quite frankly the world is awash in oil right now because of the global recession. About 300 super tankers are currently moored off Singapore because nobody is buying crude oil. At least temporarily, there is no such thing as "peak oil" because it is dirt cheap and so plentiful. People light have opinions, but the facts right now say otherwise. I know what you all mean with respect to reducing oil dependency and alternative energy sources, but there's nothing there. The power plants don't use crude oil of any kind, at least in terms of a global scale. The truth as far as I can see it is that the world is awash in so much oil right now we don't know what to do with it. Because it takes 5 to 20 years to develop offshore oil fields, we're looking at stuff far into the future. There are huge "finds" off Cuba, Brazil, Mexico, Angola, and other places (including the North Pole). Interestingly, the one off Cuba is perhaps the most important, although because of screwed up diplomatic relations and a ban on oil extraction off Florida, we're screwing ourselves out of one the the biggest reservoirs of oil ever, bigger than Alaska. This story about Cuba's immense oil find doesn't get much media attention. Part of the discovery is in Cuba's territorial waters and part of it is in the US exclusive economic zone off Florida. Since both are "off limits" for US drilling and technology partnership, we deal with Brazil and allow the Chinese and Norway oil exploration companies to make Cuba perhaps one of the richest nations in the world on a per-capita basis. Norway was dumped a few hundred million into exploration and the Chinese hold rights to ten times as much investment right now as we speak. Meanwhile, except for a few new super-rigs like Thunderhorse off the Alabama coast, the rigs are fleeing the US part of the Gulf of Mexico as fast as they can. The royalties, leases, government corruption, insurance, and day rates are simply too high, and it is cheaper to move their rigs to Brazil, Nigeria, and Angola (but not Cuba). Now what's wrong with this picture? Energy independence my arse, we're running off everyone except the small wildcatters. Unfortunately, President Obama didn't get the memo. He got some high-level policy wonk advice that was plainly wrong but sounded good as a sound-bite during an election campaign, and now has to eat his words. It won't be the first time. But I do want to clarify my position as being totally against the GOP's "drill here and drill now" stupidity. Folks we know where the oil and natural gas is, and it ain't off California or the East Coast, and Alaska seems a pretty sorry choice the major oil companies don't even like, because of all the environmental rules. It's a very complex issue, one I think deserves more attention. Until we "make the break" to alternate power sources, we pretty much reliant on domestic and foreign oil. But there is a reason why a company called Deep Sea 7 recently relocated to Port Isabel. Their stated justification was development of PEMEX oil and gas fields and offshore Brazil. Naturally, the Cuba/Florida thing was NOT mentioned. sam Wed, 26 Aug 2009 20:23:12 +0000 http://robnixon.blogspot.com/2009/08/offshore-oil-exploration-is-obama-just.html#IDComment32064662 http://robnixon.blogspot.com/2009/08/perfect-storm-or-oprotunistic-disaster.html#IDComment30984793 Well as long as casino gambling is in the toilet, I don't think you'll see any high rollers like MGM Grand Mirage investing in Texas. Their stock went from a high of $52 last year to $9 presently, and they are not paying any dividends (meaning they're losing money). Most casino stacks started well above $20 last year and are trading at half the value. Jimmy Buffet stopped two major casino deals involving his Margaritaville corporation. The time to choose casinos was about 3 or 4 years ago when times were good, not now. What you have to watch out for are these weasels who want to allow the small gaming companies into the picture, like keno, off-track betting, one-arm bandits, 777, dog racing, horse racing, Texas Hold 'Em, and any fly-by-night operator with a major case of greed, lobby money, payola, kick-backs, corruption, and balls. That's my prediction. No publicly traded casino operator is going to dump a hefty fraction of a billion dollars on SPI for a casino. But the small pirate outfits will be clamoring for their comeuppance. Thank goodness, these political hacks and blow-hards won't be back in Lege for a year and a half! sam Mon, 17 Aug 2009 01:33:43 +0000 http://robnixon.blogspot.com/2009/08/perfect-storm-or-oprotunistic-disaster.html#IDComment30984793 http://robnixon.blogspot.com/2009/08/cameron-county-parks-going-bankrupt.html#IDComment30706199 This is very troublesome. Something bad is happening. The parks bring in millions a year and get GLO funds for beach maintenance as well. Down a Isla Blanca the County gets concession cash and a cut of the proceeds, too! I mean it's a gold mine. And I've never seen more than a few parks officers or maintenance workers -- even though we supposedly spent another million in County bond money to fix Isla Blanca. Tell me, where is the money going? I do know that the County made some unwise decisions to build more parks on the mainland, which were to be funded by SPI resort revenues. Those were poor decisions, political I guess, but the Parks System is supposed to be self-sufficient, requiring no added revenue. Something is very, very wrong here. I'm getting a major whiff of corruption, mismanagement, and ignorance. THOSE issues must be addressed before we start hosing the local citizens for more money and LESS access. It you talked to Gene Gore (who complained about the County running illegal landfills on the beach) and Charlie Brommer (who still wonders WTF the County is doing), your hair would instantly curl. If I didn't know of the allegations about corruption and outright fraud, I wouldn't say it. But I can't prove it. They've outfoxed the GLO, TCEQ, FBI, and EPA, they're that good. One day I hope that happier times will be back. -sammie Fri, 14 Aug 2009 00:37:23 +0000 http://robnixon.blogspot.com/2009/08/cameron-county-parks-going-bankrupt.html#IDComment30706199 http://robnixon.blogspot.com/2009/08/australian-towns-decision-to-retreat.html#IDComment29255209 Well Rob at least I bought on the bayside, the last part of the island to fall into the sea. In areas that are accreting or neutral, such as the area from the SPI jetties to mid-island about Oleander, I guess no managed retreat? Hey that's cool. There have already been a passel of Texas Supreme Court cases on this, so why not add some more? You know how hard it is to be a lawyer in the economic recession, give 'em some work, man! I'm joking man. Mon, 3 Aug 2009 02:31:53 +0000 http://robnixon.blogspot.com/2009/08/australian-towns-decision-to-retreat.html#IDComment29255209 http://robnixon.blogspot.com/2009/07/stealing-sand-new-caribbean-crime-wave.html#IDComment29009371 Excellent post and I hadn't heard about the "sand pirates" of the Caribbean. Oh just one thing, a typical truck can only pack about 10 yards of sand, only 14 for a super-extended rig, so 706,000 cubic yards is some pretty serious theft, like 70,000 truckloads! -sam Fri, 31 Jul 2009 19:43:48 +0000 http://robnixon.blogspot.com/2009/07/stealing-sand-new-caribbean-crime-wave.html#IDComment29009371 http://robnixon.blogspot.com/2009/05/congessional-report-highlights-dangers.html#IDComment22426980 Well, anything in the federal budget is inherently political, and allocating where it is scientifically the best to attempt to control erosion seems out of the question. My thinking is that the shore between Isla Blanca Park and around the Tiki within town limits seems viable for beach renourishment, simply because we've lost the mechanism for gaining sand, other than where it piles up next to the jetty. A former alderman named Fred Mallet was very concerned about actions that put the town at further risk, such as building over the Historical Building Line, or allowing development on the north side so close to the Gulf of Mexico. He said that such carelessness can actually drive up our insurance rates and other local costs. And I think he's right. During the last set of waves, which weren't even from a tropical storm, the water was up to the sea wall in the area between the Tiki and La Quinta. It is becoming clear that this area is at extreme risk. No matter how much sand we dump there, it gets washed down and out the beach. Hauling sand by truck to that location has been wasted money, yet we - through our Board of Aldermen, fund it every year, using "borrow sand" from the TxDOT right of way up by County Access 5. In a weird way, these properties have become an "attractive nuisance" that is now costing the local taxpayers big money. That said, the cost of letting these properties slide into the Gulf is even worse, and our economy would feel those impacts as well. In hindsight, we should have demanded a 350-foot setback there (I remember when there was at least 150 foot of white beach up there). What is baffling, though, is that these property owners really feel that the Town should pay for all the beach restoration, while they pay nothing other than local, state, and federal taxes. No, that is not a "right" named in the Texas or US Constitution. We might need to rethink things, although I doubt much will change ... what I fear the most is that such "attractive nuisances" will be built all the way up to the end of Park Road 100 on South Padre Island. I wonder what Fred what think about that can of beans today. Wed, 27 May 2009 15:16:33 +0000 http://robnixon.blogspot.com/2009/05/congessional-report-highlights-dangers.html#IDComment22426980 http://robnixon.blogspot.com/2009/05/texas-legislative-beach-bills-update.html#IDComment21454126 Thanks for the heads-up Rob, real good job. Kudos, brah. Thu, 14 May 2009 16:17:09 +0000 http://robnixon.blogspot.com/2009/05/texas-legislative-beach-bills-update.html#IDComment21454126 http://robnixon.blogspot.com/2009/05/south-padre-islands-gulf-blvd-parking.html#IDComment21247360 Good post Rob. Unfortunately, the only thing we can do is try to block the imposition of a parking fee by the BOA, if it does not amend the B&D Plan and get GLO approval. I think a few well-placed phone calls could do that. To be more constructive, the new design of Gulf Blvd - there's a committee and a consultant I believe - should consider beach access (and the GLO rules), the traffic flow, safety, and parking. Then consider off-site parking for those peak days, with a revised transit plan. All that could be done ... well it would take about a year I would think. In the meantime, there is a very powerful contingency who just want to bolt down some parking meters or that "slot" system. Great - I moved here to get away from all that crap, and am not satisfied in the least. sam Mon, 11 May 2009 16:48:55 +0000 http://robnixon.blogspot.com/2009/05/south-padre-islands-gulf-blvd-parking.html#IDComment21247360 http://robnixon.blogspot.com/2009/04/hb4025-pulled-from-committee-dead.html#IDComment20399601 Keep the good news comin', bro'! In this day and time we got recessions, depressions, deflation, anxiety, pirates, terrorists, droughts, now swine flu, and God knows what, it's about time for some damn good news. Pass the word ... we scored. Sat, 2 May 2009 03:22:59 +0000 http://robnixon.blogspot.com/2009/04/hb4025-pulled-from-committee-dead.html#IDComment20399601 http://robnixon.blogspot.com/2009/04/bucky-johnstone-friends.html#IDComment19828183 Farkin' unreal, that white boyee is crazed! Thanks for the laugh, Rob. Fri, 24 Apr 2009 20:21:41 +0000 http://robnixon.blogspot.com/2009/04/bucky-johnstone-friends.html#IDComment19828183 http://robnixon.blogspot.com/2009/03/asbpa-responds-to-omb-decision-to-not.html#IDComment17705818 In a way I'm glad that wholesale beach sand-flinging didn't happen ... you know the reasons, bad plans, poor sand characteristics, and heavy erosion rates. I hope that beach hardening will also be stopped, like the groins, T-heads, and hard-walls. The way to do it right is rather like we're doing with lots of studies, careful planning, good advice, and some limited help through CEPRA and related funds that require state and local funding matches. I suspect there are very few places in the US that really have "shovel ready" beach renourishment projects. We're one, and we could get it done by September, 2010 (the deadline for "stim" projects) if we can get Phase II going this winter. But you're right, when people feel their beach homes are threatened, they'll try everything from illegal rip-rap to concrete just to save their shacks-by-the-ocean. But most of that is, well, illegal. I'm glad that the Obama team did the right thing here. sam Fri, 27 Mar 2009 18:29:59 +0000 http://robnixon.blogspot.com/2009/03/asbpa-responds-to-omb-decision-to-not.html#IDComment17705818 http://robnixon.blogspot.com/2009/03/kook-song.html#IDComment17603417 LOL, great kook song and I'm sure a wonderful guy! But did you see him shake his left hand at the very last frames? He was a VERY sore kook after playing bar chords on a classical guit-box like that. But that's what I like about the classical guitar, the percussion effects, the full vibra sounds, and the kook effect. I think I'll put some Sex Wax on my big body board now - ugh, on top, right???? Hey I lost a whole bunch of links and good surfer music when I got the new computer. It you have some of them Texas & Calli electric sliding surfer kook bands and songs I'd sure appreciate a dose or two of that.. Gosh, one old boy was all-blues and went "kook" and he was scheduled to play on SPI but he got sick. Umm, ukes and classicals guitars, anything, I love the sound. -whams p.s., if I play "If I Had A Surfboard" for ya y'all gotta help me with the lyrics, OK? Thu, 26 Mar 2009 00:28:55 +0000 http://robnixon.blogspot.com/2009/03/kook-song.html#IDComment17603417 http://robnixon.blogspot.com/2009/03/texas-surfrider-chapters-testify-in.html#IDComment17360375 The Town of SPI has a good lobbyist with some environmental cred and Surfrider does have a great person, Ellis Pickett (who has worked on TOBA issues for a long time). One that us homeowners are also watching is HB 911 (Smithee) that would amend the Texas Windstorm program by reducing coverage and increasing rates by 60%. Rob I think that would affect your house too! But maybe such stuff will slow down all the condo development. -sam Sat, 21 Mar 2009 17:44:09 +0000 http://robnixon.blogspot.com/2009/03/texas-surfrider-chapters-testify-in.html#IDComment17360375 http://robnixon.blogspot.com/2009/03/why-do-we-need-marine-protected-areas.html#IDComment17011839 Ah, push the button in the lower left, doh! Again, I think that off Texas, Flower Gardens makes the most sense, and NOAA has a multi-year research program to assess whether an MPA is needed. Interestingly, there is a large grouper population there but they're prone to having ciguatera, so its not a good idea to eat them (they take far better photographs anyway). Wahoo are also found on top of the reefs there although they are not thought to be endangered by any means. The bluefin tuna school may out in international waters beyond 200 miles, and NOAA has a "no catch" rule for them by US boats because the Atlantic bluefin tuna spawn there (the Med is the other place on the east side). The yellowfin funa are more common around the 200-mile line called the EEZ, where the deepest rigs are located. The yellowfin is not endangered, however. California working with NOAA did set up a massive group of MPA zones off the Channel, Santa Barbara, and Catalina islands (my geography is a little rough here without a map), which I'm surprised was not mentioned in the video. There, the species in decline are commonly called "rock cod" of several kinds and are a delicacy that unfortunately were depleted by bottom trawling. Also not mentioned was that the MPAs are also meant to protect marine mammals (seal, sea lion) and bird rookeries (a famous one off San Francisco). We can almost the thankful we don't have many marine mammals except a few stray whales off Texas - for California the system seems to be working, The most common protective habitat for fish off Texas are - this is going to sound weird - oil and gas rigs. Each rig can hold hundreds and thousands of red snapper and other fish, and there are over a thousand offshore rigs in the Gulf of Mexico. This is actually good, since red snapper that inhabit the "flats" were often scooped up by the shrimp trawlers. In order to increase habitat for these kinds of fish, the TPWD and NOAA are working together to promote artificial and rigs-to-reefs, which of course would be off limits to shrimping. Those are my thoughts about MPAs in our part of the Gulf. sam Sun, 15 Mar 2009 15:58:28 +0000 http://robnixon.blogspot.com/2009/03/why-do-we-need-marine-protected-areas.html#IDComment17011839 http://robnixon.blogspot.com/2009/03/why-do-we-need-marine-protected-areas.html#IDComment16920756 Hey Rob my Mozilla browser didn't see a video - can you check that? The most likely place for a marine protection area (MPA) off Texas is Flower Gardens Bank, actually several coral reefs East and West located quite some distance offshore, surrounded by several oil and gas wells. Most folks are OK with that, and diving and surface trolling is still allowed. Beyond that, things would turn into a proverbial shit-fest in Texas if more offshore MPAs were even suggested. There are no other islands or reefs to protect, such as what was done off California and Hawaii. The "fish politics" is not very conducive in Texas either, without going into details. Just so you know, offshore of Florida there are some restricted zones where no fishing is allowed on some reefs because the fishermen depleted the red grouper so bad they almost went extinct. That is not a problem so far off Texas. I can explain that in detail, but would advise being VERY careful on the MPA issue in Texas. sam Sun, 15 Mar 2009 02:16:13 +0000 http://robnixon.blogspot.com/2009/03/why-do-we-need-marine-protected-areas.html#IDComment16920756 http://robnixon.blogspot.com/2009/03/surfrider-foundation-palm-beach-county.html#IDComment16632190 I hadn't thought about that one - if there's no beach and no beach renourishment, people will want to construct hard structures such as sea walls and rip-rap to protect their lawns and foundations. If that happens, would the result be as bad? Mon, 9 Mar 2009 17:05:14 +0000 http://robnixon.blogspot.com/2009/03/surfrider-foundation-palm-beach-county.html#IDComment16632190