Obama Administration Reverses Course, Will Not Open Atlantic Coast to Offshore Oil Drilling
Group 5
Garrett Baker
Ha Do
Maria Membrila
Nga Vo
Tiecheng Xu
Administration Communications Online
(MGMT 350-70)
Professor Anna Phillips
July 19, 2017
Table of Contents
Executive Summary………………………………………………………..2
Introduction…………………………………………………….………….3
Primary and Secondary Tensions…..……………………………………..
Ethnocentrism……….…….………………………………………………..
Adult Ego State…………….………………………………………………
Conclusion………………………………………………………………….
A Division of Labor List by Person and Task…………………………….
Works Cited…………………………………………………………………
Executive Summary- Garrett Baker
Introduction
The Obama Administration could not open the Atlantic Coast for oil drilling for a few reasons. There were people who disagreed with the idea to drill on the Atlantic Coast, which caused some conflict. There was evidence of primary tension, such as; people imagined potential outcomes that they felt uncomfortable with. For example, conflicts with national defense, economic activities, and local communities oppositions (Hannon). This type of conflict surfaces secondary tensions as well. Local communities may not feel they are being heard if they did decide to drill oil in their community, therefore it then becomes an inequality problem and they would feel more powerful individuals are ignoring their opinions and beliefs. Another conflict the article exemplifies is ethnocentrism, which fosters secondary tensions. Coastal communities created a significant backlash of the oil drill and if the governors and legislatures continued with their plans to drill they would have characterized ethnocentrism, stating based on this theory, they believe their political standing is more important than the local community’s opinion.
As the interior Secretary Sally Jewell explained, it didn’t make sense to move forward with any sales (Hannon). The Obama administration approached the situation in the Adult ego state. For example, they considered drilling oil objectively and rationally. The administration considered the conflicts with national defense, fishing, tourism, and the opposition of many locals. They also rationally considered that the oil prices had fallen which altered the economic rationale for the drilling anyway. By the administration reversing drilling on the Atlantic coast they exemplified the adult ego state and avoided ethnocentrism and having any primary and secondary tensions.
Body 1- Ha Do
Theory 1- Primary Tensions and Secondary Tensions
Example 1- Conflicts with National Defense
Example 2- Conflicts with Economic Activities
Example 3- Conflicts with Local Communities Oppositions
Besides hurting the environment of Atlantic ocean, the oil drilling also brings some of the conflicts to national defense, economic activities and local communities oppositions. First, the Atlantic offshore drilling may affect on the military maneuvers and interfere with missile tests that the Navy relies on to protect the East Coast. The national defense of The United State is a delicate ground that it is very important to ensure the safety of service members and the public during military training and testing activities. Second, there is no doubt that Atlantic drilling will bring huge economic resources that decrease the price of gasoline and bring profuse fuel resources. Moreover, the process of opening offshore areas will offer job-creating energy exploration and settle employment for thousands of people. However, in another aspect, offshore oil-rig may be an obstacle to economic activities such as fishing and tourism, and opposition from many local communities. Is it a good decision to bring work for drilling oil but destroy other’s business and way of life? The drilling oil obviously affects the environment- what local retirees, environmentalists, and companies dependent on to develop tourism business, including local chambers of commerce, tourism and restaurant associations and strong fisheries. Not only conflict with national defense and economic activities, the drilling oil was also raised against by local communities. “The Department of Defense, environmental groups and more than a hundred coastal communities objected to the drilling proposal.” (Kenedy) The local communities worried about commercial fishing activity, and endanger wildlife that may affect when drilling oil at Atlantic happens. Until June 2017, offshore drilling and/or seismic airgun blasting has been protested by 126 East Coast municipalities and more than 1,200 local, state and federal elected officials. (Oceana) In their aspect, offshore oil and gas drilling and exploration, including seismic airgun blasting (an extremely loud and dangerous process used to search for oil and gas deposits deep below the ocean’s surface) will strongly injure the ocean’s surface and healthy ocean ecosystems then directly threat local jobs in fishing, recreation, and tourism.
Body 2-
Theory 2- Ethnocentrism
Example 1- Coastal Communities
Example 2- National Defense
Example 3- Fishing and Tourism
Body 3-
Theory 3- Adult Ego State
Example 1- Objective Behavior
Example 2- Rational Behavior
Example 3-
Conclusion-
A Division of Labor List by Person and Task
For this group project, the Executive Summary and the Introduction were completed by Garrett Baker. Each group member contributed to the Works Cited. Ha Do wrote the Body 1 . _____ wrote Body 2 . ____wrote Body 3 . Garrett Baker created the cover page, table of contents, and created the logo. Each group member contributed information on the corresponding PowerPoint slides and compiled the PowerPoint presentation.
Works Cited
Hannon, Elliot. “Obama Administration Reverses Course, Will Not Open Atlantic Coast to
Offshore Oil Drilling.” Slate. N.p., 15 Mar. 2016. Web. 10 July 2017.
KENNEDY, MERRIT. Obama Administration Will Not Allow Atlantic Offshore Drilling. 15 March 2016. 15 July 2017.
Ocena. Grassroots Opposition to Offshore Drilling and Exploration in the Atlantic Ocean and Eastern Gulf of Mexico. June 2017. 15 July 2017.
