Bob Henderson Want To Drill On The Land He Once Fought To Protect

Huffington Post News:

WHITTIER, Calif. -- Whittier city official Bob Henderson has spent three decades, by his own account, helping rescue vast expanses of this hilly preserve from continued drilling by oil companies. As head of the conservation authority, his responsibility has been to protect the land.

But now, with oil hovering around $100 a barrel, the same man who led the charge to save the 1,290-acre Whittier Wilderness Preserve is interested in drilling there. Proponents believe Whittier could get as much as $177 million a year in oil revenues by using new technology that they say will only disturb 7 acres of the vast Whittier Hills. The proposal has bitterly divided this Los Angeles suburb that was founded by Quakers in the late 19th century, a religion with a deep commitment to protecting the environment.

Henderson, who continues to think of himself as a conservationist, said he's surprised to find himself leaning toward drilling.

"It's not that I've decided to destroy the preserve," he said. "What I do believe in very strongly is that you've got to be open and alert to help the habitat and the city. This has the potential to contribute millions of dollars to the preservation effort and in making sure the preserve is viable in the long run.

Drilling opponents don't see their former hero, or his current argument, in such nuanced light. They worry that once drilling is allowed in one spot future city council members could approve it elsewhere on the preserve.