Despite objections from environmental groups and local governments, the California state legislature passed a bill on Friday that would allow abandoned offshore oilrigs to be converted to underwater reefs. If Gov. Gray Davis (D) signs the bill, oil companies will save millions of dollars; currently, they must dismantle and take away the rigs when drilling is over. Under the bill, only the tops of the rigs would be cut off, and the state would take charge of the underwater scaffoldings as artificial reefs for fish. State Sen. Jack O’Connell (D) said, “To me, it’s the worst anti-environmental bill that passed this session.”
