December 9, 2021
Scientists Call For an End to New Offshore Drilling
BY: Sarah Giltz
Today, over 70 scientists sent a letter to President Biden and Congress, urging our leaders in Washington, D.C. to prevent new offshore drilling.
Last month, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Build Back Better Act, which, if enacted, would establish the most significant protections ever for offshore drilling in the United States. The bill would permanently protect the Pacific and Atlantic oceans, as well as the Eastern Gulf of Mexico, from dirty and dangerous offshore drilling. The scientists call on the Senate to include these vital protections in their version of the bill and ask President Biden to take presidential action to cancel all future offshore drilling lease sales.
A policy to protect all unleased federal waters from offshore drilling in the United States could prevent over 19 billion tons of greenhouse gas emissions as well as more than $720 billion in damages to people, property, and the environment. The climate crisis is here and we cannot afford more drilling and its associated climate pollution.
The scientists highlighted many of the hazards of offshore drilling:
- Offshore drilling exacerbates the climate crisis.
- Our coasts should be protected from another BP Deepwater Horizon catastrophe.
- Offshore oil drilling generates chronic pollution.
Scientists who signed the letter include oil spill experts and marine biologists from across the country. We hope this plea to protect our coast is heard and that the President and Congress act to protect our coasts for generations to come.
Read the full letter here. To learn more about Oceana’s efforts to stop the expansion of offshore drilling, please visit www.stopthedrill.org.