Will Congress Ban Offshore Oil Drilling?
US Congress has introduced two new bills that would ban offshore oil drilling in two major areas off our coastline.
Representative Frank Pallone of New Jersey introduced legislation to ban offshore drilling for oil and gas off the Atlantic Coast. The Clean Ocean and Safe Tourism Anti-Drilling Act (COAST) would prohibit leasing by the US government off the entire Atlantic Coast.
Offshore oil drilling causes major problems for marine life, including loud noise associated with oil exploration and drilling; chronic oil spills; the dumping of toxic drilling muds used to lubricate the drills; and the occasional devastating blow-out of a well, which can spew oil for months into the ocean, smothering and poisoning hundreds of thousands of marine animals. Oil cleanup methods are limited and can often do more harm, such as when dispersants are used to break up the oil, but contribute to the toxicity of the spill.
Such oil spills also harm important economic activities, such as tourism along the coast and commercial and sport fishing. And any oil removed and burned contributes to the growing threat of global warming.
Off the California coast alone, more than 4 million gallons of oil have spilled into the Pacific Ocean due to the 1969 Santa Barbara blowout, the Refugio Beach spill of 2015, and other leaks from oil and pipeline activity, affecting more than 935 square miles of ocean.
In response to these concerns, California Congressional Representative Mike Levin introduced legislation, titled the American Coasts and Oceans Protection Act, aimed at banning offshore oil drilling in Southern California waters, from San Diego to the northern border of San Luis Obispo County.
According to Rep. Levin’s office, fishing, tourism, and recreation account for an estimated 600,000+ jobs and roughly $42.3 billion in economic activity for California.
In 2016, the Obama Administration had imposed a ban on leasing in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, but the Trump Administration attempted to overturn those restrictions – Trump proposed to lease 90% of the US coastline to offshore oil, a huge windfall for the oil drilling industry. A court order blocked the Trump proposal. But the Obama order is only in place until 2022 when it expires. President Biden has put a temporary hold on issuing leases for public lands and offshore drilling while he develops a new policy.
Both offshore oil drilling bills, along with others, will be considered by the House Natural Resources Committee on Thursday, May 13th. Votes are likely to follow in the coming weeks.
WHAT YOU CAN DO:
Contact your House Representative and two Senators. Urge them to support legislation, including the Clean Ocean and Safe Tourism Anti-Drilling Act and the American Coasts and Oceans Protection Act, to permanently ban offshore oil drilling in sensitive habitats like the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. The USA should phase out offshore oil drilling and phase in green energy sources, such as wind and solar. The US needs to transition away from polluting oil and gas.
For information on contacting your two Senators in Washington DC, go here.
For information on contacting your member of the House of Representatives, go here.
Your donations are needed to help the International Marine Mammal Project of Earth Island Institute work towards the passage of offshore oil drilling bans and other ways to protect the fragile coastline. Please donate today! Thank you.
