Waterkeeper Alliance Responds to President Trump’s Offshore Drilling 5-Year Plan

January 4, 2018

The Trump administration today announced its proposal to open the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, the Gulf of Mexico, and Arctic Sea to offshore drilling. The plan would be the largest offering of offshore drilling rights in decades.

Oil spills and other disasters caused by offshore drilling have devastating impacts on marine life and coastal economies, which is why coastal communities broadly oppose the expansion of offshore drilling. Drilling companies have repeatedly demonstrated that offshore drilling cannot be done safely and responsibly. Everyone is aware of the devastating impacts of BP’s Deepwater Horizon disaster in 2010, the largest oil spill in history, but the Gulf of Mexico also continues to be plagued by small but frequent oil spills, and the Taylor Energy oil leak – which has been ongoing for over a decade – has been declared “unstoppable” by the company.

The following statement is from Larissa Liebmann, Waterkeeper Alliance Staff Attorney:

“Opening up new offshore areas to oil and gas drilling is a blatant handout to polluting fossil fuel companies. A massive expansion of fossil fuel infrastructure will only line the pockets of big business at the expense of our marine environment, coastal communities, and climate. Our offshore areas must be managed in a way that actually benefits the public, and we will oppose the Trump administration’s efforts to irresponsibly sell off and degrade our shared resources.”

*Image courtesy of John Wathen