Tell the Department of the Interior: Stop Expansion of Offshore Drilling

From PennEnvironment (http://www.pennenvironment.org):

Most people haven’t yet heard about the Taylor Energy oil spill. But that won’t last — it’s now poised to overtake Deepwater Horizon as the worst oil spill in U.S. history. The spill, happening now for a mind-boggling 14 years, hasn’t been stopped or cleaned up. That’s because Taylor Energy has been trying to hide the fact that up to 700 barrels of crude oil are still gushing into the ocean every day.¹

It’s clear: There is no such thing as safe offshore drilling.

What’s worse is that the administration wants to expand leases for companies like Taylor Energy to drill for oil and gas off of nearly all U.S. coastlines.² Our oceans are already suffering deep and lasting impacts from the exploitation by the oil and gas industry. We must act to stop offshore drilling from destroying the waters that we, and so many other species, depend on.

Go to https://pennenvironment.webaction.org/p/dia/action4/common/public/?action_KEY=29617 to tell the Department of the Interior to stop the expansion of offshore drilling in the Atlantic, Pacific and Arctic oceans, as well as the Gulf, and to protect the people and wildlife who depend on these waters.

The administration’s proposal to expand offshore drilling seeks to open nearly all U.S. waters to drilling. The potential for disaster is high. Hurricanes and strong storms in the Atlantic and the Gulf of Mexico could topple or damage oil rigs. That’s exactly what caused the Taylor Energy oil spill. Drilling also threatens many protected species such as polar bears and caribou in the Arctic refuge and whales and dolphins in the Pacific.

The plan is unpopular. It has been opposed by at least 12 states who want to be removed from the plan altogether — and that’s largely thanks to folks like you speaking out to oppose offshore drilling.³ When we speak up, we can block these plans. Will you add your voice too?

Tell Secretary Zinke you oppose expanding offshore drilling — there’s still time to protect our coastlines from what will certainly be a disastrous policy for people and marine wildlife alike.

There’s still time to tell the Trump administration that you oppose putting America’s coastlines and the communities that depend on them in danger of destructive and harmful drilling.

We know we can make a difference on this issue.

• Over the past 30 years, our national network has been a leader in saving our shores and coasts from oil drilling.
• In 1981, our Florida affiliate launched a Save Our Shores campaign to halt the leasing of 93 million acres of water near the Gulf Coast and Florida Keys for oil and gas development.
• In 1990, we celebrated when President George H.W. Bush announced a 10-year ban on new leasing and drilling off the Everglades and Florida Keys, and later, a permanent ban on drilling in Florida’s state waters.

After the BP Deepwater Horizon disaster, we urged state leaders and citizens across the country to call on President Obama to declare the nation’s coastal waters off-limits to drilling, and celebrated again when he delivered in 2016.

We have staff and members in nearly every coastal state that we will be mobilizing to take action to oppose this expansion plan. If we’re going to have a chance at reaching the administration, we’re going to need as many letters sent as possible. Will you help us?

Send a message to Secretary Zinke today to stop opening up U.S. waters to unsafe offshore drilling.

We’re adding the Taylor Energy spill to an ignominious list that includes Deepwater Horizon and the Exxon Valdez. Your message today could help us prevent the next environmental disaster.

Tell Secretary Zinke: NO offshore drilling is safe.

1. Darryl Fears, “A 14-year-long oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico verges on becoming one of the worst in U.S. history,” The Washington Post, October 21, 2018.
2. Lisa Friedman, “Trump Moves to Open Nearly All Offshore Waters to Drilling,” The New York Times, January 4, 2018.
3. Josh Siegel, “Ryan Zinke suggests ‘riskier’ offshore drilling plan likely to be scaled back,” The Washington Examiner, March 13, 2018.