| Dear Katy, On Jan. 3, the Trump administration announced plans to repeal the Obama-era ban on offshore drilling, opening more than 90 percent of the Outer Continental Shelf for oil and gas leasing.1 Offshore drilling threatens coastal communities and ocean environments with devastating oil spills – only to produce a fuel source that climate scientists tell us must be left in the ground if we are to avoid climate catastrophe. Expanding offshore drilling is irresponsible, short-sighted and dangerous. We must fight back now to stop this destructive plan before it moves forward. Tell Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke: No offshore drilling. Preserve the ban on drilling in our coastal waters. Click here to sign the petition. The worst oil spill in American history was just eight years ago, when an explosion on the Deepwater Horizon rig killed 11 people and caused a $60 billion oil spill that destroyed coastal environments and made thousands of people sick.2,3 Unbelievably, just a week before announcing that it would lift the ban on drilling, the Trump administration announced it was repealing the safety regulations put in place after the deadly incident.4 With fewer safety protections, Trump and his Secretary of the Department of the Interior Ryan Zinke now want to expand drilling to almost all U.S. coastlines. The only exception is Florida, which Zinke exempted just five days after his announcement when Trump ally Gov. Rick Scott called in a political favor.5 Zinke claims that Florida's coastline is unique, but governors from at least six other states are now demanding exemptions to protect their own coastlines.6 Sen. Maria Cantwell, the top Democrat on a committee that oversees the Department of the Interior, said Zinke's actions may have violated the law. She has asked Zinke to turn over all correspondence with the state of Florida about the plan.7 We need protection for all our coastlines – not just those in states where Donald Trump owes someone a political favor. Tell Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke: No offshore drilling. Preserve the ban on drilling in our coastal waters. Click the link below to sign the petition: https://act.credoaction.com/sign/no-offshore-drilling?t=7&akid=26914%2E12967895%2ENDE8bw
Thanks for fighting back,
Brandy Doyle, Campaign Manager
CREDO Action from Working Assets Add your name: References: - Lisa Friedman, "Trump moves to open nearly all offshore waters to drilling," The New York Times, Jan. 4, 2018.
- Steven Mufson, "BP's big bill for the world's largest oil spill reaches $61.6 billion," The Washington Post, July 14, 2016.
- Linda Marsa, "6 years after Deepwater Horizon oil spill, thousands of people are still sick," Grist, Oct. 10, 2016.
- Friedman, "Trump moves to open nearly all offshore waters to drilling."
- John O'Grady, "With offshore drilling scheme, Trump's America looks like a banana republic," The Hill, Jan. 12, 2018.
- Andrew Selsky, "Zinke hears West Coast governors, might reconsider offshore oil drilling," The Seattle Times, Jan. 12, 2018.
- Sabrina Shankman, "Offshore Drilling Plan Under Fire: Zinke May Have Violated Law, Senator Says," InsideClimate News, Jan. 11, 2018.
|
No comments:
Post a Comment