Congressional Committee Okays Bill to Expand Offshore Drilling - Oceana

Congressional Committee Okays Bill to Expand Offshore Drilling

Press Release Date: July 18, 2012

Location: Washington

Contact:

Anna Baxter | email: abaxter@oceana.org
Anna Baxter

Today, the United States House Committee on Natural Resources okayed a bill that would open all U.S. coasts to new drilling. The bill, entitled Congressional Replacement of President Obama’s Energy-Restricting and Job-Limiting Offshore Drilling Plan (H.R.6082), was introduced by committee chairman Representative Doc Hastings (R-WA) and is intended to replace the Obama Administration’s proposed 2012-2017 offshore drilling plan.

In response to the vote, Oceana, the largest international advocacy group working solely to protect the world’s oceans, released the following statement from Jacqueline Savitz, vice president for North America:

Rep. Hastings is mistaken if he believes this bill will lead the U.S. to energy independence. The only way we could become energy independent would be to break our addiction to oil by building a strong foundation of clean and renewable energy, like solar and offshore wind.

This bill would force Americans to take all of the risks, while getting none of the benefits. The oil would be sold on the world market, and there would be no “local discount” at U.S. pumps. If we drill, we will spill, and when the next major spill happens, it will be American lives and livelihoods that are lost.” 

 “The ‘drill-now-drill-everywhere’ approach is reckless and dangerous. Opening new U.S. coastlines to offshore drilling will only increase the chances of yet another disastrous oil spill.

For more information about Oceana’s campaign to stop new offshore drilling, please visit www.oceana.org/stopthedrill.