Oceana statement about Senate Committee Approval of Climate Legislation | Oceana

Oceana statement about Senate Committee Approval of Climate Legislation

Press Release Date: November 5, 2009

Location: Washington, DC

Contact:

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

Oceana is pleased that the climate change bill passed out of the Environment and Public Works Committee this morning.  But there is a long road ahead to ensure that the bill helps rather than hurts our oceans.  Climate change is real, and is damaging our oceans and the world that we live in right now.  The U.S. must act swiftly to put a regulatory framework in place to reduce global warming pollution and protect our oceans.  As this legislation moves forward, it is imperative that this bill is not weakened.  Emission targets need to be high enough to prevent further harm from acidification.  Expanded offshore oil drilling must not be added to the bill. 

 

In short, the final bill must have strong emission targets, must regulate all sectors, including commercial shipping, must provide funding for ocean and coastal adaptation and must not include expanded offshore drilling for oil and gas.  More drilling not only has no place in a climate change bill intended to reduce greenhouse gas pollution but it puts our oceans, coasts, communities and marine industries at increased risk.

 

Oceana urges the Senate to reject any attempts to add offshore drilling language to the climate change legislation.

 

For more information, please visit:  http://na.oceana.org/en/our-work/climate-energy