House Votes to Allow Oil and Gas Drilling off of America's Coasts

25-Year Ban Lifted, Places Communities, Marine Wildlife and Coasts at Risk of Pollution and Damage

(6/30/2006) - Washington, D.C. -- The House of Representatives today passed a bill sponsored by Rep. Richard Pombo (R-CA) that allows oil and gas drilling just miles from our coasts. The vote lifts a 25-year ban on offshore drilling and forces states that want to protect their shores to petition every five years for the protections they now enjoy.

"The Pombo offshore oil and gas drilling bill is short-sighted legislation to boost oil drilling and oil profits, when the need is to alleviate America's addiction to oil," stated Rodger Schlickeisen, president of Defenders of Wildlife. "This dead-end legislation flies in the face of every proactive, long-term solution to our mounting energy problems. America has the technology right now to make vehicles go farther on a gallon of gas, saving substantial amounts of oil in the next decade and significantly reducing our dependence on fossil fuels. All it takes to set this in motion is a little forward thinking and a commitment from Congress to real energy solutions, not more of the same old 'drill at all costs' mantra."

The bill allows states to drill as close as three miles to their coasts, jeopardizing the coastal environment and potentially even the economies of neighboring states that want to protect their waters.

"Every coastal state is put in harm's way when oil rigs go up in our coastal waters. Oil spills from one state can easily travel to another, damaging the tourism industry and the local environment. Whales, dolphins, seals, sea lions, sea otters, sea turtles, fish, sharks, birds and other wildlife would be needlessly in harm's way," continued Schlickeisen.

"The bottom line is that oil drilling is the slowest, dirtiest, most expensive way to address our energy needs. It is simply not worth the risk to our coastal states, especially when so many other options are available, including clean, renewable energy initiatives," said Schlickeisen.

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Defenders of Wildlife is a national, nonprofit membership organization dedicated to the protection of all native wild animals and plants in their natural communities.

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Contact(s):

Cindy Hoffman, (202) 772-3255
William Lutz, (202) 772-0269