Oceans News

The U.S. Senate passed the Domenici-Martinez-Landrieu Coastal Drilling Bill (SB 3711) and ended a 25-year moratorium on new offshore oil and gas drilling off the coast of Florida.

California’s coast has also been protected by a moratorium on new offshore drilling and the passage of this legislation moves us one step closer to losing that protection.  Earlier this month, the U.S. House passed a bill, sponsored by U.S. Rep. Richard Pombo (Tracy, CA), that threatens to open the coast of California to increased drilling.  That bill is now ready to be merged with the Senate bill, SB 3711.

Instead of working to open our beaches to oil and gas drilling, Congress should pursue real solutions to our energy problems, including energy efficiency, renewable energy and making our cars go farther on a gallon of gas.

Unfortunately, amendments to the senate bill to add energy efficiency measures failed

We would, however, like to take this opportunity to thank Senators Barbara Boxer and Dianne Feinstein for leading the fight to protect our coast from oil and gas drilling and voting against this harmful legislation. 

Click here to see the editorial in the New York Times.