Kilmer, West Coast Members Introduce Legislation to Permanently Ban Offshore Drilling on Pacific Coast
WASHINGTON, D.C.— Representative Derek Kilmer (WA-06) cosponsored a bill introduced today by Representatives Jared Huffman (CA-02) and John Garamendi (CA-10) to permanently ban offshore drilling on the Pacific Coast. The West Coast Ocean Protection Act would permanently protect the California, Oregon, and Washington coasts by amending the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act to prohibit new oil or natural gas leases in each state’s outer continental shelves and permanently protect the $44 billion coastal economies of the three states, which support nearly 650,000 jobs.
“We need a balanced approach to energy independence,” said Kilmer. “The United States is already one of the leading producers of oil and gas. Rather than put the sensitive ecosystems and unique wildlife of our region at risk, we should be focused on greater investments in renewable energy technologies. I don’t want to put jobs or the future of our coastal communities in jeopardy, so I’m joining my colleagues in introducing legislation to protect the West Coast from offshore drilling and move us into a direction that expands efforts to develop renewable energy sources.”
"Offshore drilling is inherently dangerous. Things go wrong and disasters happen, despite the happy talk we always hear from the oil and gas industry," said Huffman. "A prior generation of Californians learned this painful lesson after the horrific 1969 Santa Barbara oil spill. It was reinforced for the current generation by the massive Deepwater Horizon explosion and the devastation it brought to the environment and economy of the Gulf Coast. With this bill, we are thinking of future generations—and putting their interests above the short-term profits of Big Oil. Our pristine coastlines and fragile ocean ecosystems deserve nothing less than the permanent protection this bill guarantees."
“The Pacific Coast is just not suited for offshore oil platform drilling. The seas are too rough; the risk of a catastrophic earthquake is too great; and one tragic accident could kill millions of marine animals, ruin miles of coastline, and devastate entire industries,” said Garamendi. “It’s time to end the era of platform drilling in California and focus on the renewable energy sources that will create sustainable jobs for decades to come and help our country respond to the growing harmful effects of the climate crisis.”
The West Coast Ocean Protection Act was cosponsored by Reps. Alan Lowenthal (CA-47), Barbara Lee (CA-13), Sam Farr (CA-20), Grace Napolitano (CA-32), Mike Thompson (CA-05), Doris Matsui (D-06), Jackie Speier (CA-14), Mike Honda (CA-17), Eric Swalwell (CA-15), Earl Blumenauer (OR-03), Lois Capps (CA-24), Suzan DelBene (WA-01), Scott Peters (CA-52), and Donna Edwards (MD-04).
The full text of the bill can be found HERE.
Earlier this month, Senators Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Patty Murray (D-WA), Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Jeff Merkley (D-OR) re-introduced the Senate version of the bill.
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