ROUND UP: Enviro Groups Respond to Trump Opening U.S. Waters to Threat of Offshore Drilling

Enviro Groups Respond Trump Opening U.S. Waters Offshore Drilling

Donald Trump signed an executive order Thursday directing the Department of the Interior to review the 2017-2022 Outer Continental Oil and Gas leasing program. Trump will also order a review of marine monuments and existing offshore drilling regulations including the blowout preventer rule, put into place after the BP oil spill. The Trump administration will explore undoing permanent protections in the Arctic and Atlantic oceans, and seek to open all of our waters to drilling.

Sierra Club Executive Director Michael Brune:

“Donald Trump is apparently the only person who trusts Big Oil with our coasts, despite the fact they have failed over and over again. Trump wants to reverse permanent protections for the Arctic Ocean, opening it back up to drilling — a position so unpopular that Zinke wouldn’t even share it with reporters last night — but operations there were abandoned after repeated failed attempts. Trump wants to continue drilling in the Gulf of Mexico, despite the fact that it has repeatedly been treated as a sacrifice zone and seven years ago this week, oil spewed uncontrollably from the Deepwater Horizon platform, taking 11 lives and destroying wildlife, businesses, and communities. Not only that, he wants to do away with the blowout preventer rule put in place to help stop another Deepwater disaster from happening.

“No matter how much money it spends or how many lobbyists it places inside the Trump administration, Big Oil can never nor will never drown out the voices of millions of Americans across the country who speak out against dangerous offshore drilling. We will continue to speak out against offshore drilling and to protect our marine monuments from coast to coast, and this will only make our call louder on Saturday, as thousands upon thousands take to the streets of Washington, DC to march against Trump and his agenda.

“Just as he has throughout his 99 days in office, Donald Trump will fail in this attempt to destroy our beaches and coastal communities. The people have been heard and will continue to be heard.” Read full statement here

Center for Biological Diversity, Kristen Monsell:

“It’s as if Trump doesn’t care at all about oil spills, whales or global warming. Oh yeah, he doesn’t, and that’s pretty clear from this order. This reckless giveaway to the oil industry could wreak havoc in the pristine waters of the Arctic and the rich oceans off the Atlantic and Pacific coasts. But we’re ready to battle this dangerous plan in court.”

“Protecting the Arctic, Atlantic and Pacific from new drilling was an important action that we’ll vigorously defend. This is still a nation of laws, and there are limits to Trump’s power. Scientific facts and public opinion both support climate action and placing limits on dangerous offshore oil drilling, particularly in the treacherous Arctic and along the heavily populated East and West coasts.”

“Rolling back these safety rules will only increase our determination to fight new offshore oil drilling. We will take to the courts and the streets. The stakes were already high, and Trump just raised them.” Read full statement here

World Wildlife Fund (WWF) President and CEO Carter Roberts:

“Why would we encourage drilling in one of the most difficult places on the planet where sea ice and ocean currents have foiled previous attempts? And why would we do it in a place where any cleanup efforts would be impossible because of distance and icebound conditions?

“The Arctic is one of the most quintessential landscapes where communities, wildlife, and indigenous cultures persist. And at a time when we should be increasing our investments in renewable energy and remaining competitive in the world, this is a step in the opposite direction.” Read full statement here

Surfrider Foundation:

CEO Dr. Chad Nelsen “Our ocean, waves and beaches are vital recreational, economic and ecological treasures that would be polluted by an increase in offshore oil drilling, regardless of whether or not there is a spill. With today’s action, the Trump administration is putting the interests of the oil and gas lobby over the hundreds of communities, thousands of businesses, and millions of citizens who rely on the ocean and coasts for their jobs and livelihoods.” 

Environmental Director Pete Stauffer “The Trump administration wants to pour money in to a sinking ship with relatively small return, instead of supporting growth industries like coastal tourism and renewable energy that are adding jobs to our economy. We will stand up for what’s best for the nation, and our oceans, by fighting new offshore drilling off our coasts.” Read full statement here

Environmental Defense Fund Vice President for U.S. Climate and Political Affairs Elizabeth Thompson:

“Southern Atlantic waters are home to globally important marine life and biodiversity, and the Arctic Ocean is home to some of the most fragile ecosystems on the planet. Opening these special places to offshore drilling shows a blatant disregard for critical wetlands, estuaries, essential fish habitat, marine mammals and other aquatic species along the Southern Atlantic Coast and for the near-pristine ecosystems of the Arctic.
 
“More than 100 coastal communities and nearly 1,000 local businesses along the Southern Atlantic coast have expressed opposition to offshore drilling. By his actions today, President Trump has sent a clear message that he prioritizes the oil and gas industry over the needs of working Americans in our coastal communities who depend on healthy fishing and tourism economies for their livelihoods.
 
“Hazardous conditions in the offshore Arctic environment increases the risk of accidents, and may exceed our technical capacities to respond effectively to protect human life or limit the impact on the coastal and marine environment if a disaster were to strike. 
 
“We will continue to strongly advocate for the restoration of coastal environments where offshore drilling already takes place, such as those in the Gulf of Mexico, and we will continue to stand with coastal communities as they fight to preserve their way of life.” Read full statement here

Defenders of Wildlife President and CEO Jamie Rappaport Clark:

“This executive order is another effort to benefit big polluters at the expense of our natural heritage.  It puts a target on marine wildlife, coastal communities and important tourism economies exposing more of them to the prospect of development and catastrophic oil spills. There are just some messes like Deepwater Horizon and the Exxon Valdez that are too big to clean up and that have long lasting impacts on coastal communities and marine life. The attempt to revoke President Obama’s withdrawal of certain Arctic and Atlantic waters from development is manifestly illegal.

“The seismic testing that the Executive Order tries to fast track has devastating impacts on marine life particularly dolphins, porpoises and whales that use sonar to communicate and hunt for food. In a time when climate change already threatens the future of iconic species like the polar bear and walrus, vital ocean habitats and public lands in the Outer Continental Shelf should remain protected and clean energy solutions should be prioritized over the hunt for dirty fossil fuels in pristine waters.”

“This entire Executive Order is aimed at increasing the industrialization of our oceans and drags us backward to the outdated notion that short-lived profit for a few is worth spoiling and plundering our shared natural heritage.” Read full statement here

The Wilderness Society President Jamie Williams:

“Some places are simply too precious to drill, and foremost is the Arctic Ocean. The chance of a tragic spill in that remote, icy area is simply too high, and the impacts to marine life and the pristine coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge could be devastating.”

“President Trump’s order is almost certainly an opening shot as he tries to lift protections for this fragile offshore region,” Williams added. “It amounts to another brazen power grab for the oil lobby that we, and the American people, will oppose.”Read full statement here

Wildlife Conservation Society Executive Vice President of Public Affairs John Calvelli:

“WCS is disheartened by today’s executive order that will put certain areas, especially in the Atlantic Ocean, back on the table for offshore drilling. After seeing positive policy changes based on the best available science last year, this can only be considered a major step backward for vulnerable marine species and the livelihoods of people who depend on marine resources, including fisheries which could be greatly impacted by fossil fuel development.

“The order outlines the administration’s intent to expedite the issuance of seismic surveys for oil and gas, despite the fact that they pose a distinct threat to marine mammals in the Atlantic, as well as other species including some important to local fisheries. Last year, a group of renowned marine mammal scientists sent a letter to the administration underscoring new scientific research that showed the impacts of seismic surveys on the endangered North Atlantic right whale and other marine life. The stress of widespread seismic airgun surveys may well represent a tipping point for the survival of the North Atlantic right whale.

“Finally, the order perversely requires any potential marine sanctuary to undergo a full accounting of its potential for oil and gas development. This could inflict damage on the places we most need to protect. Last year, the Wildlife Conservation Society’s New York Aquarium led a coalition NGO’s, local fishing groups, scientists and other stakeholders in submitting a proposal to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to designate the Hudson Canyon a National Marine Sanctuary. We need to ensure the long-term health for this diverse but delicate ecosystem, and this is the wrong way to do it.

“While the purpose of this order is to increase income and jobs, oil and gas development are not the only way to do this. In the Mid-Atlantic region alone, the commercial fishing industry supports more than 133,000 jobs and more than $16 billion in sales. The tourism and recreation industries, reliant on clean water and abundant wildlife, add billions more. These existing economic uses that support both wildlife and livelihoods may be incompatible with expanded oil and gas development.”Read full statement here

Chesapeake Bay Foundation Vice President Kim Coble:

“The Chesapeake Bay is a national treasure, and drilling offshore poses unjustifiable risks to the Bay, its living resources, the tourism economy, and the many jobs dependent on clean water. 

“Offshore drilling creates a new pollution source, one capable of significant, even devastating environmental damage from drilling, transportation, storage, or refinement.

“The waters off the mouth of the Chesapeake play a critical role in supporting the Bay’s natural resources. A significant portion of the blue crab population utilizes these very waters during their early life cycle stages. The crab larvae can float miles out into the ocean on the water’s surface after they are spawned at the mouth of the Bay. An oil spill could destroy an entire year class of blue crabs. The economic impact from any spill could be huge, hurting commercial watermen, recreational fishing, and tourism.”

“The proposal to open the Atlantic Coast to offshore oil and gas drilling is a direct attack on the health and economic vitality of the Chesapeake Bay and the Chesapeake Bay Foundation strongly opposes the proposal.”Read full statement here

Greenpeace USA Senior Climate and Energy Campaigner Diana Best:

“Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke is dead wrong. Renewable energy already has us on the right track to energy independence, and opening new areas to offshore oil and gas drilling will lock us into decades of harmful pollution, devastating spills like the Deepwater Horizon tragedy, and a fossil fuel economy with no future. Scientific consensus is that the vast majority of known fossil fuel reserves – including the oil and gas off US coasts– must remain undeveloped if we are to avoid the worst effects of climate change.

This executive order from the Trump administration is just the latest in a series of attempted rollbacks that most people in this country do not want, and only come at the behest of Trump’s inner circle of desperate fossil fuel executives. Holing up at Mar-a-lago may protect Trump from an oil spill, but it will not protect him and his cabinet of one percenters from the millions of people in this country – from California to North Carolina – who will resist his disastrous policies.”Read full statement here

National Parks Conservation Association Senior Vice President Mark Wenzler:

“Healthy coastal parks depend on the protection of offshore waters. The national parks that line our coasts and sanctuaries that span our oceans provide essential safeguards for our coastal parks, habitat for wildlife and recreation opportunities that generate billions of dollars in revenues for coastal communities.

“Today’s executive order jeopardizes the long-term future of these parks and marine sanctuaries, opening the door to potential oil spills that could do irrevocable damage to our parks, their resources and the economies they support.

“The restrictions on establishing or expanding new marine sanctuaries, coming on the heels of the president’s executive order on national monuments, is part of a disturbing trend by the administration questioning whether the protection of our natural resources should be a national priority. But these places belong to the American people who expect the administration to protect them.” Read full statement here