Hands Off Our Coasts: Say No to Drilling

What's At Stake | Take Action | Tell A Friend | Donate

This summer, Congress is debating energy bills from both Houses, one of which contains a provision that could open up America's most beautiful coastlines -- to oil exploration. A so-called coastal "inventory" has been added to the Senate energy bill that would require invasive exploratory activities throughout sensitive coastal areas. And this could be just the first step towards allowing more oil and gas exploration in areas where it is now banned. If they win this one, you can bet they'll be back for more.

From California to Virginia to Florida, oil companies and anti-environment lawmakers have been trying to open our protected coastlines to oil drilling. Emboldened by their push to open the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, they're risking environmental disaster for our beaches and marine wildlife.

Keep oil-greedy hands off our coasts -- complete the information at right to let your Senators and Representative know we won't let them give away our coasts!

Sample Letter for Campaign

Subject: Hands off our coasts!

Dear [ Decision Maker ] ,

As both Houses debate the energy bill, I am concerned about efforts to increase drilling off our coastlines. For more than two decades, our coasts have been protected from coastal oil drilling, protecting marine life and our coasts from the danger of oil spills.

The U.S. has just 3% of the known world oil reserves. Yet, we use 25% of the world's oil. No matter how you look at it, we can't drill our way to energy independence. We must reduce our dependence on foreign oil and find alternative energy sources.

The Senate energy bill entering conference this summer calls for an invasive exploratory "inventory" of oil and gas off our coasts. I urge you to oppose all efforts to weaken the moratorium on offshore drilling. This issue is important to me, and I will be watching closely as Congress debates it.

Sincerely,

Campaign Launched:
June 15, 2005

Background Information

Marine life and pristine shoreline across the country are at risk. About 90% of America's coasts have been federally protected for decades. But now Congress is considering an energy bill that calls for an invasive inventory of oil and gas throughout sensitive coastal waters. The inventory would use seismic surveys that involve explosive shock waves that can harm marine life. And to make matters worse, there may be efforts to allow states to drop out of the moratorium on coastal drilling.

Coastal oil drilling threatens coastal and marine habitat and wildlife -- including dolphins, whales, and sea birds.

Additionally, coastal drilling threatens beachfront that bring in millions of tourist dollars across America's coasts and shorelines.

Why Now?
The U.S. has just 3% of the known world oil reserves. Yet, we use 25% of the world's oil. No matter how you look at it, we can't drill our way to energy independence. Instead, we must reduce our dependence on foreign oil and find alternative energy sources.

For the last 24 years, our coasts have been protected because of a moratorium on offshore drilling on America's sensitive coastlines. Now, as part of the 2005 energy bill, some in Congress want to open up America's coastlines to offshore drilling.

The Legislation
The Senate recently passed the 2005 energy bill that calls for an inventory of oil and gas resources in the Outer Continental Shelf, which can damage fisheries and sensitive coastal areas.

If passed, this would be the first step toward lifting a ban on offshore drilling that has protected the nation's coastal waters for two decades. Without the ban, drilling on these sensitive areas will harm the environment and the economies of the affected coastal states.

We must act now to protect our coasts before Congress makes an egregious mistake. Please write your members of Congress and urge them to protect our coasts and to oppose any amendments that would lead to increased offshore drilling. Take action now.

What's At Stake | Take Action | Tell A Friend | Donate

Not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee. Paid for by the League of Conservation Voters.