Transcript:
The Trump administration has proposed to sell new oil and gas leases across more than a billion acres of U.S. coastal waters.
Stauffer: “This would open up the entire coast of California, most of the Gulf of Mexico, and most of the waters around Alaska and the Arctic to new oil and gas development.”
That’s Pete Stauffer of the nonprofit Surfrider Foundation.
The administration says new leases will boost domestic energy production and provide revenue.
But Stauffer says oil and gas drilling pollutes water, hurts wildlife, and can harm coastal industries like fishing and tourism. And oil spills can be devastating.
New oil and gas leases also keep us dependent on fossil fuels, which emit carbon pollution and warm the climate.
Stauffer: “And these lease sales can last for 30, 40, or 50 years, so it really is a generational impact.”
The federal government is accepting public feedback on the proposal online. And people can also contact their state and local leaders.
Stauffer: “We have seen in the past, particularly bipartisan opposition from local and state and federal elected officials can be very influential in stopping new offshore drilling.”
Reporting credit: Sarah Kennedy / ChavoBart Digital Media
