West Coast Senators Seek Permanent Ban on Drilling

“We cannot afford to put California’s coastal economy at risk by drilling offshore,” Boxer said. “More than half a million California jobs and more than $34 billion in annual economic activity depend on a pristine coastline, and we owe it to current and future generations to protect our coast from a disaster like the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.” “We must protect our coastal communities, economies, and ecosystems against the risk of an oil spill,” added Cantwell, ranking member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. “In addition, the threat of seismic activity along the Cascadia Subduction Zone increases the probability of a catastrophic oil spill in the Pacific Northwest.”

The West Coast Ocean Protection Act includes clear language stating that the secretary of the Interior shall not issue a lease for the exploration, development, or production of oil or natural gas in any area of the Outer Continental Shelf off the coast of California, Oregon, or Washington.

“For decades, the ban on oil exploration off the Pacific Coast has been a boon for fisheries, recreation, and the Oregon way of life,” said Wyden. “I’m proud to join the other West Coast senators on a bill to reinstate permanent protections for our shores, the wildlife, and local economies that depend on the coasts of Oregon, Washington, and California.”