ACT NOW:
SAY NO TO NEW OCEAN DRILLING LEASES

Proposed offshore drilling projects could jeopardize frontline communities and our climate goals for decades to come.

Tell the Biden Administration that more offshore drilling is a mistake that can not be undone.

TAKE ACTION

Friend —

Oil and gas drilling is an enormous risk to public health and a major contributor to climate change. And with the Department of the Interior's comment period now open for its draft offshore drilling plan, we have a chance to stop dangerous new offshore drilling projects from moving forward.

This decision will impact the health, well-being, and livelihood of thousands.

As the clean water crisis continues in Jackson, Mississippi — a crisis that shows how decades of environmental racism can result in a public health emergency — communities on the Gulf Coast need environmental protections that safeguard them and their access to clean water and air now more than ever.

But the fossil fuel industry is clamoring to start drilling in the ten new sites in the Gulf of Mexico and the one site off the coast of Alaska that are contemplated for new drilling in this draft plan. And their track record shows that they will only destroy ocean ecosystems, devastate the local fishing industry with fewer and more contaminated fish, and pollute the air and water of local communities.

Friend, we've gathered over 15,000 signatures. But with so much political attention on these leases and the full power of Big Oil, we need at least 20,000 more advocates to speak out. Act now: say no to new ocean drilling leases.

In addition to risky ocean infrastructure that threatens marine life, clean water, and the public health of coastal communities, increased offshore drilling means increased onshore industrial infrastructure. Here's what happens to our lands when we drill more in our oceans:

More pipelines are created. Almost always, this means the destruction of pristine lands, endangering wildlife populations, and sacrificing low-wealth communities and communities of color.
Waste is disposed of on land. Waste that is too toxic or radioactive to go in the ocean gets transported to land. What doesn't get leaked in the process can end up ruining freshwater supplies or even be spread onto soil to "dilute" the pollutants.
Ports can fuel oil spills and air pollution. Oil tankers in ports can be another source of oil spills, coating the coastline and harbors with sludge. Even when they do not leak, the high concentrations of oil and gas pollute the air with toxins.

If you want to prevent future oil spills, secure clean water and air for coastal communities, and make progress on our climate goals, tell the Biden administration to stop new offshore drilling leases.

Thank you for taking action.

Sincerely,

Alex Taurel
Conservation Program Director
League of Conservation Voters