2 million+ petitions to Obama: no new drilling

Media Contacts
Rachel Richardson

Environment America

WASHINGTON, DC – Standing with citizens on the frontline of offshore drilling fights —  from North Carolina’s barrier islands to the fragile Arctic — Environment America and a dozen other green groups delivered more than 2 million petitions to President Obama this afternoon, urging him to drop his administration’s plans for new offshore drilling beginning next year.
 
The Obama administration is expected to issue the next draft of its 2017 to 2022 offshore drilling leasing plan next month. The current version opens up new areas to drilling in the Arctic and the Atlantic Oceans, but environmental groups, hundreds of coastal businesses, and citizens have been calling on the president to reverse course. Last month, Kure Beach, N.C. became the 100th coastal community to pass a resolution against expanding drilling.
 
“There’s no way around it: when you drill you spill. Oil rigs in the Atlantic and Arctic would threaten our precious beaches, harm sea turtles and other marine life, destroy coastal economies, and worsen the climate crisis to boot,” said Rachel Richardson, director of Environment America’s Stop Drilling program. “That’s why we’re proud to stand with millions of Americans to urge the president to drop plans for new dirty drilling.”