Lifting oil export ban would cost climate, benefit Big Oil

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Margie Alt

Environment America

WASHINGTON, D.C. —  On the heels of the release of a new study showing that burning the world’s remaining fossil fuels would raise the level of the sea by more than 160 feet, a key U.S. House panel voted today to lift the longstanding ban on crude oil exports. Ending the decades-old ban could cause U.S. oil production to increase by up to 3.3 million barrels per day from 2015 through 2035 and create an additional 515 million metric tons of carbon pollution per year.
 
Environment America’s executive director Margie Alt released the following statement:
 
“We’re already experiencing dangerous impacts of global warming, from drought, to superstorms, to rising seas. Now scientists say that burning the world’s remaining oil, gas, and coal would melt the entire Antarctic ice sheet and put Miami, New Orleans, New York, and other vibrant coastal cities underwater.
 
“We need to keep more oil in the ground, not drill it, ship it and burn it while global warming passes the point of no return. Lifting the oil export ban would give the oil industry a windfall and plunge all of us deeper toward climate catastrophe. For the sake of our kids’ future, Congress should reject this terrible idea