Heather Leibowitz
Environment New York
“Lifting the oil export ban would be a blessing for the oil companies but a curse for the climate and our health.” —Heather Leibowitz, Director of Environment New York
New York, NY- Over the objections of most of New York’s congressional delegation, the U.S. House voted today to lift the decades-old ban on crude oil exports, a top priority of the oil and gas companies that, if approved, would worsen global warming and heighten the risk of harmful spills.
Rep. Sean Maloney broke with his fellow democrats to vote to lift the ban. Otherwise, votes from the New York delegation fell along party lines. This week the White House said the president would veto the bill if it cleared the Senate, where its prospects are less certain.
Allowing U.S.-drilled crude oil to be shipped overseas could increase drilling by as much as 3.3 million gallons per day over the next 20 years, increasing global warming pollution by 22 million metric tons per year – the equivalent of five coal plants. Shipping the extra oil produced would also increase the threat of pipeline and oil train accidents.
Heather Leibowitz, Director of Environment New York issued the following statement:
“Lifting the oil export ban would be a blessing for the oil companies but a curse for the climate and our health. To avoid more devastating impacts of global warming, including extreme weather events like we’ve been experiencing here in New York, we need to keep fossil fuels in the ground and transition to 100 percent pollution-free energy. We applaud the New York Representatives who voted against lifting the ban. Now we’re counting on Senators Charles Schumer and Kristen Gillibrand, as well as the president, to continue to stand up to Big Oil and the dirty energy of the past by voting to keep the ban in place and advance a clean energy future.”