The House of Representatives voted to keep the 25-year bipartisan offshore drilling moratorium in place 217-203 in an amendment to the Interior funding bill stripping the provision that would have lifted the moratorium on natural gas drilling. “Millions of Americans can be assured that their treasured special coastal places will remain rig-free, but their vigilance should remain high; Big Oil is not likely to give up on this any time soon,” stated Rodger Schlickeisen, president of Defenders of Wildlife.
The amendment to reinstate the 25-year ban was co-sponsored by Reps. Adam Putnam (R-FL) and Lois Capps (D-CA).
“With 80 percent of recoverable gas and oil resources already available and 4,000 existing leases going unused, natural gas and oil companies have more than enough access to fossil fuels,” declared Schlickeisen. “These facts certainly clearly dispel the industries’ claims that they need to drill as close as three miles off of our treasured coastal shorelines.”
“Defenders hopes that as House leaders continue to discuss the nation’s energy future and legislate energy policy, that they place serious consideration into renewable, clean and effective energy sources and not waste anymore time relying on old, dirty and outdated oil and gas drilling options,” affirmed Schlickeisen.
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