The government must have recognized the intention of movements like Hands Across the Sand and the public's dedication to preserving our coastlines. Photo: Weisberg
Many people forget it was George Bush I, in 1990, who put a federal moratorium on net new offshore drilling in place. He did this as a reaction to the Exxon Valdez spill which, in many ways, helped launch the environmental movement. The offshore moratorium served us well for almost two decades and was allowed to expired under George Bush II in 2008. It was then that we started our Not The Answer campaign which was focused on one thing, getting the moratorium back in place to keep our coastal waters clean.
The BP spill happened during this expired period. The BP spill turned out to be the largest environmental disaster in United States history. Local communities will be dealing with this spill for decades to come.
Surfrider is thrilled that over 20,000 people participated in our Not The Answer campaign and helped make today’s victory a reality.
Thank you President Obama for your bold leadership on this subject and for your actions in protecting our coasts.
Surfrider’s official statement on this victory:
Today the Obama Administration announced that it will be banning new offshore drilling along the continental United States for the next seven years. The Surfrider Foundation applauds this decision and holds it up as a major victory for our nation’s oceans and coastlines, and for the local communities who depend on them for their livelihoods. The Surfrider Foundation is particularly proud of their 20,000+ activists who send letters and messages to President Obama asking for the reinstatement of the executive moratorium on offshore drilling. Even as hundreds of Gulf Shore communities continue to struggle to recover from this nation’s most devastating environmental disaster, today’s decision underscores the importance of grassroots mobilization to protect our nation’s natural resources. America must permanently ban all new offshore drilling, end the harmful practice of seismic testing and continue to move towards clean and renewable energy.
Read more from Jim Moriarty on his Surfrider Blog: Ocean, Waves, and Beaches.
