Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senators Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) and Cory Booker (D-N.J), along with U.S. Senators Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Jeff Merkley (D-Oreg.), Ron Wyden (D-Oreg.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) sent a letter to President Biden urging him to take action under the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (OCSLA) to protect unleased and at-risk areas of the Outer Continental Shelf from fossil fuel development.
The Senators listed the ongoing and significant risks of offshore drilling, including catastrophic oil spills, abandoned wells, and hazardous drilling infrastructure that imperil coastal waters, local economies, and public health. Moreover, they stressed that expanding fossil fuel development would undermine climate commitments and expose American taxpayers to enormous environmental cleanup costs.
“As you cement your legacy to be the nation’s greatest climate president, we urge you to use your authority designated under 12(a) of the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (OCSLA) to permanently withdraw unleased and at-risk areas of the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) from fossil fuel development. These coastal waters are too economically and ecologically important to drill, and our coastal communities deserve protection from the known dangers posed by offshore drilling,” the Senators wrote.
“A large-scale withdrawal of the Atlantic, Pacific, and Eastern Gulf from fossil fuel development while maintaining the development of renewable energy solutions would provide durable protections for these critical areas,” the Senators wrote.
“We have long fought for permanent protection from offshore oil and gas drilling for our communities, and for the clean energy future we need. We greatly appreciate your careful consideration of this letter and working to take action to protect our communities for generations to come,” the Senators concluded.
To read the full text of the letter, click here.