FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 15, 2018
Media Contacts:
Roger Downs, 518-944-0992, roger.downs@sierraclub.org
Rachel Bosworth, 631-220-1220, rachelbosworth.com
Adrienne Esposito, 631-384-1378, aesposito@citizenscampaign.org
Anne Hawke, 646-823-4518, ahawke@nrdc.org
Jillian M. Liner, 607-254-2437, jliner@audubon.org
Chip Weiskotten, 518-669-3936, cweiskotten@wcs.org
ALBANY, NY – Elected officials, environmental activists and renewable energy and clean water advocates will gather at 5 p.m. today in front of the Hilton Hotel in downtown Albany to voice opposition to the Trump Administration’s draft proposed program for offshore oil and gas drilling and exploration. The administration’s plan proposes the most lease sales of any administration, ever, opening 98% of U.S. federal waters to offshore leasing – even in states that have previously registered strong opposition. Virtually all federal waters off all coastal states are at risk, with nine lease sales proposed for the Atlantic Region, from the Florida Straits to Maine.
Trump’s proposal would exponentially increase the likelihood of oil spills and other environmental harm. In 2010, the Deepwater Horizon oil spill damaged more than 1,300 miles of coastline; an equivalent disaster in the Atlantic would coat beaches from Savannah to Boston.
The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) is accepting comments on the proposed plan through March 9, 2018 and holding information sessions in state capitals of shoreline states. Here in New York, offshore drilling opponents gathered on Long Island yesterday, and many voiced opposition at a hearing held by the Assembly Standing Committee on Environmental Conservation, the Commission on Toxic Substances and Hazardous Wastes, and the Assembly’s Long Island Sound Task Force.
Today’s rally in Albany reflects upstate New York’s opposition to the Trump plan, and support for renewable energy development, including on-shore and offshore wind, solar and other forms of clean renewable energy.
“The newly-released New York Offshore Wind Master Plan puts New York on a path to meet the state’s future energy goals through clean, renewable sources like wind, which brings good jobs without the hazardous emissions that contribute to climate change,” said Roger Downs, Conservation Director, Sierra Club Atlantic Chapter. “The Trump Administration’s Atlantic drilling plan jeopardizes the development of future wind farms and achieving New York’s climate goals.”
“Trump’s polluters-first program to drill for oil and gas is an oil industry dream that risks the hundreds of thousands of New York jobs and billions of dollars which depend on clean, oil-free water and beaches and abundant fish and wildlife,” said Alison Chase, Senior Policy Analyst for oceans at the Natural Resources Defense Council.
“New Yorkers are united in saying NO to this risky, dangerous scheme that will turn our oceans over to the oil companies and jeopardize our climate, coastlines and communities. Oil and water do not mix. Oil spills do not respect state boundaries, therefore, an oil spill anywhere along the Atlantic Coast can impact our beaches, tourism, marine life, and our way of life,” said Adrienne Esposito, Executive Director of the Citizens Campaign for the Environment.
“The risks presented by offshore drilling are never confined to a local area, and far exceed any economic benefits. After BP’s 2010 Deepwater Horizon rig explosion, oil polluted shorelines from Texas to Florida, devastating coastal economies and tourism, as well as severely impacting wildlife like birds, dolphins, and endangered whales for generations to come,” said Brian Langloss, New York Campaign Organizer for Oceana. “Oil spills don’t respect state lines and New Yorkers need to speak out loudly against this rash and ill-informed plan to turn our beach towns into oil towns.”
“Opening up the Atlantic Ocean to oil and gas drilling is a terrible mistake that fits the Trump Administration Playbook of Making America Dirty Again. The risk of oil spills, combined with more fossil fuel burning will make climate change worse. Congress must work in a bipartisan fashion to pass a bill blocking drilling,” said Judith Enck, former Environmental Protection Agency Regional Administrator. “I applaud Governor Cuomo for opposing drilling, but he now must make it crystal clear that he will not provide state approvals for pipelines and other fossil fuel infrastructure that would be needed to move the gas and oil out of the ocean and through New York State.”
“Early on in my career I was asked what was the worst stranding I had ever seen and I replied, the ones that we could prevent. I worked with many organizations to respond to sea turtles affected by the BP oil spill, and saw firsthand the devastation of a preventable disaster. With the increased sightings of whales, dolphins, sharks and other marine life in the New York Bight, projects that once seemed to have a nominal impact on marine life could be significantly more detrimental today,” said Rob DiGiovanni, Founder and Chief Scientist of the Atlantic Marine Conservation Society.
Long before drilling begins, the search for oil and gas deposits beneath the seafloor is harmful to marine life and the jobs it supports. In 2015, seventy-five marine scientists cautioned that the proposed introduction of seismic exploration along the East Coast could have “significant, long-lasting, and widespread impacts on the reproduction and survival” of both fish and marine mammal populations in the region.
“Any attempt to bring offshore drilling to the waters surrounding New York’s precious coasts must be opposed in full as an environmental, climate and economic disaster-in-the-making,” said NYPIRG General Counsel Russ Haven. “Offshore drilling is a non-starter for New York and it’s anathema to the state’s values and the direction we must head.”
“This is insulting to New Yorkers, as well as coastal communities up and down the East Coast, who went on the record just last year saying that they don't want offshore oil drilling. Guess what? The people that live on the coast still don't want offshore oil drilling,” said Matt Gove, Mid-Atlantic Policy Manager, Surfrider Foundation.
“Ryan Zinke and the Trump administration have put forth a ridiculous proposal to open our coasts to drilling,” said Wes Gillingham, Program Director for Catskill Mountainkeeper. “We all know this a threat to the places we depend on and have spent years cleaning up from past mistakes. They are avoiding the science and history of drilling impacts. They are avoiding giving the public a place to put their voice on the record. They are avoiding the truth of how this is a cash giveaway to Exxon cronies. The one thing the fossil fools can’t avoid is the millions of people across America that care about their communities, their coast and our planet and are coming out to say no new leases - protect our coast!”
“People of Albany United for Safe Energy urges communities to stand strong against the current administration in Washington which is undoing environmental regulation in favor of ravaging the planet for the gain of his friends in the fossil fuel industry,” said Diana Wright of PAUSE. “There are more than 20 companies worldwide who have placed orders for Tesla’s all electric semi-trucks including UPS, Pepsi, Walmart, Syso, and Anheuser-Busch. Exxon reports they don’t plan to ramp back their oil drilling strategies because there won’t be a drop in usage in the next 25 years. Fortunately, these companies know differently. We cannot destroy the precious ecosystem the ocean protects by allowing more fossil fuel infrastructure for short term gain.”
“Drill, baby, drill is truly a step backward for U.S. energy policy that will no doubt benefit a few financially while leading to irreparable harm of the planet. Instead of doubling down on a continued dependency of fossil fuels, the Trump administration should be leading the world in promoting renewable energy sources like solar and wind,” said Aaron Virgin, Vice President of Group for the East End.
"Opening the Atlantic to offshore drilling would put New York's coastal communities, jobs, and ecosystems in grave danger. One spill could wipe out livelihoods and critical natural resources for generations, and dangerous spills won't stay within state lines. The colossal risks outweigh any chance of reward. With a burgeoning offshore wind industry off the coast of Long Island, we should instead be looking to evolve the offshore energy generating technologies of the past in ways that propel us toward a cleaner future," said Marcia Bystryn, President of the New York League of Conservation Voters.
Peter Iwanowicz, Executive Director of Environmental Advocates of New York said, “The proposal to open up New York’s coastal waters to oil and gas drilling is another in a long line of dirty and dangerous policies from the Trump Administration. This backwards step puts our waters, our coastal communities and our health at-risk and it thwarts the push towards cleaner, safer and more innovative energy sources. All New York officials should join together in rejecting drilling off our coasts.”
“Long Island’s coast and marine habitats support important populations of birds like the Red Knot, Piping Plover, American Oystercatcher, Roseate Tern and multiple species of shearwaters, and are also critical to the local economies. Audubon does not support expanding oil and gas lease sales to areas off the Atlantic Coast—it is too risky for the birds and communities,” said Jillian Liner, Audubon New York’s Director of Bird Conservation. “We look forward to continuing to work with our state leadership to prevent the expansion of offshore drilling in the Atlantic.”
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The Atlantic Marine Conservation Society’s (AMCS) mission is to promote conservation of the marine environment through action, which is accomplished through education, research, and response. AMCS is the lead large whale response organization in New York State, and also conducts stranding investigations on deceased marine mammals and sea turtles. The non-profit organization conducts research projects and partners with several other organizations within the stranding response community to gain a better understanding of the marine environment, its inhabitants, and what we can all do to promote conservation.
As a leading state program of the National Audubon Society, Audubon New York (Audubon NY) works with a network of 50,000 members, 27 local Audubon Chapters, seven sanctuaries and nature centers and thousands of annual visitors, volunteers, and partners to achieve its mission of protecting birds and their habitats through science, advocacy, education, and on-the-ground conservation programs.
Citizens Campaign for the Environment (CCE) empowers communities and advocates solutions for our shared environment and public health and is supported by over 80,000 members throughout New York State and Connecticut. www.
Group for the East End protects and restores the environment of eastern Long Island, New York through professional advocacy and education. They inspire people to embrace a conservation ethic and to take action in their local community. The organization was established in Bridgehampton in 1972 to serve as a community advocate for conservation in response to broad-based community concern about the future development of the region. The Group employs a full-time staff of professional planners, natural resource specialists, and environmental educators that bring over 100 years of collective land use, education, and public advocacy experience to the local community. Over the years, the Group has developed a reputation for achieving lasting conservation success with the support of broad-based civic, business, and elected constituencies.
The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) is an international nonprofit environmental organization with more than 3 million members and online activists. Since 1970, our lawyers, scientists, and other environmental specialists have worked to protect the world's natural resources, public health, and the environment. NRDC has offices in New York City, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Bozeman, MT, and Beijing. Visit us at www.nrdc.org and follow us on Twitter @NRDC.
Oceana is the largest international advocacy organization solely dedicated to ocean conservation. We focus on winning policy victories that achieve measurable outcomes in making our oceans as rich, healthy, and abundant as they once were. www.oceana.org
PAUSE is a grassroots group of individuals who have come together to promote safe, sustainable energy and fight for environmental justice. We engage the greater public to stop the fossil fuel industry’s assault on the people of Albany and our environment.
The Sierra Club is the United States's oldest environmental organization, fighting to explore, enjoy, and protect the planet with over 3 million members and supporters nationwide. www.sierraclub.org
The Surfrider Foundation is a non-profit grassroots organization dedicated to the protection and enjoyment of our world’s oceans, waves and beaches through a powerful network. Founded in 1984 by a handful of visionary surfers in Malibu, California, the Surfrider Foundation now maintains over 500,000 supporters, activists and members, with more than 80 volunteer-led chapters and 60 clubs in the U.S., and more than 400 victories protecting our coasts. Learn more at surfrider.org.