For Immediate Release
May 27, 2010 Contact Jeff Tittel, 609-558-9100
Sierra Club Statement on President Obama's Gulf Spill Announcement
Trenton -- The Sierra Club is pleased that President Obama has listened and canceled exploratory oil drilling permits off the coast of Virginia. The Club is glad that the president is putting in place a six month moratorium on deep water wells, but it should be permanent. The Sierra Club strongly believes that President Obama should also cancel all proposals by the Minerals Management Service for seismic studies and tests of the Mid-Atlantic.
Today the President took the first step towards protecting the environment and reigning in big oil by calling for safety measures and standards and better inspections for drilling. But he needs to go further in protecting the New Jersey shore.
"We don't want the Garden State filled with Quaker State," said Jeff Tittel, Director of the New Jersey Sierra Club.
If drilling is allowed to go forward in the Mid-Atlantic, according to the Virginia proposal, oil will be brought onshore in New Jersey. An accident would cause detrimental impacts not only to the environment but to New Jersey's $39 billion tourism industry and $750 million fishing industry. It would be an environmental and economic disaster for the state.
Now considered the worst spill in United States history, the Gulf spill is estimated at 19 billion gallons compared to 11 billion from the Exxon Valdez. If this kind of spill happened off the coast of Virginia it would devastate New Jersey's beaches and wildlife refuges from Cape May to Sandy Hook.
"The only slick things we ever want on our beaches are the characters from The Jersey Shore," said Tittel.
The Sierra Club supports President Obama's announcement today, but more needs to be done. The president should reinstate the permanent moratorium on drilling and exploration. Instead of risky oil off our shore, there should be windmills. The Sierra Club hopes that the president will now embrace the green economy and move us away from "fossil fools".
Christine Guhl Program Assistant New Jersey Sierra Club
145 W. Hanover Street Trenton, NJ 08618 Tel: (609) 656-7612 Fax: (609) 656-7618 christine.guhl_at_sierraclub.org
Received on 2010-05-27 10:23:47