Coast Watch: Trump Attacks Coastal Protections
In his latest reckless move to undermine environmental protections established under the Obama Administration, the new president signed an executive order seeking to withdraw protections from sensitive Arctic and Atlantic continental shelf areas.
Trump’s order purports to cancel his predecessor’s “permanent” designation of protected areas. If successful, this move would set a horrific precedent calling into question all such natural areas previously protected by presidential orders (which are authorized under current federal law). Observers expect the Trump order to face legal challenge, as have a number of his previous executive actions during his brief time in the White House.
Condemnation of the Trump move by conservation advocates came swiftly. The NC Coastal Federation warned of severe consequences to drilling off the North Carolina coast: “If they drill they will spill. The industry wants to drill in one of the most amazing and productive fishing habitats in the world, in very deep water where accidents could have catastrophic effects on our fish and wildlife, beaches, estuaries — and existing coastal communities, businesses and traditions. It’s just not worth the risk.”
Meanwhile, NCLCV is urging concerned citizens to call on environmental ally Gov. Roy Cooper to publicly speak out against drilling off the Carolina coast. NCLCV’s Justine Oller notes, “Protecting our coast from drilling isn’t about just what happens in the ocean waters. It’s about the havoc that onshore infrastructure to support oil drilling activities will cause for our coastal industries. More than 50,000 North Carolinians work in tourism, recreation, and fishing up and down our coastline. These are jobs that actually exist–not hypothetical ones that Big Oil and Dirty Energy are trying to sell lawmakers.”
NCLCV Executive Director Carrie Clark added, “North Carolinians who care about healthy beaches and clean oceans will not be deterred by this latest pro-polluter order by President Trump. We have won the fight to protect our coast before, and we will claim victory again.”
All sides of the offshore drilling debate note that the process of going through the legal steps of reversing the drilling bans would take years. Broad bipartisan and public opposition guarantee a fight at every step of the process until environmental and economic sanity prevails.
