Trump Administration Seeks to Expand Offshore Drilling Despite Cost and Climate Impact
The Trump Administration’s Interior Department announced in late November that it will aggressively expand leasing for offshore drilling along the Pacific Coast, in the Gulf of Mexico, and around Alaska. Although additional leasing off the Atlantic Coast is not proposed in this plan, North Carolina could still be impacted.
Trump Administration Moves Full Steam Ahead
“As extreme weather becomes more frequent and severe, the Trump administration is moving full steam ahead on its dangerous agenda to make our communities less safe by releasing a plan to allow offshore oil and gas leasing in several previously protected areas. This needless, reckless expansion of offshore drilling would jeopardize our coastal communities, public health, local economies, and the environment, while prolonging our dependence on fossil fuels and doing nothing to lower costs,” said League of Conservation Voters (LCV) Conservation Program Director America Fitzpatrick. “As families face skyrocketing energy bills and extreme weather becomes more dangerous, we should be investing in affordable, fast, and reliable clean energy–not opening up our coasts to costly, dangerous drilling that threatens our health, safety, and future.”
The Proposal for More Offshore Drilling
The first proposal plans to sell 21 areas off the coast of Alaska, 7 in the Gulf of Mexico, and 6 along the Pacific coast; totaling 34 sales in total. These new sites open up the possibility for more pollution and oil spills in the environment they are situated – but they also further entrench the U.S. in dirty fossil fuels exacerbating climate change. Recent polling in our state shows a majority (69%) of North Carolinians say extreme weather events are increasing. While these sales may not be off our coast, we may face the consequences of failing to act on climate.
Additionally, oil and gas are not the cheapest options for energy production. Analysts suggest solar and wind are the cheapest forms of energy production. Across the US, energy bills are soaring – but instead of investing in the cheapest energy, the Trump Administration is prioritizing the profits of Big Oil. Throughout his terms, President Trump has favored oil, gas, and coal – which are significantly more expensive than the clean energy alternatives.
Take Action! Submit Your Comment
A 60-day public comment period opened November 24 when the draft plan was published in the Federal Register. Find instructions for submitting comments here.
