Center for Biological Diversity

For Immediate Release, February 8, 2018

Contact: Miyoko Sakashita, (510) 845-6703, miyoko@biologicaldiversity.org

Hundreds Rally in Sacramento Against Trump's Offshore Drilling Plan

SACRAMENTO, Calif.— Hundreds of people rallied at California’s capitol today against President Trump’s offshore drilling plan, which would allow a dramatic increase in oil and gas drilling off the coast of California and along all U.S. coasts and the Arctic.

The Sacramento protest, which included a giant blow-up whale carrying a banner reading “Protect Our Ocean, No Offshore Drilling,” preceded a formal hearing by Trump administration officials about the plan to open the Pacific and other U.S. oceans to offshore drilling for the first time in more than 30 years. Similar rallies were held Feb. 3 in San Diego, Laguna Beach, Santa Monica, Brea, Ventura, San Luis Obispo and Santa Cruz.

“Californians from all walks of life are united in saying that Trump’s offshore drilling plan will be a disaster for our oceans, and we don’t want anything to do with it,” said Miyoko Sakashita, oceans program director for the Center for Biological Diversity. “Whether it’s our oceans or our lands, we don’t need more oil drilling. It’s time to turn toward the future and end our deadly addiction to fossil fuels.”

Trump’s offshore-drilling proposal would open currently protected parts of the Pacific, Arctic and Atlantic oceans and the Gulf of Mexico to offshore drilling and oil spills.

An analysis of the draft plan by the Center for Biological Diversity found that consuming the recoverable oil and gas in the planning areas would release almost 50 billion tons of carbon dioxide pollution into the atmosphere and oceans, worsening climate change.

The Center also calculated that the plan could lead to 5,571 oil spills that would dump 34.4 million gallons of oil into oceans and onto beaches — about 10 times the spills expected under the offshore leasing plan approved by the Obama administration. More than 650 spills totaling more than 4 million gallons would be expected along the West Coast under the plan.

“We love our beautiful beaches in California, and the last thing we want are more oil spills and more dead wildlife,” Sakashita said. “It’s incredibly inspiring to see so many people raising their voices against offshore drilling in California, the Arctic and beyond.”

The Center for Biological Diversity is a national, nonprofit conservation organization with more than 1.6 million members and online activists dedicated to the protection of endangered species and wild places.

www.biologicaldiversity.org

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