TAKE ACTION TO PROTECT OUR COASTS

Dear Ms. Hammerle, 

I am writing in response to the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management’s (BOEM) Draft Proposed Program for the 11th National Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Program.   

I oppose new oil and gas exploration and lease sales in all federal waters. Congress has already required dozens of lease sales via H.R.1, the legislation that passed this summer, and I urge BOEM not to add more through a new Five-Year Program.   

We are grateful that the administration listened to the bipartisan calls to remove the Atlantic Coast and Pacific Northwest from its draft proposal. But we cannot risk these other coastlines to deadly drilling and spilling. 

Oil spills leave a legacy of destruction for people and wildlife. The Deepwater Horizon disaster caused dolphin populations to decline by 43% and beaked whale populations to decline by 83%. By 2020, the impact of the spill also caused the loss of more than 25,000 jobs and $2.3 billion in industry output.  Pollution from offshore drilling poisons the water and air and contributes to rising ocean temperatures and climate change, resulting in accelerated sea level rise and ocean acidification, more extreme weather events, and greater threats to coastal communities. Coastal regions contribute billions of dollars to the national economy and support millions of jobs. Florida welcomed 143 million visitors in 2024, a record-breaking number. And California is the most visited state, with record-high tourism spending reaching nearly $160 billion in 2024. Alaska’s fishery has the highest landings in the country and had an estimated commercial value of over $1.3 billion in 2024. Our healthy coasts keep our economy thriving; offshore drilling puts them at serious risk. I oppose the expansion of offshore oil and gas drilling, and the threats these practices pose to America’s coasts. Some of the locations being considered for drilling are further from shore in deeper waters, making them even more difficult to clean up in the event of a spill, especially off Alaska and in the Arctic.     

The American public overwhelmingly opposes an expansion of offshore drilling. For decades, stakeholders — including 50,000 businesses along the East and West coasts, 500,000 fishing families, and hundreds of local officials — have commented on this draft and past plans to oppose expanded offshore drilling. More than 100 bipartisan members of Congress, and state and local elected officials, have introduced or supported legislation and resolutions to protect our coasts from offshore drilling, including in the areas that have been proposed in this draft plan. This long-standing, broad, diverse, and scientifically based opposition supports protecting our coasts, not drilling on them. We Americans deeply value our coasts. Our connection to the oceans not only fuels the strong coastal economies that thrive on recreational and commercial activities, but also supports the way of life that makes coastal communities essential to people across the country.    

I urge BOEM to go back to the drawing board and not to proceed with scheduling any new lease sales through a new Five-Year Program beyond those required by H.R.1 and instead protect our coasts for all that they provide us and future generations. 

Sincerely, 

{user_data~First Name} {user_data~Last Name}