The Biden administration's Ocean Climate Action Plan should ban offshore drilling

RFI Response: OCAP

Thank you for proposing an Ocean Climate Action Plan. We support concrete, ambitious action to protect our oceans and tackle climate change.

Any plan to protect our oceans and the planet should not include any offshore drilling. When we drill, we spill.

The Deepwater Horizon spill devastated marine life, ultimately pouring 4 million barrels of petroleum into the Gulf of Mexico, killing sea turtles, seabirds and fish, and harming dolphins. Just last year, the oil spill off Huntington Beach, California, damaged beaches and coastal communities.

The urgency of acting on climate has never been clearer -- so why would we consider extracting more fossil fuels from our coastal waters?

In addition to ending offshore drilling, a goal of conserving at least 30% of U.S. lands and waters by 2030 is crucial to preserve ecosystems. The OCAP could include many measures to protect our oceans and climate, from restoring seagrass to more Marine Protected Areas.

Sincerely,