Press Releases

LCV Statement on Trump’s Forthcoming Offshore Drilling Executive Order

Apr 11, 2017

Betsy Lopez-Wagner, 202-454-4570, blopez-wagner@lcv.org

Washington, DC – In response to reports of a forthcoming Executive Order related to offshore drilling, League of Conservation Voters President Gene Karpinski released the following statement:

“Donald Trump is again showing that his presidency serves the interests of giant oil companies over the health, safety, and future of people across the United States. Removing protections from Arctic and Atlantic waters so Big Oil can drill would put coastal economies and ways of life at risk of a devastating oil spill, while worsening the consequences of climate change. We must make smarter energy choices by further investing in clean energy to leave our kids a planet not damaged beyond repair instead of staking our future in places whose oil wouldn’t reach consumers for decades.

Should President Trump attempt to undo permanent protections for the Arctic and Atlantic, he will surely fail – the law gives presidents the authority to make ocean areas permanently off limits to drilling, but it does not say they can open them back up. No president has ever even attempted to undo a permanent withdrawal, let alone succeeded. We stand with the public and will do everything we can to continue to resist Trump’s radical Big Oil agenda to expand offshore drilling and threaten our nation’s coasts.”

This is why LCV is sponsoring the fight for climate, justice and a clean energy economy on April 29 at the Peoples Climate March in Washington, DC. For March details, visit the event page here. LCV joined the Peoples Climate Movement as an official sponsor in November 2016.