WASHINGTON - May 11 - The following is a statement from Rodger Schlickeisen, president and CEO of Defenders of Wildlife:

"It's ludicrous to compare the dangers posed by risky, dirty offshore oil and gas drilling with the footprints of clean, safe renewable energy sources like wind and solar. As Congress begins discussing their response to the Gulf tragedy, they need to embrace what's best for America - and that's a rapid transition to clean, safe renewable energy.

"To truly move beyond dirty, climate-changing fossil fuels like oil and coal, we must rapidly expand our investments in clean renewable energy sources such as wind and solar. Renewable power from large-scale solar and wind farms can help to speed up the transition to a clean-energy future, in a safe, responsible way. As long as we also make sure that renewable development is done right, in the places that it makes the most sense, we can meet America's energy needs now and into the future, while safeguarding our wildlife and natural places and reducing global warming pollution."

Learn more about what Defenders is doing to halt new offshore drilling operations in the U.S.