Activists and community members say Obama should cancel new leases for oil extraction in the Gulf of Mexico in 2017, thereby affording the Gulf the same protections he gave this year to the Atlantic Coast. (Image: Twitpic/via @JaneKleeb)
Oct 26, 2016
President Barack Obama must "live up to his climate legacy," a group of climate activists said Wednesday, as they took part in a day of action to demand that he cancel future leases for fossil fuel extraction in the Gulf of Mexico.
The activists, who represented groups including 350.org Louisiana and the Louisiana Bucket Brigade, gathered outside the local headquarters of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) in New Orleans.
They said Obama should cancel new leases for oil extraction in the water in 2017, thereby affording the Gulf the same protections he gave this year to the Atlantic Coast when he banned offshore drilling there until 2022.
A press statement released by the Bucket Brigade says their call is backed up by the fact that "[t]he oil industry has thousands of accidents in the Gulf of Mexico each year," and that signs of climate change abound, including the disastrous flooding that hit Louisiana in August, which scientists with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) linked to climate change.
Citing the flooding, Anne Rolfes, founding director of the Louisiana Bucket Brigade, said: "This should be a wake-up call."
"The oil industry gives us flooding, thousands of oil spills every year and a destroyed coast. We are here with a clear message to President Obama: cancel new leases in the Gulf of Mexico, keep all fossil fuels in the ground," Rolfes said.
\u201c#NoDAPL banner at #NoNewLeases action in LA! Awesome solidarity from people on the front lines of extraction. #KeepItInTheGround\u201d— Collin Rees (@Collin Rees) 1477509188
\u201cMs. Iris delivers powerful blessing before escalation #NoNewLeases #KeepItInTheGround\u201d— 350NewOrleans (@350NewOrleans) 1477505936
\u201cHey @POTUS #keepitintheground and cancel upcoming lease sales in the Gulf of Mexico!#NoNewLeases\u201d— Louisiana Bucket Brigade (@Louisiana Bucket Brigade) 1477502997
The action in New Orleans comes roughly one month after BOEM released a draft environmental impact statement that found up to 31.9 million marine mammals in the Gulf of Mexico would be harmed by seismic surveys for oil and gas exploration there.
"For years, industry has been allowed to blast away without permits, without authorizations, and without thought about how its activities are degrading the already beleaguered Gulf," said Michael Jasny, director of NRDC's Marine Mammal Protection Project, in response to the draft statement.
"This place is not a sacrifice zone," he added. "The federal government finally needs to take action once and for all and not condone this business-as-usual disregard for the health of these waters."
Why Your Ongoing Support Is Essential
Donald Trump’s attacks on democracy, justice, and a free press are escalating — putting everything we stand for at risk. We believe a better world is possible, but we can’t get there without your support. Common Dreams stands apart. We answer only to you — our readers, activists, and changemakers — not to billionaires or corporations. Our independence allows us to cover the vital stories that others won’t, spotlighting movements for peace, equality, and human rights. Right now, our work faces unprecedented challenges. Misinformation is spreading, journalists are under attack, and financial pressures are mounting. As a reader-supported, nonprofit newsroom, your support is crucial to keep this journalism alive. Whatever you can give — $10, $25, or $100 — helps us stay strong and responsive when the world needs us most. Together, we’ll continue to build the independent, courageous journalism our movement relies on. Thank you for being part of this community. |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
President Barack Obama must "live up to his climate legacy," a group of climate activists said Wednesday, as they took part in a day of action to demand that he cancel future leases for fossil fuel extraction in the Gulf of Mexico.
The activists, who represented groups including 350.org Louisiana and the Louisiana Bucket Brigade, gathered outside the local headquarters of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) in New Orleans.
They said Obama should cancel new leases for oil extraction in the water in 2017, thereby affording the Gulf the same protections he gave this year to the Atlantic Coast when he banned offshore drilling there until 2022.
A press statement released by the Bucket Brigade says their call is backed up by the fact that "[t]he oil industry has thousands of accidents in the Gulf of Mexico each year," and that signs of climate change abound, including the disastrous flooding that hit Louisiana in August, which scientists with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) linked to climate change.
Citing the flooding, Anne Rolfes, founding director of the Louisiana Bucket Brigade, said: "This should be a wake-up call."
"The oil industry gives us flooding, thousands of oil spills every year and a destroyed coast. We are here with a clear message to President Obama: cancel new leases in the Gulf of Mexico, keep all fossil fuels in the ground," Rolfes said.
\u201c#NoDAPL banner at #NoNewLeases action in LA! Awesome solidarity from people on the front lines of extraction. #KeepItInTheGround\u201d— Collin Rees (@Collin Rees) 1477509188
\u201cMs. Iris delivers powerful blessing before escalation #NoNewLeases #KeepItInTheGround\u201d— 350NewOrleans (@350NewOrleans) 1477505936
\u201cHey @POTUS #keepitintheground and cancel upcoming lease sales in the Gulf of Mexico!#NoNewLeases\u201d— Louisiana Bucket Brigade (@Louisiana Bucket Brigade) 1477502997
The action in New Orleans comes roughly one month after BOEM released a draft environmental impact statement that found up to 31.9 million marine mammals in the Gulf of Mexico would be harmed by seismic surveys for oil and gas exploration there.
"For years, industry has been allowed to blast away without permits, without authorizations, and without thought about how its activities are degrading the already beleaguered Gulf," said Michael Jasny, director of NRDC's Marine Mammal Protection Project, in response to the draft statement.
"This place is not a sacrifice zone," he added. "The federal government finally needs to take action once and for all and not condone this business-as-usual disregard for the health of these waters."
President Barack Obama must "live up to his climate legacy," a group of climate activists said Wednesday, as they took part in a day of action to demand that he cancel future leases for fossil fuel extraction in the Gulf of Mexico.
The activists, who represented groups including 350.org Louisiana and the Louisiana Bucket Brigade, gathered outside the local headquarters of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) in New Orleans.
They said Obama should cancel new leases for oil extraction in the water in 2017, thereby affording the Gulf the same protections he gave this year to the Atlantic Coast when he banned offshore drilling there until 2022.
A press statement released by the Bucket Brigade says their call is backed up by the fact that "[t]he oil industry has thousands of accidents in the Gulf of Mexico each year," and that signs of climate change abound, including the disastrous flooding that hit Louisiana in August, which scientists with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) linked to climate change.
Citing the flooding, Anne Rolfes, founding director of the Louisiana Bucket Brigade, said: "This should be a wake-up call."
"The oil industry gives us flooding, thousands of oil spills every year and a destroyed coast. We are here with a clear message to President Obama: cancel new leases in the Gulf of Mexico, keep all fossil fuels in the ground," Rolfes said.
\u201c#NoDAPL banner at #NoNewLeases action in LA! Awesome solidarity from people on the front lines of extraction. #KeepItInTheGround\u201d— Collin Rees (@Collin Rees) 1477509188
\u201cMs. Iris delivers powerful blessing before escalation #NoNewLeases #KeepItInTheGround\u201d— 350NewOrleans (@350NewOrleans) 1477505936
\u201cHey @POTUS #keepitintheground and cancel upcoming lease sales in the Gulf of Mexico!#NoNewLeases\u201d— Louisiana Bucket Brigade (@Louisiana Bucket Brigade) 1477502997
The action in New Orleans comes roughly one month after BOEM released a draft environmental impact statement that found up to 31.9 million marine mammals in the Gulf of Mexico would be harmed by seismic surveys for oil and gas exploration there.
"For years, industry has been allowed to blast away without permits, without authorizations, and without thought about how its activities are degrading the already beleaguered Gulf," said Michael Jasny, director of NRDC's Marine Mammal Protection Project, in response to the draft statement.
"This place is not a sacrifice zone," he added. "The federal government finally needs to take action once and for all and not condone this business-as-usual disregard for the health of these waters."
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.