November, 08 2017, 03:00pm EDT
SECURE Act is a Public Lands and Waters Giveaway to Dirty Industry
WASHINGTON
Today, the House Natural Resources Committee will vote on the Strengthening the Economy with Critical Untapped Resources to Expand American Energy (SECURE) Act. This Act would transfer management authority for the permitting of federal oil and gas resources to states, encourage offshore oil drilling while limiting commonplace safeguards, and gravely weaken protections for marine mammals.
The eleven environmental and conservation organizations listed above issued the following statement:
"The SECURE Act is the latest shameless effort to sell out America's public lands, waters and oceans to the highest bidder, yet again putting the interests and profits of the oil and gas industry before American families' right to protect these areas for our children and grandchildren. This bill would not only threaten fragile habitats and rare wildlife species, it would also purposefully remove the public's seat at the table when decisions are made about our shared natural resources. American families want to preserve these special areas, and this bill is an irresponsible scheme to shut the public out of the process and allow special interests to completely reshape how our shared lands, waters and natural resources are used."
These organizations also sent this letter to the House Natural Resources Committee, outlining their concerns and opposition to the bill.
The SECURE Act prioritizes fracking and drilling for oil and gas over all other values, placing our public lands, waters, oceans and coastlines at significant risk and curtailing public involvement in their responsible management. In addition, this bill rolls back existing offshore safety rules that increase risks to offshore workers, the marine and coastal environment, and ocean life. Moreover, this bill exacerbates the already significant and increasing impacts of climate change on our citizens and environment.
Media Contacts:
Corey Himrod, 202-266-0426, Corey@alaskawild.org
Amey Own, Animal Welfare Institute, 202-446-2128, amey@awionline.org
Taylor McKinnon, 801-300-2414, tmckinnon@biologicaldiversity.org
Rebecca Bowe, Earthjustice, 415-217-2093, rbowe@earthjustice.org
Kelsey Lamp, Environment America, 775-397-5057, klamp@environmentamerica.org
Anne Hawke, Natural Resources Defense Council, 202-513-6263, ahawke@nrdc.org
Gabby Brown, Sierra Club, 202-495-3051, gabby.brown@sierraclub.org
Steve Bloch, Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance, 801-428-3981, Steve@suwa.org
Maia Raposo, Waterkeeper Alliance, 212-747-0622 ex. 116, mraposo@waterkeeper.org
Kelly Fuller, Western Watersheds Project, (928) 322-8449, kfuller@westernwatersheds.org
Jenny Kordick, The Wilderness Society, 202-429-2676, Jenny_Kordick@tws.org
Earthjustice is a non-profit public interest law firm dedicated to protecting the magnificent places, natural resources, and wildlife of this earth, and to defending the right of all people to a healthy environment. We bring about far-reaching change by enforcing and strengthening environmental laws on behalf of hundreds of organizations, coalitions and communities.
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