04.22.25

Cantwell & Colleagues Introduce Bill to Permanently Protect the Pacific Ocean from Offshore Drilling

Cantwell: WA’s maritime economy supports nearly $46 billion in business revenue & more than 174k jobs - all of which could be compromised in an instant by an oil spill

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, on Earth Day, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), ranking member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and senior member of the Senate Finance Committee, joined her colleagues in announcing the reintroduction of the West Coast Protection Act to permanently protect the Pacific Ocean from the dangers of fossil fuel drilling.

“Washington’s $45.9 billion maritime economy supports over 174,000 jobs from fisheries, trade, tourism, and recreation – but it could all be devastated in an instant by an oil spill,” Sen. Cantwell said. “We must permanently ban offshore drilling on the West Coast to protect our coastal communities, economies, and ecosystems against the risk of an oil spill.”

This bill prohibits the Department of the Interior from issuing a lease for the exploration, development, or production of oil or natural gas in any area of the Outer Continental Shelf off the coast of California, Oregon, or Washington. This legislation comes just after the 15th anniversary of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, which resulted in the deaths of 11 workers, 134 million gallons spilled into the Gulf of Mexico over 87 days, the demise of thousands of marine mammals and sea turtles, and billions of dollars in economic losses from the fishing, outdoor recreation, and tourism industries.

The West Coast Protection Act was introduced by U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-CA) and is additionally cosponsored by Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ), Edward J. Markey (D-MA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Patty Murray (D-WA), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), and Ron Wyden (D-OR). It is endorsed by organizations including Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), Oceana, Defenders of Wildlife, Earthjustice, Surfrider Foundation, Seattle Aquarium, Turtle Island Restoration Network, Nassau Hiking & Outdoor Club, Lee (MA) Greener Gateway Committee, South Shore Audubon Society (Freeport, NY), Sierra Club, League of Conservation Voters, Futureswell, Ocean Conservancy, Environment America, WILDCOAST, Food & Water Watch, Environmental Protection Information Center, Ocean Defense Initiative, Center for Biological Diversity, The Ocean Project, Business Alliance to Protect the Pacific Coast, Animal Welfare Institute, Wild Cumberland, Climate Reality Project - North Broward and Palm Beach County Chapter, U.S. Climate Action Network, American Bird Conservancy, Surf Industry Members Association, Business Alliance for Protecting the Pacific Coast (BAPPC), Clean Ocean Action, and Hispanic Access Foundation.

Representative Jared Huffman (D-CA-02), ranking member of the House Natural Resources Committee, is leading companion legislation in the House for the West Coast Ocean Protection Act.

A one-pager on the West Coast Protection Act is available HERE. Full text of the West Coast Protection Act is available HERE.