Response: New Biden Offshore Leasing Plan Is a Deadly Betrayal of Communities and Climate
“We can’t transition away from fossil fuels by locking in five more years of deadly extraction, and Biden can’t claim to care about environmental justice while forcing oil and gas drilling on already burdened communities,” said Collin Rees.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 1, 2022
Contact:
Collin Rees, collin@priceofoil.org
Oil Change International: New Biden Offshore Leasing Plan Is a Deadly Betrayal of Communities and Climate
Today the Biden administration released a new draft five-year offshore oil and gas leasing plan, which would allow new drilling in both the Gulf of Mexico and Cook Inlet in Alaska, and lead to as many as 11 lease sales over the next five years. This came the same week that Biden’s Interior Department resumed onshore oil and gas lease sales.
In response, Collin Rees, United States Program Manager at Oil Change International, released the following statement:
“The new draft five-year leasing plan is a stark betrayal of President Biden’s climate promises and the communities who will suffer the brunt of this extraction.
“We can’t transition away from fossil fuels by locking in five more years of deadly extraction, and Biden can’t claim to care about environmental justice while forcing oil and gas drilling on already burdened communities.
“This is the third time since November the Biden administration has announced new oil and gas leasing plans on the Friday before a holiday. They’re ashamed, and they should be. Biden is choosing to stand with Big Oil and Gas rather than the voters who elected him and who overwhelming want a swift transition to renewable energy.
“The only solace in today’s announcement is that it’s a draft plan, still subject to public comment and alteration. We can only hope Biden comes to his senses and remembers the campaign promises and climate agenda that got him elected.”
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