East Coast Senators last year introduced legislation to percent Atlantic offshore drilling and #KillTheDrill

Washington (March 15, 2016) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), a member of the Environment and Public Works Committee, released the following statement after the Department of the Interior today released its five-year offshore drilling program. Senator Markey had led the fight in the Senate to protect the East Coast from oil and gas drilling.

“Next month marks six years since the worst oil spill in our nation’s history devastated the Gulf of Mexico. When oil companies already possess area offshore the size of Kentucky yet to be drilled, there is no need to put East Coast fishing and tourism industries at risk of an offshore oil spill.

“Thanks to the efforts of Republicans and their fossil fuel allies in Congress, America is now exporting its oil abroad, putting consumers, our economy and our national security in jeopardy. It would make no sense to put the pristine beaches and natural ecosystems of the East Coast in the crosshairs of a disastrous spill all so that the oil can just be sent overseas to the highest bidder. That’s all risk and no reward for East Coast communities.

“I thank President Obama and Secretary Jewell for putting the interests of East Coast communities above those of Big Oil.”

In March 2015, Senator Markey and eleven Democratic Senators wrote to the Interior Department urging it not to include the East Coast in the administration’s next five-year offshore drilling plan.

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