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Sierra Club Statement on the Senate Offshore Drilling Vote Carl Pope, Sierra Club Executive Director "The US Senate voted today to open eight million acres off the shores of Louisiana, Florida, Mississippi and Alabama to oil and gas drilling - a move that will only add to the billions in profits already being made by Big Oil, do nothing to lower gas prices for American families or energy costs for American businesses, and will keep our nation dangerously dependent on oil. "There’s no denying that America faces an urgent energy challenge. We can continue the current, expensive and unsustainable energy practices and policies that have left us addicted to oil. Or we can make the changes and take the actions that will put us on the path to a smarter, cheaper, and cleaner energy future. "Instead of committing to destructive drilling off our beaches, Congress could be adopting smart energy solutions that will help wean Americans off oil and save money at the pump. Instead of increasing oil drilling, Congress could be raising the fuel economy of our cars, encouraging the use of renewable energy like wind and solar power, and adopting other, existing energy-saving technologies that cut pollution, curb global warming and create good jobs. "For example, if our cars, trucks and SUVs together averaged 40 miles per gallon -- something that is achievable with technology gathering dust on the shelves -- we would save as much oil as the U.S. currently imports from the Persian Gulf, with another million barrels to spare. And the average driver would save nearly $600 a year at the pump. Americans deserve a better deal from Congress that allows them to keep more of their hard-earned money. But Senate Majority Leader Frist refused to allow a vote on a bipartisan amendment by Senators Lugar (R-IN) and Obama (D-IL) that would have raised fuel economy of cars and trucks. Today's vote illustrates the Congress' failure to envision an energy future for us that's not dictated by Big Oil. "Drilling offshore in previously protected areas is not what will bring down -- and keep down -- energy prices. There is four times more natural gas available areas already open to drilling than in waters protected by the moratorium -- and industry is only using a fraction of what they already have access to. They should use what they have first, before going after the last protected places. "We know there is no single magic solution to our energy problems. But if we want to leave our children and grandchildren a healthy planet, we must decrease our dependence on polluting, global-warming causing petroleum and other finite fossil fuels. We know our nation can do it - our history shows that there are few challenges we have not overcome with American ingenuity. We understand that we all have a role to play. Now we just need the political will and courage - something that today’s vote proves is in short supply these days in Washington, D.C.. "Senate passage does not make offshore drilling legislation a done deal, and conference negotiations with the more expansive House version will prove difficult. Sierra Club will be fighting every step of the way to encourage Congress to embrace smart energy solutions, not just a drilling agenda." *Final vote was 71-25 For more information, please visit: www.sierraclub.org/coasts or http://www.sierraclub.org/energy/ |
