Pallone, Grijalva Lead Letter to Biden: Permanently Protect Coastal Waters from Offshore Drilling

Washington, D.C. – Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) and Congressman Raúl M. Grijalva (D-AZ) today sent a letter to President Biden urging him to use his authority under Section 12(a) of the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (OCSLA) to permanently withdraw unleased and at-risk areas of the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) from fossil fuel development. Citing the economic and ecological importance of protecting these waters, the Members of Congress stressed the urgency of enacting permanent protections. 

“As you cement your legacy to be the nation’s greatest climate president, we urge you to use your authority designated under 12(a) of the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (OCSLA) to permanently withdraw unleased and at-risk areas of the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) from fossil fuel development. These coastal waters are too economically and ecologically important to drill, and our coastal communities deserve protection from the known dangers posed by offshore drilling,” Pallone and the members wrote.

The letter highlights the ongoing and significant risks posed by offshore drilling, including catastrophic oil spills, abandoned wells, and hazardous drilling infrastructure that imperil coastal waters, local economies, and public health. It emphasizes that expanding fossil fuel development would undermine climate commitments and expose American taxpayers to enormous environmental cleanup costs.

“Protecting our waters from offshore drilling is widely popular, with nearly two-thirds of registered voters expressing support. More than 390 municipalities across the Atlantic, Pacific, and Gulf coasts have formally opposed the expansion of offshore drilling,” the members emphasized.

The lawmakers stressed that past administrations have used OCSLA authority to protect critical areas and called on President Biden to enact enduring protections that will safeguard these vital regions before the transition of power. They wrote, “Since 2014, every administration has used this authority to prevent offshore oil and gas drilling in key areas, including portions of the Atlantic, Pacific, and Arctic Oceans, as well as the Gulf of Mexico.”

Members joining Pallone and Grijalva on the letter included Suzanne Bonamici (OR-1), Salud Carbajal (CA-24), Kathy Castor (FL-14), Jared Huffman (CA-2), Sydney Kamlager-Dove (CA-37), Mike Levin (CA-49), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14), Chellie Pingree (ME-1), Deborah Ross (NC-2), Nydia Velázquez (NY-7). A full copy of the letter can be found here.