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Congressman Panetta Cosponsors Bills to Stop New Coastal Oil Drilling

January 9, 2019

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congressman Jimmy Panetta (CA-20) cosponsored four bills to stop new offshore oil and gas developments. The California Clean Coast Act, to permanently ban future offshore oil and gas leasing in areas of the Outer Continental Shelf off the coast of California, and the West Coast Ocean Protection Act to permanently ban these actions off the coast of California, Oregon, and Washington. Congressman Panetta also cosponsored the Clean Ocean and Safe Tourism (COAST) Anti-Drilling Act to permanently ban offshore oil and gas leasing in the Mid-Atlantic, South Atlantic, North Atlantic, and the Straits of Florida planning areas, as well as the Stop Arctic Ocean Drilling Act to permanently ban offshore oil and gas leasing in the Arctic Ocean.

"I adamantly oppose any type of drilling off of our coasts. As demonstrated by the lasting effects of the 1969 Santa Barbara oil spill, in which 100,000 barrels of crude oil spewed into the Santa Barbara Channel and the 2015 Santa Barbara oil spill, the potential for an environmental catastrophe from offshore drilling is one that our coastal communities cannot afford," said Congressman Panetta. "These pieces of legislation will allow us to take deliberate action to protect our pristine coastlines and healthy ocean, and affirm our commitment to combatting climate change. As the Representative for the central coast of California, I will continue to fight against any attempts to reopen our coast to offshore oil drilling."

Issues:Environment