RRI Joins Over 70 Organizations Supporting Historic Coastal Protection Action
On February 11th, 2025, we joined more than 70 leading environmental organizations, including Oceana, Sierra Club, Earthjustice, and the National Ocean Protection Coalition, in sending a letter to Congressional leadership in support of the recent landmark decision to protect over 625 million acres of public waters from new offshore oil and gas drilling. This historic action safeguards critical areas in the Atlantic, Eastern Gulf, Pacific, and Northern Bering Sea from future leasing, marking a significant victory for coastal communities and marine ecosystems.
This achievement follows sustained advocacy efforts, including our Director of Programs Chance Cutrano's engagement with key federal decision-makers in Washington, DC, last year. Working alongside Oceana and coastal leaders across the nation, Cutrano met with officials from the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, members of Congress, and the President's Council on Environmental Quality to advocate for stronger protections against offshore oil and gas exploration and drilling.
"From the 1969 Santa Barbara spill to today's climate crisis, history has shown us that protecting our coasts isn't just about preventing environmental disasters – it's about sustaining healthy and intact ecosystems, safeguarding millions of jobs, and preserving the irreplaceable places where we recreate, find inspiration, and connect with our natural heritage," said Chance.
The withdrawal of these areas from future leasing will help prevent harm to coastal communities and economies while ensuring these regions remain free from the environmental, economic, and health risks associated with offshore drilling. This protection is particularly crucial given that coastal counties produce more than $9.5 trillion in goods and services annually, employ 58.3 million people, and pay $3.8 trillion in wages.
The recent decision to protect hundreds of millions of acres under the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Lands Act represents a significant step forward in our ongoing work to protect America's coastlines and combat climate change. We remain committed to working with our partners to advance and defend sensible, bipartisan policies that safeguard our coastal ecosystems and the communities that depend on them.
