(RICHMOND, VA)—The U.S. House of Representatives today passed the Coastal and Marine Economies Protection Act (H.R. 1941), which bans oil and gas drilling off the Atlantic and Pacific Coasts. The legislation has not yet been taken up by the U.S. Senate.
Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) Hampton Roads Director Christy Everett issued the following statement.
“This legislation is an important step towards banning offshore drilling, which poses unacceptable risks to the health of the Chesapeake Bay, our coasts, and local economies. It makes no sense to expand fossil fuel exploration at a time when we need to drastically reduce greenhouse gas emissions.”
“The House passage of this bill is another sign of the broad opposition to drilling up and down the East Coast at all levels of government.
“We appreciate the support of the members of Congress who voted for this legislation, including many in the Bay delegation. CBF especially thanks the bill’s sponsor, Rep. Joe Cunningham, and co-sponsors, Reps. Don Beyer, Matt Cartwright, Gerald Connolly, Don McEachin, and Elaine Luria. We now look forward to working with the Senate to protect the Atlantic Coast from the many dangers of offshore drilling.”
