Petition seeks block on offshore oil leasing

A coalition of conservation and Native American groups is urging the Interior Department to block offshore oil and gas development for five years to protect against loss of biodiversity and threats to coastal communities in the midst of climate change.

The petition to the Biden administration was signed by representatives of Cook Inletkeeper, in Homer, along with Center for Biological Diversity, Healthy Gulf and the Wishtoyo Chumash Foundation. The petition asks Interior Secretary Deb Haaland to issue a new five-year Outer Continental Shelf oil and gas leasing program that includes no new leases in any offshore planning region.

The petition cites the legislative history of the offshore leasing program, calling offshore drilling a temporary fix until new sources of energy are available, and a federal appellate court ruling allowing leasing delays because the “true costs of tapping OCS energy resources are better understood as more becomes known about the damaging effects of fossil fuel pollutants.”

The request comes in the wake of President Joe Biden’s Jan 27 executive order suspending fossil fuel leasing on all federal lands and oceans pending a review to include a March 25 online forum. Information on the forum is online at https://www.doi.gov/pressreleases/interior-department-outlines-next-steps-fossil-fuels-program-review

“The disconnect between science and policy in Alaska is glaring,” said Bob Shavelson, advocacy director with Cook Inletkeeper. “On one hand we closed our Pacific cod fishery due to climate change, and on the other hand, we’re pushing for more offshore oil and gas leasing in the very same area. We need to bring science back into the discussion.”

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