At this very moment, oil industry allies in Congress are trying to push through a package of bills that would amount to a massive giveaway to the oil industry at the expense of whales, dolphins and coastal communities.
The bill – H.R. 4239 – would roll back decades of protections for marine life and our environment, all while ignoring the opposition of coastal communities. Simply put: This bill would put marine life in greater danger and increase the risk of oil spills in our waters. We must stop this assault on our oceans. That’s why we’re trying to get 30,000 people to contact their elected representatives before Wednesday – Can you step up now? Tell your Representative in the U.S. House: Protect whales, coastal communities and our oceans from the deadly threat of expanded dirty offshore drilling >> How bad is this? Bad. For starters, H.R. 4239 would:
Whales and dolphins don’t have a voice in Congress. For the sake of marine life, coastal economies and our oceans, please speak up now. Add your name now to make your voice heard for whales and dolphins before they suffer the consequences of dangerous offshore drilling – We need 30,000 signatures before Wednesday >> I’ll be sure to let you know of any updates in this fight. Oil industry allies in Congress are trying to get this done fast, so concerned citizens like you don’t have a chance to be heard. Don’t let them get their way. | ||
Rep. McSally is full of big words about being an "outdoors enthusiast." With that comes a responsibility to protect it.
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Dear Representative McSally,
I am writing to urge you to oppose H.R. 4239, a package of bills to expedite dangerous oil and gas exploration and drilling in our oceans, risking our coastal economies, livelihoods and marine life.
The ASTRO Act is an extreme measure that would encourage expanded offshore drilling, weaken or eliminate safeguards that protect coastal communities and oceans, and provide shortsighted giveaways to the oil industry, including rolling back vital environmental and safety protections relating to drilling in the Arctic Ocean.
This bill is a blatant attempt to speed up dirty and dangerous offshore drilling in new areas and to ignore coastal community opposition. Through fishing, recreation and tourism, healthy ocean ecosystems along the Atlantic Coast generate $95 billion in gross domestic product and support nearly 1.4 million jobs, and on the West Coast, more than $22 billion in GDP and upwards of 455,000 jobs, annually. These industries serve as economic drivers for our entire nation. Offshore oil and gas exploration and development would be in direct conflict with their long-term sustainability.
The ASTRO Act includes the provisions of H.R. 3133, which would fast-track seismic airgun blasting — an extremely loud and dangerous process used to search for oil and gas deposits deep below the ocean’s surface — and other industrial activities in the ocean that can harm whales, dolphins, manatees and other marine mammals. This provision would severely weaken long-standing protections in the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) for these iconic species. Scientists have shown that seismic airgun blasting can also harm fish, shellfish and sea turtles.
Eliminating safeguards for dolphins and whales in the pursuit of expanded offshore drilling is shortsighted and wrong. A May 2017 poll found that 76 percent of Americans support protecting marine mammals from threats, including injury and death resulting from offshore oil and gas drilling; and 73 percent of Americans support the MMPA.
I urge you – as my voice in Congress – to oppose proposals to expand offshore drilling and fast-track seismic airgun blasting at the expense of cherished marine life. Our treasured beach destinations are valued for their clean, oil-free beaches, vibrant fishing and tourism-dependent economies. We all rely on clean water, beautiful beaches and fish that are safe to eat.
We urge you to reject this bill and its attempts to fast-track seismic airgun blasting and expand offshore drilling.
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You can also cut and paste the message above to Rep. McSally's website:
https://mcsally.house.gov/contact
Personalize it for even more impact.
Or call her office:
Sierra Vista Office
Phone: (520) 459-3115
Tucson Office
Phone: (520) 881-3588
Fax: (520) 322-9490
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