Statement on Freeze on New Coastal Drilling

By Larry Schweiger

Here is my statement on President Obama’s freeze on new coastal drilling. Go to www.nwf.org/oilspill for the latest developments on the oil spill and how you can help.

“We support President Obama’s freeze on new coastal drilling, because it’s time to reassess America’s energy priorities. This is not just about making oil platforms safer — this is about moving to a new energy platform.

“Oil companies have deployed 700 lobbyists in Washington and spent tens of millions of dollars on advertising to persuade us that their drilling operations were completely safe.

“They have successfully stalled congressional action on clean energy alternatives and persuaded politicians to put oil company profits ahead of real energy reform. Now the bill is coming due. The hidden costs of our oil dependency are no longer invisible.”