PRESS RELEASE: CVSC on Removal of Atlantic Coast from Offshore Drilling Plans
March 15, 2016
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Sophie Halpin, [email protected]
O: (803) 799-0716 M: (207) 899-6940
The Coast is Clear
President’s Decision Protects Our People, Economy & Environment
COLUMBIA, S.C. – Today, the Obama administration released a revised draft of the 2017-2022 Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Program, in which leasing is removed from the Atlantic Ocean. This decision was fueled by the mayors, councilmen, legislators, businesses, conservation organizations and thousands of citizens who came together to fight for South Carolina’s best interest!
“It’s a win-win for the beaches we love and for our economy. We are grateful that the Obama Administration listened to the thousands of voices who said drilling was not worth the risk,” observed Ann Timberlake, Conservation Voters’ Executive Director.
Never before have we seen an environmental issue spark such a unified and bi-partisan response. Mayor Billy Keyserling led the pack with Beaufort’s early resolution opposing drilling and Mayor John Tecklenburg elevated the issue in his successful campaign.
Local groups like SODA POP and Don’t Drill Lowcountry worked tirelessly and were joined by a wide variety of groups that included Conservation Voters, Southern Alliance for Clean Energy, Southern Environmental Law Center, South Carolina Environmental Law Project, Coastal Conservation League, South Carolina Wildlife Federation, League of Women Voters, Oceana and the SC Small Business Chamber of Commerce.
“Tomorrow we will continue our work to lessen climate change and move towards clean energy, but today we celebrate that coming together for a good cause has cleared our Coast from the threat of drilling,” concluded Timberlake.
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