WASHINGTON - Oceana released a new economic analysis today, which finds that the Trump administration’s offshore drilling plan threatens more than 2.6 million jobs and nearly $180 billion in GDP for only two years’-worth of oil and just over one year’s-worth of gas at current consumption rates. Specifically, the analysis looks at the latest available data for ocean-dependent jobs and revenue from fishing, tourism and recreation along the coasts of Atlantic and Pacific states, as well as Florida’s Gulf coast, and compares them to the undiscovered economically recoverable oil and gas reserves in those states.
“From ocean views scattered with drilling platforms, to the industrialization of our coastal communities, to the unacceptable risk of more BP Deepwater Horizon-like disasters – expanding offshore drilling to new areas threatens thriving coastal economies and booming industries like tourism, recreation and fishing that rely on oil-free beaches and healthy oceans,” said Diane Hoskins, campaign director at Oceana. “Coastal communities and states are outraged by this radical plan that threatens to destroy our clean coast economies.”
Oceana’s analysis is in response to the Trump administration’s new draft five-year program (2019-2024) for oil and gas development on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS), which proposes to expand future oil and gas leasing to nearly all U.S. waters, including the Atlantic, Pacific, Arctic and eastern Gulf of Mexico. This is the largest number of potential offshore lease sales ever proposed.
“Clean coasts and healthy oceans promise jobs and revenue year after year, but oil and gas are finite resources,” said Hoskins. “Coastal communities rely upon a healthy marine environment for their livelihoods and way of life and cannot afford the devastation that comes along with oil spills. It’s time for Washington to listen to the local voices that have the most to lose.”
As of today, opposition and concern over offshore drilling activities includes:
To access the resources, methodology and state-specific fact sheets, please visit Oceana.org/CleanCoastEconomy.
For more information about Oceana’s campaign to stop the expansion of offshore drilling, please click here.
United States | VIEW ALL | |
Hot-rolled Band | 920.00 | 25 |
Cold-rolled Coil | 1143.00 | -13 |
China Mainland | VIEW ALL | |
Hot-rolled Band | 441.00 | -8 |
Cold-rolled Coil | 529.00 | -6 |
Western Europe | VIEW ALL | |
Hot-rolled Band | 690.00 | -40 |
Cold-rolled Coil | 0.00 | 0 |
World Export Market | VIEW ALL | |
Hot-rolled Band | 555.00 | -3 |
Cold-rolled Coil | 507.00 | 0 |