Earth Protect Blog

As Oil Execs Testify About Drilling Safety, GOP Rallies with Same Old "Drill, Baby, Drill!"

WASHINGTON, DC – Despite tens of thousands of gallons of oil continuing to gush from BP’s oil well and executives from five major oil companies testifying before Congress today about off-shore drilling safety, some Congressional Representatives rallied on Capitol Hill today calling for more off-shore drilling and a bill was introduced to lift the moratorium on off-shore drilling by Senator Vitter and Rep. Pete Olson.

"Calling for more drilling will leave the U.S. locked in its addiction to oil rather than leading the way on clean energy and the jobs it would create," said Sierra Club Executive Director Michael Brune. "The real leaders in Congress know that ending our dependence on oil and switching to a clean energy economy will boost our economy, create jobs, and protect our environment."

In the House Subcommittee on Energy and the Environment today, executives from BP, ExxonMobil, Chevron, ConocoPhillips, and Shell all faced grilling about their companies so-called Gulf of Mexico drilling safety plans, of which some have been shown to be carbon-copies of arctic drilling safety plans and others called inadequate and severely lacking in details.

Some subcommittee members called for BP America President Lamar McKay’s resignation, while others hammered the executives on their companies’ lack of safety plans and commitment to more drilling despite BP’s oil disaster.

"Americans are tired of letting these oil companies call the shots" said Brune. "It’s time to stand up to the oil industry and protect coastal communities and jobs. We’re ready to move America off of oil and into a clean energy future."

Sierra Club was also pleased to see the completion of EPA's analysis of the American Power Act. Their findings are further proof that comprehensive climate and energy legislation is not only good for the environment, but will benefit families and American business as well.

"West Virginia's coal mine tragedy and the oil disaster currently unfolding highlight the desperate need for a new clean energy economy that ends our self-destructive addiction to dirty energy," said Brune. "We need to move away from dangerous and deadly energy sources towards greater efficiency and cleaner energy. Every day Congress fails to pass clean energy and climate policy, we put our economy, our national security and our environment at risk. Now is the time to put America back in control of our energy future with comprehensive clean energy and climate legislation."

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