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REP LIEU STATEMENT ON TRUMP ADMINISTRATION OFFSHORE DRILLING PLAN

January 4, 2018

WASHINGTON - Today, Congressman Ted W. Lieu (D-Los Angeles County) issued the following statement after the Trump Administration announced its plan to expand offshore drilling in the Pacific, Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico and Arctic waters.The plan proposes enabling offshore drilling in 47 areas along the coasts of the U.S. including Southern California.

"The Trump Administration has made it clear that its priorities are deregulation and lining the pockets of fossil fuel companies. This offshore drilling plan is another awful example. Sec. Zinke's proposed plan has the potential to be catastrophic for our environment and creates extraordinary safety concerns for coastal communities. In 2010, the Deepwater Horizon oil spill disaster killed 11 workers, devastated fragile ecosystems and cost taxpayers billions. This Administration has taken pride in rolling back critical environmental and safety regulations so I have very little confidence they could or would prevent another devastating oil spill. Instead of enriching oil companies, we should be fighting climate change and looking at wind, tidal and wave energy development. The science community and the public agree, but, once again, the Trump Administration is demonstrating its disinterest in science and public sentiment.

Californians do not want offshore drilling in the Pacific. In California alone, our coastal economy generates $662 billion in wages and $1.7 trillion in gross domestic product. Our state, and frankly our country, cannot afford offshore drilling. Everything, from the tiniest zooplankton to our global economy, relies on healthy and safe oceans. I will do everything I can to keep our oceans clean and stop the Trump Administration's reckless proposal to enrich oil and gas companies at the expense of the environment, and thus the lives and livelihoods of millions of Americans."

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