For Immediate Release
Washington, DC

Acting Secretary of Interior David Bernhardt announced that the Atlantic will be included in the 5-year offshore leasing plan for oil and gas development. This plan will replace former President Obama’s 5-year plan, which protected these areas and blocked oil and gas development. The Atlantic Ocean is the only habitat for the critically endangered North Atlantic right whale.

Jamie Rappaport Clark, CEO and president, Defenders of Wildlife, issued this statement: 

“The Trump administration has made one bad decision after another for America’s oceans. On the heels of the Trump administration approving requests from five oil companies to conduct seismic testing in the Atlantic Ocean, Acting Secretary of Interior David Bernhardt has continued the pursuit of energy dominance by announcing that the Atlantic Ocean will be opened to drilling.

“Offshore drilling is risky business. President Trump’s plan threatens the survival of our diverse and abundant marine wildlife, including the imperiled North Atlantic right whale.”

For nearly 80 years, Defenders of Wildlife has worked to protect and restore America’s wildlife at risk of extinction, advancing a vision of a future in which wildlife thrives, sustained by broad public support and a resilient network of healthy lands and waters. With a network of more than 2 million supporters, Defenders is an advocate for innovative solutions to safeguard wildlife for generations to come. To learn more, please visit https://defenders.org/newsroom or follow us on Instagram @defendersofwildlife.  

 

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