Blog: Drilling Moratorium Expands Crisis in Gulf Region

Statement

The catastrophic oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico has been devastating, and BP should be held fully accountable for the damage it has caused to the environment and to the Gulf Coast economy. The accident has threatened the livelihoods of thousands of hard-working Americans in the fishing and tourism industries.

However, President Obama's six-month moratorium on deepwater drilling in the Gulf, announced on May 27th, 2010, will further weaken the Gulf's vulnerable economy which relies heavily on the oil and gas industry. Thirty-three rigs, which each employ between 800 and 1400 people, that were scheduled to drill in the Gulf Coast have been redirected to other projects in Brazil and Africa. The jobs have gone with them.

This moratorium will not clean up the spill, plug the leak, or reduce our dependence on foreign oil. But it will result in greater job loss in the Gulf States. The President should reconsider this ban on new drilling and bring jobs back to the Gulf.

Source