Government leaves Gulf of Mexico at risk

“The three month long Gulf oil spill and its long-term effects are the fruit of the oil industry dodging oversight and subverting safeguards to push drilling technology past its ability to prevent or stop oil spills with too little regard for the environmental risks to life in and around our coastal areas.

“The Deepwater Horizon explosion and spill showed that the government and oil industry were not prepared or equipped for an oil spill. And even now, the Government has not assessed the environmental risks posed by deepwater drilling and the potential harm to life and health that we know can occur. Without these assessments being complete as required by law, the Government cannot legally authorize a resumption of deepwater drilling in the Gulf.

“The long-term effects of the oil spill on life in and around the Gulf remain to be seen, from tiny phytoplankton at the base of the food chain to blue crab, oysters, and fish caught and consumed by our families and communities. Until we know what these impacts are and how we prevent them from happening in the future, we shouldn’t be drilling in deepwater. The government has the legal responsibility to protect our natural resources and it must vigorously exercise that responsibility.”

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About Southern Environmental Law Center The Southern Environmental Law Center is a regional nonprofit using the power of the law to protect the health and environment of the Southeast (Virginia, Tennessee, North and South Carolina, Georgia, and Alabama). Founded in 1986, SELC’s team of 40 legal experts represent more than 100 partner groups on issues of climate change and energy, air and water quality, forests, the coast and wetlands, transportation, and land use. WEB: www.SouthernEnvironment.org TWITTER: http://www.twitter.com/selc_org