Should Congress ban offshore oil and gas drilling on the west coast?

Awaiting Vote
Bill Summary

S. 58, The West Coast Protection Act, would permanently ban all offshore oil and gas drilling in federal waters off the West Coast (California, Oregon, and Washington). The legislation comes on the heels of an executive order by President Biden which provides a temporary ban on drilling in all federal waters. While there has not been significant drilling off the West Coast since 1984, S. 58 hopes to ensure the protection of the coast. Sponsor: Rep. Diane Feinstein (Democrat, California)
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Opponents say

• “The bottom line is that to keep up with population growth and increased energy consumption there simply must be more investments in oil and gas. And now is not the time to give up on American oil and gas." Source: Mike Sommers (President of the American Petroleum Institute)
• “API (American Petroleum Institute) analysis has shown that ending federal development would increase coal use and cause U.S. carbon dioxide emissions to rise by 5.5% in the power sector by 2030. That would reverse progress on power sector CO2 emissions reductions – down 33% from 2005 to 2019 – and undermine U.S. leadership on emissions reduction since 2000." Source: Mark Green

Proponents say

• "It’s time to permanently ban new offshore oil and gas drilling along the West Coast. Doing so represents a giant step toward the vital goal of building a cleaner, more sustainable energy future." Source: Sen. Dianne Feinstein (Democrat, California)
• “Offshore drilling poses unacceptable risks, and the science and public opinion are clear: we should not put our oceans and fisheries, coastal communities, economies, and planet at risk just to enrich the fossil fuel industry. It’s past time that we permanently ban new offshore drilling and show our united commitment to combating climate change and to give the Pacific Coast and the Arctic Ocean the protections their communities and ecosystems deserve." Source: Rep. Jared Huffman (Democrat, California, District 6)