Moratorium on offshore drilling passes Oregon Senate

For immediate release: February 18, 2010

Contact: Toby Van Fleet,
OLCV Communications Director,
503-224-4011 x212, toby@olcv.org

Moratorium on offshore drilling passes Oregon Senate

Bill to protect coastal communities, local jobs and pristine beaches now heads to governor's desk

SALEM, OR – A bill that extends Oregon’s moratorium on offshore drilling for ten more years passed the Oregon Senate today with a vote of 22-8.

House Bill 3613, sponsored by Rep. Ben Cannon (D-Portland), protects Oregon’s coast from the threat of offshore oil and gas exploration for the next ten years, preserving coastal jobs and businesses which depend on more than $1 billion a year in fishing and recreation dollars and reinforcing Oregon’s commitment to renewable energy.

The moratorium is one of the Oregon Conservation Network’s three environmental priorities for the February session. OCN is a coalition of more than 40 of Oregon’s leading conservation groups from around the state who work together to pass pro-environment laws in the Legislature. (For more information on the Priorities for a Healthy Oregon, visit www.oregonpriorities.org.)

“Oregon lawmakers recognized this bill as an opportunity to preserve jobs and protect Oregon’s unique coastal legacy at the same time” said Brock Howell, Advocate for Environment Oregon. “Representative Ben Cannon led the charge and Oregon’s coastal caucus leaned in with their full support in getting this bill to the governor’s desk.”

The success of House Bill 3613 has been the result of the cooperation of a uniquely broad-based coalition that includes the conservation community, fishing groups, local businesses, and legislators.

“The coalition came together around some basic Oregon values: Preserving our strong tourism and fishing industries that provide jobs for our local communities, as well as protecting Oregon’s coastal beauty and diversity,” said Gus Gates, Oregon Policy Coordinator for the Surfrider Foundation.

If signed into law, this moratorium would continue the one that passed in the 2007 Legislative session and expired on January 2 of this year.

The Oregon Conservation Network is a coalition of more than 40 conservation groups from around the state, coordinated by the Oregon League of Conservation Voters, that lobbies for pro-environment laws in the Oregon Legislature.

The Oregon League of Conservation Voters works to pass pro-environment laws, elect pro-environment candidates, and hold all of our elected officials accountable. www.olcv.org.

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