Tell Congress to Oppose Offshore Drilling

President Bush recently lifted the ban on drilling for oil in the Outer Continental Shelf. Now Congress is feeling the pressure to lift its own longstanding ban on offshore drilling and to press for more drilling in America's Arctic. This would be a mistake. New offshore drilling could pollute our oceans and permanently damage coastal ecosystems that span millions of acres -- without providing the desired relief at the gas pump. We need you to act today to prevent this shortsighted policy from taking effect.

Even the U.S. Department of Energy says that offshore drilling would likely save only pennies a gallon -- and take a decade or more to achieve. In the meantime, drilling would disrupt coastal habitats that are home to countless species. And an oil spill like the ones we saw before the ban was established could cause untold environmental damage and deal a massive economic blow to coastal tourism and fisheries.

Instead of opening the door to environmentally disastrous drilling, Congress should be taking steps to wean our nation off of oil by pressing for the development of clean, renewable energy alternatives and jobs and by enacting stronger energy efficiency requirements. Four-dollar-a-gallon gas is cause for real concern. But offshore drilling, with its significant environmental risks and virtually no long-term gain, is not the solution.