[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 72 (Thursday, May 2, 2019)]
[Senate]
[Page S2619]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mrs. FEINSTEIN (for herself, Ms. Harris, Mr. Wyden, Mr. 
        Merkley, Ms. Cantwell, Mrs. Murray, Mr. Menendez, Mr. Booker, 
        Mr. Sanders, Mr. Whitehouse, Mr. Markey, Mrs. Gillibrand, and 
        Mr. Peters):
  S. 1318. A bill to amend the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act to 
permanently prohibit the conduct of offshore drilling on the outer 
Continental Shelf off the coast of California, Oregon, and Washington; 
to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
  Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Mr. President, I rise today to reintroduce the ``West 
Coast Ocean Protection Act.''
  This bill would amend the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act to 
permanently block new leases for offshore oil or gas in federal waters 
off the coast of California, Oregon or Washington.
  I'm pleased to be joined today by Senators Harris, Wyden, Merkley, 
Cantwell, Murray, Menendez, Booker, Sanders, Whitehouse, Markey, 
Gillibrand, Peters in sponsoring this bill, which has been introduced 
in every Congress since the Deepwater Horizon disaster in April 2010.
  11 people were killed and 17 others injured when the Deepwater 
Horizon well blew out. Oil and gas spewed into the Gulf of Mexico for 
87 days.
  Oil slicks covered the Gulf. Tar balls and toxic sludge covered 
beaches and wetlands. More than one-third of Federal waters in the Gulf 
were closed to fishing.
  The impacts of the Deepwater Horizon disaster continue to affect 
birds and marine life, and marine biologists are still learning about 
the long-term effects, demonstrating the risks of offshore oil and gas 
extraction. Californians know all too well the dangers posed by 
offshore drilling. Before Deepwater Horizon and Exxon Valdez, there was 
the 1969 oil spill in Santa Barbara.
  A well blowout on an offshore rig spilled more than 3 million gallons 
of crude oil according to some estimates--the worst spill in U.S. 
history at the time.
  The spill closed local beaches--which were covered by a thick layer 
of oil--and thousands of marine mammals and birds were killed. Tourists 
were turned away and commercial fishing operations were halted, hurting 
the local economy.
  After the Santa Barbara spill, California had enough. The State 
blocked all new offshore drilling in state waters--which extend three 
miles from the shore--and in 1994 enacted a permanent offshore drilling 
ban.
  Through local ordinances, congressional opposition, and presidential 
moratoria, all new drilling in federal waters off California has been 
blocked since 1984. Today, opposition to offshore drilling is higher 
than ever. Recent polling has found that nearly 70 percent of 
Californians oppose new drilling off our coast.
  Yet, on January 8, 2018, the Trump administration proposed to allow 
drilling in nearly all Federal waters, including in all three regions 
off the California coast. The leases are proposed to begin in 2020 and 
would lead to the first new drilling operations in these areas in more 
than 35 years. Sixty-eight cities and counties representing a majority 
of California's population have voiced their strong opposition to 
President Trump's misguided plan.
  In an addition, California's Governor, Senate, Assembly, Attorney 
General, Coastal Commission, Fish and Game Commission, and State Lands 
Commission have shared their opposition to the administration's 
drilling plan. Fortunately, the Administration has already suggested 
that its plans for offshore drilling have been delayed as they 
determine how to respond to legal setbacks. The plans are flawed, and 
should be withdrawn altogether.
  Those of us on the Pacific Coast do not want any further offshore oil 
and gas development.
  It is long past time to respect the substantial local opposition by 
passing the ``West Coast Ocean Protection Act'' to permanently ban 
offshore drilling and protect our coast for generations to come. I 
yield the floor.

                          ____________________