Defending the Washington Coast Against Offshore Drilling

In January 2018, the federal government released a proposal to open 90% of U.S waters—including Washington’s entire coast—to oil and gas drilling. This would undermine decades of bipartisan coastal protection. In January 2020, the federal administration also announced major changes to the National Environmental Policy Act, one of our nation’s bedrock environmental laws, that have the potential to fast- track approval of offshore oil infrastructure projects. These two federal proposals threaten the many coastal communities, businesses and industries that depend upon a healthy ocean and clean, oil-free beaches for survival.

An oil spill would shut down commerce in fishing, tourism, and recreation, which support more than 84,000 jobs in Washington and generate approximately $5.2 billion in gross domestic product. The federal drilling proposal has met with steep, bipartisan opposition, with the towns and cities of Aberdeen, Hoquiam, Ilwaco, Long Beach, Montesano, Ocean Shores, Raymond, Seattle, South Bend and Westport, as well as the Port of Ilwaco passing resolutions opposing oil and gas drilling off our coast. Tribal governments such as the Quinault Indian Nation and the Makah Indian Tribe have also come out against offshore oil drilling.

This campaign is focused on making policy changes that would require the state and local governments, in adopting guidelines for shorelines of statewide significance, to prohibit any submerged land leasing or infrastructure for handling or transporting extracted gas and oil. Learn more and help #DefendOurCoast!