On February 11-12, 2016, Surfrider members, coastal recreation businesses, and our partners will convene in Washington DC to ask our nation’s leaders to protect the Atlantic coast from offshore oil and gas development. The event will be timely, as our federal government is planning to open up the Atlantic to new oil drilling in their next five-year drilling plan. Our Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) is working on an environmental impact statement for offshore drilling, which is scheduled to be released in the spring of 2016.
Surfrider’s lobby event is a unique opportunity for the coastal recreation industry, our supporters, and our coalition partners to create a strong presence in Washington DC to express our opposition to new offshore drilling. Offshore drilling poses a serious threat to the Atlantic Coast by undermining our natural resources, local economies, and way of life. By making our voices heard in Washington DC, we can drive our message home at a time when critical decisions are being made on the future of the Atlantic.
Here is what we have lined up for the event:
- Meetings with congressional offices on Capitol Hill.
- A rally near the Capitol with Surfrider chapter leaders, industry representatives, and coalition partners.
- An evening celebration hosted by Surfrider’s DC Chapter for members and supporters.
In addition to offshore drilling in the Atlantic, the event is an opportunity to discuss with key decision-makers legislative priorities that would protect our oceans and coastlines, including continued funding of the BEACH Act to ensure water quality testing, support for the National Ocean Policy to ensure smart planning for the future of our oceans, and ways to reduce the plastic pollution that often ends up in the mouths and stomachs of marine animals.
If you are interested in attending the Washington DC event, please email our Ocean Policy Outreach Coordinator (Joanna Malaczynski, jmalaczynski@surfrider.org). Please also stay tuned for more info on this event on surfrider.org.