As the Trump administration and the 119th Congress prepare to begin their terms in January, the Surfrider Foundation is ready to amplify our work defending our coasts and ocean. If the coming term resembles the administration’s first term, we can foresee efforts to open more of our coasts to offshore oil drilling, attacks on our bedrock environmental laws like the Clean Water Act, and industry capture of our important regulatory and natural resources agencies like the EPA and NOAA.
This is at a time when there is an urgent need for federal leadership on coastal and ocean issues. More than ever, our coastal environment is under siege from pollution, development, and climate change. Meanwhile, the incoming Trump administration has proposed a slew of policies that threaten the health of our environment. These include plans to “drill baby, drill” and pledges to weaken bedrock environmental laws.
The Surfrider Foundation’s strong legal team, together with our environmental and policy experts, are ready for the challenge — we have faced and overcome plenty in our 40-year history. Moving forward, we will mobilize our national network and partners to demand that the Trump administration and Congress protect these vital public resources. As we do with every administration, our network will take positive action to conserve our coasts through education, advocacy, and stewardship. Our federal priorities for the next four years include:
- Stopping new offshore oil drilling off U.S. coasts
- Defending clean water and coastal protection laws
- Fighting the rollback of climate change policies
- Ensuring critical funding for the EPA and NOAA
Surfrider has over 900 campaign victories in our storied history, and we’re just getting started! Our organization was founded on the premise that people should protect what they love. Four decades later, our victories, both large and small, have been fueled by volunteers taking action to effect positive change. It’s the proven power of this network that can clean a beach, test for clean water, and even stop a federal offshore drilling proposal.
Surfrider is uniquely positioned to meet the moment, but we can’t do this work without your help. The threats on the horizon demand that we grow and diversify Surfrider's U.S. network of over 200 chapters and clubs. They also require that we elevate our federal advocacy work to build the bipartisan leadership needed to protect our coasts and ocean. This work will require thoughtful collaboration with conservation, industry, and environmental justice partners. It will also require support and participation from our grassroots members.
Surfrider believes that the issues we fight for – clean water, ocean health, coastal access – are priorities that must be embraced by all community members, and Surfrider’s approach is exactly what’s needed to protect our coasts today, and for the future.