The Gulf Disaster

BP has finally capped its gushing well, but the worst oil spill in American history is still unfolding in the Gulf of Mexico. It's time for President Obama to permanently protect our coasts and beaches from new oil offshore drilling.

For three straight months, the Deepwater Horizon rig spewed more than 200 million gallons of oil into the Gulf, a volume dwarfing the Exxon-Valdez spill.  Beaches from Louisiana to Florida have been coated with oil.  Pelicans, porpoises, and sea turtles have all been caught in the massive slick.  And 84,000 square miles of the Gulf are too contaminated for fishing, leaving thousands of fishermen out of work.  Finally, the damage done to the ecosystem — from the coastal marshes to the bottom of the food chain at the Gulf’s ocean floor — will be with us for many years to come.

Sadly, the tragedy of oil drilling and spilling extends beyond this one disaster.  Just days after BP sealed its well, a tug boat hit another drilling rig, sending a geyser of oil spurting 100 feet into the air.  Then a leaking pipeline in Michigan sent more than 800,000 gallons of oil heading towards Lake Michigan.  And now, we have learned that BP has plans to open a massive new drilling rig off the coast of northern Alaska.

Take action: Tell the president and his administration to reject new drilling off America's coasts.