Oregon Doubles Down on Offshore Drilling Ban

The governor of Oregon has signed off on a permanent ban on offshore drilling in the US state’s waters.

Governor Kate Brown signed the Senate bill into law to create “a new line of defence against offshore oil and gas drilling that could undermine the coast’s thriving tourism, recreation and fishing industries,” a statement issued by her office on March 27 announced.

The bipartisan bill makes permanent a moratorium on oil and gas leasing in Oregon’s territorial sea that had been set to expire in 2020. It also blocks the development of new piers, pipelines and other infrastructure in state waters required to support oil, gas and sulphur drilling further offshore.

The legislation was a response to a federal proposal released last January to open 90% of US waters – including the coasts of Oregon, Washington, and California – to new oil and gas leasing.

“The federal government’s proposal to open most American waters to offshore drilling would have opened our shores, our wildlife, our communities, and our economy to the threat of devastation from an oil spill. It was a move that undermined decades of bipartisan coastal protection and turned its back on our commitment to reducing our dependence on fossil fuels,” said Governor Brown.

Oregon is one of several states that have taken action to protect their coastal economy from the threat of oil drilling. California passed similar legislation last year, and Washington is currently working on oil spill prevention legislation. Several Atlantic states and Hawaii are also working on drilling bans.