Hundreds of religious leaders penned a letter Thursday to President Trump and Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke asking them to end plans to expand offshore drilling and seismic testing in public waters citing “unacceptable risks to God’s oceans and coastal communities.”
“God created the oceans with an abundance of life and, as stewards of God’s earth, we should work to preserve and protect God’s marine creation,” the letter stated. “As people of faith, we also uphold our duty to love our neighbors. Oceans provide food sources and livelihoods for millions in the U.S. and globally.”
The group of church leaders, part of the National Religious Partnership for the Environment, voiced their opposition to the administration’s offshore drilling plans due to environmental safety concerns.
“Offshore drilling could produce perilous consequences like oil spills that can poison the God’s oceans, including wildlife and clean water. No oil company or administration can guarantee the safety of drilling offshore,” the group wrote.
The group instead proposed the administration focus on renewable sources of energy such as wind and solar and to work on maximizing energy efficiency.
The letter comes two months after Zinke announced the administration would begin to consider new potential offshore oil and gas leasing options in public waters, a decision that has been met with backlash, including resistance from Republican lawmakers.
