Sixteen Northwest Congress members oppose offshore drilling

“The states of Washington and Oregon have made clear through local, state, and federal action, as well as extensive public comment, that oil and gas lease sales off the Pacific Coast are not in the best interest of our economies or environment,” the Feb. 1 letter stated.

Only three members of the delegation did not sign the letter: Reps. Dan Newhouse and Cathy McMorris Rodgers, both R-Wash., and Rep. Greg Walden, R-Oregon.

In April 2017, President Donald Trump issued an executive order directing the nation to become energy self-sufficient. Zinke then instructed the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management to create the National Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Program for 2019-2014.

The program proposes that oil and gas production take place on both the Pacific and Atlantic coasts, as well as the Gulf of Mexico. One planning area outlined in the Bureau’s plan is “Washington/Oregon,” covering the Pacific coasts of both states.

In their Feb. 1 letter, the 16 lawmakers state that oil spills could damage the Oregon and Washington seafood and tourism industries. Washington’s maritime economy supports 191,000 jobs and generates $50 billion per year, while Oregon’s coastal tourism provides over 20,000 jobs and generates $1.9 billion per year.

“There is a reason it has been decades since the waters off the coasts of Washington and Oregon have been considered for oil and gas leasing,” the letter states.

When the Department of the Interior’s oil leasing plan was released in January, the agency noted that 94 percent of the National Outer Continental Shelf is now off-limits to development. The new proposal would make 90 percent of the Shelf available for oil and gas leasing.

“Responsibly developing our energy resources on the Outer Continental Shelf in a safe and well-regulated way is important to our economy and energy security, and it provides billions of dollars to fund the conservation of our coastlines, public lands and parks,” Zinke said in the January press release.

Other regions of the U.S. have bristled at Zinke’s drilling plan, including Alaska, where Republican senator Lisa Murkowski wanted some parts of the Bering Straits off-limits to the leasing plan.

The Interior Department will have a public meeting about the oil leasing plan from 3 to 7 p.m. Monday at Tacoma’s Landmark Convention Center.