The year 2025 marked 15 years since the Deepwater Horizon disaster—the most heart-wrenching example of just how quickly and horribly offshore drilling can go wrong. The rig exploded about 40 miles off the coast of Louisiana, taking the lives of 11 oil workers and releasing an estimated 210 million gallons of oil into the ocean.
Recently, the U.S. Department of the Interior announced it was seeking public comment as it prepares a plan for new offshore oil and gas lease sales. Instead of discontinuing dirty and dangerous offshore oil and gas leasing, the department is considering opening more waters to dangerous drilling.
Every oil spill starts as a lease sale. This is a critical time to send a clear message that the American people are not willing to take the risk of expanded offshore oil and gas drilling. We don’t want our ocean and communities to bear the brunt of the disasters that are sure to follow.