The following is a statement from Richard Charter, senior policy advisor for marine programs at Defenders of Wildlife:
“Today’s announcement is a positive step in the right direction. Now Congress needs to step up with a more comprehensive response. We need to ensure that the burden of proof is on the drilling industry to demonstrate that it can quickly and reliably close down a runaway well in any water depth. The BP Gulf disaster cannot be allowed to stand as a model for future prevention and response. There must be real solutions to what has clearly been a fiasco of historic proportions.
“What we need is a comprehensive climate and energy policy that moves away from dependence on dirty fossil fuels and speeds us toward our clean energy future, one that is designed to be smart from the start and effective in protecting our natural resources for future generations.”
Read more about Defenders' work promoting clean, renewable sources of energy.
Contact(s):
Caitlin Leutwiler, (202) 772-3226, cleutwiler@defenders.orgDefenders of Wildlife is celebrating 75 years of protecting all native animals and plants in their natural communities. With a nationwide network of nearly 2.2 million members and activists, Defenders of Wildlife is a leading advocate for innovative solutions to safeguard our wildlife heritage for generations to come. For more information, visit defenders.org/newsroom and follow us on Twitter @Defenders.
