Shaheen, Hassan Join Efforts To Ban Offshore Oil Drilling In NH

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen and Maggie Hassan, have reintroduced a bill that would ban gas and oil drilling off New England coasts. The two New Hampshire Democrats are joining other legislators in cosponsoring the bill, which aims to protect Atlantic coastlines. Their efforts come as President Donald Trump on Thursday announced rollbacks in offshore drilling safety requirements that had been created in the wake of the 2010 BP Deepwater Horizon explosion.

According to the National Ocean Economics Program, the ocean economy, including tourism, fishing, and recreation, generates more than $17 billion in New England annually. Expanding drilling in the Atlantic would harm New England’s vital industries, and significantly increase the chances of environmental disaster in the region, Shaheen's office stated.

"New Hampshire's economy, environment and wildlife can't afford the risk of an oil spill," said Shaheen in a statement. “While the President is trying to expand offshore drilling in the Atlantic Ocean – which puts the vitality of the New Hampshire Seacoast community under threat – New England’s congressional delegation will not stay on the sidelines. I’m glad to stand with Senators from our region on both sides of the aisle in defense of the New England coastline. Banning offshore drilling in the Atlantic Ocean will help to ensure the safety of our communities and the sustainability of our local economies, and I’ll keep fighting to move this legislation forward to protect New Hampshire’s coast.”

Hassan said, “Coastal drilling has led to some of the worst natural disasters in modern history, and we cannot afford to risk harm to New Hampshire’s coastal communities. This bipartisan bill would ban offshore drilling in New Hampshire and throughout the region, and I’ll continue speaking out to make clear that our coast is off limits to offshore oil and natural gas extraction.

Other supporters of the off-shore drilling ban include U.S. Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Jack Reed (D-RI), Susan Collins (R-ME), Angus King (I-ME), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Edward J. Markey (D-MA). Congressman David Cicilline (D-RI) has introduced the legislation (H.R. 287) in the House of Representatives with 20 cosponsors.