News reports are saying that the Senate is considering opening previously protected areas to offshore oil drilling as part of a “trade” to get a climate change bill passed.

Offshore drilling is not only counterproductive to the goal of stopping global warming, it poses serious threats to our oceans and coasts. Even the most advanced drilling technologies aren’t safe enough to prevent major oil spills. Just this year in Australia a two year-old offshore oil rig started leaking oil at an estimated rate of 400 - 2,000 barrels per day for 74 days and caused the country’s third largest oil spill.

This is not a scene we want to repeat on America’s coasts. Energy and climate legislation should decrease pollution in our air, and should not pollute our oceans in the process.

So as the Senate pieces together its climate legislation, we ocean supporters need to raise our voices to ensure that new expanded offshore drilling is not part of the package. Tell your Senators that our oceans must not be compromised, especially not in a bill intended to address the climate change problem.