New protections for the coast

This summer, the Oregon Legislature passed a bill, sponsored by Sen. Ryan Deckert (Beaverton) and backed by Environment Oregon, putting a moratorium on offshore oil and gas drilling on the Oregon Coast.

The Oregon Coast is a precious destination for Oregonians across the state. In recent years, the oil and gas industry has increased pressure on Congress to lift the moratorium on drilling in federal waters off the West Coast. The Bush administration is launching an inventory of offshore oil and gas resources that includes areas off the Oregon Coast.

The bill not only puts the first state-level protection in place in more than a decade, but also sends a strong message to Congress to keep the federal moratorium in place.