Democratic senators bring bill to bar drilling off U.S. West Coast

WASHINGTON -- A group of five Democratic senators has introduced legislation to permanently prohibit drilling on the Outer Continental Shelf of California, Oregon and Washington State.

The legislation—introduced by Sens. Barbara Boxer (D - CA), Maria Cantwell (D - WA), Dianne Feinstein (D - CA), Patty Murray (D - WA), Ron Wyden (D - OR) and Jeff Merkley (D - OR)—would amend the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act to protect the $34-billion coastal economies of the three states, which, the senators contend, would be jeopardized by offshore drilling.

The West Coast Ocean Protection Act includes language stating that “the Secretary of the Interior shall not issue a lease for the exploration, development, or production of oil or natural gas in any area of the outer Continental Shelf off the coast of the State of California, Oregon or Washington.”

"We simply cannot afford the risk posed by oil drilling off our magnificent coast. Nearly 570,000 jobs and our vital coastal economy would not survive an environmental disaster like the one we’re seeing now along the Gulf Coast,” Senator Boxer said.