The Trump administration unveiled its plan last Thursday to expand offshore oil and gas drilling along the East Coast. The administration’s five-year plan, which will open up 90 percent of US offshore reserves to drilling and represents the largest expansion in the nation’s history, received a sharp rebuke from Rhode Island Governor Gina Raimondo.
In a statement Raimondo said, “The President is endangering the health of nearly all coastal waters in our country, including our 400 miles of coastline in Rhode Island, so that rich oil companies can get richer. The North Atlantic region is home to one of the most productive and sensitive marine ecosystems in the world, not to mention Rhode Island’s tourism, recreation and fishing industries. We’ve taken action over the past few years to decrease our reliance on fossil fuels and invest in alternative energy sources. We are home to the nation’s first offshore windfarm. We cannot take this step backwards. Now is the time for Rhode Islanders to make their voices heard and tell President Trump to protect our waters.”
— Gina Raimondo (@GovRaimondo) January 10, 2018
