FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 2, 2010
Contact: Kristina Johnson
(415) 977-5619
Offshore Oil Rig Explodes in Gulf of Mexico
Today, an offshore drilling platform in the Gulf of Mexico exploded, leaving at least one worker injured. The explosion follows the BP disaster in the Gulf in April, which killed 11 workers and sent millions of gallons of oil into the ocean.
Statement of Sierra Club Executive Director Michael Brune
Our hearts go out to the workers involved in this disaster and their families. This is the second incident in recent months that has sent oil workers into the water, and some of them have never returned.
The oil industry continues to rail against regulation but it's become all too clear that the current approach to offshore drilling is simply too dangerous. We don't need to put American workers and waters in harm's way just so multinational oil companies can break more profit records.
Instead of pursuing more dangerous, dirty, outdated offshore drilling, we could be investing in clean energy and a 21st century transportation system that would create good, safe jobs and infuse new life into our economy.
How many disasters will it take until our leaders decide to act? We don't want to see one more oil disaster. The BP disaster was supposed to be the wake up call, but we hit the snooze button. Today the alarm went off again.
Oil is just too dangerous and dirty. It's time to move America off of oil and onto clean, safe energy.
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