WASHINGTON, D.C. – The following statement was issued by Janis Searles Jones (@InVeritas_Jones), CEO of Ocean Conservancy, in response to the Trump administration’s steps to reverse protections under the 2016 Arctic Drilling Rule:

“It’s appalling but not a surprise that in its waning hours, the Trump administration is pushing forward the formal process to roll back commonsense safety and preparedness measures for oil exploration in the Arctic Ocean—one of the riskiest of all marine environments.

“Instead of leading on a climate action strategy that includes a just transition from fossil fuels, the administration continues to double down on last ditch efforts to rekindle industry interest where there are neither proposed activities nor companies interested in purchasing offshore oil and gas leases.

“Ocean Conservancy continues to oppose adding more risk to the inherently risky business of offshore drilling in the Arctic. We urge the Trump administration to reverse course on this dangerously flawed action. America’s best long-term interest lies in a clean energy future.”

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Ocean Conservancy experts are available for comment.

Ocean Conservancy is working to protect the ocean from today’s greatest global challenges. Together with our partners, we create science-based solutions for a healthy ocean and the wildlife and communities that depend on it. For more information, visit oceanconservancy.org, or follow us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.