House approves bill to protect coasts from offshore drilling

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Two proposals aiming to challenge the Trump administration’s offshore drilling plans made it out of the House of Representatives on Sept. 11. Both bills aim to “permanently protect” the shorelines of the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic and Pacific oceans from new offshore drilling activities. The Coastal and Marine Economies Protection Act (H.R. 1941) and Protecting and Securing Florida’s Coastline Act (H.R. 205) both made it out of the House and will move on to the U.S. Senate. Both proposals were approved in the lower chamber a couple months after representatives used an appropriations vote to block federal funding for new offshore drilling activities through the 2020 fiscal year. H.R. 1941 proposes to permanently block offshore oil and gas drilling in the Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean and Straits of Florida. H.R. 205 would specifically ban offshore oil and gas drilling off of Florida’s Gulf Coast. A moratorium currently blocking offshore drilling in the eastern Gulf will be in effect until 2022. Pres. Donald J. Trump proposed to seek new oil and gas opportunities in federal waters, but several states, agencies and organizations lined up to oppose plans. The governors of California, Oregon and Washington, for example, all expressed concern or opposition over...