Monterey, CA…For decades, oil spills have devastated our coastlines, our wildlife, and our economies. From the Santa Barbara Channel blowout in California, to the Deepwater Horizon disaster in the Gulf of Mexico and the Exxon Valdez spill in Alaska, the damage has been profound — and long-lasting.

This latest spill has released up to 132,000 gallons of oil along some of Southern California’s most iconic beaches, leaving oiled seabirds and closed fisheries and beaches in its wake. Its full impact is yet to be understood. This is, regrettably, further evidence of how destructive offshore oil and gas can be and underscores the urgent necessity of a transition to a responsible renewable energy future.

As the nation’s leading aquariums committed to ocean and freshwater conservation, we care deeply about the health of our ocean and our coastal communities. That is why we are opposed to any new federal leasing for offshore oil and gas exploration and development. We urge policy makers to take immediate action to safeguard all that is at stake.

– Cabrillo Marine Aquarium, Columbus Zoo & Aquarium, Georgia Aquarium, Monterey Bay Aquarium, Mystic Aquarium, National Aquarium, Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium, Oregon Coast Aquarium, Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, Seattle Aquarium, Shedd Aquarium, and Virgina Aquarium & Marine Science Center

About Monterey Bay Aquarium
With a mission to inspire conservation of the ocean, the Monterey Bay Aquarium is the most admired aquarium in the United States, a leader in science education, and a voice for ocean conservation through comprehensive programs in marine science and public policy. Everything we do works in concert to protect the future of our blue planet. More information at MontereyBayAquarium.org.