As Hurricane Ida moved through New England on Thursday and heads out into the Atlantic Ocean, aerial photos shows miles-long oil slick off the Gulf of Mexico. Environment America is “calling on the owners of the nearest rigs and government agencies to inspect and address this potential spill the second it’s safe enough,” according to a press release.
Oil spills have become an “unfortunate byproduct” of building large oil rigs in hurricane-prone areas, according to Environment America.
“We urge the owners of nearby rigs to act quickly to assess and resolve the situation,” Kelsey Lamp, Protect our Oceans campaign director with Environment America, said. “And we urge the government to act with great speed to determine the source of the slick and address the risk it poses to marine and shoreline wildlife in the Gulf.”
Lamp said oil spills are a major risk posed by offshore drilling. Therefore, Environment America is urging the Biden administration “to consider the true cost of offshore drilling, and end the practice for good,” as the administration considers the future of federal leasing for oil and gas off the Gulf shore.
“Oil slicks are reminders that when we drill, we spill.”
“We urge the owners of nearby rigs to act quickly to assess and resolve the situation,” Lamp said. “And we urge the government to act with great speed to determine the source of the slick and address the risk it poses to marine and shoreline wildlife in the Gulf.”
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