Rhode Island Attorney General : Attorney General Kilmartin Decries Trump Administration's Plan to Expand Offshore Drilling

Attorney General Peter F. Kilmartin issued the following statement regarding the announcement by the Trump Administration to vastly expand offshore drilling in America, including off the East Coast:

'This decision by the Administration is clearly driven by the oil and gas industry and it has the very real potential to significantly damage our coastline and negatively impact our coastal resources. Rhode Island, the Eastern seaboard, and all coastal communities benefit greatly from the preservation and protection of our natural resources, and allowing drilling for oil and gas will be detrimental to our economy and our quality of life. Moreover, Rhode Island has proven that offshore wind energy, which has far less environmental impact over drilling for gas and oil, is viable and should be explored and supported above extracting vital resources from our ocean floors. As Attorney General and the state's environmental advocate, I will continue to fight this latest move by the Trump Administration to give the oil and gas industry carte blanche to destroy our environment.'