Huffman: Trump's Offshore Agency Merger Puts Workers, Coastal Communities at Risk of Another Deepwater Horizon

Washington, D.C. — Today, House Natural Resources Committee Ranking Member Jared Huffman (D-Calif.) condemned the Interior Department's plan to consolidate offshore energy and safety functions into a new Marine Minerals Administration:

“Merging our offshore energy and safety agencies leaves workers, communities, and taxpayers more vulnerable to another preventable disaster like Deepwater Horizon. pushing to expand offshore drilling and starting risky, unproven deep-sea mining operations to help out his billionaire donors. This move shows what lengths he and his henchmen will go to so they can get rid of anything that stands in their way — like safety programs and affordable clean energy alternatives — even if that means putting workers and coastal communities in danger.”. This reorganization irresponsibly undercuts the very people and programs who keep our oceans and workers safe just when we need them most.

"Senator Heinrich, Senator Padilla, and Representative Rivas and I sent a letter just last week requesting an independent investigation into whether this reorganization will undermine the independent offshore safety oversight Congress established after Deepwater Horizon and leave workers, communities, and taxpayers at greater risk. The American people deserve answers on who this move serves.”

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