Drill Ban Legislation Needed to Protect World-Class Bristol Bay Fishery

April 19, 2007

Legislation introduced in the House on April 19 to prohibit oil drilling in Alaska's Bristol Bay should be passed in order to protect one of the world's most productive commercial fisheries, Republicans for Environmental Protection (REP), a national grassroots organization whose membership includes elected officials, said.

The bill, which enjoys bipartisan support, would block the administration's plan to offer oil and gas leases in Bristol Bay.

"We applaud the bill sponsors, including Congressman Wayne Gilchrest, R-MD, for taking action to protect the incomparable Bristol Bay ecosystem. The bay's clean, cold waters produce some of the highest quality, wild-caught seafood in the world, including sockeye and Chinook salmon, king crab, cod, and halibut. The Bristol Bay fishery supports the local fishing economy, and supplies grocery stores and fine dining establishments across the nation," REP Government Affairs Director David Jenkins said.

"Putting all of that natural bounty at risk for what amounts to 10 days worth of oil and three months worth of gas makes neither economic nor environmental sense," Jenkins said.

Opening Bristol Bay to drilling would do little to enhance America's energy security.

"True energy security for America will not be found by putting an abundant renewable resource at risk for relatively small supplies of depletable fossil fuels. It can only be found through greater fuel efficiency and diversifying the nation's energy choices," REP Policy Director Jim DiPeso said.