On this day 15 years ago, the Deepwater Horizon oil rig exploded off the coast of Louisiana… and our ocean bled for 87 days. The disaster poured nearly 5 million barrels of crude oil into the Gulf of Mexico, killing 11 people and decimating marine life across thousands of square miles. From sea turtles and dolphins to fisheries and fragile coral reefs, the Gulf was plunged into an ecological nightmare. Entire species felt the shockwaves and some are still recovering. To this day, the Deepwater Horizon is largest marine oil spill in U.S. history. This wasn’t just a spill, it was a full-scale industrial assault on marine life… and it was preventable.
The new presidential administration is rooted on the disturbing slogan, “drill baby, drill.” Amid growing pressure from activists, scientists, and frontline communities, the U.S. government initially announced a temporary freeze on new offshore drilling leases. It’s a major step, a sign that our voices are being heard… but it’s not the finish line quite yet, just a crack in the foundation. Fossil fuel giants are already lobbying to reverse it and oil interests are angling to open up deeper, more dangerous waters. However, 15 years later we stand at a crossroads. Either we learn, evolve and transition to clean and sustainable energy or we continue to gamble with lives.
Either we learn, evolve and transition to clean and sustainable energy or we continue to gamble with lives. Last month, we filed an intent to sue aimed at the Trump administration and the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) following the agency’s decision to revoke a 2023 “notice to lessees and operators.” The protections, which applied to oil and gas vessels, were reversed in February despite scientific evidence demonstrating their necessity. Our coalition is now calling for the immediate reinstatement of these safeguards. With only an estimated 51 individuals remaining, the Rice’s whale faces an existential threat, and conservation groups argue that BOEM’s decision violates the Endangered Species Act.
