Tell the President to put a moratorium on new offshore drilling

Tell President Obama to Impose a Moratorium on New Offshore Drilling With some of America's richest marine and coastal ecosystems facing devastation, it's time to tell him we won't stand for more "Drill, Baby, Drill." Dear Raul, As a runaway oil spill threatens to kill marine life across the Gulf of Mexico, it is high time to turn our distress into action. The oil slick gushing from the Deepwater Horizon at 210,000 gallons per day has the potential to wreak environmental and economic devastation on an unimaginable scale. But it's up to you and me to make sure that our leaders transform this tragic lesson into a saner energy future. Tell President Obama to impose a moratorium on all new oil drilling activities off our coasts until the causes of this disaster are known and the dangers fully understood. That moratorium must include Shell's plan to begin exploratory drilling this summer in the Arctic, including in the waters off the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Thanks to your support, NRDC has had a team of experts on the ground in the Gulf states since last weekend. They are documenting the devastating impacts as oil spreads through vulnerable wetlands and wildlife sanctuaries. They are advocating for fishermen, shrimpers and local communities that are reeling from this staggering blow to their way of life. And they are arming the national media with credible, real-time analysis that builds a powerful case against risky drilling off our coasts. Simply put, oil kills. Eleven oil workers are presumed dead. And locals fear their ocean-based economy -- fishing and tourism -- could wither for a generation. Hundreds of species of wildlife are caught in the widening bulls-eye. When sea turtles surface in an oil slick, they can swallow the oil and die. Whales, dolphins and seals can die simply by inhaling the spill's toxic fumes, which cause brain lesions and disorientation. Oil is also toxic to fish. And tens of thousands of birds are exposed as they nest and lay eggs in sensitive coastal marshes. NRDC is working with our partners on the ground to protect these innocent victims, both people and wildlife. But we need your help to make sure that the next political victim is "Drill, Baby, Drill" -- that headlong rush to sacrifice anything and everything to America's oil addiction. If we are going to break the oil industry's death grip on our environment and our economy, then we must send our leaders a wake-up call right now. Call on the President to impose a moratorium on ALL new oil drilling off our coasts. President Obama has called a temporary halt to new oil leasing and exploration off some coasts -- not all coasts. For example, he has NOT pledged to stop Shell from drilling this summer off the coast of the Arctic Refuge, America's premier denning ground for polar bears. In the wake of the unfolding disaster in the Gulf, putting Shell's operation on hold should be a no-brainer. Of course, preventing the next oil spill catastrophe will take more than just a moratorium on new drilling. It will take bold new policies that break our destructive dependence on Big Oil. That's why, in the days and weeks ahead, I'll be asking you to make your voice heard in support of legislation that promotes clean energy and slashes global warming pollution from dirty fuels. If we can finally put America on the path to a clean energy future -- and consign oil spills to history -- then our nation will emerge wiser and stronger from this terrible tragedy. In the meantime, we have our work cut out for us in the Gulf. Sincerely, Frances Beinecke President Natural Resources Defense Council P.S. You can follow the unfolding environmental crisis in the Gulf and NRDC's on-the-ground efforts here.