Cap on Oil Well Doesnt End Story
For Immediate Release
Contact:
Nick Berning, [email protected], 202-222-0748
Kim Huynh, [email protected], 202-222-0723
Problems that led to Gulf tragedy—fossil fuel dependence and influence of polluters in Washington—remain
WASHINGTON, D.C.—Friends of the Earth’s president, Erich Pica, had the following response to reports that the well that has been gushing oil into the Gulf of Mexico since April 20 has been capped:
“It is great news that the disastrous flow of oil into the Gulf has been capped. We hope that the cap holds and that BP is able to permanently seal this well.
“But this story is far from over. Corporate polluters must not be allowed to spin this tragedy as an isolated incident or pretend the problem has been solved. Oil continues to spread, and a massive recovery effort is still required. Just as important, if not more so, is that our nation’s leaders have yet to address the root causes of the spill. Our dependence on fossil fuels and the undue influence of corporate polluters in Washington must be stopped.
“It’s time to connect the dots. The Gulf oil tragedy, the April 5 coal disaster in West Virginia that killed 29 workers, the extraction of tar sands oil in Canada that’s causing cancer to fuel U.S. cars, and an escalating climate crisis are all symptoms of the same problem. Fossil fuels are inherently deadly, and it is time for our country to put in place a comprehensive plan to end our use of them.”
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Friends of the Earth (website) and our federation of grassroots groups in 77 countries are a force for the sustainable and fair use of the Earth’s resources. We’re progressives who confront economic factors fueling ecological destruction and injustice and who don’t shy from speaking sometimes uncomfortable truths to power. Our current campaigns focus on promoting clean energy and solutions to climate change, keeping toxic and risky technologies out of the food we eat and products we use, and protecting marine ecosystems and the people who live and work near them.