Protests Oppose Oil & Gas Drilling Off Rhode Island Coast

By: Tim Studebaker

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PROVIDENCE, R.I. –  Protestors gathered outside the Providence Marriott Wednesday evening.  Inside the building, federal officials were holding a public meeting to discuss allowing private companies to drill for oil and gas off the US coastline.  That has been a hot topic of discussion in the wake of a decision by the Trump administration to lift a ban that had kept much of the US coastline free from offshore drilling.

Some Rhode Island leaders, including Governor Gina Raimondo, threw their support behind Wednesday’s effort, first joining protestors at a news conference at the State House.

Groups that oppose drilling say it poses a threat to fishing, the environment, and tourism in Rhode Island.

Governor Gina Raimondo says, “Science is on our side.  The facts are on our side.  The people of Rhode Island are on our side.  And we’ve got to stick together to prevent this.  And I’ll do everything I can as your Governor and as a citizen to stand with you to prevent offshore drilling in Rhode Island.”

After the news conference, many marched to the Providence Marriott, to protest outside that meeting of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management.

Lawmakers that oppose drilling have proposed legislation that would keep Rhode Island’s waters off limits, even as the federal ban is lifted.

Florida‘s coastline has already been taken out of consideration for new oil and gas platforms.  Protestors Wednesday in Providence were hoping Rhode Island would be the next state to do the same.

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