NAACP in Opposition to Expanded Offshore Drilling Without Adequate Safety Technology and Clean Energy Measures in Place

Adopted as Amended

WHEREAS, sound principles of climate and environmental justice oppose processes that are damaging to the environment and most especially to communities of color; and 

WHEREAS, the 2009 Resolution on Climate Change emphasizes minimizing harm to our communities and advancing clean energy; and 

WHEREAS, offshore drilling is not a viable long term solution to energy independence and economic development; and 

WHEREAS, offshore oil drilling is known to be a hazardous process which has resulted in large oil spills thereby causing: damage to livelihoods of coastal dwelling people and people who rely on tourism, displacement of those who live on the coast and on houseboats, disruption of the food supply of coastal dwelling persons, as well as, disruption of the ecosystem by killing fish and birds that are sea-dependent; and 

WHEREAS, the President of the United States has now called a moratorium to his offshore oil drilling initiative which clearly shows the continuing hazards and safety issues involved in offshore oil drilling; and 

WHEREAS, the April 2010 British Petroleum (BP) oil spill was of such grave magnitude that it may be the biggest oil spill in history and is threatening the already hurricane ravaged gulf region and is illustrative of the threat of offshore oil drilling; and 

WHEREAS, no effective oil spill cleanup or containment technology currently is available to effectively respond to an offshore drilling or transportation accident. 

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the NAACP is in opposition to offshore oil drilling operations that don't meet the following criteria: A) show that they have a plan for shutting them down in the event of an emergency, B) show proof that a rig's blowout preventer has been rigorously tested and C) show proof that sufficient resources have been allocated for a cleanup in the event of a spill; and 

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that the NAACP supports exploration of clean energy alternatives including wind, solar, hydro, and geothermal solutions in addition to efforts to conserve and reduce energy consumption; and that the NAACP will engage the federal interagency working group to develop, implement and fund job training programs in Environmental Justice communities with superfund and Brownfield sites.