WASHINGTON, D.C. (November 20, 2025) — The Department of the Interior’s plan to open the Gulf Coast of Florida and California coast to offshore drilling runs contrary to not only public opinion, but also what is best for the states’ wildlife, water, and way of life.

“Floridians and Californians agree that drilling off their respective coasts in the Gulf and Pacific could devastate wildlife and water quality, threaten vital habitat, and harm local economies,” said Jessie Ritter, associate vice president of Waters and Coasts for the National Wildlife Federation. “Expanding the current footprint of drilling risks billions of dollars of economic activity along with thousands of species of wildlife from sperm whales to sea turtles, while exacerbating the climate crisis.”