U.S. Progress on Tackling Plastic Pollution

With Plastic Free July just around the corner, now is the perfect time to reflect on the progress we’ve seen across the United States in the fight against plastic pollution. While plastic pollution continues to flow into our ocean with a garbage truck’s worth every minute, we have seen state and local governments across the country work diligently toward impactful solutions that will combat this crisis and protect our ocean for generations to come.

Local Leadership

Local governments, such as cities and counties, have long been leaders in the fight against plastic pollution, stepping up to help phase out some of the most problematic types of plastic making their way into our ocean—and this year is no exception.

In Florida, Ocean Conservancy worked alongside partners to support a resolution in Miami-Dade County to eliminate single-use plastics and plastic foam (colloquially called “Styrofoam”) from county facilities, including large public areas such as Miami International Airport, Port of Miami and county parks. Miami-Dade County and its communities produce over 5 million tons of waste annually, more than any other county in the state. This policy will help reduce waste and is a powerful reminder of how local action can have a major impact on our ocean and waterways.

In California, Santa Cruz County has also made major headway by passing a first-of-its-kind sales ban on all filtered tobacco products. This would mean phasing out cigarettes with filters (or “cigarette butts”), which are the most common item polluting our beaches and waters as found annually by Ocean Conservancy’s International Coastal Cleanup® volunteers. Not only do cigarette butts release dangerous microplastics, but they also leach chemicals into the environment that are harmful to sensitive marine ecosystems. A 2023 report from the nearby Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary found that cigarette butts accounted for 23% of items collected on the sanctuary’s beaches. If this ban goes into effect in Santa Cruz County, it will have major benefits on the surrounding marine ecosystems and could inspire other local governments to take action.

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Statewide Successes

This past year was packed with action on the state level to reduce plastic pollution at the source and hold plastic and packaging producers accountable for the waste they create. Oregon and California both passed “better bag bans” (SB 551 and SB 1053, respectively). These laws established new gold standards for bag bans by finally getting rid of all plastic bags at check-out, including thicker plastic bags that had previously been allowed under the guise that they were “reusable.” It’s estimated that Americans use 100 billion plastic grocery bags annually, and recent analysis by Ocean Conservancy found that plastic bag bans are effective at reducing plastic bag pollution. Not only will these laws help reduce plastic use and plastic pollution in these states, but they also show continued momentum in efforts to tackle problematic single-use plastics.

On the East Coast, Vermont tackled a different type of plastic pollution by passing a law to address pollution from plastic foam docks by requiring that they be designed in a way that prevents the plastic foam from being released into the environment (S 213). Plastic foam (also known as expanded polystyrene) is used for buoys, docks and other floating structures. Left unencapsulated, this foam gradually breaks down into microplastics that directly enter the surrounding marine environment, devastating the ecosystems and wildlife. Vermont’s new law is a commonsense approach to keeping plastic foam pollution out of the environment.

In just the last couple of months, two more states, Washington and Maryland, passed laws to establish extended producer responsibility (EPR)  for packaging (SB 5284, SB 901, respectively). These EPR programs hold producers of plastic and other packaging financially accountable for the waste created by their products while decreasing waste and increasing reuse and recycling. Not only does EPR save households and local governments money, but it also brings producers together to achieve better environmental outcomes. With these two new laws, there are now seven states across the country that have established EPR for packaging in the last four years. Once these laws are implemented, one in five Americans will be covered by an EPR program, resulting in significantly less pollution in our ocean.

What can you do?

While progress this year to tackle plastic pollution has been exciting, the reality is that there is much more work to be done throughout every level of government to address this crisis. The U.S. ranks as high as third when it comes to countries contributing to ocean plastic pollution—an important reminder that we need solutions here at home. Solving this crisis will take all of us collectively to come together. As we continue through the rest of 2025, we encourage you to:

•  Take action with Ocean Conservancy by reaching out to your state and federal representatives to ask them to take action on plastic pollution—this takes under two minutes and is a powerful tool for creating change.
• Join a cleanup: As we celebrate the 40^th year of Ocean Conservancy’s International Coastal Cleanup, it’s more important than ever to help protect communities and wildlife in your area by cleaning up pollution and recording what you find through our Clean Swell app.
• Learn more about policy tools to help solve the plastics crisis through Ocean Conservancy’s Plastics Policy 101 report.

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Introducing Ocean Conservancy’s 2025 Photo Contest Winners

Ocean Conservancy’s annual Photo Contest has come to a close and the results are breathtaking. Hundreds of you sent inspirational and heartbreaking photos and videos, and I am so impressed. Thank you for sharing your art with us. Discover the beautiful, inspiring and heartbreaking submissions that won the hearts of our judges, our staff and ocean lovers like you.

I am thrilled to announce the winners of Ocean Conservancy’s 2025 Photo Contest.

Judge’s Choice Winner

The Art of Survival by Rickie Andrés Ballesteros Guerrero
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From the Photographer:
“A blue-footed booby from the Galapagos Islands breaks the ocean’s surface in a swift and precise flight. With its wings spread and eyes focused, it catches a gleaming fish in its beak. The water splashes around it in a fleeting but powerful scene of the natural balance between predator and prey.”

What our Judges had to say:
“A moment frozen in time – this one stopped me in my tracks. A brief beat in the natural world, captured spectacularly.” – Pier Nirandara, 2025 Ocean Conservancy Photo Contest Judge

“An excellent photo of feeding and fighting for survival. The composition, light and action are perfectly captured. A great job by the photographer who patiently waited for the right moment to shoot. Great work.” –  Mariano Rodríguez, 2025 Ocean Conservancy Photo Contest Judge

“This is a standout capture of a decisive moment. The image is sharp, emotional and dynamic. You can feel the energy of the hunt. It’s the kind of photo that brings nature’s raw beauty front and center—and reminds us of the power and grace within every species.” –  Angela J. Farmer, 2025 Ocean Conservancy Photo Contest Judge

“A fantastic shot. He shot fast enough to freeze the exact moment. Lighting is good and also post processing. Love it.” – Joaquín Fregoni, 2025 Ocean Conservancy Photo Contest Judge

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Staff Choice Winner

Sunset Whale Tail in Front of Eagle Glacier by Harvey Hergett
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From the Photographer:
“On the last whale watching trip of the summer with Jayleen’s Alaska, as the sun was setting on a perfect September day in Alaska, she positioned the boat perfectly in front of Eagle Glacier to capture this humpback whale who was playfully tail and fin slapping.“

What our staff had to say:
“I recognized this beautiful spot outside of Juneau right away! One of the things I love about Alaska is that there is always magic if you know where and how to look for it. Thank you for sharing this little slice of my home.” – Mike Levine, Senior Director, Alaska Programs

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People’s Choice Winner

Manatee Love! by Paige Taggart

From the Photographer:
“This was taken in Crystal River, Florida when a curious juvenile manatee was investigating me while I was snorkeling the springs.”

What our staff had to say:
“Manatees have a special place in every Floridian’s heart, and anybody who’s ever visited the Sunshine State and seen these gentle giants up close and personally can attest to their awesomeness. With their round bodies and curious personalities, they perfectly embody the uniqueness of the Floridian environment and remind us of how important it is to protect our special and beloved ocean and coasts.” – J.P. Brooker, Director, Florida Conservation

We’d like to extend our deepest thanks to all who participated, voted, shared and submitted photos—you truly made this year’s contest a success. And a very special thank you to our judges: Angela J. Farmer, Joaquín Fregoni, Pier Nirandara and Mariano Rodríguez for lending their expert eyes to evaluating our finalists and determining our grand prize winner. Learn more about our judges here.

Congratulations to ALL our entrants, and we hope to see you next year.

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Learning From Indigenous Ocean Knowledge

 “Blow. Above Peninsula, by the smaller piece of floating ice.”

“Got it. Ready … mark!”

We are standing on a 25-foot block of ice a mile off the coast of Utqiaġvik, Alaska, counting bowhead whales. Three of us are on duty: One is just looking for whales and calling out directions (e.g., “Peninsula” is a feature of the ice edge in front of us); one is using a theodolite, a surveying instrument, to get a precise location (e.g., “Mark!” indicates the precise time that the theodolite was brought to bear on the whale as it surfaced); and the third one is recording data in pencil (because of the temperature) on all-weather paper (no risk of electronic mishap).This was my first job in the Arctic 37 springs ago, and not much has changed in the technique of counting whales. It’s nice to be back with bowhead and beluga whales, king and common eiders, ringed and bearded seals and the whites, blues and browns of sea ice and snow above a dark blue sea.

I am not here for fun, though, or at least not only for that. The North Slope Borough, the county-like government for a Minnesota-sized area of northern Alaska, has been conducting a bowhead whale census occasionally since the early 1980s. At that time, there was much concern about the size of the bowhead population, which was decimated by commercial whaling from 1848 through the early 1900s. But counting whales amid sea ice and fog, in cold and sometimes hazardous conditions, was no simple task, and the population estimates remained low.

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The Iñupiat, Alaska Natives living with whales, ice and more in northern Alaska, begged to differ. They had seen a steady increase in the number of whales migrating past each spring. They also had several specific ideas for improving the ways the whales were counted. Fortunately, a few biologists were willing to listen and started incorporating the Iñupiat’s insights into their methods. The result was a more reliable—and considerably higher—population estimate, reducing concern about the bowheads and raising the profile of Indigenous knowledge.

The bowhead population has continued to grow at a few percent per year, a remarkable trend in an animal that can live for 150 years or more and does not start reproducing until age 20 or so. Academically trained scientists have continued to listen to the Iñupiat, confirming what local experts have long known. Bowheads have a good sense of smell, which biologists had long dismissed until they looked more closely. Bowheads also pause their growth when young, essentially losing their baby fat and growing denser bones before their length and girth begin to increase again. The bowhead whale is now one of the best-studied large whales in the world, thanks in large part to the support and cooperation of the Iñupiat and their St. Lawrence Island Yupik cousins farther down the coast in the northern Bering Sea.

On the edges of this success story, however, there are still reasons for concern. The ice I was standing on this spring looked, even to my inexpert eye, vastly different than the thicker, sturdier ice I had encountered in 1988. What further changes are in store, and what those changes mean for bowhead whales and their fellow inhabitants of Arctic and northern waters, remains to be seen. Increased shipping in Arctic waters, especially critical chokepoints such as the Bering Strait, adds another risk from ships running into whales or, far worse for the population and the environment, causing an oil spill. Many bowheads also carry scars from entangling in derelict fishing gear.

Both narratives resonate with Ocean Conservancy’s Arctic & Northern Waters program. Respecting and harnessing the knowledge of the Iñupiat and their counterparts around Alaska and beyond is essential to the understanding needed for effective conservation. Recognizing and acting on emerging threats to the environment is also necessary for preventing problems rather than reacting after potential risks have become actual harm.

Learn more about Ocean Conservancy’s work to keep Arctic and northern waters a place of abundance and cooperation and how you can get involved from wherever you are.

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Melting Sea Ice and Drooping Corals

This blog was written by Ruth Teichroeb, a former journalist and communications professional at Oceans North and Ocean Conservancy. She is based in Sidney, B.C.

Like the Arctic, the waters surrounding Jeju Island, South Korea, are under tremendous stress from a changing climate. As the ocean warms, soft corals near the subtropical island are melting in an eerie parallel to the vanishing sea ice of the Arctic.

Shared concerns about the impact of a changing climate on marine ecosystems provided plenty of common ground when a group of northerners from Alaska and Nunavut traveled to Jeju Island last month to meet with members of the Paran Institute, a non-governmental organization dedicated to protecting the Jeju Sea.

“Although we’re from such different parts of the world, we saw many parallels,” said Hilu Tagoona, senior Arctic advisor at Oceans North. “That was the most amazing part of this exchange.”

The Jeju visit was jointly sponsored by Oceans North and Ocean Conservancy and included Tagoona, from Baker Lake, Nunavut; Cyrus Harris from Kotzebue, Alaska; and ‘Wáahlaal Gíidaak from Juneau and Prince of Wales Island, Alaska; as well as support staff from the organizations.

During the exchange, Jeju Islanders and northerners shared stories about how the warming ocean is affecting Indigenous communities that rely on the sea. A stark reminder of the impact of climate change came during a visit to nearby Morado Island, where the visitors stayed at the guest house of a haenyo diver—women who for centuries have made their living by free diving in the sea to catch seafood and harvest seaweed.

“The haenyo diver told us about how they noticed weird formations on the seaweed a few years ago, and within five years, all of the seaweed disappeared from their ocean,” said ‘Wáahlaal Gíidaak, Ocean Conservancy’s vice president of Arctic and Northern Waters.

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The loss of seaweed was especially alarming to ‘Wáahlaal Gíidaak, who said black seaweed and kelp are an important part of the traditional diet in southeast Alaska, providing minerals, vitamins and iron. “I can’t imagine our children and grandchildren not being able to harvest seaweed in the future,” she said.

Koreans and Alaskans alike rely on fishing for their livelihoods, and the warming ocean threatens both fishing-related jobs and the source of food they provide, ‘Wáahlaal Gíidaak stated. “It is the same ocean in Korea and Alaska, and we’re seeing many of the same things. The Koreans’ diet and our diet is very similar. As the ocean changes, we are experiencing the same stress levels in many communities.”

When the visitors went snorkeling off Jeju Island, they were able to see changes in the soft corals, which are deteriorating and even melting in some areas because of higher ocean temperatures. Likewise, the islanders were very interested in hearing about how the loss of sea ice in the Arctic is affecting Inuit communities and the animals they depend on.

“The sea ice is no longer reliable so the caribou can’t get to their summer islands and the polar bears can’t get to where they harvest seals,” Tagoona said. “We told them how the loss of ice will open up the Central Arctic Ocean to shipping, deep-sea mining, oil and gas, and tourism.”

Oceans North and Ocean Conservancy are working to protect the 2.8-million-square-kilometer Central Arctic Ocean through an international campaign that aims to culminate in an agreement to pause seabed mining, offshore oil and gas development and transpolar shipping through this region.

“Indigenous people need a seat at the table. Consultations have never been enough,” Tagoona said.

Jeju islanders were also interested in finding out more about a new coalition called the Federation of United Pacific Peoples that will advocate for ocean protection. Take action with Ocean Conservancy now to protect the Central Arctic Ocean. Safeguarding these waters is essential for the well-being of future generations and our planet.

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How Will IMPAA Impact Shipping Trade Routes?

In recent months, U.S. trade has been at the forefront for many of us. But also, for many of us, when our packages show up at our door, we often forget the journey these items take, me included. When I began working on shipping emissions, I was astonished to learn that more than 90% of global trade moves via ocean transport. As you read this, there could be more than 50,000 ships crossing the ocean or loading/unloading at ports around the world. Shipping has a major role in our economy, but it also has an equally large impact on the air we breathe, our climate and the health of our ocean. 

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Ships often run on some of the dirtiest fuels to get them from point A to point B, and they continue burning those fuels when they are docked in our ports. Think of an idling truck waiting in a parking spot—the engine is still running, and the exhaust system is pushing out those dirty black fumes into the air. For the shipping sector, vessels spew an estimated 1 billion metric tons of greenhouse gases every year. These dirty fumes have a huge impact on our health, our ocean and our environment. This pollution causes an estimated 250,000 premature deaths and six million childhood asthma cases globally each year—disproportionately impacting portside communities, which are often overburdened economically. According to the EPA, 39 million people in the United States live close to a port. This means more than 39 million people are directly breathing air that leads to these respiratory diseases, cardiovascular issues and other health problems. But there are solutions to these problems, and we all have the power to push them forward. 

One proposed solution is offered by the International Maritime Pollution Accountability Act (IMPAA), which was introduced in Congress by Representatives Doris Matsui (D-CA) and Kevin Mullin (D-CA) in the House and Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) in the Senate. This bill empowers the EPA to levy pollution fees on large marine vessels offloading cargo at U.S. ports, including a $150-per-ton maritime carbon fee and fees for emission of nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxides and fine particulate matter. In turn, if passed, this solution would raise an estimated $250 billion over 10 years that would provide critical funding—for instance, modernizing the Jones Act fleet, revitalizing U.S. shipbuilding, decarbonizing the maritime economy and addressing pollutants in port communities along our coasts and in the ocean. 

While there have been concerns about fees like this driving ships away from our ports, re-routing to countries like Canada and Mexico, and using trucks or rail to import goods, a new study commissioned by Ocean Conservancy examines this potential for mode shift, and the findings should ease concerns. In fact, findings indicate that in the case of IMPAA fees, the potential for ships to divert from U.S. ports is low for the majority of routes. Actually, most established routes remain economically and environmentally favorable despite these additional pollution fees. This is great news for our ports, our communities and the future of clean shipping in the U.S. With policies that work in tandem to limit emissions from ships (via the Clean Shipping Act) and charge vessels for their pollution, we can push shipping to a zero-emission future and the industry to greener practices.

We look forward to this important piece of legislation being reintroduced in this Congress. In the meantime, check out Ocean Conservancy’s action center and demand climate action that supports a clean-energy transition!

Read more from our new study here!

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Addressing the Triple Planetary Crisis at Our Ocean 2025

The Sea and the Butterfly

by Kim Kirim

No one told him about the water’s depth.
The white butterfly did not know how to fear the sea.

Thinking it to be a field of blue radish leaves, he floated down.
Young wings ended up pickled in the waves,
Then he returned, tired like a princess.

No flower blossomed on the sea of March’s moon. The grieving
Butterfly’s waist was cold with the pale crescent.

바다와 나비
아무도 그에게 수심(水深)을 일러 준 일이 없기에
흰 나비는 도모지 바다가 무섭지 않다.

청(靑)무우밭인가 해서 내려갔다가는
어린 날개가 물결에 절어서
공주(公主)처럼 지쳐서 돌아온다.

삼월(三月)달 바다가 꽃이 피지 않아서 서글픈
나비 허리에 새파란 초생달이 시리다

According to scholars, in the poem The Sea and the Butterfly, beloved Korean poet Kim Kirim uses the sea to illustrate the harsh reality of his times and the butterfly to express the fragility of life in the face of adversity.

As we prepare to participate in the 10^th Our Ocean Conference in Busan, Republic of Korea, from April 28-30, I like to think about this beautiful poem in a different way. A more hopeful one. 

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Just like in the poem, the ocean remains largely undiscovered, unknown. However, the science is clear and tells us that we are dealing with a triple planetary crisis. Climate change, biodiversity loss and plastic pollution represent an unprecedented threat to the ocean and life on Earth as we know it.

First, climate change. The ocean absorbs about 90% of the excess heat generated by climate change, leading to rising sea temperatures and, among other things, sea level rise due to the melting of the polar ice caps, including Arctic ice. Warmer ocean waters impact marine ecosystems, including coral reefs and fisheries. The increased CO₂, which creates warmer temperatures in the atmosphere, is absorbed by the ocean. This causes ocean acidification, which harms corals, mollusks and plankton, disrupting marine food webs. Collectively, these impacts result in a climate crisis that threatens the health of our ocean and planet 

Second, biodiversity loss. Marine biodiversity is rapidly declining due to climate change, overfishing, habitat destruction and pollution—including plastics and harmful chemicals. And these impacts extend even to the deepest parts of the ocean. The degradation of ocean ecosystems, including the mesopelagic zone or “twilight zone”—the magical middle of our ocean that is critical for carbon sequestration—impacts marine biodiversity, and has the potential of disrupting carbon capture while also threatening our global food security.

Finally, plastic pollution. Eleven million metric tons of plastic pollution enter our ocean annually, more than a garbage truck’s worth every minute. These plastics—both big and small—have now made their way to every corner of the ocean, from the surface to deepest trenches, from the Arctic to Antarctic and into the smallest to largest species of marine wildlife. These plastics are contaminating the ocean food web that produces protein for nearly 3 billion people around the globe. Further, the accumulation of lost and abandoned fishing gear or ghost gear, the deadliest form of plastics, threatens ocean health and biodiversity by entangling marine species from seabirds and sea turtles to the largest of whales.

Quite simply, we are putting too much into the ocean and taking too much out. The cumulative and intricately interlinked impacts of these triple crises we’ve created requires a global, coordinated effort if we are to safeguard our own existence. 

And then, I like to think that we can all be like the butterfly. Fearless.

We must continue working relentlessly and with a deep conviction if we are going to reverse course to avoid the worst effects of these crises and transition to a healthy future. These global issues require international cooperation, coordination and most importantly, action. Governments, civil society, private sector, general public, all must come together to address the drivers of these problems, restore what we can and assist communities in transitioning to a better future.

And we must act quickly to maximize our impact. Tackling the plastics pollution crisis is a perfect example. Plastics produce a major climate problem, and we can do something about that today. Currently, plastics drive at least 3-4% of global greenhouse gas emissions and are the fastest-growing demand for fossil fuels.  It is estimated that if plastic use keeps growing at the current rate, then by 2050, plastics will drive 20% of global oil demand—more per person than used to fuel our cars. 

Not only does plastic production drive oil and gas demand, but several studies have shown that microplastics may also be directly altering the climate by impacting cloud and sea ice formation. That’s why, when we decrease our reliance on plastics, we’re not only cleaning up our beaches, our ocean, and our air—we are also delivering meaningful and necessary impact to mitigate climate change and protect biodiversity loss.

Actions that address the plastic-pollution crisis can also protect the ecosystem services of the mesopelagic zone. A recent study showed that microplastics are present in species from the mesopelagic zone. This critical area of the ocean between 200-1000 meters under the ocean surface is critical for carbon sequestration, nutrient cycling, marine biodiversity and as prey for species of commercial importance. 

This is why we at Ocean Conservancy, working with partners around the globe, are advocating for the protection of the mesopelagic zone, and the ecosystem services it provides. This includes a proposed IUCN resolution that calls for protecting this important area of the ocean.

But this is not the only topic Ocean Conservancy will be championing in Busan. Our delegation will be advancing efforts on the protection of the Central Arctic Ocean, championing the deployment of offshore wind renewable energy, sharing our expertise on actions that help stem ghost gear in the ocean, and advocating for an ambitious and comprehensive Global Plastics Treaty. 

Today, we invite you to work with us and our partners and to continue championing actions that help address the main threats facing the ocean. Let’s all be more like the butterfly in the protection of the ocean. Let’s be fearless in the face of adversity!

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The Latest Offshore Oil and Gas Policies that Threaten Our Ocean

Offshore oil drilling is a dirty, risky endeavor. 

The Deepwater Horizon disaster is perhaps the most dramatic example of how offshore drilling can go wrong. Fifteen years ago this month, the Deepwater Horizon oil rig exploded approximately 40 miles off the coast of Louisiana, taking the lives of 11 oil workers and causing the release of an estimated 210 million gallons of oil into the ocean. 

Even when offshore oil operations go as planned, they harm our ocean by causing chronic water and air pollution, littering the seafloor with disused pipelines, and contributing to harmful emissions that worsen the impacts of climate change. 

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Despite these well-known risks and dangers, the administration and pro-oil members of Congress are moving swiftly to open more areas of our ocean to offshore drilling and remove regulations and policies that protect marine life, promote safety and discourage harmful greenhouse gas emissions. 

Between the speed and and volume of actions the administration has taken, it can be easy to miss the threats on offshore oil and gas drilling specifically. Let’s break it down:

On day one of his second term, President Trump moved to open vast areas of our ocean to offshore oil and gas leasing and drilling. President Trump signed two executive orders that purported to open huge swaths of our ocean to offshore oil and gas leasing, including waters off the Atlantic and Pacific coasts, in the Northern Bering Sea, and in the Beaufort and Chukchi seas of the Arctic Ocean. Previous presidents had placed these areas off-limits to oil and gas leasing, and it is not clear whether the administration has the legal authority to rescind those protections.  

Following this executive action, the new Secretary of the Interior issued orders that set the stage for a series of pro-oil policy and regulatory changes. Shortly after assuming office, Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum issued a Secretarial Order requiring agencies under his authority to develop plans to “suspend, revise, or rescind” key programs, regulations and policies. The Secretarial Order puts in jeopardy policies designed to reduce risk to marine life, decrease the government’s exposure to financial risk and increase the safety of offshore operations, including: 

• Permits that require mitigation measures designed to protect threatened and endangered species in waters where most offshore oil and gas activity takes place.
• Regulations that help ensure the owners of offshore oil and gas leases have the financial resources necessary to clean up their equipment after they finish their oil and gas operations.
• Safety regulations designed to minimize the risk of dangerous blowouts and other “loss of well control” incidents.
• The current nationwide five-year offshore leasing program that limits potential new offshore oil and gas leasing to just three lease sales between 2024 and 2029—a record low number.

Pro-oil members of Congress are also taking or considering steps to encourage and expedite offshore drilling. Because of the filibuster, a 60-vote supermajority is required to pass most legislation in the U.S. Senate. However, certain types of legislation—including the budget reconciliation process and legislation passed under the Congressional Review Act—require only a bare majority for passage. Pro-oil members of Congress are taking advantage of these special legislative processes to attempt to push through legislation that favors offshore drilling.

• Members of Congress have discussed using the budget reconciliation process to pass legislation that would require the government to hold new offshore oil and gas lease sales in specific areas of the ocean. If existing executive-branch safeguards conflict with future legislatively mandated offshore oil and gas lease sales, the legislatively mandated lease sales would likely prevail. 
• Under the Congressional Review Act, the House and Senate  passed legislation to undo a regulation that imposed a fee on emission of methane—a powerful greenhouse gas—from oil and gas production facilities, including some offshore facilities. They also passed legislation to repeal Department of the Interior regulations designed to better protect archaeological resources from impacts caused by offshore oil and gas drilling. President Trump signed both bills into law in mid-March.

These actions represent real threats to our ocean, the people and marine life that depend on it and on our global climate. 

At Ocean Conservancy, we actively oppose these short-sighted and dangerous attempts to expand offshore oil drilling, remove environmental protections and reduce safety standards. The United States and the world must move away from risky and dangerous offshore drilling and toward 100% clean-ocean energy. We will continue to work with our partners, members and supporters to accelerate the phase-out of offshore oil and gas, advance responsible offshore wind and other marine renewable energy, address the root causes of climate change, and protect our ocean and the people and marine life that depend on it. Take action with Ocean Conservancy and join the movement to protect our ocean, forever and for everyone.

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