Exporting U.S. Crude Oil Would Boost Climate Pollution and Risks to Communities

WASHINGTON (October 9, 2015) –The following is a statement by Franz Matzner, director of the Beyond Oil Initiative at the Natural Resources Defense Council, on a pending House bill—which faces a presidential veto—to remove the four-decade-old prohibition on U.S. exports of crude oil:

“Lifting the oil export ban is a giveaway to the oil industry that would undermine the progress our country is making to use more clean energy and fight climate change. It means more climate pollution, and more risk of pipeline blowouts, exploding oil trains and contamination of our precious aquifers. It’s time to reject Big Oil’s attempt to lock in dirty fuels of the past, and accelerate the transition to clean energy for tomorrow.”