FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 10, 2010
Americans to Join Hands in Largest Gathering Against Offshore Oil Drilling in History
On Saturday, June 26, the nation will join hands on beaches and in parks and cities all across America, united against the dangers offshore oil drilling present to our oceans and marine wildlife, fishing industries and coastal economies, in Hands Across The Sand.
Hands Across The Sand's mission is to steer America's energy policy away from its dependence on fossil fuels and into the light of clean energy. The aim is to convince our leaders to abandon expanded offshore oil drilling and adopt policies that encourage clean and renewable energy sources.
"The image is powerful, the message simple," said event founder Dave Rauschkolb. "No to offshore oil drilling, yes to clean energy. We are drawing a line in the sand against offshore oil drilling along America’s beaches and in solidarity events across America and around the world. No one industry should be able to place entire coastal economies and marine environments at risk with dangerous, dirty mistakes."
Hands Across The Sand was founded by Dave Rauschkolb in October of 2009. He organized a statewide gathering on February 13, 2010, to send a message to Florida's legislators and Governor Crist that Floridians did not want them to lift the bans on near and offshore oil drilling in Florida's waters. Thousands of Floridians representing 60 towns and cities and over 90 beaches joined hands to protest the efforts by the Florida Legislature and the US Congress to lift the ban on oil drilling in the near and off shores of Florida. Thousands joined hands from Jacksonville to Miami Beach and Key West to Pensacola Beach. The lifting of the near shore ban would have brought oil rigs as close as 3 miles from Florida's shores. Shortly after the event the Florida Legislature tabled the effort.
"We’ve seen overwhelming interest in this event. Americans are tired of letting oil companies like BP call the shots. We’re hungry for leadership that will stand up to the oil industry and protect coastal communities and jobs. We’re ready to move America off of oil and into a clean energy future," said Sierra Club executive director Michael Brune.
Hands Across The Sand is endorsed by national environmental organizations including Sierra Club, Audubon, Surfrider, Oceana, Greenpeace, Defenders of Wildlife, Alaska Wilderness League, Ocean Conservancy, Friends of the Earth, Environment America, 350, MoveOn.org, Center for Biological Diversity and CleanEnergy.org
Dave Rauschkolb is the owner of 3 restaurants on the Beach in Seaside Florida located on the northern Gulf Coast between Pensacola and Panama City.
Contact: Dave Rauschkolb 850-865-1061
www.handsacrossthesand.org Email: dave.rauschkolb@gmail.com
Kristina Johnson, Sierra Club (415) 977-5619 Email: kristina.johnson@sierraclub.org