For more than four decades, the Surfrider Foundation has led the charge against offshore oil drilling, defending the health of our coasts and the communities that depend on them. Through legal action, grassroots advocacy, and nationwide coalitions, Surfrider continues to protect the ocean’s ecosystems, surf breaks, and economic lifelines from the ongoing risks of fossil fuel extraction.
Since its founding more than forty years ago, the Surfrider Foundation has stood firmly against offshore oil drilling. The organization’s mission—to safeguard the world’s ocean, waves, and beaches—naturally places it at odds with oil extraction along America’s coastlines. Offshore drilling introduces a cascade of risks to marine life, coastal economies, and the recreational waters that surfers, anglers, and beachgoers treasure.
Surfrider’s position is grounded in decades of experience with the environmental and social consequences of oil operations. From the smothered beaches of past spills to the quieter but constant pollution from platform discharges and air emissions, the group maintains that drilling has no place near the fragile ecosystems that define coastal life.
Over the years, Surfrider’s grassroots network has played a pivotal role in halting new offshore drilling proposals. In 2017, the foundation helped mobilize widespread opposition to a federal plan that would have opened large portions of the Atlantic coast to oil and gas leasing. Three years later, unified public pressure and organized advocacy helped reverse drilling plans across more than 90% of U.S. waters.
This kind of success stems from a coalition mindset. Coastal residents, small businesses, Indigenous Tribes, and ocean advocates have joined together under the shared belief that healthy oceans sustain local economies—from surf tourism and commercial fishing to recreation and coastal hospitality.
Surfrider’s opposition also plays out in the courtroom. The foundation joined a coalition challenging an executive order that sought to reopen areas of the ocean previously protected from oil and gas leasing. The case centered on the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (OCSLA), a law that allows presidents to withdraw offshore areas from leasing but does not explicitly grant them the power to reinstate those leases once withdrawn.
Surfrider argued that such an order exceeded presidential authority, setting a dangerous precedent for environmental protection. The legal effort aimed to reaffirm that once a region is removed from drilling consideration, only Congress can reverse that decision.
The threat of offshore drilling extends beyond the environment—it reaches deep into coastal economies. Clean beaches, healthy fisheries, and scenic oceanfronts support thriving industries in tourism, recreation, and real estate. Studies show that these ocean-based sectors generate nearly ten times more jobs than the offshore oil industry.
Recognizing this interdependence, Surfrider helped establish the Business Alliance for Protecting the Pacific Coast, a coalition of more than 8,000 businesses united against offshore oil expansion. The alliance underscores that economic growth and ocean conservation can—and must—work hand in hand.
As the global community transitions toward renewable energy, Surfrider envisions a future where coastal ecosystems take priority over fossil fuel extraction. Offshore drilling, once seen as economic progress, now represents a short-term solution with long-term harm.
For coastal communities and ocean lovers alike, protecting the sea means preserving more than a view—it means sustaining the rhythm of the waves, the vitality of marine life, and the culture of connection that defines coastal living.
This educational summary was adapted from publicly available information and reports originally published by the Surfrider Foundation and other credible environmental organizations. It was independently written for educational purposes to support coastal awareness and link restoration efforts.
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