Obama

(Washington, DC - May 27, 2010) Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) praised President Obama’s announcement today that extends the moratorium on permits to drill new deepwater wells for six more months, creates new standards to strengthen oversight of the drilling industry and enhance safety, and calls on the Senate to prioritize passing a climate and clean energy bill.

“President Obama made a good down payment on preventing another catastrophic oil spill today, but whether or not the ‘top kill’ stops this spill, much more needs to be done,” said Environmental Defense Fund President Fred Krupp. “The president is right that this disaster shows the country must develop clean, renewable sources of energy. The Senate should pass the American Power Act as soon as possible.”

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Environmental Defense Fund, a leading national nonprofit organization, represents more than 700,000 members. Since 1967, Environmental Defense Fund has linked science, economics, law and innovative private-sector partnerships to create breakthrough solutions to the most serious environmental problems. For more information, visit www.edf.org.