"We need to have shellfish in Georges Bank, not Shell Oil," Rep. Markey said. "If President Bush has his way, Georges Bank will be another place they'd be saying ‘drill, baby, drill.' But New Englanders know the only thing we should do on Georges Bank is ‘fish, baby, fish.'"

Under pressure from President Bush, who lifted the presidential moratorium on offshore drilling earlier this year, the longstanding Congressional ban on offshore drilling will expire at the end of this month and Georges Bank will be open to oil exploration just three miles off the coastline. While Rep. Markey and his New England colleagues succeeded in protecting Georges Bank from drilling in an energy bill passed by the House of Representatives last week, the ‘continuing resolution' bill to fund the government which will be considered this week leaves Georges Bank unprotected.

"In this time of extreme financial crisis, Bush's threat to shut down the Federal government rather than allow compromise legislation to protect local economies and vulnerable environmental regions is yet another example of how this administration is tied to Big Oil, and willing to bankrupt our economy at any cost. Yet again, the Bush approach to energy independence and financial security demonstrates the degree to which we need a more reasonable administration in the months to come," said Rep. Markey.

Georges Bank is vital to New England's economy and New Bedford, MA is by far the most productive fishing port in the United States, in terms of value of catch. New Bedford's$268 million catch in 2007 was nearly double the value of the second and third busiest U.S. fishing ports combined. The collective catch of New Bedford, Gloucester, and Provincetown-Chatham-all of which principally fish Georges Bank-is worth nearly $350 million annually.

"While the water is two miles deep off the coast of California, it's only 200 feet deep off the coast in Georges Bank -- making it one of the easiest targets for new drilling efforts. Yet no one knows for certain whether economically recoverable oil and natural gas are located in Georges Bank. What is known, is that all 10 wells drilled between 1976 and 1982 in the American side of the Georges Bank were dry," Markey continued. "Combining oil and fish is only good for fish and chips -- not oil rigs on Georges Bank."

Rep. Markey's bill, the Georges Bank Preservation Act, also permanently bans drilling in National Marine Sanctuaries, including the Gerry E. Studds Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary, located off of the coast of Massachusetts. The bill is cosponsored by Representatives Delahunt, Frank, McGovern, Tierney, Tsongas, and Capuano.

The full text of the proposed legislation can be found here: Georges Bank Preservation Act

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