Special-interest cash greased Gulf oil spill 
The explosion at a British Petroleum exploratory drilling rig in the Gulf
of Mexico, that killed 11 workers, initiated what could turn out to be
the worst industrial and environmental disaster in U.S. history. The
entire Gulf of Mexico ecosystem could be damaged beyond repair.

The Department of Interior rubber-stamped BP's drilling proposal without
even conducting an environmental review, using a legal loophole.

Secretary of Interior [and former U.S. Sen.] Ken Salazar accepted
thousands of dollars in campaign contributions from BP. Salazar's 2006
legislation opened up new areas in the Gulf of Mexico to new offshore oil
drilling. The Department of Interior exempted BP's Deepwater Horizon oil
drilling plan in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010. The consequences of such
industry-government collusion are once again before us.
Here are actions elected officials should take quickly:

Ban all new offshore oil drilling.

Rescind President Barack Obama's plan to expand oil drilling in Alaska,
the Gulf of Mexico and along the Atlantic Coast.

Enact Fair Elections Now legislation that allows candidates to avoid the
special-interest money that led to this catastrophe and that so
thoroughly dominates and compromises our political and regulatory
processes.

- Patrick Bosold, conservation chair, Leopold Group, Iowa Sierra Club,
Fairfield

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