Collins comes out against Trump expansion of offshore drilling

Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) became the second GOP senator to come out against the Trump administration’s plan to open up offshore drilling off the coast of several states.

In a tweet Friday, Collins called the Interior Department’s plan to expand offshore drilling off of Maine’s coast a “significant risk” to the state’s coastal economy and ecology.

“I continue to oppose efforts to open Maine’s coast to drilling, which poses significant risk to marine and coastal resources, our economy, and our way of life. I oppose the Department of the Interior‘s draft plan,” the senator tweeted.

I continue to oppose efforts to open Maine’s coast to drilling, which poses significant risk to marine and coastal resources, our economy, and our way of life. I oppose the Department of the Interior‘s draft plan.

— Sen. Susan Collins (@SenatorCollins) January 5, 2018

Collins is the second Republican senator to announce opposition to the Interior Department’s plan, which is currently undergoing a 30-day review period before being finalized.

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Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) announced his opposition to the plan in a press release Thursday, joining fellow Florida Sen. Bill Nelson (D) in his dissent.

“I have long supported the moratorium [on drilling for oil] in the Eastern Gulf of Mexico, which is not slated to expire until 2022, and introduced legislation to extend the moratorium until 2027,” reads a statement on Rubio’s website.

“As the Department of Interior works to finalize their draft plan, I urge Secretary Zinke to recognize the Florida Congressional delegation’s bipartisan efforts to maintain and extend the moratorium in the Eastern Gulf of Mexico, and remove this area for future planning purposes.”

“This plan is an assault on Florida’s economy, our national security, the will of the public, and the environment. This proposal defies all common sense and I will do everything I can to defeat it,” Nelson added on Twitter.

Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-Fla.) is also opposed to the expansion of drilling in the Gulf of Mexico, citing the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil rig disaster that killed 11 Americans in her statement this week. The lawmakers have written a letter to Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke stating their opposition to the plan.

“Signed @SenBillNelson letter to @SecretaryZinke @Interior opposing any opening of #Florida to offshore drilling in order to prevent a disaster similar to the #DeepwaterHorizon spill,” Ros-Lehtinen wrote on Twitter. “I hope many more #Florida members join!”