(CNSNews.com) - Speaking on behalf of the National Trust for Historic Preservation at the National Press Club Wednesday, Hollywood actor and environmental activist Robert Redford said it’s “morally criminal” for the Bush administration to auction leases to oil and gas companies for exploration on 132 parcels of land in Utah.
“In my mind, in my opinion, it’s morally criminal what they are attempting to do and the way they are doing it,” he said via satellite from Los Angeles.
“It isn’t a question of trying to talk to them – forget that. It doesn’t work. They’ve been trashing the environment ever since they came in – almost like they had a duty to do so. But when they trash our lands and not theirs and claim it’s their prerogative, then something’s pretty criminal. So, I say stop it. Enough is enough.”
Rep. Brian Baird (D-Wash.) told CNSNews.com at the event that President Bush made this decision to help his “cronies” in the oil business.
“That’s the one last giveaway to their friends in the oil and gas industry,” said Baird. “Let’s look at this. For eight years we’ve had two oil and gas people presiding over this country in the White House. They have blocked every reasonable effort to install more responsible energy policies.”
“They’re making one more investment in making their cronies rich; in polluting the earth; in damaging pristine areas and really for no lasting benefit to the public as a whole,” said Baird.
The coalition of environmental groups taking legal action against the Bush administration says the lands involved contain the nation’s greatest density of ancient rock art and other cultural resources. Redford said President Bush may be a lame duck but “he can still quack.”
“They’ll not stop at trying to deceive,” said Redford. “The fact that they are doing it on their way out the door – Bush may be a lame duck but he can still quack. It’s our land. Let’s keep it. Let’s protect it.”
Proponents of domestic drilling say Americans could pay higher gas prices in the future if the U.S. does not start drilling domestically. Baird and Redford disagree.
“It would be a terrible misrepresentation of the facts to suggest that leasing this land in Utah is going to have a one penny difference on the price at the pump in the next five to 10 years,” he said.
“The fastest thing we can do if we want to lower energy prices and keep them lower is continue to conserve,” said Baird. “We can easily reduce 20 percent of our energy consumption in a matter of 20 weeks, I believe, through carpooling and very basic measures.”
“He speaks with me as well on that – Congressman Baird,” said Redford. “I completely agree with him.”
A coalition of environmental groups announced at the press conference that they are taking legal action against the Bush administration. The groups involved are the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance, The Wilderness Society, Earth Justice, the Sierra Club National Parks Conservation Association, the Natural Resources Defense Fund (NRDF) Grand Canyon Trust and the National Trust for Historical Preservation.