WASHINGTON, Sept. 25 – Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) and 10 of their colleagues today sent a letter urging the Obama administration not to approve oil drilling off the coast of Alaska.

“At a time when our planet is warming due to climate change, the last thing our environment needs is more drilling,” Sanders said.  “What we need is for Congress and the White House to move toward clean energy such as solar, wind and geothermal.”

Two months after the administration allowed Shell to drill an exploratory well in Alaska’s Chukchi Sea, and with the results of that exploration expected to be announced in the days ahead, the senators argued that allowing more drilling would be inconsistent with the president’s stated goals for controlling climate change and poses serious risks to wildlife and natural resources.

Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Al Franken (D-Minn.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.) and Gary Peters (D-Mich.) also signed the letter.

Click here to read the letter.