North and South Carolina governors call for continuation of offshore drilling moratorium
Written by Nick Blenkey
Image: Department of the Interior
North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein and South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster yesterday called on the Trump administration to maintain its moratorium on offshore drilling off the North and South Carolina coasts.
Gov. Stein is a Democrat. Gov. McMaster is a Republican.
“Because of the significant risks associated with offshore oil and gas exploration, development and production off the Carolina coasts, every North Carolina and South Carolina coastal municipality has passed a resolution opposing offshore drilling and seismic testing,” wrote Governors Stein and McMaster. “This position has been reaffirmed by other municipalities and counties, as well as state legislators and members of our Congressional delegations from both parties. We ask you to respect the wishes of our states and our coastal communities and reaffirm President Trump’s decision to protect our coastlines and the industries they support.”
On September 8 and 25, 2020, President Trump issued memoranda protecting the waters off the coast of North and South Carolina from leasing disposition until June 30, 2032. In response to President Trump’s leadership in protecting the waters off the coast of the Carolinas, Governors Stein and McMaster are urging that North and South Carolina’s outer continental shelf lands be removed from consideration in the 11th National Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Program.
The two governors note that North and South Carolina have a combined 513 miles of ocean beaches and 6,251 miles of coastline. These coastal zones are home to more than 2.7 million people and include numerous national wildlife refuges. In 2021 alone, North and South Carolina’s coastal economy contributed $9.6 billion to the GDP, supported more than 125,000 jobs, and provided $3.8 billion in wages, led by robust tourism and recreation, shipbuilding, fishing, and marine transportation industries. These industries would be highly vulnerable to disruption from offshore drilling.
Read Governor Stein and Governor McMaster’s letter HERE.
