North Carolina Added to National Ten-Year Moratorium on Offshore Drilling
A line of off-shore oil rigs in the Santa Barbara Channel near the Federal Ecological Preserve en route to the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary in March 2015. Source.
On Monday September 21, Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) announced that President Trump would include North Carolina in a Presidential Memorandum banning offshore oil and gas drilling in the Atlantic Ocean for ten years. This action follows a letter sent to the President from NC Governor Roy Cooper urging for the state’s inclusion. In the letter, Cooper stated that offshore drilling could lead to the loss of coastal tourism and jobs. Fishing, tourism, and natural resources in North Carolina’s coastal communities generate $3 billion annually and support 30,000 jobs.
The memorandum specifically withdraws new leasing for offshore oil and gas developments over the next ten years beginning on July 1, 2022. During this period all leases for the purpose of creating offshore drilling developments will be prohibited until June 30, 2032. State environmental groups such as the nonprofit North Carolina Coastal Federation issued a statement affirming that “Offshore drilling and seismic surveying for oil and gas exploration are not the types of activities that are compatible with our vibrant coastal environment and economy.” They also thanked individuals who contacted local, state, and federal representatives to insist that NC be included in the moratorium.
North Carolina has resisted the expansion of offshore drilling in the Atlantic for many years. In 2016 the actions of individual citizens and environmental groups across the state led to the removal of the Atlantic as a potential drilling site. President Obama sought to expand drilling ventures to the coasts of Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia. Though his actions were halted, on April 28, 2017 President Trump signed an executive order to open up the Atlantic coast from Maine to Florida for offshore drilling. For many, the reversal of President Trump’s position on offshore drilling is merely an election-year stunt meant to boost his popularity in battleground states like Florida and North Carolina.
Looking ahead, politicians of both parties are apprehensive of what may happen even while the moratorium is in effect. South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster (R-SC) applauded the action of the President but cautioned, “We must remain vigilant in the conservation and preservation of our coastline.” Environmental organizations offered similar sentiments. The Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC) expressed the danger that mixed messaging from the government can cause. Sierra Weaver, the leader of the SELC’s Coast and Wetlands Program, said that statements suggesting possible policy changes “do not inspire a lot of confidence about the long-term protection of our coast.”
Here in North Carolina, state Attorney General Josh Stein is continuing legal action against the federal government for pursuing seismic testing for offshore drilling. Though WesternGeco, a seismic testing company, was denied a permit from the state to conduct testing for offshore drilling, the Trump administration stepped in and reinstated the permit. Stein says that the goal of the lawsuit is to give North Carolina the authority to deny seismic testing permits without interference from the federal government. While this lawsuit and the moratorium on drilling seem to be positive improvements, the work of protecting North Carolina’s coastal environment is ongoing and requires cooperation from everyone.
For more information, updates on environmental policy, and ways of getting involved in protecting North Carolina’s coasts, visit these local and state-focused advocacy groups: www.dontdrillnc.org, www.nccoast.org, www.sierraclub.org/north-carolina, and www.southernenvironment.org.