N.C. governor wants Trump's ban extended to Tar Heel State

摘要

North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper (D) is urging President Trump to expand an offshore drilling ban, asserting that the Tar Heel State deserves the same protections granted to other Atlantic Coast states earlier this month. Cooper outlined his request in a letter to Trump, noting he was "surprised" when Trump opted to extend prohibitions on oil and gas development in the eastern Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic coasts of Florida, Georgia and South Carolina through 2032 (E&E News PM, Sept. 8). "I am deeply concerned and disappointed to learn that you did not include North Carolina in the moratorium, despite specifically mentioning that our state would receive benefits from this order and should be congratulated," Cooper wrote in the letter dated yesterday. Cooper pointed in particular to his state's history of hurricanes and the increased risks of severe weather stemming from climate change. "We know that oil spills do not respect state lines," Cooper added. He noted that the state generates nearly $3 billion annually from tourism, and that commercial and recreational fishing industries also rely on a healthy coastal ecosystem.