North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper said Thursday that it’s “ridiculous” to exempt Florida from the new coastal drilling possibilities but not other states that also rely on beach tourism.
“We have a $3 billion coastal tourism economy. We’ve got 22 barrier islands. We’ve got 300 miles of coastline,” Mr. Cooper, a Democrat, said on CNN.
Last week, Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke announced that the administration would rollback drilling restrictions that previously made areas like North Carolina unavailable. Mr. Zinke said he would speak with local lawmakers about the possibility of drilling off their shores, and Florida was among the first states to protest the move.
Mr. Zinke met with Florida Gov. Rick Scott, a Republican, and announced Tuesday that the state would be exempt from the list of possible new drilling sites, saying Florida was “unique” in its reliance on tourism.
“As soon as I heard about the Florida decision, I asked for a meeting or at least a telephone call with Secretary Zinke,” Mr. Cooper said.
“This is ridiculous to come in and say, ’We’re going to start drilling off the coast,’ and then picking off a state like Florida,” he added.
SEE ALSO: Henry McMaster of S.C., another GOP governor, seeks exclusion from drilling proposal
Mr. Cooper said he has not heard back from Mr. Zinke’s office about a meeting, but that North Carolina is already considering its legal options to fight any possible drilling or gas sites.
“North Carolina is number two for solar in the country. There’s an abundance of natural gas. We don’t need offshore drilling, and we don’t need the risks that go along with it,” he said.
• Sally Persons can be reached at spersons@washingtontimes.com.
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