Governor Henry McMaster of South Carolina has issued two letters to federal officials advocating for the continuation of a ban on offshore oil and gas exploration and drilling along the state’s coast. This action comes in response to the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management’s (BOEM) request for information and comments as it plans a new schedule for offshore oil and gas lease sales on the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf.
In collaboration with North Carolina Governor Josh Stein, McMaster sent a joint letter to BOEM. Additionally, he addressed a separate letter to U.S. Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum. In his communication with Secretary Burgum, McMaster emphasized the importance of preserving South Carolina’s coastline, which he described as “one of the most pristine in the country.” He highlighted that this natural beauty supports a $29 billion tourism industry crucial to local economies such as Myrtle Beach, Charleston, Hilton Head, and Beaufort.
McMaster’s opposition to offshore drilling is not new. In January 2018, he requested an exemption from then-U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke. Later that year, he joined other East Coast governors in opposing oil exploration off the Atlantic Coast through a joint letter to federal departments.
In September 2020, President Donald Trump issued memoranda protecting waters off South and North Carolina from leasing until June 30, 2032. Governors McMaster and Stein are now urging that these protections be upheld by excluding their states’ outer continental shelf lands from future leasing considerations under the 11th National Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Program.
The coastal regions of South and North Carolina are home to over 2.7 million people and include numerous national wildlife refuges. The coastal economy contributed $9.6 billion to GDP in 2021 alone, supporting more than 125,000 jobs across various industries like tourism, shipbuilding, fishing, and marine transportation—all potentially at risk from offshore drilling activities.
