The federal government is looking to reopen offshore oil and gas drilling, including in the Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf (OCS), an area that hasn’t had any offshore oil and gas lease sales since 1983. This move is unlikely to boost energy production and would illegally overturn a previous administration's ban. Reopening the Atlantic coast to offshore drilling threatens not just South Carolina's small businesses and coastal communities, but the entire U.S. Atlantic coastline.
The good news? We're fighting back with overwhelming public support. Most South Carolinians across the political spectrum oppose offshore drilling and have made their stance clear. Now, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) is accepting public comments on its plans for the next five years.
Here’s where you can help, and you don’t have to be an expert or a scientist to make a difference. Simply share in your comment to BOEM what makes our South Carolina home special to you and how offshore drilling would threaten it. Comments must be submitted by Monday, June 16.
You can also mail your comments in an envelope labeled "Comments for the 11th National OCS Oil and Gas Leasing Program" to:
Kelly Hammerle Bureau of Ocean Energy Management 45600 Woodland Road Sterling, VA 20166-9216
SCELP submitted public comment on behalf of the Business Alliance for Protecting the Atlantic Coast and the South Carolina Small Business Chamber of Commerce.
