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. SCELP submitted public comment on behalf of the Business Alliance for Protecting the Atlantic Coast and the South Carolina Small Business Chamber of Commerce.