over 46,000 businesses and 500,000 fishing families from
Florida to Maine, also strongly oppose oil exploration and/or
development off the East Coast.
Additionally, the Pacific, North Pacific, New England,
South Atlantic, and Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management
Councils have all expressed concerns about the risks posed
by seismic surveys and oil and gas development to managed
resources, fisheries and coastal communities in the Atlantic.
Finally, NASA, the Department of Defense, and the Florida
Defense Support Task Force have all expressed concerns
about expanded offshore oil and gas development threatening
their ability to perform critical activities.” 8
Proponents have argued for the economic benefits
of offshore drilling and its precursor, seismic testing. In
response, the South Carolina Small Business Chamber of
Commerce has stated:
“The South Carolina coastal tourism economy accounts
for 600,000 jobs and $20 billion annually. The American
Petroleum Institute’s best-projected oil revenue for the state
is $3 billion from now until 2035. But to get this, the state
would have to give up on much of the tourism revenue due to
spills and oil infrastructure that pushes away local tourism.
High-paying offshore jobs require extensive training and
experience, with most oil workers rotating to rigs from long
distances. Local jobs would be low-paying and consist of
According to Steve Gilbert, Special Project Manager,
Biologist/Ecologist at the South Carolina Wildlife Federation,
“It’s not only the town of Kiawah, but every coastal town in
South Carolina (and even some inland towns) that passed
similar resolutions.” In fact, “more than 200 East Coast towns,
cities, and counties have passed resolutions opposing seismic
blasting and offshore drilling for oil and gas.” 7 Almost all East
Coast states are opposed.
Oceana, a non-profit environmental ocean advocacy group
states:
“More than 370 municipalities and over 2,200 elected local,
state and federal officials have formally opposed offshore
oil and gas drilling and seismic airgun blasting, including
more than 270 along the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts. All the
Governors along the East and West coasts—Republicans
and Democrats alike—have expressed concerns with
and/or opposition to expanded oil and gas exploration,
development, and production off their coasts, including the
Governors of Washington, Oregon, California, Maine,
Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Delaware,
Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, New Hampshire, New
York, New Jersey, South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida.
Along the Atlantic Coast, numerous fishing and tourism
interests, including local chambers of commerce, tourism
and restaurant associations, and an alliance representing
18
Naturally Kiawah