May 5, 2017
President Trump’s executive order on offshore drilling, signed this morning, marks an additional effort to dismantle the environmental legacy of his predecessor. Today’s Executive Order calls for, among other provisions, a review of the March 2016 executive order signed by President Obama that removed the mid-Atlantic coastline from the federal government’s five-year oil and gas drilling plan. Obama’s order came after widespread opposition from residents along the East Coast, including 26 anti-drilling resolutions passed by North Carolina coastal communities.
"President Trump’s action once again exposes North Carolina’s pristine and fragile coastline and marine ecosystem to damaging exploration, and the development of inherently dangerous drilling operations," said Erin Carey, Coastal Coordinator for the North Carolina Chapter of the Sierra Club. "This order undermines the will of North Carolina coastal residents who depend on a clean ocean environment for their livelihoods and for the health of their families. As we have learned from experience, the oil industry cannot be trusted to protect the precious natural resources that make the North Carolina coast such a beautiful and productive place.
"In the past, thousands of North Carolinians spoke out against offshore drilling. We expect Sierrans and our allies will once again make our opposition loud and clear.
"At the same time, we will ramp up our efforts to build on North Carolina’s growing national leadership in solar and wind power. With so much potential for the development of renewable energy in the coastal region, offshore drilling is simply not worth the risk."