PRESS RELEASE
Date: May 21, 2019
From: South Carolina Small Business Chamber of Commerce
Subject: South Carolina Legislature votes to block infrastructure needed for offshore oil
Contact: Frank Knapp, 803-252-5733 (w), 803-600-6874 (c), fknapp@scsbc.org
Columbia, SC—The South Carolina General Assembly has sent a clear message to the Trump Administration—there will be no drilling for oil off the Palmetto State coast.
Today the state legislature approved a one-year budget proviso that prohibits the use of any state funds by a state agency or local unit of government to facilitate, by issuing permits or other actions, onshore infrastructure for offshore oil.
“The U.S. Department of Interior claims that it will take into consideration the wishes of states in its eventual decision on opening up the Atlantic to drilling for oil,” said Frank Knapp Jr., President/CEO of the South Carolina Small Business Chamber of Commerce. “Well, our State House elected leaders have spoken in a clear, bi-partisan scream…NO! Our Governor, Attorney General, majority of our Congressional delegation, all our coastal cities and now our Legislature say NO!”
“It’s time for Interior to quit playing political games with a decision on offshore drilling in the Atlantic and listen to all the East Coast states,” said Knapp. “This issue is going to drive voter turnout from Florida to Maine and the only way to stop it is for Interior to say NO to exploration and drilling for oil in the Atlantic.”
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