Coastal Economies Protection Act

COASTAL ECONOMIES PROTECTION ACT

REP. MARK SANFORD | REP. FRANK LOBIONDO

Protecting Coastal Communities

One of every ten jobs in South Carolina comes from tourism, and this means $13 billion in impact every year to our coastal counties alone. Drilling in the Atlantic would put this economic driver at risk. Purely from a numbers standpoint, it doesn’t add up.

Summary

Suspends Offshore Exploration off the East Coast: The bill would suspend offshore drilling and all related activities in the waters of the Atlantic, Florida Straits, and Eastern Gulf planning areas for the next ten years.

A Bipartisan Solution: The bill’s 10-year moratorium has been supported in the past by both republican and democratic presidents alike. From George H.W. Bush to Barack Obama, the consensus has been against offshore drilling.

Local Opinions Should Drive Local Development: The bill promotes the idea that government closest to the people governs best. Folks from up and down the Atlantic coast overwhelmingly oppose offshore drilling for the ways in which it would represent another costly mandate from Washington.

The Numbers Don’t Lie: The bill protects coastal tourism and fishing industries estimated at a net worth of around $90 billion. Offshore drilling poses a very real and very dangerous threat to tourism, quality of life, and our environment.