"South Carolina’s Republican-majority Senate advanced a measure on Wednesday that would require the state to block new infrastructure to transport or process offshore oil and gas as state lawmakers fear the Interior Department will open the Atlantic coast to offshore drilling.
Republican State Senator Chip Campsen introduced a provision to the state budget that prohibits the state from approving any activity that would facilitate drilling offshore. This would effectively kill plans to drill off South Carolina’s coastline even if it is included in Interior’s Outer Continental Shelf leasing plan, which is due to be released in the coming weeks.
“The federal government must respect and not infringe upon state’s wishes and authority,” Campsen said. “We don’t want South Carolina’s pristine coastline to be turned into an industrial wasteland.”"
