McCrory: NC should consider offshore
drilling
By WHITNEY WOODWARD : Associated Press Writer
The Associated Press
Jun 30, 2008
RALEIGH, N.C. -- Gubernatorial candidate Pat McCrory joined
top Republicans in supporting offshore oil and natural gas drilling Monday,
saying it could relieve what's becoming a national energy crisis.
McCrory said it's hypocritical for politicians to take a not-in-my-backyard
approach to oil exploration and drilling, especially because North Carolina's
energy demands are bound to grow with its population.
"If not here, then where?" McCrory said. "If we're not willing to drill off our
own coast, then where will you drill? Off Venezuela? Off Nigeria? Off Saudi
Arabia? Russia? Or other states, and then assume, 'Well, we're special?'"
Drilling would help North Carolina become less dependent on foreign countries,
while creating jobs and generating revenue, McCrory said. Money generated by oil
could fund road construction costs, mass transit systems and teacher salaries,
he said.
President Bush has called on Congress to lift decades-old federal bans on
offshore drilling along the Atlantic Coast, which he said could yield as many as
18 billion barrels of oil. Lifting that moratorium would let states to decide
whether to allow drilling off their shores.
But the federal government has said tapping that area wouldn't significantly
affect production or prices until 2030.
The president's call has been backed by Republican presidential candidate John
McCain. But most Democrats in Congress and McCrory's Democratic opponent, Lt.
Gov. Beverly Perdue, oppose the plan.
Perdue questioned whether coastal drilling would be safe and effective, noting
the threat of hurricanes.
"I haven't seen anything that proves to me that drilling there can be done
safely or bring down oil prices," Perdue said in a statement. "Until that day
comes, our focus must remain on finding greener forms of energy and increasing
conservation efforts."
But McCrory said renewable and alternative energy projects must be coupled with
production efforts.
"We need to take advantage of what our natural resources are," McCrory said.
North Carolina officials generally have opposed coastal drilling because it
could potentially damage the environment and the state's tourism industry.
But with oil prices reaching new record highs, U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Dole, who is
running for re-election, last week stepped back from her long-standing
opposition to drilling off the Atlantic coast.
She recently said states should have the option of offshore exploration, as long
as it's safe and not visible from the coast.
© 2008 by The Durham Herald Company. All rights
reserved.