Thursday letters: Offshore oil exploration bad for South Carolina

Many thanks to Mayor Steve Benjamin and the members of the Columbia City Council for their recent unanimous vote for the resolution to oppose seismic testing and oil and gas extraction being planned by the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management off the coast of South Carolina.

The plan represents a grave threat to our thriving tourism and fishing industries. The disastrous 2010 BP spill in the Gulf of Mexico demonstrates what offshore drilling could lead to along our beautiful, unspoiled coastline: ongoing damage to citizens’ livelihoods as well as to the environment.

Even the exploratory seismic testing that would precede offshore drilling would have harmful effects. According to bureau’s 2014 Environmental Impact Statement, it could injure marine animals along the Atlantic Coast and disrupt their migration, feeding or other behavioral patterns.

With the offshore leasing plan, South Carolina could lose its attractiveness to prospective new clean-energy businesses and residents seeking a natural, high quality of life.

May the resolution enacted by the Columbia City Council inspire further opposition to offshore testing and drilling. And may the federal government be induced by our opposition to remove South Carolina from its plan.

Columbia

This story was originally published May 27, 2015 at 7:30 PM.