NC and SC governors push to keep drilling ban

The governors of North and South Carolina are joining forces in a rare bipartisan call to maintain a ban on offshore drilling for gas and oil. In a letter to the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Democratic Gov. Josh Stein and Republican Gov. Henry McMaster cite economic and environmental concerns, saying drilling poses risks to tourism, fishing and even national security. A moratorium signed by President Donald Trump in 2020 protects the Carolina coast from drilling through 2032. The governors want the administration to uphold that ban as it drafts a new offshore leasing plan.