New York Governor Andrew Cuomo joined a list of governors opposing the federal government’s plan to expand offshore oil and gas drilling in nearly all U.S. coastlines. He is asking U.S. Secretary of Interior Ryan Zinke to exempt New York from the plan.
Earlier this month, Sec. Zinke disclosed the draft National Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Program for 2019 to 2024.
Under the plan, more than 90% of the country’s outer continental shelf (OCS) acreage will be available for drillers. It will also make available for exploration over 98% of undiscovered, technically recoverable oil and gas resources. Currently, 94% of the country OCS acreage is off limits for offshore drilling.
Offshore drilling is an unacceptable threat to New York
In a letter to Sec. Zinke, Gov. Cuomo said the federal government’s plan is “an unacceptable threat” to New York’s ocean resources and economy. Some of these threats include “extremely hazardous oil spills and acceleration of climate change.”
Additionally, the governor said offshore drilling is not in line with the state’s ambitious agenda to develop offshore wind energy.
