In what is perhaps the most fervent response from state lawmakers on the subject, the South Carolina State Senate voted 40 to 4 in favor of a budget provision that would prohibit the state from issuing permits to offshore drilling equipment and activity on South Carolina beaches.
Earlier Governor McMaster has expressed support for measures that would prevent drilling off the state’s coast.
This recent piece of legislation, however, is the first law passed at the state or federal level to protect South Carolina beaches from drilling operations.
Lawmakers say it’s not just about environmental concerns, although that is the underlying factor.
But economic concerns made the sell against drilling much easier, given that coastal tourism in South Carolina generations about $22 billion a year and generates tens of thousands of jobs, while offshore drilling would only generate about $1.6 billion over a 20 year period.
Lawmakers say jeopardizing the state’s existing fisheries, real estate market home values, quality of life and coastal beauty was by no means worth it for such a fiscally dubious enterprise.
