Virginia’s Governor is continuing to push the Trump administration to exempt the state from a proposed expansion of offshore drilling. Governor Ralph Northam says he spoke with the Secretary of the Interior this week.
Governor Northam says he had frank conversation with Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke. He says he voiced his concerns about the Trump administration’s proposal to open up waters along the eastern seaboard to oil and gas drilling.
“I asked him to give us the same exemption that Florida has received and told him that I wasn’t in favor,” Northam said during an interview. “Virginians are not in favor of offshore drilling. We think it’s a bad idea.”
Northam says drilling could pose a threat to Virginia’s tourism and aquaculture industries, and interfere with military training.
“(Zinke) said he would be glad to meet with me and go over the data that we had,” Northam said. “And I said I would be more than happy to meet with him.”
Northam also requested public forums on the topic in Hampton Roads or the Eastern Shore. Currently the Department of Interior has a public meeting scheduled in Richmond.
Virginia senators Tim Kaine and Mark Warner have also requested additional public forums on the issue.
This report, provided by Virginia Public Radio, was made possible with support from the Virginia Education Association.
