The governors of North Carolina and South Carolina are appealing to the federal administration to uphold the current moratorium on offshore oil and gas activity along their shared coastlines. Governors Josh Stein and Henry McMaster jointly emphasized the significant economic and environmental risks associated with such operations.

In a unified statement, the governors highlighted the widespread opposition to offshore drilling and seismic testing across both states. "Every North Carolina and South Carolina coastal municipality has passed a resolution opposing offshore drilling and seismic testing," they wrote, noting that this stance is supported by other local governments, state legislators, and bipartisan members of their congressional delegations. They urged the administration to "respect the wishes of our states and our coastal communities and reaffirm President Trump’s decision to protect our coastlines and the industries they support."

Their plea comes as the 11th National Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Program considers future leasing. Governors Stein and McMaster are advocating for the removal of North and South Carolina's outer continental shelf lands from consideration, referencing President Donald Trump's memoranda from September 2020 that shielded these waters from leasing disposition until June 30, 2032.

The Carolinas boast a combined 513 miles of ocean beaches and 6,251 miles of coastline, home to over 2.7 million residents and numerous national wildlife refuges. The coastal economy, a vital part of both states, contributed $9.6 billion to the GDP in 2021, sustaining over 125,000 jobs and generating $3.8 billion in wages. Key industries such as tourism, recreation, shipbuilding, fishing, and marine transportation are central to this economic prosperity and are considered highly susceptible to the potential disruptions of offshore drilling.

Governor Stein has consistently championed the preservation of North Carolina's coastal environment. As Attorney General in 2020, he successfully advocated against proposed offshore drilling plans, underscoring his long-standing commitment to protecting the state's natural coastal beauty.