A long-time proponent of exploring for natural gas and oil, North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory reiterated Thursday that such efforts on the outer continental shelf would position the state as an energy leader.
“Our power generation is becoming more dependent on natural gas as a fuel source. Increasing availability of natural gas will strengthen our economy and contribute to economic prosperity for decades to come,” McCrory said at the Mid-Atlantic OCS Oil & Gas Five-Year Program Meeting held in downtown Raleigh.
McCrory cited research by Quest Offshore Resources that indicates the economic impact of oil and natural gas activity to the Mid-Atlantic states of North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia over the next 20 years would be 116,000 jobs, and $56 billion in spending and revenue sharing.
The governor participated in a question-and-answer session with the media during the gathering of state and federal officials, but has been criticized for not opening the meeting to the public or environmental groups that oppose offshore drilling. Representatives of drilling proponents – such as the Center for Offshore Safety, Consumer Energy Alliance and the Institute for Energy Research – were invited speakers.
McCrory acknowledged the environmental risk of offshore drilling – stating that there are risks associated with all economic and energy development. He said responsible resource development is in everyone’s best interest.