Myrick urges drilling for oil off North Carolina coast

CHARLOTTE — U.S. Rep. Sue Myrick wants to drill for oil off the North Carolina coast and she thinks $4.00 per gallon gasoline might encourage approval this year.

Myrick said Thursday she wants to overturn a long-standing moratorium on drilling for oil and gas off the Atlantic Coast.

The Charlotte Observer reported Myrick has introduced a bill to give states authority to allow drilling within 100 miles of their coast.

A similar bill passed the House in 2006 but didn’t make it through the Senate. Myrick says the sharply increased gas prices improve the chances for approval.

Myrick says technology has made offshore drilling safe. But Elizabeth Ouzts with Environment North Carolina says drilling would hurt the environment even if there was no big oil spill. She says drilling releases mercury and other harmful substances.

Information from: The Charlotte Observer,
http://www.charlotte.com

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)