Offshore drilling could cause headaches

President Obama lifted a ban on offshore drilling from Virginia to Florida. Environmentalists are worried that the oil could pollute North Carolina’s fragile ecosystem and one spill could destroy it forever. Experts say the oil supply off North Carolina’s coast would be exhausted within five years. And the president’s decision to lift the drilling ban goes against his own clean energy initiatives.

Chair of the Cape Fear Sierra Club Janice Wilson says “I’m disappointed that he would on the one hand have new clean car regulations and then on turn around and say we’re going to start drilling for more oil and gas because we have to have more gas for our cars”. But those who support drilling say it could bring many jobs to our area.

Offshore drilling in our area isn’t expected for at least the next ten years. But with the ban lifted, environmentalists say pollution from oil drilling off the coast of Virginia could flow south to our area.