Environmentalists, lobstermen back bill to ban oil and gas drilling in coastal Maine waters

Lobstermen and environmentalists urged lawmakers on Friday to prohibit oil and gas drilling in Maine’s coastal waters to send a message to federal officials as they consider a dramatic expansion of offshore energy exploration.

While some observers dismissed the proposal as symbolic given Maine’s lack of oil or gas reserves, supporters said Maine must join other New England states in opposing activities that threaten the health of waters critical to the state’s economy.

The Trump administration is finalizing a five-year energy plan that, as originally proposed in early 2018, would reopen the North Atlantic and 90 percent of the nation’s Outer Continental Shelf to fossil fuel exploration. While the final version is expected to be different, it is unclear whether the Trump administration will still seek to lift the decades-long ban on oil and gas exploration in the North Atlantic.

Bills pending in Maine and other states would not only ban drilling within 3 miles of shore – the area subject to state jurisdiction – but would also prohibit energy companies from shipping or piping oil and gas to onshore facilities.

Read more: https://www.pressherald.com/2019/03/29/environmentalists-lobstermen-back-bill-to-ban-oil-or-gas-drilling-in-coastal-maine-waters/