By Jim Heath
Thursday, June 19, 2008 at 11:47 p.m.
Read more: Local, State, Politics
Despite Republican Party pressure, South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford is hanging on to opposition to offshore drilling.
With gas prices going up about every day, leading Republicans, including President George W. Bush and Senator John McCain, are now calling for an end to the federal moratorium on offshore drilling. That's putting some coastal GOP governors, like Mark Sanford, in the hot seat.
When running for reelection less than two years ago, Sanford strongly opposed any effort to drill off the states coasts for natural gas or oil. During an October 2006 debate in Conway, Sanford said, "What I think we have got to keep in focus is the fact that 14 million people a year come to Myrtle Beach. And the driver of this economy is tourism."
But, since that NewsChannel 15 debate, Sanford has watched many members of his own party push for an end to the federal ban on drilling. Now, Sanford is acknowledging the trend. "While Governor Sanford has not called for an end to the federal moratorium, he would consider it if states can determine what to do," spokesman Joel Sawyer told NewsChannel 15.
The talk of state politicians debating offshore drilling has Myrtle Beach Mayor John Rhodes hopping mad. From a conference in Miami Thursday, Rhodes said, "This issue could be a war zone. We will do anything to oppose any potential threat to our economic engine, our beaches."
South Carolina Senators Lindsey Graham and Jim DeMint support offshore drilling with Graham saying the closer it is to shore, the cheaper it is to drill.
Responding to a question Sanford was asked about offshore drilling during the October 2006 debate, Sanford said, "It takes but one oil spill, I think, to impact in essence what amounts to be the anchor tenant for attraction to tourists for this part of South Carolina." Sawyer says Sanford still agrees with that assessment.
Sanford isn't alone in feeling pressure on offshore drilling. Florida Governor Charlie Crist, sometimes mentioned as a possible McCain running-mate this fall, changed his position yesterday and now supports it.
Environment America, an environmental group, warned today that "offshore drilling proposals threaten sensitive coasts, beaches and beloved parks with chronic pollution... from oil and gas production and catastrophic spills from platforms and pipelines..."
Pointing out the Exxon Valdez oil spill in 1989, Rhodes says one catastrophe could wipe out the Grand Strands tourism industry as we know it. "Oil on the beaches, however it gets there, is oil on the beaches. Why would we ever take that risk?"
