Stop all oil exploration off the east coast of the US. Do not allow state gov'ts to request reduction of buffers zones.

Drilling for oil and gas off the North Carolina coast with energy exploration and recovery could cause millions of dollars in damage to coastal communities and reduce property values. The downside to off-shore drilling is potential environmental damage from oil spills. The potential average annual cost of environmental damage is estimated at $83 million, primarily to the fishing and tourism economy in coastal counties. For decades our coasts were protected from new offshore oil drilling. The Obama administration has included the waters off Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia in the offshore leasing plan. This would be dangerous and unnecessary. A few months' worth of oil are not worth risking our beaches and coastal economy.