Press Releases

After the Georgia House of Representatives passed a resolution opposing offshore energy exploration, Congressman Earl L. "Buddy" Carter (R-Ga.) today requested that Georgia be excluded from offshore energy plans until the concerns of the legislature are addressed. 

In a letter to Acting Secretary of the Department of the Interior David Bernhardt, Carter wrote, "as the representative of the First District of Georgia, I was elected to represent the entire coast of our state and to be their voice in Washington. 

As you know, the issue of offshore energy exploration off the Atlantic Coast has been raised, first by the Obama Administration and now by the Trump Administration. This is of great interest to the residents in the First District of Georgia as proposed plans have included opening the waters off our coast for possible energy exploration and development. 

I understand the benefits that have been realized for local economies and tourism industries on the Gulf Coast due to offshore energy. I also understand the importance of offshore energy to an all-of-the-above energy strategy that is critical for our national defense as well as in our efforts to lower energy costs for Americans. 

While I will continue to be an ardent supporter of American energy independence, I believe that the will of our state and local communities must be respected in a decision of this magnitude. That is why I want to bring to your attention a resolution that overwhelmingly passed in the Georgia House of Representatives this week opposing offshore energy development off Georgia’s coast. The resolution passed in the legislature this week was preceded by the approval of resolutions opposing offshore energy development by several municipalities. 

Elected representatives of Georgia have voted, and I believe that the federal government should respect the people of Georgia to make this critical decision for themselves. That is why I write today to request that Georgia be excluded from offshore energy plans until the concerns of the legislature are addressed. 

I hope you will recognize the will of our state and local communities and make the appropriate changes to exclude Georgia moving forward." 

To view the full text of Carter's request, please click here.