Lawmakers Voice Support of SC Coast Offshore Drilling

(COLUMBIA, S.C.) -- A number of South Carolina lawmakers are voicing their support for legislation to open the state's coast to oil and gas drilling.

Support for the legislation is being shown by Governor Nikki Haley, Third District Congressman Jeff Duncan, and Senator Lindsey Graham -- who will introduce the legislation in the United States Senate.

"By authorizing offshore leasing for oil and gas exploration, South Carolina will lead a long, overdue effort to open up American-owned energy reserves," Graham said in a statement. "We want to break the dependence on imports from unstable areas like the Middle East and dangerous regimes like Venezuela’s Hugo Chavez.  The more closer-to-home energy we utilize, the less we must rely on them.  Additionally, this legislation will help reduce our national debt and the state of South Carolina will receive 37.5 percent of revenues generated from leasing."

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