WILMINGTON, Del. – Governor John Carney spoke by phone on Friday with U.S. Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke to express his concerns with the Trump Administration’s plan to allow oil and gas drilling off the coast of Delaware. Governor Carney released the following statement on the call, which came a day after the Governor requested a meeting to discuss the risks associated with new oil and gas drilling in the Atlantic:

“I want to thank Secretary Zinke for taking time to discuss the risks associated with offshore oil and gas drilling. During our conversation, I invited the Secretary to visit Delaware to see firsthand what’s at stake for our state, our beach communities, our economy, and our natural resources. He accepted the invitation, and we look forward to his visit. As we’ve said publicly, drilling off Delaware’s coast would create the risk of a catastrophic spill that would have devastating effects on Delaware’s economy and our environment. Our coastal economy generates $7 billion in economic activity, and supports more than 60,000 jobs in the fishing, tourism, and recreation sectors. The health of Delaware’s economy and environment are directly tied to the health of our coastal areas. Delaware simply cannot accept the risks associated with offshore drilling, and we will continue to express our concerns to the Trump Administration. I was encouraged by my conversation with Secretary Zinke today and look forward to continued dialogue.”

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