Legislation

Numerous states have introduced strong bills in the form of resolutions, restrictions, and liability and penalties to help prevent offshore drilling. Some examples include:

Resolutions

A common state response to offshore drilling expansion has been adopting resolutions memorializing their opposition to the policy. These resolutions are usually directed to the President, Congress, and the Department of the Interior, and ask for either an exclusion from the drilling policy or for an indefinite extension of the previous offshore drilling moratorium. Examples of these resolutions include Georgia (HR48), New Hampshire (HJR2),California (AJR 19), and Delaware (SS 1).

Restrictions

Some states have taken to pushing for restrictions on oil and gas drilling, exploration, and transportation activities within waters regulated by the state, usually up to 3 miles offshore. Examples include Hawaii (SB259), Massachusetts (SD2204), New Hampshire (SB76), New York (A 2572), Oregon (SB256), South Carolina (HB3087), New Jersey (A 839), and Delaware (SB 200). 

Liability and Penalties

Aside from prohibitions on offshore drilling and exploration activities, another option has been to establish stricter enforcement of liability and penalties on entities that cause spills, or other damages, from offshore drilling activities. Maryland (HB 1456) passed a strict liability law in 2018 and established offshore drilling as “ultrahazardous and abnormally dangerous.”