Imagine walking among dead fish, dolphins, turtles and pockets of oil as you take your daily stroll on the beach. This will be our reality if offshore drilling is implemented off our coastline.

The Department of the Interior opened North Carolina’s coastline in January 2015 for potential development of the oil and gas industry. Five years since the British Petroleum Deepwater Horizon spill in the Gulf of Mexico, but the repercussions are still being felt by those affected by the spill. Many North Carolina residents are hesitant to agree with the bill and some are going as far as protesting against it.

A local meeting was held on Monday, March 16 at The Comfort Inn and Ramada Plaza hotels on the beach road. Locals gathered to voice their opinions on the controversial subject and had the opportunity to write statements giving their views on the issue. These statements were then sent to the Bureau Ocean Energy Management (BOEM).

Most locals were against the drilling, which clearly showed in the high attendance. Roughly 600 people attended the press conference lead by Lee Nettles, head of the Outer Banks Visitors Bureau at the Comfort Inn, according to the Outer Banks Voice.

The main arguments locals have against drilling are economic and environmental. I agree there are too many negative environmental effects that could result from offshore drilling. The potential for spills creates an immense risk and any spill could put our industries such as tourism and fishing in danger.

Tourism on North Carolina beaches generate around $3 billion in revenue each year and directly supports 39,000 jobs in coastal communities, according to the Sierra Club.

In 2008 the seafood industry brought in more than $336 million and provided 5,821 jobs. Sport fishing contributed more than $446 million and there were over 6,300 jobs.

Oil drilling on our coast would draw visitors away from the Outer Banks, resulting in a large loss of revenue.

If drilling were to happen the risk of a large spill would increase. If a spill occurred, aquatic wildlife populations would decline and animals would be driven out of their habitats. Ultimately, this would lead to a large drop in the revenue of sport, private, and commercial fishing industries. The economy and livelihood of the Outer Banks cannot afford the effects of an oil spill.

Many argue that oil drilling creates jobs and an increased revenue. However, who would fill these positions? Where would all the money go?

Locals, including myself, have a hard time believing any of it would go toward the Outer Banks community. Furthermore, I’m unaware of a large group of people on the beach that are trained to do these kinds of jobs. With these companies would come people from other regions of the country who are more skilled in the specific field.

Offshore drilling is becoming an increasingly popular and common occurrence around the world, however, there are more arguments against it than for it. Oil drilling would endanger the Outer Banks both financially and environmentally.

Send comments to wrennam0825@daretolearn.org