RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) - Two East Coast governors want the federal government to determine why applications designed to collect data on Atlantic coast waters to aid in potential energy exploration are taking so long to review.
North Carolina Republican Gov. Pat McCrory and Virginia Democratic Gov. Terry McAuliffe wrote U.S. Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker this week. They want seismic surveying approved to generate data on what oil and natural gas may be under the ocean floor.
The governors say survey firms filed applications in 2014 to perform the work, but there are still no decisions from a commerce agency. McAuliffe and McCrory told Kritzer they're worried further delays would discourage "informed decision-making" by states about exploration options.
McCrory leads the Outer Continental Shelf Governors Coalition, which is interested in expanding offshore energy exploration.
