Interior Secretary: 'Opposition' to Offshore Drill Plan

By WAYNE PARRY

PLAINSBORO, N.J. (AP) — U.S. Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke acknowledged Friday there is “a lot of opposition” to President Donald Trump’s plan to open most of the nation’s coastline to oil and gas drilling.

At a forum on offshore wind energy Friday in Plainsboro, New Jersey, the interior secretary touted Trump’s “all of the above” energy menu that calls for oil and gas, as well as renewable energy projects.

But he noted strong opposition to the drilling plan on the East and West Coasts, adding there is little to no infrastructure in many of those areas to support drilling.

Zinke says he’ll take state opposition to the drilling plan into consideration when deciding on whether to implement it.

But he would not say whether he will exempt New Jersey or other states.