Offshore drilling is 'too dangerous' for South Carolina, Gov. Henry McMaster says

Offshore energy production would pose too much of a risk for the state's lucrative tourism industry, Gov. Henry McMaster said during a campaign stop in Anderson on Monday night.

Ruby Gerisch, who described herself as a "very loyal supporter of Donald Trump" at an Anderson County Republican Party meeting, asked McMaster about one of the few issues on which he and the president don't agree.

Trump has proposed opening vast coastal areas, including South Carolina, to offshore drilling. 

McMaster outlined two primary reasons for his position.

“Our coast is not industrialized at all, and there is no room for industrialization of our coast," he said. “Physically, there is no place to put the big tanks and pipes.”

McMaster also said he does not want to jeopardize the state's $22 billion annual tourism industry.

While proponents contend that odds of an oil spill off the state's coast would be low, McMaster said, "That is the same thing they said down in the Gulf where they had the BP spill.”

“Just imagine if the stars lined up the wrong way and we had an oil spill and we had a hurricane or a bad storm at the same time," McMaster said. “That is not something that we should take a chance on. 

"That damage that it would do to our livelihood would be awful. It is just too dangerous.”

Related:Most South Carolina Republicans want offshore oil drilling

Gerisch said she agreed with some of McMaster's comments, but she said experts believe that there are mainly deposits of natural gas, which pose less production-related environmental risks than oil, along the state's coast.

Saying the Bible states that God gave man dominion over the natural world, Gerisch said she wants to see America ends its longstanding dependence on Middle East oil suppliers.

Lt. Gov. Kevin Bryant, a Republican from Anderson who is running against McMaster for governor, said Tuesday he supports offshore energy exploration, a process that he said would not endanger the state's tourism industry.

"We need to explore and see what we have," Bryant said.

A Winthrop Poll conducted last month found 51 percent of state residents and 54 percent of those living in coastal counties oppose drilling for oil off the state's coast.

Two other Republicans running for governor, Greenville businessman John Warren and Charleston attorney Catherine Templeton, said Tuesday that they oppose energy exploration and drilling in the state's coastal waters.

"Tourism is South Carolina’s largest economic driver, and it is imperative that we listen to those who would be most impacted by offshore drilling along the coast," Warren said in a statement issued by his campaign. "With expanded energy exploration in Alaska and other places, there is no need for drilling off South Carolina’s coast."

In a statement issued by her campaign, Templeton said although she supports Trump's energy plan, she believes "drilling should be conducted in areas that contain larger deposits of oil and natural gas than are found off South Carolina’s coast." 

McMaster's appearance at Concord Community Church in Anderson on Monday came after a busy day of campaigning in Greenville that included a speech to Upstate Republican Women, an event with business leaders and a quick stop at Furman University.

OPINION:It's time to forever ban offshore drilling

In Anderson, McMaster spoke at length about his views on faith.

"One of the main problems we have today is we have liberal viewpoints seeping into — I hate to say it — our children, and the colleges and the young people. They are not learning the things that are necessary for them to know," he said. "And one thing that we know has happened is there is a movement to try to take God out of the schools, to take God out of the public arena. It is not healthy. We have a freedom of religion in this country, and we have to stand up and say so at every opportunity.

“Our belief in God and our strong faith is one thing that is an important part of who we are as South Carolinians, and we must do everything we can to see that doesn’t change.”

Follow Kirk Brown on Twitter @KirkBrown_AIM and email him at kirk.brown@independentmail.com