Gov. takes aim at offshore drilling

WHEN IT comes to offshore drilling, what’s good enough for Florida should be good enough for New York State.

Gov. Cuomo announced plans Friday for his “Save the Waters” bill, aimed at sparing his home state from the economic and ecological threats of companies drilling for oil or gas.

“We have to do everything we can to stop offshore drilling,” the governor declared. “It is just an unacceptable risk. It is that simple. And it defies common sense.”

The bill would accomplish three things: Prohibit oil or gas exploration and production in New York waters; ban construction of any oil or gas pipelines on state shorelines; and bar transportation of oil taken from New York waters anywhere inside the state.

The state Assembly and Senate would need to pass the legislation before Cuomo could sign it into law.

In January, the Trump administration announced plans to make virtually all offshore federal waters open for oil and gas drilling.