December 20th, 2018 by WCBC Radio

WBAL reports that Governor  Larry Hogan on Thursday said Maryland will sue to prevent seismic testing for offshore oil exploration off Maryland's coast. “As governor, I take my role as a steward of our environment extremely seriously. We have made incredible progress in improving our air and water quality standards, and we are not going to let misguided policies from the federal government jeopardize our hard work,” Hogan said in a statement. “Maryland will continue to fight against this sort of federal government overreach that threatens our natural resources and coastal communities.”

Attorney General Brian Frosh will represent the Maryland Department of Natural Resources in a multi-state suit filed in South Carolina against the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. In a January letter, Hogan previously directed Frosh to pursue any viable legal actions against the federal government to prevent drilling off the coast.

"Maryland remains steadfast in its opposition to offshore oil and gas development and exploration in the Atlantic Ocean due to the fact that it unnecessarily endangers marine life and water quality, and exposes our communities and commerce to harm,” Natural Resources Secretary Mark Belton said. “We strongly believe that these actions by the federal government pose greater risk than we are willing to assume in the backyard of one of our nation's most iconic natural places – the Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal Bays."

In January, the Trump administration promised Florida that offshore drilling wouldn't be expanded there, which prompted other states to request the same treatment.