Posted on Sun, May. 14, 2006

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THIS WEEK IN THE LEGISLATURE

House eyes offshore gas exploration

By Zane Wilson

The Sun News

COLUMBIA - With offshore oil and gas exploration becoming a hot topic, the House is poised to debate a bill Tuesday that authorizes a study of gas exploration off the state's coast.

Three of the 34 sponsors of the legislation are Horry County lawmakers: Liston Barfield, R-Aynor; Tracy Edge, R-North Myrtle Beach; and Billy Witherspoon, R-Conway.

They are the only sponsors from the coastal counties.

The bill calls for a committee to study the feasibility of natural gas exploration off the state's coast and to report by Jan. 13.

Edge said their sponsorship of the bill doesn't necessarily mean they favor gas exploration.

"I'm just curious. I want to know what's out there," Edge said.

A bill allowing gas exploration, currently banned off the East coast, passed a U.S. House subcommittee last week. U.S. Rep. Henry Brown, R-Hanahan, is among the sponsors of that legislation.

Gov. Mark Sanford said recently he opposes oil and gas exploration off the coast and that alternative energy and conservation means should be exhausted first.

Edge said some people are becoming needlessly worried about the effect of gas exploration along the coast, if it should occur.

"I think a lot of people are under the perception that there will be platforms off the coast and that's not the case," he said.

The bill cites proposals in Congress to offer incentives to states to allow gas exploration, saying the fuel is clean and in high demand.

It also says the coastal counties could use the new income that might be created for tourism management activities such as beach renourishment.

The study would have to take into account the effect on tourism, the environment, fisheries, agriculture and other factors.

Although the deadline has passed for consideration of House bills by the Senate, the measure is presented as a joint resolution of both bodies, which means the Senate can take it up at any time.

How they voted

Most of Horry and Georgetown counties' House members voted with the 90-14 majority to override Sanford's veto of a bill that raised the penalty for improper child restraint in vehicles from $25 to $150.

All except Thad Viers, R-Myrtle Beach, voted to override. Viers was absent from the chamber and did not vote. As for the 31-3 Senate vote, no local members participated. The vote was taken early in the special Monday session and none had yet arrived.

A proposal the House passed last week that removes the 16.8-cent gas sales tax from Oct. 1 to Dec. 31 had the local delegation split over several hours of debate on how to get some money back into residents' pockets.

Rep. Alan Clemmons, R-Myrtle Beach, suggested the proposal as a last-minute addition to the state budget. Sanford supported it.

Edge voted for both the gas tax rebate and an income tax credit, which failed. He said he was interested in any way to get money back to residents.

Nelson Hardwick, R-Surfside Beach, was among those who thought the $100 million-plus budget surplus could be better used on road needs. Carl Anderson, D-Georgetown, and Vida Miller, D-Pawleys Island, voted for proposals to use the money for poor schools.

Viers was absent from the chamber and did not vote on any of the proposals.

This week should also see the appointment of the conference committees to work out final versions of both the state budget and property tax swap bills.

With only three weeks left in the regular session, the committees are expected to work down to the wire. However, legislators can come back later in June if necessary.