Amidst the evolving political landscape, Winsome Earle-Sears’ past advocacy for offshore drilling in Virginia could gain renewed attention. As a former partner with the American Petroleum Institute, Earle-Sears supported a controversial Trump-era plan that some experts warned could harm Virginia’s fishing and tourism industries, potentially resulting in significant job losses.
The proposal was effectively halted by environmentalists and local activists. However, with Donald Trump returning to office and Earle-Sears now a gubernatorial candidate, the issue might resurface.
In June 2018, Earle-Sears aligned with the American Petroleum Institute’s Explore Offshore Coalition. The coalition aimed to rally support from Black and Hispanic communities for President Trump’s initiative to open new offshore drilling sites from Cape May, New Jersey, to Cape Canaveral, Florida. Earle-Sears penned an op-ed in the Daily Press promoting the plan as a means to create jobs and lower energy costs in Virginia.
“With the exploration and potential for development of offshore energy resources, Virginia could gain 25,000 jobs, many with an average salary of $116,000 — more than double the commonwealth’s average,” Earle-Sears claimed in her article.
However, the op-ed did not disclose her association with the American Petroleum Institute, the leading lobby for the oil and gas sector, nor did it substantiate her job and economic projections, which mirrored data from various American Petroleum Institute publications, including other op-eds by Explore Offshore Coalition affiliates.
Environmental organizations contested the assertions made by Earle-Sears and the American Petroleum Institute. A report by the nonprofit Oceana indicated that while offshore drilling expansion might generate jobs, it could endanger millions more. A spill akin to the 2010 Deepwater Horizon disaster could devastate the coastal fishing and tourism sectors for extended periods.
In Virginia, such a spill could jeopardize 46,000 jobs and potentially harm military bases, including the naval station in Norfolk. Additionally, the benefits of offshore drilling might be short-lived, as it would only satisfy oil demand for two years.
In 2018, Oceana and other groups like the Sierra Club filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration, arguing that seismic testing permits for offshore exploration breached the Marine Mammal Protection Act, the Endangered Species Act, and the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). Although the lawsuit did not proceed to a court ruling, it contributed to delays and increased resistance to offshore drilling. That year, 20 localities in Virginia formally opposed the plan, and the Democrats’ success in the 2018 midterms further stalled the initiative.
In April, Trump instructed the Interior Department to gather public feedback on a new five-year offshore drilling strategy, following his revocation of President Joe Biden’s ban on offshore drilling in parts of the Atlantic and Pacific.
Earle-Sears has not commented on the prospect of renewed offshore drilling in Virginia. Her Democratic challenger, former Rep. Abigail Spanberger, has expressed opposition on her campaign website, emphasizing her legislative efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and protect Virginia’s coastline and natural resources.
A 2024 Ipsos poll for Oceana showed that 64% of registered voters support safeguarding coastlines from offshore drilling, with 63% advocating for a shift to renewable energy sources.
Representatives for Earle-Sears did not respond to inquiries regarding this matter.
