Tim Charters, Staff Director for the U.S. House Natural Resources Committee (Right) speaks about South Carolina's potential offshore resources as Horry County Council Chairman Gary Loftus (Left), NOIA President Randall Luthi (Middle), and Jen Banks of the Southeastern Coastal Wind Coalition (Middle) listen at the recent South Carolina Energy & Opportunity Forum.
Tim Charters, Staff Director for the U.S. House Natural Resources Committee (Right) speaks about South Carolina’s potential offshore resources as Horry County Council Chairman Gary Loftus (Left), NOIA President Randall Luthi (Middle), and Jen Banks of the Southeastern Coastal Wind Coalition (Middle) listen at the recent South Carolina Energy & Opportunity Forum.

Over 200 stakeholders came together last week – including representatives from the offshore energy industry, federal, state and local elected officials, and the general public – for a several hour long discussion of the merits of offshore energy development for the state of South Carolina.

In between speeches by former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich, Rep. Tom Rice and SC State Rep. Alan Clemmons, there were three stakeholder panels, focused respectively on potential resources and process development, safety and environmental protection, and the potential economic benefits of offshore development.