Alabama is no stranger to oil and gas drilling in the Gulf of Mexico. For the better part of three decades, there have been drilling rigs just off Alabama’s coast, visible from our most pristine beaches.

Our state agreed to the drilling in our territorial waters because of the energy they provide and the revenue it would generate for Alabama. The Alabama Trust Fund, a $2.7 billion state savings account for the royalties from these offshore wells, generates much needed revenue from interest payments. Those funds are used for things like the prison system, public health programs and child protection services.