Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker and all 11 members of the state’s congressional delegation urged the Trump administration this week to back away from its plan to open new areas off the United States’ East Coast to oil and gas drilling. 

Baker, a Republican, joined Massachusetts congressional Democrats in calling on Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke to not include Massachusetts waters in the administration’s five-year drilling plan, which seeks to open areas from Florida to Maine for oil and gas exploration purposes, in a Tuesday letter. 

Noting that the North Atlantic has largely not been eligible for oil and gas drilling for more than 30 years, Baker and Massachusetts congressional lawmakers said they “unequivocally” oppose efforts to open the area up for such exploration, as proposed in the administration’s National Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing program for 2019 to 2024.