Raleigh, N.C. — The North Carolina Mining and Energy Commission would be able to start issuing permits for natural gas drilling in March 2015 under a {{a href="external_link-12093631"}}bill filed Monday by Sens. Buck Newton, R-Wilson, Bob Rucho, R-Mecklenburg, and Andrew Brock, R-Davie.

Currently, the commission is allowed to put rules in place to govern exploration for shale gas but does not have the authority to issue permits.

“We know North Carolina’s abundance of clean and inexpensive natural gas brings the promise for thousands of new jobs,” Newton said in a statement. “Companies will now be able to apply the latest technologies and safety standards to see just how far our resources extend, putting North Carolina on track for a vibrant energy jobs sector.”

The bill also give Gov. Pat McCrory authority to negotiate an interstate compact that would clear the way for offshore drilling.

According to a news release, the bill would also:

• Provide additional resources to the state Department of Environment and Natural Resources for operation of the Mining and Energy Commission.
   
• Replace the state’s Energy Policy Council with an Energy Jobs Council – a 13-member body that includes the secretaries of DENR and Commerce. The council would develop a comprehensive energy plan with a focus on creating new jobs.
   
• Urge the governor to join the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Governors Coalition while also working with the federal government to take steps to amend the federal government’s five-year OCS leasing plan to include North Carolina and allow revenue-sharing to occur for East Coast states.

This is similar to a 2011 measure that Rucho and fellow senators pushed.