Attorney General Alan Wilson is suing to block seismic oil testing and offshore drilling.

At stake are 445,398 people’s jobs and $13.5 billion in annual tourism.

The attorney general is joining a lawsuit against the federal government filed by 16 SC cities and towns and the state Small Business Chamber of Commerce.

“Once again the federal government seeks to intrude upon the sovereignty of the state,” Wilson said. “Such action puts our state’s economy, tourism and beautiful natural resources at risk.

“We understand the need to have a long-term, reliable energy supply. However, any comprehensive energy strategy must comply with the rule of law,” he said.

“While oil and gas exploration could bring in billions of dollars, doing it without adequate study and precautions could end up costing billions of dollars and cause irreversible damage to our economy and coast.”

The federal government plans to authorize use seismic airguns to explore and evaluate thousands of square miles off the state’s coast looking for potential oil and gas reserves beneath the ocean floor.

If reserves are found, offshore oil or gas drilling would follow.

Seismic testing could have a huge effect on South Carolina’s tourism economy, Wilson said.

Horry, Georgetown, Charleston, and Beaufort counties generate more than $13.5 billion in tourism a year.

From 2007 to 2014, the economic value of coastal businesses grew from $37 billion to $44 billion, according to the most recent National Ocean Economic Program report.

In the same time, the area gained 12,000 jobs from 433,183 to 445,398 jobs.

Total payroll also grew from $14.6 billion to $17.2 billion.

“This economic growth is reliant on a vibrant and healthy marine ecosystem, Wilson said.

The geophysical surveys involve blasting acoustic pulses at the ocean floor about every 10 seconds, 24 hours a day, for months at a time.

The extreme noise can be heard for up to thousands of miles.

The lawsuit argues that the seismic testing could destroy coastal fishing industries, irreparably harm marine life and the communities that rely on it.

Testing would also violate the federal Marine Mammal Protection Act, the Endangered Species Act, the National Environmental Policy Act, and the Administrative Procedures Act.

The attorney general and the other plaintiffs want a federal judge to prohibit seismic air gun surveys as they violate federal laws.

The suit says an objective, comprehensive study of the impact of the testing on the environment and economy is needed.

“We are challenging the legality of the federal government authorizing testing and drilling off South Carolina’s coast,” Wilson said.