Rick Karlin is reporting for the Times Union Gov. Andrew Cuomo has requested that U.S. Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke exempt New York from President Donald Trump’s recent decision to open off-shore areas of coastal states to oil drilling. While Trump said he would reverse an Obama-era ban on coastal drilling, Zinke said he was exempting Florida, saying Floridians made a strong case for continuing a drilling ban. The idea of off-shore drilling is unpopular in coastal states because of the fear that potential spills could cause ecological harm and damage tourism in coastal areas. Read Cuomo's full letter to Zinke at times union [dot] com.