RALEIGH — As he begins a long weekend meeting with the nation's other governors, Pat McCrory announced he's joining another group of state chief executives interested in expanding offshore energy exploration.

McCrory said Friday he's now part of the Outer Continental Shelf Governors Coalition. It's a collection of coastal governors which has supported activities to encourage coastal energy production as part of national energy policy. The group's chairman is Alaska Gov. Sean Parnell.

The governors of Virginia and South Carolina already are in the coalition. The pair along with McCrory wrote last week to Interior Secretary designee Sally Jewell in supporting drilling in mid-Atlantic waters.

McCrory was in Washington on Friday for the National Governors Association winter meetings, which last through Monday.