Gov. Andrew Cuomo was surrounded Monday by musician Billy Joel and Nassau and Suffolk officials as he signed a bill to protect New York waterways.

"No how, no way are you going to drill off the coast of Long Island and New York," Cuomo says. "It's not gonna happen as long as we are in charge of this state."

The new law, sponsored by state Sen. Toddy Kaminsky and state Assemblyman Steve Englebright, prevents offshore drilling in New York waters and makes it difficult to pipe in oil drilled in international waters.

It's designed to stop the federal government's efforts to increase offshore drilling, especially on the East Coast. Although the secretary of the interior has recently backed off on drilling plans, Cuomo says the law is needed.

Joel, who has sung extensively about New York's water, sat right next to Cuomo as the governor signed the bill.

Environmentalists call the law an example for other states to follow.

The American Petroleum Institute tells News 12 in a statement that offshore drilling could create new jobs for New Yorkers, secure critical energy supplies and bolster energy security by lowering the U.S. reliance on imported energy resources. It says of Cuomo, "His actions against the use of clean natural gas and the development of energy infrastructure coupled with today’s ban on offshore energy production could compound the existing energy access problem throughout New York and New England that is already harming consumers."