Republicans, Democrats agree on opposing drilling off Florida’s Gulf, Atlantic coasts
In a show of continued opposition to offshore drilling along Florida’s coasts, members of the state’s congressional delegation penned a bipartisan letter to the U.S. Department of the Interior on Monday.
Former DOI Secretary Ryan Zinke said in 2018 that oil drilling in Florida was “off the table” after public and political outcries to a draft proposal from the Trump administration. But a recent report from Politico quoted four inside sources who said that the agency is once again making plans that include oil exploration in the eastern Gulf of Mexico, and that the plans would likely be revealed after the November 2020 election.
A statement from the Interior Department’s press account on Twitter denied the claims, stating: “Current offshore plans do not expire until 2022, and Interior does not plan to issue a new report in November.”
However, the possibility was enough to raise alarms with lawmakers.
A letter signed by 18 congressional representatives of Florida seeks answers about future plans for offshore drilling in the eastern Gulf of Mexico and southern Atlantic Ocean. It also asks whether the department would support a permanent regional ban on the practice that was passed by the House of Representatives last year.
“Despite that vote and the economic and environmental damage left by the BP Deepwater Horizon disaster, it appears that the Department of the Interior is preparing to open the door to oil and gas drilling after the November 2020 election,” the letter states. “As representatives from Florida, we are asking for clarification on DOI’s plans for drilling of the coasts of our state.”
The bill passed by the House, titled the “Protecting and Securing Florida’s Coastline Act,” was created after widespread opposition to offshore drilling from Florida residents, businesses, local governments and environmental organizations. Without such a ban, the prospect of drilling in the Gulf could keep resurfacing.
The bill has not yet seen a vote in the Senate, where Florida senators Marco Rubio and Rick Scott have said they will instead seek a 10-year moratorium on drilling. A current moratorium on drilling in certain areas of the Gulf is set to expire in 2022.
Locally, the cities of Anna Maria, Holmes Beach and Bradenton Beach have passed resolutions opposing offshore drilling, as well as the Manatee County Commission.
Rep. Vern Buchanan, who represents the area, was among the legislators seeking answers from the Interior Department.
“We can never allow another Deepwater Horizon to jeopardize the Suncoast’s economy and environment again,” Buchanan tweeted along with a copy of the letter.
The letter requests a status update on the Interior Department’s proposed 2019-2024 offshore oil and gas drilling program, which is yet to be released, as well as clarification on future plans and a clear stance from the department on drilling off of the coast of Florida.
The letter also cites the amendment passed by Florida voters in 2018 that banned offshore drilling in state waters.
“Here is the objective proof that Floridians recognize the state’s economy depends on a pristine environment, and that offshore drilling threatens Florida’s future,” the letter says.