Here you’ll find out what Senator Nelson is doing about issues that are important to Floridians.
Environment
Offshore Drilling
Senator Nelson has worked consistently to keep offshore drilling away from Florida's coast in order to protect the state's tourism-driven economy, its unique environment and the country's vital military testing and training areas in the Gulf of Mexico.
He blocked Senate drilling legislation until it provided adequate protections for Florida, including a 125-mile buffer off the Panhandle and a 235-mile no-drilling zone off most of the state's west coast. In addition, he was able to obtain written assurances from Senate leaders that they will not allow pro-drilling House members to weaken these important protections.
While the Senate bill adequately protects Florida's interests, Senator Nelson believes the real solution to high gas prices is to conserve energy and continue developing alternative fuels.
Artic National Wildlife Reserve (ANWR)
Sen. Nelson opposes drilling in the Arctic Refuge. The United States has approximately 3 percent of the world's oil reserves, meaning there's no way to drill our way out of the current energy crisis. Instead, we must increase our energy efficiency and develop alternative fuels. Additionally, when the Senate voted last December to open drilling in ANWR, he felt that it was inappropriate to include an ANWR drilling provision in a defense spending bill.
Securing Funds for Florida Conservation Projects
Senator Nelson secured $140 million in 2006 federal funds for Florida conservation projects. This sum includes $137 million for the on-going Everglades Restoration and $3 million to help the state purchase and preserve Babcock Ranch. Babcock Ranch, one of the last pristine wildlife corridors in the state of Florida, is approximately 91,000 acres of forest and swamp land in Charlotte and Lee counties, and is home to many species of wildlife, including the endangered Florida panther. He continues to work for additional conservation money, including pushing the Senate leadership to consider an important bill that would help fund projects to improve the water quality of the Indian, Stuart, and Calooshatchee rivers.
Arsenic in Wood and Drinking Water
Responding to concerns about health risks from arsenic-laced playground wood, Nelson introduced legislation to protect children by banning all arsenic-treated wood products offered for sale in the U.S. Dozens of parks around Florida closed last year because of reports on elevated levels of arsenic in the soil around wooden playground equipment.
Soon after Nelson's push to eliminate arsenic in treated wood, the EPA and the wood-preserving industry agreed to phase out the use of arsenic in residential wood. But industrial uses for CCA weren't included in the phaseout - meaning many workers are still at risk.
Everglades
Superfund
Nelson helped start a five-year study of the health affects of pollutants in the Pensacola area. The city and surrounding area is home to several major Superfund sites. He also is helping Jacksonville with the clean up there of neighborhoods polluted by waste from city incinerators. In south Lake County Nelson is trying to help residents who live near the old Tower Chemical Co. plant, one of the nation's oldest Superfund sites, get water filters to protect them from the chemicals still leaking into the ground.
Tallevast
The Loral American Beryllium Co. plant in Tallevast, Florida, closed in 1996 after 30 years of producing a metal that was used in nuclear weapons, experimental reactors and a variety of other industrial purposes. Exposure to beryllium dust is known to cause a serious lung disorder that can be fatal if untreated. Senator Nelson is working to address the health concerns of former plant workers, as well as area residents. Recently, he persuaded the Department of Energy to expand its health program to include the workers of American Beryllium. Those workers now will be eligible for free beryllium disease health screenings for the rest of their lives.