FL Delegation Unites in Opposition to Drilling Plans

 

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congressman Jim Davis, joined by 20 of his Florida Delegation colleagues, sent a letter to U.S. Department of Interior Secretary Gale Norton expressing strong opposition to the Department’s recently released five year plan for drilling activities in the Eastern Gulf of Mexico.

 

The plan severely limits Florida’s ability to object to proposed drilling projects in the Gulf of Mexico by altering state water boundaries in the Gulf.  Under the plan, the Department will consult officials from Louisiana and Alabama, states that support drilling, regarding projects in millions of acres of waters which once were considered solely under Florida’s jurisdiction.  The new boundaries come as close as 16 miles off of Florida’s coasts. 

 

Furthermore, the five year plan opens to drilling a large chunk of Lease Sale 181, which the delegation successfully fought to protect just a few years ago.

 

“This Administration is attempting to cut Floridians out of the discussion about drilling off of our coasts,” said Congressman Jim Davis.  “Florida’s Congressional Delegation will not simply roll over and let them annex the future of our pristine coastline to neighboring states – particularly states whose beaches are marred by tar balls.”

 

Davis is the House sponsor of the Permanent Protection for Florida Act, legislation to permanently shield Florida’s coasts from the hazards of offshore oil and gas drilling.

 

Click here to read the letter to Secretary Norton.