Will We One Day See Oil Rigs From The Beaches Of Anna Maria Island?
"An amendment adopted by the Florida House Policy Council would allow for oil and natural gas exploration in Florida state waters 3 to 10 miles off shore."
It appears as though the answer to the question, "Will we one day see oil rigs from the beaches of Anna Maria Island?" is clear... PERHAPS!
It was recently reported in the Bradenton Herald that in an attempt to open new revenue streams for the state’s ailing budget, lawmakers voted 17 to 6 in favor of a bill that supports the oil and gas industry and opens Florida state waters to oil and gas exploration.
The House Policy Councel approved an amendment by Rep. Dean Cannon, R-Orlando, that would lift Florida’s ban on oil drilling in state waters and replace it with a plan to allow the governor and Florida Cabinet to seek bidders for exploration and drilling in the Gulf of Mexico between three and 10 miles offshore.
That could mean drilling platforms between three and ten miles of that Anna Maria Island coastline!
Where Wouold The New Revenues Come From For Florida State
New revenues for the state would come from the $1 million "non-refundable" application fee for every bidder and, according to an industry-hired economist, from as much as $1.6 billion in royalties and taxes once the wells produce oil.
Florida Energy Independence and Economic Development
“We’re giving the governor and Cabinet that chance to have that dialogue with no obligation whatsoever,” Cannon said. “But we are taking away the shackles that currently prohibit Florida from not only pursuing energy independence but economic development and security and environmental protection.”
Although the measure has no Senate companion, both the governor and Senate leaders said there may be time to consider it.
Gov. Charlie Crist said he was still reviewing the proposal, but was “intrigued’’ by the potential to extract oil “in a way that is safe, in a way that is clean and in a way that generates a lot of revenue for the state of Florida.”
The Senate’s top budget chief, Sen. J.D. Alexander, said he supports the idea of opening the Gulf to oil exploration. He suggested that the proposal may remain alive because he believes lawmakers may be forced to go past the planned May 1 end of session, giving them time to consider it.
Opposition To An Increase In U.S. Reliance On Oil
Sen. Mike Bennett, R-Bradenton, told the Bradenton Herald his position against more reliance on oil and other countries to supply it has not changed.
“The more holes we punch in the Earth, the longer we are putting off doing the right thing, which is investing in renewable energy,” Bennett said late Tuesday.
Bennett said he is not opposed to offshore drilling for reasons including environmental effects or the potential impact on tourism. Instead, he said he’s concerned about a reliance on oil making the United States rely further on other countries.
“As long as we are dependent on foreign oil, we’re still going to have kids dying in the desert,” he said noting more effort should be made to explore renewable energy. “We’re dependent upon other people for our destiny and we should be in charge of our destiny,” Bennett said.
A More Thoughtful Discussion
On Pursuing Future Oil and Gas Exporation Off The Coast Of Florida
Cannon said he filed the last-minute measure to begin “a mature, thoughtful conversation..." about pursuing future oil and gas exploration. He emphasized there is no guarantee that oil rigs will be positioned off Florida’s coasts and said there is no intent to pursue oil production off Florida’s Atlantic coasts or around Key West.
Environmentist Oppossition To Off Shore Exploration
It was harshly criticized by environmentalists who called it hasty and short-sighted and by Democratic U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, a long-time opponent of drilling off Florida’s coasts. Nelson sent out messages to his Twitter followers saying, “I can’t believe some Florida lawmakers might actually be serious about allowing oil drilling within 10 miles offshore.”
The environmentalists said they were caught off guard by the last-minute emergence of the proposal and urged the council to reject it.
“Please do not allow people who are being compensated most generously to articulate on behalf of the oil industry talk to you about the environmental sensitivity of oil drilling three miles from our coast,” said Debbie Harrison of the World Wildlife Fund.
She said the state’s coastal tourism and marine industries contribute $587 billion to Florida’s economy each year, according to the Florida Oceans Council.
The Florida Energy Associates
Cannon’s lengthy pitch to the committee included a Power Point presentation and handouts with charts and photos, funded by a group named Florida Energy Associates, which refuses to identify its members.
Lewis Sessions, a Dallas-based lawyer who said he represents several independent West Texas oil companies (that he also refused to name), told the committee that last year Texas earned $7 billion from taxes and fees on oil and gas leases and production.
Mason Dixon pollster, Larry Harris, said an April poll on behalf of Florida Energy Associates found that if the public can be convinced oil and gas drilling is environmentally safe, 88 percent support it.
Short of that, 59 percent of the public generally supports it, he said.
Three Billion Gallons Of Oil Off The Coast of Florida
Orlando economist Hank Fishkind told lawmakers that 15-year-old federal estimates indicate there are about 3 billion gallons of oil off Florida’s coast. If 150 million barrels were drilled each year, at a rate of $53 per barrel and 20 percent royalties, the state would earn $31 billion over 20 years, or $1.6 billion a year.
He also predicted that oil and gas production would produce 17,000 to 20,000 jobs.
What do you, the residence of Anna Maria Island think about oil exploration off your shores?
Let us know with your comments please.
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