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STOP DRILLING
OFF FLORIDA COASTS!
Please help protect the Florida economy and Florida coasts!
Timing is crucial!
The budget for fiscal year 2006 for the federal government
should have been finalized by October 1 (when FY 2006 began). Instead, Congress
passed a "continuing resolution" to keep the government running until November
18, while the Senate and House of Representatives work out their differences in
this regard.
The issue of drilling in the eastern Gulf of Mexico is now part of
the budget reconciliation process and it will come up for a vote within the next
two weeks. | |
-- AND KEEP
CAMPAIGN PROMISES!
As a candidate last fall, Katherine Harris promised that she would oppose all oil and gas
drilling of Florida coasts. Now she is waffling and is reported
to be "undecided" on the issue.
Please tell Congresswoman Harris to oppose drilling in
the eastern Gulf of Mexico -- and to keep her campaign promises.
Click here to
Email Congresswoman Katherine Harris or call her Washington, Bradenton or
Sarasota Offices at 202-225-5015, 941-749-5310 or
941-951-2972.
By contrast, both Florida Senators have remained steadfast in their
opposition to offshore drilling. Their position would, however,
be strengthened by a show of support from constituents.
Consequently, please also click to Email Senator Bill Nelson and
Email Senator Mel
Martinez
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Last Wednesday, October 26, the House Committee on Resources approved a budget
reconciliation package that would allow federal authorization of drilling as
close as 125 miles off the coast of Florida in exchange for giving the state
legislature and governor control of waters closer to shore. The offshore
drilling proposal, part of a bill called the Ocean States Options Act of 2005
(OSOA), would also permit drilling in much of Lease-Sale Area 181, a tract 213
miles off the coast of Tampa Bay. In addition, it provides for opening up the
northern coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) to energy
production. After 23 years of moratorium, the first of several federal bans on
drilling in the eastern Gulf is set to run out in 2007, with the rest expiring
in 2012.
Particularly since hurricane Katrina, we are all too aware of rising gas prices,
and there is no question that this country must take measures to control energy
costs. Studies have, however, found that there is relatively little oil in the
eastern Gulf of Mexico and that drilling in the area will make no appreciable
difference in high gas prices or our current foreign oil dependency.
Jeopardizing the tourist-driven Florida economy and environmental resources for
only marginal returns is not worth the risk, as well as being bad public policy.
Moreover, Air Force and Navy memoranda have warned that offshore drilling in the
eastern Gulf could interfere with military training and weapons testing in the
area, which military uses are expected to increase in the future.
Since the United States has only about 3 percent of world oil reserves, there is
no way we can drill our way out of the current energy crisis. Instead, Congress should
direct its attention to developing alternative fuels. In
addition, increasing corporate
average fuel economy ("CAFE") standards for motor vehicles by nine miles-per-gallon would
save the United States about a fourth of all the oil currently imported. There are also
many ways in which industry and the American public can improve in conserving existing
energy resources. All of these measures are fully consistent with continuing to protect
the strong economy of Florida, our unique environmental resources, and the military
training sites off our coasts.
We can make difference! Again, please contact your representatives in Congress to
urge them to oppose drilling off Florida coasts and protect our economy and environment.
Thanks, 
P.S. For further information on this and other issues, please see our website at
www.VoteJan.com. To support our campaign, please click here to Contribute.
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