We’re monitoring some very disturbing developments in Washington that could lead to offshore oil drilling in the eastern Gulf of Mexico directly off the Florida Keys and our beaches.
This threat is very real and we need your help to stop it.
We’re monitoring some very disturbing developments in Washington that could lead to offshore oil drilling in the eastern Gulf of Mexico directly off the Florida Keys and our beaches. In addition to routine water and air pollution from offshore drilling activity, another catastrophe like the BP oil spill (it’s a matter of when not if) would absolutely devastate our precious marine life, fragile coast, and tourism and fishing dependent economy. It’s. Simply. Not. Worth. It.
This threat is very real and we need your help to stop it.
The gist is this: some Florida Republican congressmen may be caving under pressure from Big Oil, Donald Trump, and their allies in Congress to allow our current ban on offshore drilling in the eastern Gulf of Mexico to expire in 2022. Their only concession would be that the Department of Defense could restrict some of the areas in our Gulf waters from drilling to protect them for military use.
In order to continue protecting our oceans, coastline and the economic livelihoods and coastal communities they support we must renew our current ban on offshore drilling that expires in 2022. But right now some Congressional leaders are wheeling and dealing with lawmakers behind closed doors to block efforts by U.S. Sen. Nelson and others to keep in place the ban on oil rigs off Florida’s gulf coast.
We are very concerned some of Florida’s Republican congressional members including Matt Gaetz (Fort Walton Beach), Neal Dunn (Panama City), Daniel Webster (Orlando), Gus Bilirakis (Palm Harbor), Tom Rooney (Okeechobee) and Mario Diaz-Balart (Miami) could be susceptible to compromise on this critical issue. This would likely create a domino effect with other members of Florida’s congressional delegation to follow.
Thank you for taking action against offshore drilling today and helping protect Florida’s coastal waters, beaches, and economy for tomorrow.