The House’s drilling proposal ignores the environmental risks of oil & gas drilling:
- As a result of Hurricanes Rita and Katrina, the US Coast Guard reported that more than 9 million gallons (214,286 barrels) of oil were released (not including the 5,000 so-called minor spills recorded). The Exxon-Valdez spill was 240,000 barrels.
- Spills don’t just occur during storms. The US Coast Guard documented 1300 spills from rigs, 1300 spills from pipelines and 2400 spills from storage tanks in 2008 alone.
Why put our coastal economy at risk?
- Florida’s coastal economy generated almost $562B in 2006.
- This coastal economy is dependent upon abundant, healthy natural resources and the pristine beaches tourists expect.
We Have the Solutions to Wean Florida off Dirty Oil and Gas:
- Florida is extremely susceptible to the impacts of global warming, including sea level rise, stronger hurricanes and storm surges, more extreme weather events, droughts, fires, and other impacts that result from our continued dependence on fossil fuels.
- Florida’s future depends on investing in clean, job-creating, renewable energy and clean cars. Support state policy to expand clean, job-creating renewable energy in our state.
This proposal would help oil companies get leases without careful environmental review.
Don’t gamble with the ideals of good government in Florida: transparency, accountability and public participation.
- Making a decision of this magnitude in the last two weeks of session without substantive discussion, squanders the public trust in government in the Sunshine.
The bill sponsors have not even shown how this bill would generate the amount of revenue promised by the oil companies.
- In the absence of time for detailed discussion, the oil companies say “trust us!”
Contact your Senator and tell them, "Don’t vote to gamble with Florida’s future: Vote “No” on nearshore drilling & “Yes” on clean, renewable energy".
Download this fact sheet to pass among friends, family, and other conservation-minded individuals.
