At last we have a Congressman for St. Johns County who is AGAINST offshore oil drilling. Thank you, Rep. John Rutherford (R-6).
This comes after years of being MISrepresented by U.S. JOHN LUIGI MICA (R-Big Oil), whose brother DAVID MICA is Florida's chief lobbyist for Big Oil, and then barely represented by the man who is now Florida Governor, and improving Florida's environmental law outlook, RONALD DION DeSANTIS, but of whom it was once said that the most dangerous place in D.C. and Florida was between him and a TV news camera.
From Sunday, April 28, 2019 Florida Times-Union:
Guest Column: Drilling off the coast is not worth the risk
By U.S. Rep. John Rutherford
Posted Apr 28, 2019 at 2:01 AM
Rep. John Rutherford▲
Last November, a state constitutional amendment to ban offshore drilling in state waters earned nearly 70 percent support, sending a strong message from Florida voters that they oppose opening Florida's coasts to drilling.
But the federal waters off our coasts remain in jeopardy.
Recent actions by the federal government indicate a desire to open up Florida's Gulf Coast and South Atlantic to exploration and drilling. Currently, the administration has under consideration a new five-year drilling plan with no guarantees that Florida would be exempt. And five seismic testing permits pending final approval would allow oil and gas exploration only miles off our Northeast Florida coast.
So now is the time to double down on our efforts to keep Florida off limits.
Florida continues to top the list of international travel destinations; our beautiful beaches, white sand and world-class fishing drive more than $100 billion in tourism revenue. Coastal communities and businesses all depend on a healthy marine environment.
While drilling may occur miles offshore, unseemly infrastructure and storage facilities would be required onshore, destroying Florida's natural oceanfront.
Additionally, offshore drilling and exploration could severely impact military readiness and training — ranges in the Gulf and Atlantic allow the military to test cutting-edge munitions and technologies, and drilling and exploration within these training areas would interfere with vital military activities.
Some argue that drilling for oil may create jobs. But at what cost?
The 2010 Deepwater Horizon disaster — which spewed nearly 5 million barrels of oil into the Gulf and spanned thousands of square miles — must not be forgotten.
Birds, marine mammals, fish and turtles were injured and killed. Beaches, marshes and wetlands were soaked in oil — and fisheries were closed. And even though the rig in the Deepwater disaster was off the coast of Louisiana, Florida's economy took a major hit for many months.
The Deepwater disaster continues to serve as a reminder that Florida remains at risk, even when oil rigs are hundreds of miles from shore.
As a pro-business conservative, one of my top priorities is supporting pro-growth policies that keep Florida's economy moving forward.
At a time when America is now a net exporter of oil and our unemployment rate remains the lowest in decades, it would be foolish to support actions that could bankrupt our primary economic drivers.
Our livelihood is at stake, and drilling just isn't worth the risk.
U.S. Rep. John Rutherford represents Florida's 4th Congressional District.
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