WASHINGTON (RTWNews) — Florida’s Republican congressional delegation has expressed strong opposition to a plan by the Trump administration that would potentially open the state’s coastal waters to offshore oil drilling for the first time in decades.
A letter endorsed by Senators Rick Scott and Ashley Moody, along with all 28 House representatives from Florida, argued that the Interior Department's proposal poses a risk to Florida’s thriving tourism industry and could disrupt military operations in a vital training area.
“In 2020, you made the correct choice to extend the oil and gas leasing moratorium off Florida’s Gulf and east coasts through 2032. Your recognition of Florida’s pristine coastlines underscores the economic, environmental, and military significance of these regions to our state,” the lawmakers stated in a letter sent to President Trump.
This communication reflects a rare instance of Republican lawmakers challenging the actions of a Republican president, suggesting the immense value that Florida's beaches and coastal waters hold for the state's economy.
The letter did not criticize Trump, particularly since his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach would not be directly impacted by the proposed drilling. Instead, lawmakers complimented Trump for previously imposing a moratorium on drilling in the eastern Gulf of Mexico through 2032 following prior objections from Florida officials.
They emphasized bipartisan support for the moratorium, urging the president to uphold the ban to safeguard Florida's economic interests, environment, and military readiness.
Last month, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum announced a new five-year offshore drilling plan that would include potential drilling operations off both California and Florida coasts for the first time in decades. Critics warn this plan could damage coastal communities and ecosystems, raising concerns as Trump aims to enhance U.S. oil production to assert what he describes as 'energy dominance' in the global market.
The oil industry has been lobbying for access to new offshore locations amid claims that increased drilling could bolster U.S. energy security and create jobs. Federal restrictions on drilling in the eastern Gulf of Mexico have been in place since 1995 due to the risk of oil spills. While California has older offshore rigs, no new leases have been granted since the mid-1980s.
The proposed drilling initiative has sparked bipartisan objections in Florida, with Governor Ron DeSantis’ spokesperson also advocating for reconsideration by the Trump administration.
Senator Scott expressed pride in leading Florida's congressional delegation in urging the president to maintain the commitment to keeping Florida's coasts free from oil drilling.
A spokeswoman for the Interior Department mentioned that they take congressional correspondence seriously but would not comment on specific letters through the media.
Public comments are being accepted by the Interior Department until late January regarding the drilling proposal, which anticipates up to 34 offshore lease sales nationwide by 2031, including 21 in Alaska, seven in the Gulf of Mexico, and six on the Pacific coast.
New drilling operations off Florida's coast are expected to be positioned at least 100 miles from shore in a newly designated South-Central Gulf region, close to existing wells and platforms in the central Gulf of Mexico.
