Industry boosters and legislators honored the concept in a meeting of the House Policy Council, calling it potentially lucrative for an economically dejected state and a required step toward energy independence.
Environmentalists were angered at the prospect of drilling so close to Florida’s popular and environmentally sensitive coast and at Cannon’s unexpected effort to undo the state’s drilling law during the chaotic last days of a session focused on a budget crisis.
This bill represents pure insanity, said Frank Jackalone, staff director for Sierra Club in Florida.
The session is set to close in the coming week, leaving little time for debate among House members and for the Senate to craft a companion bill. Though not backing off from fighting the proposal, environmentalists predicted Governor, Charlie Crist would reject the legislation.
There will be ample time to debate this provision, Cannon said after representatives voted to pass the issue on to the rest of House members.
Sen. Jim King, a Jacksonville Republican, is sponsoring Crist’s energy bill limiting electric-utility emissions — and that would likely be a bargaining chip for the House oil-drilling plan.
Few environmental issues in Florida can stimulate such a wide range of activists.
Rank-and-file environmentalists, tourism supporters, anglers, beachgoers and an assortment of politicians have joined to fight past drilling proposals.
Even while the newest version was debated Tuesday, US Senator, Bill Nelson condemned legislators for discouraging efforts to keep rigs away.
It’s unbelievable, said Nelson, who blamed oil companies for not letting up in their quest for profit in Florida waters.
Florida waters stretch 10 miles into the Gulf, where federal jurisdiction takes over.
Nelson and US Senator, Mel Martinez were instrumental in a federal move in 2006 to open a huge expanse of the Gulf of Mexico to drilling but still maintain rigs away from the portion south of Florida.
Now, federal rules restrict drilling to 125 miles off Florida’s coast, south of Pensacola.
