Keep the Sunshine State Safe from Oil Spills

February 10, 2011

A bipartisan group of lawmakers, including former Florida Governor Charlie Crist, joined anti-drilling advocates yesterday in a call for the amending of the Florida Constitution to ban oil drilling in Florida state waters. Part of an effort to safeguard the Sunshine state’s natural resources, tourism industry and coastal economies, such a ban would protect waters approximately three miles into the Atlantic Ocean and 10 miles into the Gulf of Mexico (see map below).

According to the Miami Herald, Crist said, “It just tears at your heart when you think about what happened in the Gulf of Mexico just last spring and summer and the prospect that something like that could happen again even closer to Florida’s shore if we don’t ban this.” An attempt by Crist to put the same measure on last November’s ballot did not meet success.

Politicians aren’t the only ones working to keep Florida waters free of oil drilling. Save our Seas, Beaches and Shores – a coalition of groups including Defenders of Wildlife that are working to protect Florida coasts – has started a petition campaign to allow citizens of the Sunshine state to vote on the issue and amend the state constitution at the November 2012 ballot.

Defenders’ Laurie Macdonald said, “Last summer, we Floridians lived day to day with the threat of oil contaminating our shores. Never again should we allow oil companies to hold our beaches, coastal communities and livelihoods hostage. Florida’s natural treasures are simply too valuable and vulnerable — the people of Florida have a right to vote for their future protection.”