It's academic now, but is there any doubt that they will eventually drill on the former Coastal Petroleum Leases?:
PalmBeachPost.com
House beats back two proposals to allow drilling near Fla. coastline
By Larry Lipman
Palm Beach Post Washington Bureau
Friday, May 19, 2006
WASHINGTON — The House defeated two proposals Thursday that would have ended a quarter-century of congressional bans on offshore oil and gas drilling.
The action came as the House considered a $25.9 billion bill to pay for the Interior Department, the Environmental Protection Agency and related government programs.
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With gasoline and natural gas prices skyrocketing, proponents of the drilling measures argued that the United States was handcuffing itself from meeting the nation's demand for energy. But opponents argued that provisions would harm the environment and economy of the coastal states without lowering prices at the pumps.
"We are the only country in the world that has locked up its Outer Continental Shelf... from three miles to 200 miles," said Rep. John Peterson, R-Pa., who sponsored a provision in the bill that would have ended the ban of natural gas drilling.
That would have allowed gas drilling within 3 miles of the Atlantic and Pacific coasts and 9 miles from Florida's Gulf coast, but House members removed the provision on a 217-203 vote.
Rep. Jim Davis, D-Tampa, who is running for governor, argued that Florida's beaches "are a national treasure," and that environmental damage from drilling could jeopardize tens of thousands of Florida jobs.
Rep. Katherine Harris, R-Longboat Key, who is running for the Senate, said there was "no doubt that high energy prices pose a serious challenge," but that the drilling proposal would "not provide long-term relief."
Peterson argued that natural gas "is the mother's milk of everything we make in this country," and said that high gas prices are jeopardizing millions of industrial and agricultural jobs.
"There has never been a gas well that has polluted a beach," Peterson said.
But several lawmakers argued that it is impractical to drill for natural gas without also striking oil and that 80 percent of the natural gas reserves already are subject to drilling.
Rep. Adam Putnam, R-Lakeland who led the fight against Peterson's amendment, said Congress should consider the offshore drilling issue in a comprehensive energy bill, rather than in a spending bill for government agencies.
The only Floridians who broke with the delegation were Rep. David Weldon, R-Melbourne, and Rep. John Mica, R-Winter Park, who said his colleagues' opposition was politically motivated and ignored Florida's growing need for natural gas to fuel its electric generating plants.
"We have the technology to drill safely and in an environmentally sound manner," Mica said, noting that China and Cuba plan to drill in the Florida Straits. "They'll be getting oil and gas, the American people and Floridians will be getting the shaft."
Earlier Thursday, the House rejected 279-141 a more sweeping amendment by Rep. Ted Poe, R-Texas, to allow oil and gas drilling.
"The American people are demanding action. They want cheaper gasoline, and yet we refuse to take care of ourselves," Poe said. "We can't have it both ways — cheap gasoline and refuse to drill offshore. It seems to me to be somewhat hypocritical."
But coastal lawmakers argued it would take at least seven years to begin producing petroleum once drilling was allowed so the proposal would not have any effect on current gasoline prices.
Rep. Mark Foley, R-Fort Pierce, said the Gulf of Mexico has been referred to as "hurricane alley," because of the large number of devastating hurricanes that have roared through the area in recent years.
Noting that the gulf produces roughly 25 percent of the nation's natural gas resources, Foley said 75 percent of that production was knocked out immediately after Hurricane Katrina last year and 13 percent is still out of service
"So, it begs the question: Why would you put more rigs in a vulnerable place?" Foley asked.
The overall bill was approved 293-128 and sent to the Senate.
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