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Natural Awakenings Northwest Florida

New Oil Drilling Proposed off Florida Coast

Due to mounting pressures from Republican-led states and the oil sector, the Biden administration released a proposal for additional offshore oil and gas development, over a five year period, on July 1. The proposal comes only a day after the expiration of a congressional moratorium on June 30, which had protected part of the Gulf of Mexico from new drilling since 2006. 


The plan suspends drilling in the Pacific and Atlantic within U.S. waters, but proposes 11 new leases for offshore drilling in the Gulf and the south coast of Alaska. 


The Department of the Interior is calling for a public comment period for the next three months, so American citizens can make their opinions known about the proposal by contacting their state representatives. 

Christian Wagley at Healthy Gulf, a nonprofit organization working to protect the Gulf and its communities, is advocating for all Floridians to call and request that their senators—Marco Rubio, Matt Gaetz and Rick Scott—reject the proposal, and pass a permanent resolution to protect the Gulf Coast. 


“Any drilling in the eastern Gulf puts Florida’s beaches, tourism industry, military bases and quality of life at great risk,” says Wagley. “Passing a permanent moratorium would best protect our white sand and emerald waters from the dirty and dangerous pipelines and routine spills that foul the waters of other Gulf states.”


For more information or questions, please call Florida-Alabama Coastal Organizer Christian Wagley at 850.687.9968 or C[email protected].
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