Off-shore drilling off our coast?

After decades of debate over off-shore drilling off the West Coast of Florida, the hot button issue is taking center stage once again. Our coastline is part of the allure of life in South Florida. Environmental activists like Andy Brady want to keep the view looking just like it is, "I don't think anyone wants to come to the beaches and step through oil and sludge." But off-shore oil drilling is again on the minds of many. State law says: no open oil drilling off our coast. Many lawmakers want to make it possible for oil wells to go up as close as three miles from our shore, but Senator Dave Aronberg first wants everyone to stop and think. He says, "The goal is to slow down the rush to drill." He and Senator Ted Deutch propose a new panel of economic and energy experts to study the pros and cons next year and craft an off-shore drilling recommendation. Senator Aronberg says, "It's all been about how much revenue we are gonna make. It's not been about consideration of the rift or the fact that our tourism can be devastated."

Not all lawmakers are on board. Representative William Snyder says there is no need for the panel. He says, "Florida must share the responsibility with its sister states in reducing or, if possible, eliminating our country's dependence on foreign oil." Proponents for off-shore oil drilling site national security reasons, gas prices, and billions in revenue, but environmentalists, like the Treasure Coast Surfrider Vice Chair, still say, "If they are going to start drilling, who is going to stop them from drilling anywhere they find an oil supply?"

Aronberg hopes to bring this panel idea up if there is a special session in November. Locations for oil wells haven't been picked out but they could be anywhere including South Florida. Governor Crist has been opposed to offshore drilling, but is now considering it.