Florida oil drilling said to be on the table

President Obama and Interior Secretary Ken Salazar will unveil the administration's plans for oil and gas drilling this morning and reports suggests exploration in the Gulf of Mexico 125 miles off Florida's coast are in the mix.

The New York Times says "the eastern Gulf of Mexico tract that would be offered for lease is adjacent to an area that already contains thousands of wells and hundreds of drilling platforms. The eastern Gulf area is believed to contain as much as 3.5 billion barrels of oil and 17 trillion cubic feet of gas, the richest single tract that would be open to drilling under the Obama plan.

"Drilling there has been strongly opposed by officials from both political parties in Alabama and Florida who fear damage to coastlines, fisheries, popular beaches and wildlife. Interior Department officials said no wells would be allowed within 125 miles of the Florida and Alabama coasts, making them invisible from shore."

Obama is hoping to get support for a climate change bill but 10 coastal state Democrats -- including Florida's Bill Nelson who has vehemently opposed oil drilling -- say they won't support a big expansion of drilling.

Comments

[Mr.Roly]

I don't understand some people. They complain all day long that everything is to expensive that our way of life is under threat... yet no one wants to take the necessary steps to make a difference because of the political aftermath. We need to open these areas and others to drilling. Yes Open them! I know it is a short term solution but in order to help curb our appetite for fuel we need to address our current problems. Once we can bring down fuel prices we can ease the necessary changes into place in away that is not going to destroy the economic structure of our country and way of life. America has been oil dependent since the invention of internal combustion engines over 100 years ago. These changes cannot happen overnight. Yes we have ALL enjoyed in our excesses with our huge SUV, Boats and what not, me included. But I think most people nowadays have realized that we just cant keep on consuming and consuming everything on the planet. But until we find true alternative fuels or new technologies to replace our current dependence on Oil "Period" not just foreign oil. We need to ease the current fuel situation which affects everything from the school pencils we buy for our kids to the computer screen you are reading this post on. Everything on this planet that we make and use use is in someway related to the use of fossil fuels such as petroleum. It is used in making the plastics to running the power plants that produce the electricity for the company that makes the pencils and plastics. Everything is tied in together. We need to drill now to fix the problems of the future. We cannot expect these problems to go away over night and yes I am aware there are environmental concerns but we need to step up to the plate and deal with those concerns. If not countries such as China and Korea that really don't care much about environmental issues are going to walk all over us. You can debate this for an eternity and argue the pros and cons. But, in the end the longer we take to make a decision the longer it will take to make a difference.

[Freetruth]

Oil rigs are great artificial reefs that provide a wonderful environment for ocean wildlife. The sandy bottom of the Gulf of Mexico needs all the help it can get. The more the merrier.

[Toni]

Wow! The marxists also known as democrats said that Bush was in the pocketts of big oil. What are they going to say now that their masters are talking about drilling in the gulf?

[Leon Lowry]

All those who were chanting "drill baby drill" (the same people who chanted "stop the vote, stop the vote") should be very pleased. Now they can be happy about the inexpensive fuel we'll be enjoying when Florida is ringed by rigs.

[Rodoli]

The fact of the matter is oil will eventually cease because there are only so many oil wells we can tap into. With this in mind, why isn't the Obama administration focusing harder on gasoline alternatives?

If you know something is going to run out, why would you even consider that option? What's the trade off to drilling off Florida's beautiful coast? Destroying the beaches (one of our main tourists attractions, and wildlife. And for what? So, that in a couple of years they tell us, "Well, we have exhausted our oil resources and we need some alternatives." In the words of Edwards Deming, "Efficiency is doing something right the first time."

[Wizard]

whoa! didn't this guy and his clown vice-president made fun of McCain and Palin during campaign last 2008 for floating this idea of drilling off the coast of Florida? Man o Man, aint most Democrats singing same tune as this lying man around that time? They accused McCain of being an environmental terrorist???? Who's the terrorist now?

[Wizard]

Obama was supposed to be the president who's going to shake up Washington, he was not going to let lobbyist change his mind about tapping America's alternative fuel resources....... and then he got elected and found out how powerful the oil cartel and their lobbyist really are. So just like his predecessor he gave in to the STATUS QUO.... there's the CHANGE ya'll voted for.

[Typical Tea Party Moron]

I have always said DRILL BABY DRILL but because this socialist who was not born in the United States is in favor of drilling, I am against it.

[Dave4337]

Have you been Scammed this week. GO report it and warn others at http://www.WhoScammedYou.com

[FLPD]

I'm glad he's following Sarah Palin's orders to "Drill baby, drill!"

[Cane75]

It's the right thing to do, at 125 miles out you couldn't even see the darn things with a powerful telescope. Given the Gulf of Mexico currents, even the rigs around Louisiana and Texas could affect Florida beaches, which they haven't and been there for decades. The only laughable thing is another Obama turn around and agreement on Bush strategies.

[Andi]

Drilling approved now would take years to have rigs to begin, so it won't lower energy price (by increasing supply) and improve our economy. The domestic reserves in these areas only 3 percent of untapped global reserves.

Facts to back that up: http://www.cleanenergy.org/index.php?/Learn-About-Detail.html?form_id=52&item_id=56

Legislation that concentrates investments in renewable power only will do more to get us off foreign oil dependence, expand small businesses (because oil incentives only benefit a handful of big companies) and more jobs are created in the renewable energy sector per dollar as compared to the fossil fuel sector.

Facts to back that up:

http://www.heatisonline.org/contentserver/objecthandlers/index.cfm?ID=4637&Method=Full&PageCall=&Title=Renewable%20Jobs%20Far%20Outstrip%20Fossil%20Fuel%20Employment&Cache=False