Thirty-six days after the Deepwater Horizon explosion, Senate President Mike Haridopolos reversed himself on oil drilling said the legislature wouldn't be pursuing oil drilling anytime soon. "At the very minimum, we are going to permanently table this issue. This is a game changer,'' he told the Herald/Times. "Something like this has never been happened in my lifetime. We're not focused on politics, like some people are.''
Now that President Obama has reversed himself and said he will extend the ban on oil drilling off Florida's coasts, including the Eastern Gulf of Mexico, Atlantic and Pacific oceans, instead of ending it, Haridopolos is calling him a flip-flopper. In another apparent change of heart, Haridopolos appears to want to leave the door open to drilling within seven years.
Here's the Senate president's statement:
“Extending the ban will also do nothing to lessen America’s dependency on foreign oil.”
“While now is not the time to open up new drilling because of this summer’s Gulf oil spill, taking it off-the-table is irresponsible. We must ensure that innovative technology guarantees safe drilling and would not impact Florida’s environment or tourism industry. When safe drilling is available, we have an obligation to provide for the long-term economic well-being of our country and state.”
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