A.G. Gancarski
So much for the “partner in the White House.”
Gov. Rick Scott enjoyed lunch with President Donald Trump on New Year’s Eve, but Scott is finding President Trump’s position on offshore oil drilling hard to digest.
“Based on media reports, it is likely that the Department of the Interior will consider Florida as a potential state for offshore oil drilling – which is something I oppose in Florida,” Scott said.
“I have already asked to immediately meet with Secretary Zinke to discuss the concerns I have with this plan and the crucial need to remove Florida from consideration,” Scott added.
“My top priority is to ensure that Florida’s natural resources are protected, which is why I proposed $1.7 billion for the environment in this year’s budget,” Scott continued.
At Thursday’s White House briefing, Sarah Huckabee Sanders said that the President wasn’t all that worried about Scott’s opposition to the proposal.
“Our goal certainly isn’t to cross Gov. Scott. We have a great relationship with him. We’re going to continue working with him on a number of issues. Just because we may differ on issues from time to time doesn’t mean we don’t have an incredibly strong relationship. We’ll continue those conversations with him,” Sanders said.
We have reached out to Gov. Scott for comments on this seeming dismissal of his position.
Scott joins his likely opponent in this year’s Senate race, Democratic incumbent Bill Nelson, in opposing the expansion of offshore drilling proposed by the Trump White House.
“This plan is an assault on Florida’s economy, our national security, the will of the public and the environment. This proposal defies all common sense and I will do everything I can to defeat it.”
Sen. Marco Rubio also opposes expansion of drilling.
“I have long supported the moratorium in the Eastern Gulf of Mexico, which is not slated to expire until 2022, and introduced legislation to extend the moratorium until 2027. As the Department of Interior works to finalize their draft plan, I urge Secretary Zinke to recognize the Florida Congressional delegation’s bipartisan efforts to maintain and extend the moratorium in the Eastern Gulf of Mexico, and remove this area for future planning purposes,” Rubio said.
Time is of the essence.
The Washington Examiner reports that Interior Secretary Zinke seeks to roll out a plan starting in 2019 that would allow the most ambitious offshore drilling program ever.
Florida politicians may oppose it. But does the White House care?
One comment
Tom in Fla
January 5, 2018 at 10:35 am
We are fortunate as Floridians to have a tourist economy that pays a lot of freight (ie we have no state income tax and hopefully never will). However, much of that tourist revenue is dependent on reasonable gasoline prices. If the price of gasoline was to double, Uncle Fred and Aunt Emma from Tippecanoe Indiana are not as likely to throw the kids in the mini-van and drive to Florida and spend a small fortune at the theme parks, attractions and hotels (and pay the associated tourist taxes :). IMO its unrealistic to expect energy to be harvested in every other part of the country except ours. (it has to come from somewhere) . Obviously, nobody wants a dirty environment or polluted beaches. The BP oil spill that everyone sites is the reason not to harvest our energy, had a assignable cause and corrective action. (remember it was the first off-shore spill since the 70s) . ie the risk is low (and there is no such thing as zero risk) . If the economy can grow due in part to low cost gasoline, Florida has a great future.
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