David Mica: Offshore energy energizes Florida parks

Abundant energy can lead to a pristine environment. As we take time to reflect during this holiday season and enter a new year, what better time to truly appreciate our beautiful state and quality of life. Florida is home to wondrous natural resources delighting our residents and tourists alike: sugar white beaches, springs that support wildlife unique to this area, and natural preserves that are known throughout the world. In addition, Florida has historic locations that have shaped our state’s and country’s destiny: Pre-Columbian archaeological sites, the settlements in St. Augustine and Pensacola, and sites associated with the Seminole War, the Civil War, through to the U.S. space program. Florida is unsurpassed in its quality of life, natural beauty and cultural history.

A concerted effort from local, state, and federal governments has led to the purchase, conservation and in many cases restoration of these treasures, and much of the funding has been provided from the federal Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), which derives its funds from revenues generated from offshore oil and natural gas production. America’s most important conservation program has funneled about $908 million into Florida over the past five decades.

For example, an area where we have been producing oil for more than a half-century — the Big Cypress National Preserve and Everglades National Park areas — has received $30 million in LWCF funding in 2012 alone. In addition, the Florida Everglades Restoration Project has received about $58 million from the LWCF over the last three years to restore the natural flow of water in the Everglades ecosystem.

The LWCF is celebrating its 50th year. Its idea dates back to President Eisenhower, was built upon by President Kennedy, and then enacted into law in 1964 during President Johnson’s administration in a brilliant bipartisan congressional effort. What a “win-win” situation: Americans have access to affordable, reliable energy produced from domestic resources offshore, and our environment and cultural heritage is conserved using the revenues generated from royalties paid by the oil and natural gas industry.

Do not be fooled into thinking these funds are strictly for big projects located elsewhere. More than 98 percent of the counties in the United States have benefitted through the years, with LWCF funds contributing millions to efforts all across Florida and more than 41,000 projects nationwide. You do not have to travel too far from your own neighborhood to find many examples of the LWCF at work in Florida. Check out the National Parks Service site to find projects close to you. Here are just a few from that very long list of our Florida treasures that have received LWCF funds; Apalachicola National Forest, Archie Carr National Wildlife refuge, Canaveral National Seashore, Biscayne National Park, Crystal River national Wildlife Refuge, Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge, Lake Woodruff National Wildlife Refuge, Lower Suwannee National Willie Refuge, National Key Deer Wildlife Refuge, Ocala National Forest, Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge, St Johns National Wildlife Refuge, St Marks National Wildlife refuge and the Osceola National Forest.

When we discuss the energy security, enhanced economy, and job opportunities that come from increased domestic offshore oil and natural gas production, we should also remember the tremendous environmental benefits that we have realized in the past and the potential for the future.

David R. Mica is executive director of the Florida Petroleum Council. Column courtesy of Context Florida.