Peter Schorsch
Let’s give credit where credit is due: The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) — finally, and after an embarrassing court defeat — announced it would deny a request to drill an exploratory oil well in the Apalachicola River basin.
This isn’t just a win for the river. It’s a win for common sense, and for everyone who still believes the word “conservation” means something in the state of Florida.
But here’s the catch: This decision can still be appealed. And, crucially, it applies to just one permit. In December, DEP quietly transferred a handful of other permits related to drilling pads and roads to the very same out-of-state company. In other words, the oil men could still punch wells in the Apalachicola River Basin, if they again got DEP’s blessing.
That means that this ruling should not — repeat, not — be used as an excuse for Gov. Ron DeSantis to veto HB 1143. It should make signing the bill an even easier call. Because DEP clearly needs some guidance.
The locals understand this well. Hours after the DEP announcement, a crowd of 200 — including the Franklin County Sheriff — rallied in Apalachicola to make it clear that the legislation is still needed. Many expressed their confidence in the Governor.
The community knows the truth: The only reason DEP ultimately turned around is that local business and conservation leaders forced the issue. They challenged a flawed permit. They demanded a hearing. And it took a Judge to lay out what DEP should’ve recognized in the first place: that drilling in one of the world’s most ecologically significant floodplains could have, in his words, “catastrophic consequences.”
Let’s be real: DEP initially endorsed this proposal. And without outside intervention, we could be looking at dangerous exploratory drilling in a fragile, flood-prone area that serves as the very lifeblood of the Apalachicola River system.
The Legislature stepped in, unanimously passing HB 1143 — not only in case DEP maintained its support for drilling its position, but because it supported it in the first place. DEP’s reversal makes the case for the bill.
HB 1143 says loud and clear: In Florida, we take seriously our responsibility to protect the jobs and businesses attached to our natural resources. From tourism to fishing, to the highly threatened oyster industry, the Apalachicola River basin is a state treasure in every way imaginable. And if the Governor is serious about leading with Florida-first values — and he has proven himself as a champion of Everglades protection, water quality and the restoration of Apalachicola Bay itself — then allowing this bill to become law will be a no-brainer.
DeSantis has an opportunity to defend Apalachicola Bay from the whims of bureaucracy and save the area for future generations.
The DEP got it right — finally. The Governor can make sure they never get it wrong again.
