Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Mitch PerryJanuary 25, 2018

Vern Buchanan has fired off a letter to Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke, urging the agency to preserve offshore drilling safety regulations adopted after the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The Longboat Key Republican’s letter is a formal protest to the proposed weakening of federal rules requiring better emergency shutdown systems, new guidelines regulating acceptable drilling […]

Staff ReportsJanuary 19, 2018

Florida is not yet “off the table” in a federal plan to expand offshore oil drilling, according to an official of the Donald Trump administration. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) acting director Walter Cruickshank revealed to a congressional committee Friday that Florida could still be included in offshore drilling activities, paving the way for […]

Peter SchorschJanuary 17, 2018

Democratic U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson on Wednesday made moves to block three Department of the Interior Nominees until Secretary Ryan Zinke publishes a new offshore drilling plan that officially takes Florida “off the table.” Zinke announced last week that the department would not explore offshore drilling in Florida, so far the only coastal state that […]

A.G. GancarskiJanuary 11, 2018

At Thursday’s White House briefing, spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders asserted that abandoned plans for drilling for oil off Florida’s coast were not a political favor to Gov. Rick Scott. “I am not aware of any political favor that would have been part of,” Huckabee Sanders said. Huckabee Sanders said that the “public comment” process was one in […]

A.G. GancarskiJanuary 10, 2018

The narrative looked great for Gov. Rick Scott on Tuesday. The Donald Trump White House backed away from a proposal to permit offshore drilling off the coast of Florida, after a meeting with Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke. Zinke extolled the virtues of the Governor in the press release — lauding his “leadership,” calling him “straightforward.” “I support […]

Staff ReportsJuly 12, 2017

Democratic candidate for governor Gwen Graham is now making offshore drilling an issue in the race, calling out Republican candidate Adam Putnam for not opposing President Donald Trump‘s efforts “to expand drilling off Florida’s beaches.” “Representing the Gulf Coast in Congress, I saw the long-lasting negative effects the BP oil spill had on our state’s […]

Associated PressApril 29, 2017

President Donald Trump‘s executive order seeking to find new ocean expanses in the Atlantic and the Arctic for offshore drilling isn’t likely to reach its goals anytime soon, but instead will kick off a yearslong review and legal battle. Trump signed the order Friday aimed at dismantling a key part of former President Barack Obama‘s […]

Melissa RossMarch 10, 2016

U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson is pushing back against reports he’s holding up legislation to help Flint, Michigan, recover from the poisoning of its water supply. Nelson says because he opposed an amendment attached to the bill that would create incentives to increase offshore drilling, he has no choice but to block the measure by placing what’s […]

Phil AmmannJuly 31, 2015

U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson pledged to use “every possible procedural move” to prevent legislation opening areas off the Florida Gulf Coast to offshore drilling. In a letter to Senate leadership on Thursday, the Florida Democrat voiced his opposition to a vote by the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, which narrowly approved a GOP-backed offshore […]

Ryan RayMay 13, 2015

U.S. Rep. Gwen Graham announced on Wednesday that she has joined several key Florida Democrats – plus one Republican, Congressman Bill Posey – in supporting a new bill on Capitol Hill to prevent seismic testing for oil along Florida’s eastern coast. The bill – H.R. 2276 – would partially contravene a decision made last year by the Obama […]

Tag: offshore drilling

Vern Buchanan (again) protests drilling regulation rollbacks

Doanld Trump administration official admits Florida offshore drilling still ‘on the table’

Bill Nelson blocks three Interior nominees over offshore drilling plan

White House: Flip-flop on Florida offshore drilling not a ‘political favor’

Rick Scott says he’s been ‘clear forever’ in opposition to offshore oil drilling

Gwen Graham now taking on Adam Putnam over drilling

Experts: Long road ahead for Donald Trump offshore drilling order

Bill Nelson denies holding up passage of Flint water bill

Bill Nelson vows to block Senate bill allowing oil drilling off Florida Gulf Coast

Gwen Graham co-sponsoring ban on seismic oil testing along Florida’s Atlantic coast