http://www.newsherald.com/news/drilling-81988-military-officials.html
March 05, 2010 10:12:00 PM
MATT DIXON / News Herald Writer
TALLAHASSEE – In testimony before a House committee Friday, officials from Naval Support Activity Panama City and the Bay Defense Alliance laid out the potential impact of oil drilling in state waters, which extend 10 miles offshore.
“I think the activity at NSA comes right up to the beach. At some point in time, they actually have things on the beach,” said Leon Walter, a Bay Defense Alliance board member.
Both Walters and Flin DeBerry, executive director at NSA Panama City, made the case to the Select Policy Council on Strategic and Economic Planning that too much drilling in the gulf could crowd operations, but if certain areas of military importance are exempt, near-shore drilling could be acceptable.
“Inside the 10-mile limit, if you exempt the area along the Northwest Gulf Coast Š I don’t see it will be a huge problem from a military standpoint,” Walters said.
Members of the council were sympathetic to the effect that drilling could have on the military.
“Anything that emerges from this council should allow for the military to review plans, or to veto oil drilling activity” that would negatively affect them, council chairman Dean Cannon said.
Cannon, R-Winter Park, is set to become the next Speaker of the House. He authored a bill last session that would have given the Florida Cabinet authority to lease areas in state waters for oil exploration. Similar legislation was filed in the Senate last week, and it is widely believed Cannon will again file a bill in the House.
DeBerry said that drilling east of the military mission line, an imaginary line extending south from Eglin Air Force Base into the Gulf of Mexico, is a big concern.
“I hope I have been able to convey to you that that area east of the military mission line is a very important area to the military,” said Walters, who indicated drilling in that area could “crowd” military missions.
DeBerry also stressed the military’s economic impact on the area.
“It’s a lot of jobs, half of which are scientists, engineers and well-paid managers, which is good for the community,” DeBerry said.
He said that the military provides about 3,300 jobs in Northwest Florida.