Florida Coastal and Ocean Coalition
Caribbean Conservation Corporation & Sea Turtle Survival League
Gulf Restoration Network · Indian River Keeper
Natural Resources Defense Council · Reef Relief
Surfrider Foundation
News Release Contact: Lindsey Pickel (813) 846.1827
February 11, 2010
FACTS SHOW COASTAL DRILLING TOO RISKY OFF FLORIDA’S COASTS
Today the Florida Coastal and Ocean Coalition, a group of organizations working together to conserve, protect and restore Florida’s coastal and marine environment, released a factsheet that explores the impacts of offshore drilling on Florida’s coast. The factsheet shows that drilling off Florida’s coasts will not only endanger the environment Floridians treasure, but also cause significant economic losses to the state at a time when it is trying to recover from other economic impacts.
“Catastrophic oil spills, such as the recent Australian spill, remind us of the serious environmental consequences even state of the art technology can create” stated Lindsey Pickel, FCOC Coordinator.
“It doesn’t make economic sense to threaten Florida’s valuable ocean and coastal economies that depend on clean water, beautiful beaches and abundant fish and wildlife with the pollution and industrialization that accompanies offshore drilling” said Sarah Chasis, Director of NRDC’s Ocean Initiative and a member of the Coalition’s Steering Committee. It makes more sense to invest in clean energy strategies that will create more jobs, spur new business and safeguard Florida’s great assets—its coasts and oceans.”
The facts present clear evidence that Florida’s coastal and ocean economies provide far greater resources and revenues than projected drilling revenues. Ericka D’Avanzo, Florida Regional Manager of Surfrider Foundation stated, “The proposed oil royalties pale in comparison to the potential damage caused by new coastal infrastructure to support drilling operations, the costs of drilling-related accidents, and, most importantly, Florida’s coastal recreation and marine economies which generated over $550 billion in 2006– almost 300 times more than the driller’s projected annual revenue.”
“The oil industry’s track record across the Gulf of Mexico should be reason enough for Floridians to oppose drilling right off our coast” said Joe Murphy, Florida Program Coordinator, Gulf Restoration Network. “Spills, pollution, industrialization, and tar balls are all part of the deal, and it would be a bad deal for Florida. Our coastlines support a fishing industry and tourism industry that is the envy of the nation, and that is too valuable to place in the hands of the oil industry.”
The Florida Coastal and Ocean Coalition’s Factsheet discusses issues such as oil drilling byproducts, oil spills, ocean currents, Florida’s coastal and ocean economies, and the myth that drilling off Florida’s coasts will lower gas prices. “Florida’s coastal water quality is critical to the economic lifeblood of Florida’s long term survival, and any economic recovery in Florida will be driven by the quality, and continued protection of our coastal water resources. People don’t visit, start new sustainable businesses, or buy homes around polluted beaches and estuaries”, stated George Jones, Executive Director, Indian Riverkeeper.
Florida’s world renowned beaches support coastal economies and also provide critical habitat for threatened and endangered species “These beaches host 90% of all the marine turtle nesting in the United States”, said Gary Appleson, Policy Director of the Caribbean Conservation Corporation, the world’s oldest marine turtle conservation organization. “These beaches are already under threat from inappropriate shoreline development and coastal erosion. As Florida works to reduce these threats it should not be adding new ones posed by oil drilling.”
“Any spills from peninsular Florida could rapidly move to the coral reefs and mangrove forests of the Florida Keys and southeast Florida via the Loop Current, (a major ocean current in the Gulf of Mexico) creating a major ecological and economic disaster for our state”, said Paul Johnson, Programs and Policy Director for REEF RELIEF, based out of Key West, Florida. “What is needed is a comprehensive national energy policy in concert with marine spatial planning of existing ocean activities and resources, before Florida moves forward with any consideration of offshore oil and gas”.
To view the Coalition’s Factsheet, go to www.flcoastalandocean.org or see attached.
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The Florida Coastal and Ocean Coalition is comprised of national and statewide organizations working together to preserve the saltier and sandier sides of Florida. For more information please visit the Coalition’s website www.flcoastalandocean.org