http://www.tcpalm.com/news/2011/oct/26/eve-samples-rooneys-offshore-drilling-proposal/
By Eve Samples
Posted October 26, 2011 at 7:05 p.m.
It’s one of Martin County’s greatest political strengths.
When it comes to matters of the environment, Republicans, Democrats and shades in between are known to raise a unified voice.
We hear their chorus rise whenever toxic algae blooms on the St. Lucie River.
And we’re hearing it again as U.S. Rep. Tom Rooney pushes a bill that supports offshore oil and natural gas exploration in Florida’s waters.
Last week, the Republican from Tequesta unveiled a jobs proposal that would broaden the area where the state has authority over drilling (from 3 miles offshore on the east coast of Florida to 12 miles) and dangle a carrot before state lawmakers by promising Florida a percentage of the revenue from drilling leases.
Rooney’s plan also mandates more leases for oil and natural gas drilling in the federally controlled outer continental shelf.
Though passage of the bill is a long shot in this divided Congress, Rooney’s proposal sends a message that he supports drilling off Florida’s coast – despite a two-decade-old state ban on the practice.
That is not sitting will with elected officials including Charles Falcone, a town commissioner for Jupiter Island.
“I just think that Florida best serves its residents, its millions of residents, with a ban on offshore drilling,” Falcone, a registered Independent, told me.
“I’m just very disappointed with Congressman Rooney on this point,” he added.
It should be noted that, even if he could get his jobs bill passed, Rooney doesn’t have the power to lift Florida’s ban on drilling.
That’s something that the state Legislature would have to do – something it almost did in 2009 when the House voted to lift the ban. The Senate never followed suit, but legislative leaders have suggested they would be open to considering it in the future. Gov. Rick Scott has consistently supported the idea.
Rooney’s proposal would give the state financial incentive to lift the ban.
That’s a slap in the face to the elected commissions of Martin County, Jupiter Island, Sewall’s Point and Stuart – all of which have passed resolutions opposing offshore oil and natural gas drilling.
Sewall’s Point Mayor Jacqui Thurlow-Lippisch doesn’t understand why Rooney wouldn’t take those local opinions into account.
“Do we pass these resolutions just for fun and then forget about them?” Thurlow-Lippisch, also an Independent, asked.
For his part, Rooney points to a need to reduce the high cost of fuel – even though it’s questionable whether drilling in Florida’s waters would actually reduce gas prices at the pump.
In a statement his spokesman emailed me Wednesday, Rooney said: “I share my constituents’ concern for Florida’s environment, and I want to make sure that energy is produced in Florida or off our shores as safely as possible. I’m also adamant that Florida receive its share of revenue from drilling.”
We heard similar pledges about safety before last year’s BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.
George Jones, head of the Indian Riverkeeper, a nonprofit advocacy group, also opposes Rooney’s plan. He doesn’t think it will do much to create jobs in Florida.
“It’s just a bad proposal all the way around for a state whose economy depends on clean air and clean water,” said Jones, who is a Republican.
Jones and Thurlow-Lippisch also were disappointed when Rooney tried to kill new water-quality regulations from the Environmental Protection Agency. They would rather see Rooney embrace Everglades restoration as an economic engine.
A study commissioned by the nonprofit Everglades Foundation projects that every $1 spent on Everglades restoration generates a $4 return. It also says executing the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan would create 442,000 jobs over 50 years – in fishing, tourism, construction and other industries.
“I happen to think that there’s ways that we should be fiscally responsible,” Jones said. “But we don’t need to do it on the backs of all the folks who need clean air and clean water.”
Eve Samples is a columnist for Scripps Treasure Coast Newspapers. This column reflects her opinion. For more on Martin County topics, follow her blog at TCPalm.com/samples. Contact her at 772-221-4217 or eve.samples@scripps.com.
Special thanks to Richard Charter