The author of a plan to allow drilling as close as 25 miles off Florida withdrew it Wednesday but plans to bring it up again soon.

Florida lawmakers, this time led by U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor, have blocked drilling that close to Florida, saying it could harm the state's environment and tourism.

However, U.S. Rep. John Peterson, R-Pa., has parlayed angst over high fuel prices into support in Congress for increasing domestic energy sources.

"In a period of time, we won't compete in the global economy," Peterson said. "We have the potential to become a second-rate nation."

Peterson's chief of staff, Jordan Clark, said there is enough support to open natural gas drilling along the nation's offshore areas if it gets to a vote.

However, Castor, a Tampa Democrat on the House Rules Committee, blocked the amendment Wednesday by threatening to have it declared non-germane to the bill being debated, which would tighten regulations on beach water-quality monitoring.

Castor called it "ridiculous, not just ironic" that Peterson was trying to allow drilling as part of a beach water-quality bill, arguing it would harm marine life, beaches and the state's tourism.

Peterson's amendment would not have allowed drilling for oil but only for natural gas, which he said would not hurt the environment.

But most Florida lawmakers have opposed both types of energy production. U.S. Reps. John Mica, R- Winter Park, and Dave Weldon, R-Indialantic, are the only Floridians among the 167 co-sponsors of Peter- son's proposal.

Peterson's amendment would have let states decide whether to allow drilling between 25 miles and 50 miles off their coasts. Between 50 and 100 miles, states would have to pass legislation to block drilling or else it would be allowed. Beyond 100 miles, drilling would be allowed, even if a state opposed it.

Today, drilling is allowed in the Gulf of Mexico off Florida in only one area, under a compromise passed in 2006.

Several lawmakers have said soaring energy prices indicate more domestic production is needed.

"The soccer moms of the world are outraged by the price of gas they're paying," said Rep. John Shimkus, R-Ill.

Natural gas drilling along the nation's coasts also would bring in $400 billion in royalties, sponsors say. Peterson's proposal would dedicate $150 billion of that to states and billions more to environmental causes, including $12 billion to clean the Everglades.

Peterson plans to offer his drilling proposal again as early as May as part of an Interior Department spending bill.

"Members are going to be hard-pressed to go home and say, 'I voted once again to keep our resources under lock and key,'" Clark said.

Tamara Lytle can be reached at tlytle@tribune.com or 202-824-8255.