Legislation to ban oil drilling off the coast of Florida passed out of the House Natural Resources Committee this week and is now headed to the House floor.  H.R. 205, the Protecting and Securing Florida's Coastline Act sponsored by U.S. Reps. Kathy Castor (D-Tampa, Fla.) and Francis Rooney (R-Naples, Fla.), is now headed to the House floor thanks to their bipartisan leadership to unite the Florida congressional delegation – Democrats and Republicans – to protect Florida’s coasts from oil and gas development.  Earlier this year, the entire bipartisan Florida congressional delegation demanded that the Department of the Interior take formal action to prohibit drilling off Florida’s coast.  And, the Florida congressional delegation prevailed again last night when the House of Representatives passed a bipartisan appropriations amendment to block oil and gas pre-leasing, leasing and related activities in the outer continental shelf planning areas around Florida.

“I have been working with my Republican colleague U.S. Rep. Francis Rooney to do everything possible to protect Florida’s coasts from oil drilling permanently, especially as the federal prohibition for drilling off the west coast expires in 2022,” U.S. Rep. Castor said.

On Wednesday, the bipartisan Protecting and Securing Florida's Coastline Act led by U.S. Reps. Castor and Rooney passed out of its only committee of reference, the House Natural Resources Committee, and now is poised to head to the House floor.

“Florida’s beautiful beaches and our economy are tied to clean water and clean air,” U.S. Rep. Castor said.  “Oil drilling in the Gulf of Mexico poses a serious threat to our natural environment, our economy and our national security.  According to the Department of Defense, the Gulf is a vital training area critical to readiness.”

U.S. Rep. Castor’s efforts to keep oil drilling out of the waters around Florida is strongly supported by Floridians and small businesses all over the state and organizations and advocates, including the League of Conservation Voters, the National Parks Conservation Association, the Natural Resources Defense Council, Oceana and the Sierra Club.  Florida voters overwhelmingly supported a state constitutional ban on offshore drilling last November.

“Floridians are keenly aware of the negative impacts of oil and gas drilling off our coasts.  It is clear that we must act now.  I am glad to see all of Florida’s Congressional Delegation united at a time when President Trump has put our coastline, our environment and our economy in the crosshairs,” said U.S. Rep. Castor.

U.S. Rep. Castor has introduced legislation to keep oil drilling away from Florida throughout her tenure in Congress.  The Gulf of Mexico BP Horizon disaster was a wake-up call for many who urged “drill, baby, drill.”  Plus, the Department of Defense’s use of the Gulf of Mexico to maintain military readiness has galvanized bipartisan congressional support in opposition to Trump’s push to give his powerful oil and gas friends free rein to bring dirty oil rigs to the Florida coast.

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