WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor (FL-14) today applauded President Joe Biden’s decision to permanently ban offshore oil and gas drilling along Florida’s Gulf Coast. This historic action reflects the Biden-Harris Administration’s unwavering commitment to safeguarding the environment, combating the rising costs of climate change and protecting our national security, Florida’s economy and coastal communities.

“Clean water and clean beaches are central to Florida’s healthy environment, economy and way of life. Floridians voted in 2018 to prohibit oil drilling in state waters (only nine miles offshore), but oil and gas companies still had their eyes on federal waters in the eastern Gulf. I ran for Congress to champion permanent coastal protections and to keep oil drilling away from Florida, so I am thrilled that President Joe Biden answered our call to ban drilling off the Florida Gulf Coast and thereby safeguard our communities, fishing and tourism economies,” said Castor.

Castor continued, “Floridians understand the damage that oil drilling and extreme events can do to our pocketbooks and way of life. The Gulf of Mexico BP Deepwater Horizon disaster in 2010 was a wake-up call as Florida business owners suffered widespread economic losses and pollution harmed marine life. Offshore drilling is dirty and dangerous and inconsistent with the clean, tourist-friendly beaches we value in the Sunshine State. It puts our national security at risk by disrupting critical military training conducted by MacDill AFB and other military installations off Florida’s coasts. I urge my colleagues in Congress to build on this momentum and pass the bipartisan Florida Coastal Protection Act to enshrine these safeguards into law.”

Castor has been a leading voice in protecting Florida’s coasts since elected to the Congress. After the 2010 Deepwater Horizon disaster wreaked havoc on Florida’s beaches, economy and marine life, Castor championed initiatives to secure $10 million from BP to support marine research at institutions like the University of South Florida and Sarasota’s Mote Marine Laboratory. She also spearheaded the Gulf of Mexico Economic and Environmental Restoration Act, which laid the groundwork for long-term recovery and restoration efforts funded by BP’s penalties under the Clean Water Act. These efforts resulted in the bipartisan passage of the RESTORE Act in 2012.

Most recently, Castor partnered with Rep. Vern Buchanan (FL-16) to introduce the bipartisan Florida Coastal Protection Act, which aims to permanently ban oil drilling off Florida’s coast. Her work builds on foundational protections like the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act (GOMESA) and the current presidential moratorium, which was set to expire in 2032. Thanks to President Biden’s decisive action, these safeguards will now be permanent, providing long-term security for Florida’s waters, marine life and coastal economies.

This decision follows years of advocacy from Rep. Castor and support from Floridians, who overwhelmingly voted in 2018 to prohibit oil drilling in state waters. Today’s announcement is a landmark achievement to protect Florida’s environment, economy, national security and way of life, and Floridians can breathe easier knowing that polluters will not be able to harm the beautiful coastal waters and communities we love.