The Latest from Rick
I like Rep. Dean Cannon – he’s smart, and a good person, but he has lost all credibility on the issue of oil drilling.
As you probably know, Rep. Cannon spearheaded the effort to drill just 3 miles off our coast. His efforts were buoyed by what has now proved to be bogus testimony and research.
In light of ‘Deepwater Horizon’, Rep. Cannon has backed off, but his past actions give us no reason to believe he or his allies won’t try again. The rig explosion and massive oil spill in the Timor Sea last year didn’t slow them down. Independent studies and the views of actual experts were previously ignored. So when this current disaster finally falls off the front pages of our newspapers, why shouldn’t we expect the maneuvering to begin again?
If Rep. Cannon is serious about tabling the issue, he’ll join me, Rep. Keith Fitzgerald, Sen. Dan Gelber, and the rest of my colleagues in putting language on this year’s ballot calling for a constitutional ban of oil exploration and drilling in Florida’s territorial waters. To those who say a special session costs too much, I say an oil spill 3 miles off our coast will cost even more. To those who say let’s focus on responding to this crisis before worrying about the future, I say we are public servants who should be capable of doing more than one thing at a time for our constituents.
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Protecting the livelihood of Floridians and our beautiful and delicate environment should be a top priority for every public servant, which is why I’ve been so opposed to oil drilling in Florida’s territorial waters, less than 12 miles off our coast. As we’ve now learned, the risks far outweigh the rewards, and despite their prior testimony to the Florida House, the big oil companies are simply not prepared to respond to a crisis.
In May, I drafted legislation constitutionally banning nearshore drilling and urged the governor to bring the Legislature back to Tallahassee so that we can place such language on November’s ballot. While the nightmare in the Gulf of Mexico has served to shine a light on a host of problems facing both the oil industry and governmental agencies, it was not the impetus for my involvement. Since early 2009, I have worked to stop plans for nearshore drilling, and since being elected to public office I have supported policies promoting the development of renewable energy resources. This past session I filed legislation ratifying the rules on renewable portfolio standards adopted by the Public Service Commission. These rules include aggressive standards of 20 percent renewable energy production by 2020 and protected utility customers from excessive rate increases.
It’s important that Florida, and the rest of America, end its reliance on foreign oil. Doing so will have positive national security implications. However, we will not accomplish this goal by embracing fossil fuels and utilizing such 19th-century technology in our own backyard. Florida is the largest and most populated state in the country without a renewable portfolio standard. If we’re serious about getting people back to work, building a new economic engine, and doing something positive for future generations of Floridians, this must change.
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My thoughts on oil drilling, especially near our shores, is well documented. Though I’m saddened and angered by the events in the Gulf of Mexico, I’m pleased to be able to share with you a live, high quality feed of the oil leak provided by PBS NEWSHOUR. Please visit their page for more information on this real time footage, including PBS’s explanation of the sliding scale tool.
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Please contact my office if you wish to be included on communications relating to the government response to the oil spill crisis in the Gulf of Mexico. Our office receives numerous reports daily from both the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and from the involved agencies in Washington, D.C., and will gladly share all information with our constituents. Our district phone number is (727) 552-1380 or you may email me at rick.kriseman@myfloridahouse.gov.
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SINK, GELBER, KRISEMAN, FITZGERALD PROPOSE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT THAT PROTECTS FLORIDA’S COASTLINE
Proposed constitutional amendment empowers voters to ban oilrigs from lining Florida’s beaches
St. Petersburg, FL— Joining together from coast to coast, CFO Alex Sink, State Senator Dan Gelber (D-Miami Beach), and State Representatives Keith Fitzgerald (D-Sarasota) and Rick Kriseman (D-St. Petersburg) called on Governor Charlie Crist to reconvene the legislature for a special session to consider a constitutional amendment that would ban drilling off of Florida’s beaches. Hosting press conferences in Miami and St. Petersburg, the three lawmakers released proposed legislation they intend to file should the legislature be called into special session.
“I have seen the BP oil spill up close, spreading for miles. This evidence proves that near beach drilling in Florida is a disastrous idea—we must never let oil companies drill just three miles off our beaches,” said Florida CFO Alex Sink. “Last year, oil companies spent millions on lobbyists and a PR spin machine and quickly passed near beach drilling through the Florida House. The people of Florida must send Legislators a message that we will not allow Florida’s economy to be put at risk or forget the painful lessons of this historic spill. It is for these times of crisis that the Governor has the power to call the legislature back to Tallahassee, and I hope Governor Crist will do so immediately to take up this important amendment to ban near beach drilling. This special session should also tackle the urgent economic and environmental issues which may result from this disastrous oil spill, such as making absolutely sure that BP will pay for every last dime of this cleanup and income lost by our businesses.”
“The tragedy in the Gulf of Mexico and the growing impact to Florida’s coastline and economic engine underscores the need for some in the legislature to drop the issue of oil drilling entirely,” said State Sen. Dan Gelber (D-Miami Beach). “Florida’s fragile coastline and its beautiful beaches are the backbone of our multi-billion-dollar tourism industry. Shortsighted fixes to meet today’s energy demands are a real threat to Florida’s most unique economic and environmental asset. We need a united front to fight the big oil interests who want to open the waters around our state to drilling.”
“Now is the right time to settle, once and for all, the question of whether or not to drill in our waters,” said State Representative Keith Fitzgerald (D-Sarasota). “The events of the past few days have strengthened my resolve that the answer is no. This is exactly the right time to propose a constitutional amendment that will end drilling off our shores and protect Florida’s beautiful coastlines for future generations.”
“Even with a horrific and historic environmental and economic disaster unfolding before our eyes, Republican Leadership in Tallahassee refuses to drop their plans to drill just a few miles off our coast,” said State Rep. Rick Kriseman (D-St. Petersburg). “We can no longer wait on them to put an end to this ridiculous oil drilling debate. We can no longer allow them to steer our state’s energy agenda.”
The proposed constitutional amendment offered by lawmakers will:
•Allow voters to decide if the Florida Constitution should be amended to include a prohibition on drilling for oil or natural gas off Florida’s coast.
•Send a clear message to the oil industry of what Florida residents think about proposals to open more areas off our coast to oil drilling. The amendment takes the decision away from the oil executives and places it with the people of Florida.
•Preserves our beaches and coast by reducing the chance that the pollution associated with drilling will destroy Florida’s pristine coastline.
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REPRESENTATIVES KEITH FITZGERALD AND RICK KRISEMAN CALL ON FLORIDA REPUBLICAN LEADERS
TO END FLORIDA’S OIL DRILLING DEBATE
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. —In light of the tragedy and loss of life in the Gulf of Mexico, and a subsequent oil spill that now threatens the entire Gulf Coast, state Representatives Keith Fitzgerald (D-Sarasota) and Rick Kriseman (D-St. Petersburg) are calling on Republican Speaker-Designate Dean Cannon and other Republican leaders to put an end to all consideration of oil drilling in state waters, just 3 to 10 miles off Florida’s coasts.
“Now is the time to revisit the question of drilling close to Florida’s shores,” said Representative Fitzgerald. “We call upon the drilling proponents to renounce their plan. We commend Governor Charlie Crist for recognizing the implications of drilling and hope the proponents have similar wisdom.”
Representative Kriseman offered the following statement:
“This is a debate that should have never been started and must now end. We have seen enough. Had this disaster occurred three miles off our coast, our beautiful state and our economy would be in ruin, our future in peril. Representative Fitzgerald and I, along with many of our colleagues, experts in the field, and millions of Floridians, have sounded this alarm for over a year now. It’s time for Representative Dean Cannon to listen.”
On April 20, an explosion and fire on a drilling rig left 11 workers missing and presumed dead. The rig sank two days later about 50 miles off the Louisiana coast. The resulting oil spill near New Orleans is now the largest oil spill containment operation in history.
Earlier today, Rear Adm. Mary E. Landry of the United States Coast Guard announced that scientists from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration have concluded that oil is leaking at the rate of 5,000 barrels a day, a rate five times what was previously estimated. Officials say that it may take three months or longer to contain the spill.
According to federal officials, wind patterns may push the spill into the coast of Louisiana as soon as Friday night, prompting consideration of urgent measures to protect coastal wildlife. Part of the oil slick is only 16 miles offshore and closing in on the Mississippi River Delta.
Residents on Florida’s Gulf Coast are already experiencing the impacts of this spill, the outcome of which is expected to worsen.
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