Wasserman Schultz Applauds Oil Drilling Moratorium for Florida’s Eastern Gulf

“A smart common sense approach”

Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz made the following statement regarding today’s announcement by President Obama that the Eastern Gulf will not be considered for drilling through 2017:

“Today’s announcement that the Obama administration is removing the Eastern Gulf from consideration for potential oil and gas drilling through 2017 is welcome news for the people of Florida.  This is a smart, common-sense approach that will protect Florida’s $65 billion-a-year tourism industry, which relies on pristine beaches and clean water for boating and sport fishing.

“I have a long history of opposing expanded drilling for oil and gas off of Florida’s coasts and applaud today’s announcement.   Ecologically, this exploration could threaten Florida’s unique coastal resources, home to 85% of the United States coral reefs.  Economically, drilling threatens Florida’s tourism industry which relies on a pristine environment.  And strategically, drilling could compromise our military’s ability to effectively train in the Eastern Gulf, threatening the jobs associated with the military bases in Florida.

“A five percent increase in domestic production would increase the world supply by less than one percent and do almost nothing to our dependence on foreign oil. This would also have virtually no effect on the price of gas at the pump, which is something every consumer really cares about.  Adding a fraction of a percent to the global oil supply will not lower gas prices and ignores the critical need to develop alternative energy supplies that finally break our addiction to fossil fuels.”