Florida Congressman Vern Buchanan (R) released a statement putting Trump-backed oil drilling operations in question, claiming that “one oil spill could devastate our (Florida) economy.”
“Florida’s coastline has remained off-limits to drilling. Rolling back the 2020 moratorium would be wrong; one oil spill could devastate our economy,” Buchanan said in a post on X.
Buchanan supports his argument by citing financial figures and emphasizing just how much money Florida’s coasts generate in tourism spending and how an oil spill to the same magnitude as the Deepwater Horizon incident would cripple Florida’s economy.
“Florida's beaches generate more than $127 billion a year in tourism spending, and beaches support over 2 million tourism-related jobs. The consequences of an offshore oil spill are devastating for our environment, economy, and coastal communities,” he concluded.
Alongside Rep. Buchanan, other Florida politicians have been staunch advocates for the banning of oil drilling operations off of Florida’s coasts.
Florida Senator Ashley Moody (R) made a statement on X, asserting that preserving Florida’s natural beauty is a priority to her and millions of Floridians.
“Preserving our state’s natural beauty is deeply important to the millions who call the Sunshine State home, our visitors, and those whose livelihoods depend on tourism,” Moody wrote.
“The new maps released today by [Secretary Doug Burgum] and [The U.S. Department of the Interior] outlining potential new offshore oil drilling sites in the Gulf of America are HIGHLY concerning—and we will be engaging directly with the department on this issue,” she concluded.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R) also criticized the Trump administration's plans, noting that in 2020, President Donald Trump blocked drilling off the state’s coasts.
“Our Administration supports the 2020 Presidential Memorandum and urges the Department of Interior to reconsider and to conform to the 2020 Trump Administration policy,” Molly Best, a spokesperson for DeSantis, said in an article with The Hill.
Previously, President Trump passed a memorandum that barred all oil drilling off the coast of Florida until 2032, which Trump aims to overturn with a massive expansion of U.S. offshore drilling, which would include opening up new drilling in the eastern Gulf, as well as in California.
In a rare act of defiance, Florida Republicans are pushing back against Trump, calling for the continued ban on drilling in Florida.
Likewise, Florida Democrats have also been staunchly opposed to the Trump administration’s plans.
Florida Congresswoman Kathy Castor (D) criticized the Trump administration, claiming that the administration is "selling out Florida.”
“President Trump is selling out Floridians to his big oil donors, and we feel betrayed. Drilling off the coast of Florida is way too risky, and it is a slap in the face after the damage done by the BP Deepwater Horizon blowout,” Castor said.
