Zinke removing Florida from offshore drilling plan
January 9, 2018
Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke said Tuesday that he won’t allow offshore drilling in waters near Florida through 2024.
The decision came after Zinke met with Florida Gov. Rick Scott (R) in Tallahassee earlier in the day to discuss the governor's objections. It was day after Zinke proposed opening nearly all of the nation’s coasts to drilling.
“President Trump has directed me to rebuild our offshore oil and gas program in a manner that supports our national energy policy and also takes into consideration the local and state voice,” Zinke said in a statement.
“I support the governor’s position that Florida is unique and its coasts are heavily reliant on tourism as an economic driver,” he continued.
“As a result of discussion with Gov. Scott's [sic] and his leadership, I am removing Florida from consideration for any new oil and gas platforms.”
Scott is expected to run this year for Senate. He would challenge incumbent Sen. Bill Nelson (D), who has for more than three decades fought offshore drilling and made it a central policy of his platform.
The governors of nearly all states along the Pacific and Atlantic coasts have joined Scott in calling for their shores to be removed from Zinke’s plan, but Zinke has not ruled any other area out at this stage in the process.
“Virginia’s governor (and governor-elect) have made this same request, but we have not received the same commitment,” Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) tweeted Tuesday, referring to incumbent Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D) and incoming Gov. Ralph Northam (D)...
Read entire article at The Hill.
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