By Billy House/Media General News Service
Email to a Friend
Stumble It!
WASHINGTON -- Florida Democrats received assurances Wednesday from their leaders in the House that an election-year energy package would not include expansion of oil drilling in the eastern Gulf of Mexico, off the coast of Florida.
Instead, the bill being drafted will honor a deal reached two years ago that already opened up an added 8.3 million acres in the eastern Gulf for expanded oil production in return for a "no drilling" buffer zone off Florida's Panhandle and west coast of ranging from 125 miles to 235 miles.
"We should stick by our word. That was a deal," Democratic Rep. Kathy Castor of Tampa, said Wednesday. She was describing what she said was the successful argument she and other Florida members of the House made to their leaders to keep that agreement intact.
In doing so, the bill also maintains the "military mission line," which has sets aside space for Navy and Air Force training exercises about 235 miles west of Tampa Bay.
GOP Rep. C.W. Bill Young of Indian Shores said he'd talked as recently as Wednesday morning with Pentagon officials. They told him the military mission line was important to them, but that the Secretary of the Navy had been asked to review the potential impact of more drilling structures and associated development with their training activities, including missile flights. Gulf waters to the east of that line have been closed to new oil or gas leasing since 1983.
Young is the ranking Republican on the House Appropriations Defense subcommittee.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other Democratic leaders, responding to months of Republican attacks they have done nothing about high gasoline prices, want to put their energy package up for a vote by Friday.
But there are doubts that vote will occur this week, as some lawmakers are urging Pelosi to let them go home as Hurricane Ike approaches their states.
As of Wednesday night, the plan that Democrats will offer would permit drilling 100 miles off the coasts of Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia, mirroring a proposal from a bi-partisan group of senators.
That 100-mile limit could be amended to 50 miles off-shore with the approval of the governor and legislatures of those states.
Drilling has been prohibited within 200 miles of the Atlantic coasts for more than a quarter century through an annual moratorium that comes up for renewal on Sept. 30.
The Democrats' plan also includes elements that have prompted criticism from Republicans, such as ending some tax breaks for oil companies, and applying royalties from increased drilling and the deleted tax breaks to the creation of more renewable energy sources.
Democrats see their package as giving Republicans a chance to show how committed they are to the idea of clean energy sources, as well as more drilling.
But House Republicans - led by minority leader John Boehner of Ohio - have criticized the Democratic package as not going far enough and are expected to call for lifting drilling bans off the Pacific and Atlantic coasts.
Republicans have sought to make political gains by their calls for increased oil exploration, amid polls showing more voters support their view.
Last week, delegates at the Republican National Convention shouted "Drill, baby, drill," a new battle cry that was repeated by the crowd during an appearance Wednesday in northern Virginia by Presidential candidate John McCain and his running mate, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin.
In the Senate, Democrats led by Majority Leader Harry Reid say they will take up an energy bill next week, including the proposal from the bi-partisan group of senators seeking to expand off-shore drilling. Florida's Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson says he will oppose efforts to include areas of the eastern Gulf off of Florida.
Castor said Florida lawmakers have been pressing House Democratic leaders not to try to expand drilling in the eastern Gulf, and even talked about it in Denver at the party's national convention two weeks ago. The effort has continued in recent days as the finishing touches started to be made to the Democrats' energy bill.
On Wednesday morning, she said the Florida Democratic delegation continued to make their case that the 2006 agreement should be kept.
Still, as late as Wednesday afternoon, there still remained concern among Floridians.
Young hosted a meeting Wednesday afternoon in his office attended by fellow Republicans Reps. Gus Bilirakis of Palm Harbor, Adam Putnam of Bartow and Jeff Miller of Chumuckla, and Democrats Allen Boyd of Monticello and Castor.
"We all agreed that we should make the decisions based on the interests of the country and avoid political interests," said Young. But he also said, "We all agreed that we have to protect Florida's coastline."
Castor said the House Democratic leaders came to agree with Florida lawmakers' concerns over the potential impact of added drilling on Florida's tourism economy and environment.
But Boyd said he also believes Democratic leaders came to appreciate "you could not muster the votes needed" to alter the military training mission line.
Reporter Billy House can be reached at (202) 662-7673 or bhouse@mediageneral.com.
Instead, the bill being drafted will honor a deal reached two years ago that already opened up an added 8.3 million acres in the eastern Gulf for expanded oil production in return for a "no drilling" buffer zone off Florida's Panhandle and west coast of ranging from 125 miles to 235 miles.
"We should stick by our word. That was a deal," Democratic Rep. Kathy Castor of Tampa, said Wednesday. She was describing what she said was the successful argument she and other Florida members of the House made to their leaders to keep that agreement intact.
In doing so, the bill also maintains the "military mission line," which has sets aside space for Navy and Air Force training exercises about 235 miles west of Tampa Bay.
GOP Rep. C.W. Bill Young of Indian Shores said he'd talked as recently as Wednesday morning with Pentagon officials. They told him the military mission line was important to them, but that the Secretary of the Navy had been asked to review the potential impact of more drilling structures and associated development with their training activities, including missile flights. Gulf waters to the east of that line have been closed to new oil or gas leasing since 1983.
Young is the ranking Republican on the House Appropriations Defense subcommittee.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other Democratic leaders, responding to months of Republican attacks they have done nothing about high gasoline prices, want to put their energy package up for a vote by Friday.
But there are doubts that vote will occur this week, as some lawmakers are urging Pelosi to let them go home as Hurricane Ike approaches their states.
As of Wednesday night, the plan that Democrats will offer would permit drilling 100 miles off the coasts of Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia, mirroring a proposal from a bi-partisan group of senators.
That 100-mile limit could be amended to 50 miles off-shore with the approval of the governor and legislatures of those states.
Drilling has been prohibited within 200 miles of the Atlantic coasts for more than a quarter century through an annual moratorium that comes up for renewal on Sept. 30.
The Democrats' plan also includes elements that have prompted criticism from Republicans, such as ending some tax breaks for oil companies, and applying royalties from increased drilling and the deleted tax breaks to the creation of more renewable energy sources.
Democrats see their package as giving Republicans a chance to show how committed they are to the idea of clean energy sources, as well as more drilling.
But House Republicans - led by minority leader John Boehner of Ohio - have criticized the Democratic package as not going far enough and are expected to call for lifting drilling bans off the Pacific and Atlantic coasts.
Republicans have sought to make political gains by their calls for increased oil exploration, amid polls showing more voters support their view.
Last week, delegates at the Republican National Convention shouted "Drill, baby, drill," a new battle cry that was repeated by the crowd during an appearance Wednesday in northern Virginia by Presidential candidate John McCain and his running mate, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin.
In the Senate, Democrats led by Majority Leader Harry Reid say they will take up an energy bill next week, including the proposal from the bi-partisan group of senators seeking to expand off-shore drilling. Florida's Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson says he will oppose efforts to include areas of the eastern Gulf off of Florida.
Castor said Florida lawmakers have been pressing House Democratic leaders not to try to expand drilling in the eastern Gulf, and even talked about it in Denver at the party's national convention two weeks ago. The effort has continued in recent days as the finishing touches started to be made to the Democrats' energy bill.
On Wednesday morning, she said the Florida Democratic delegation continued to make their case that the 2006 agreement should be kept.
Still, as late as Wednesday afternoon, there still remained concern among Floridians.
Young hosted a meeting Wednesday afternoon in his office attended by fellow Republicans Reps. Gus Bilirakis of Palm Harbor, Adam Putnam of Bartow and Jeff Miller of Chumuckla, and Democrats Allen Boyd of Monticello and Castor.
"We all agreed that we should make the decisions based on the interests of the country and avoid political interests," said Young. But he also said, "We all agreed that we have to protect Florida's coastline."
Castor said the House Democratic leaders came to agree with Florida lawmakers' concerns over the potential impact of added drilling on Florida's tourism economy and environment.
But Boyd said he also believes Democratic leaders came to appreciate "you could not muster the votes needed" to alter the military training mission line.
Reporter Billy House can be reached at (202) 662-7673 or bhouse@mediageneral.com.