Item M10
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY
Meeting Date: June 15.2005
Division:
BOCCI
Bulk Item: Yes
No
Department: BOCC 1
Staff Contact Person: Jana Johnson-Willi
AGENDA ITEM WORDING: Approval of a resolution of the Board of County Commissioners of
Monroe County Florida to oppose H.R. 6, the Energy Bill.
ITEM BACKGROUND: This resolution opposes the proposed energy bill H.R. 6 recently passed by
the U.S. House of Representatives as it shifts the cost of clean-up from polluters to local taxpayers,
enables oil and gas activities off our coast and protects polluters from liability and prevents
communities from suing from contamination. This is a companion resolution and a request of the Lee
County Board of County Commissioners to express our concern about these dangerous unfunded
mandates.
PREVIOUS RELEVANT BOCC ACTION:
CONTRACT/AGREEMENT CHANGES:
STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS:
TOTAL COST:
BUDGETED: Yes
No
COST TO COUNTY:
SOURCE OF FUNDS:
REVENUE PRODUCING: Yes
No
AMOUNTPERMONTH_ Year
APPROVED BY: County Atty _ OMB/Purchasing _ Risk Management _
DIVISION DIRECTOR APPROVAL:
(j)iHeJll. ~
Dixie M. Spehar, Mayor
DOCUMENTA TION:
Included
Not Required_
DISPOSITION:
AGENDA ITEM #
Revised 2/05
RESOLLTIOt\ ~O.
IU:SOIJLlTIO~ OF TH E BOARD OF COLJ~T\' COMMISSIO~[RS
OF 1\10NROt.: COlJNTY, ....LORIDA
TO OPPOSt: H+R. 6, TH Ei:. L~ ERG\' BILL
WH ERF.AS; The 1'\ ational Association of Count i cs has exprt,)$ed .strong com::ems. tu
Congres.s regilrdi Ilg H R 6, The Energy Poticy Act of 2003 for its disregard tor state and
loc.alland U'ie rights. and ]"()[" the unfunded mandates. imposed upon its citizens bv shining
the co~t" of cleanlJp from pol1 uters to loc.allaxpaycrs, and
WH I: RrAS; lh~ Energ.y Bi Il tonlains many provi sions that weaken the State. s ahi Illy lo
object to oi I and gas act i... it ics ofT of !-"torida 's COil')! including the weakening. or the
prest-Ill Coastal Zone r"..lanagemetlt Act. and
WII F RF.-\S: Section 2() 1 0 of the Energy B ill gives lhe St:cretalY or llll': Interior
~lHrhor[r}" to site on the outer cunlinerllal shelf not only. alternative ~ncrgy faei lities but
atso any t~lCilit}. rel ated to the exploralion, devdupmcm. production. transportation. or
storage or oil, Jlatural gas. and olher malerja~s. This ed lct ess.entia[ I)' gi ves the Secretary
of' tne I nterior czar I tke aUlhori[ v to s.ile a \.vide r ang.e of oj! and gas facilities on the outer
c.nmirlellli:ll <;hd ( withuut guaranteeing state panici pat ion, s-pCC if1c protection or
compelitive bidding, and
W If l: RL\S: the Lnergy l~ ill conrai ns .V) k nowll roll ba(;ks to pmtec:tion'i given in
current la\\. ~hilt wi II ncgilTi vel y effect publ ic heah h. state and local righh regarding
pulll i c lanrls. river.~ and coastal areas .Hld comprumi s.es. th~ rights of citizens by shielding
pollulers. ~'mrn dean-up liabilily
WilE REAS: the Energy Bill Cl)[]lai ns dckdi'ic produ(t I iabilit)-" prolcction klf prodLlCCIS
of Methyl T ciliary Buly! Ether (1\..1TBE) preventing colnmuniljc~ fiom suing MTBE
manu fac:turers, tOI" the contaminmion of OLII" water sllpply and placi tlg the cost Iy illlct
rctroaClivc burden or dean up from the 01 t and gas mdu:Stry to s-tatc and local ta 'payers
and
\\!HEI-tF:AS; Florida has th~ ruo:'>t \i1TBF. spills in the country' pre~elltly at 20,000 and
t his hi II would exting.ui sh acti ve suits. sue h as lhe one present l y fil ed in rne C lry of
Pensaco la, and
W H.: R f>\S~ the. ri!); Payers for Com mon Sense, a Ilt...)t1~pan;Sil t1 budget watchdog grou p
ha<;, idemificd T K 7 billion in jndUSll)' tax cuts, \\'lthll1 the l:ncrgy ilill which s.adl.\"
Sllrport_, many pn:."sent j ndust ry pol i ci es wh i en S1 III ply perpetuate the u nSllstalnab I C'"
prilctrccs ofthc past
\VJ[EREAS~ lbere is a growing hroad based group including tax and cot1~umer groups.
state and local guveI nmems.. religious leaJer~, lahor unions., hunters ami anglers.
cnvirorUllcntat and public heahh advocates. and NalEve Americ.an tribes that oppuse the
Energy Bi fland recognize th<Jt the I Jnites States C.ID meet the energy needs of its eit i7.cns
W LlllOut s.acri ncing cnvi ronmctltal protections. despoil iflg pri:-:tine land:-; and pulling al
ri sk t he needs of tlnurc gcneration ~
;)(l\\:V U~R[ln~".' - JI~~S\.H~;S!';VJ,88 0M.~~!r'1' K ~.f?n'b~~riJrgy/N)'[icr\(,l 01
::OfJ.1 as prcsetltly wriUcn and call UpOI1 our Florida Senators. and j\..1cmhers orCongrcs$ W
restore stall' and loc:al governmcnt's rights J nd to advocate legi slatioJ] and funding l{}J
morc sccurc. rCllcwab Ie and ~LlstJjnab le el1erg\" s.uurl..;es.
Th io.;. resohJtion 'Nil'> otl~reJ b); \1ayor Dixit'" ~.L Spehar who moved for it ~ adoption The
Illotion \\"(1 s seconded hy ('ommi~sion~r and 1I pon bei ng put to a ....otc, the
vole wa~ a~ follm\ s.
\1ayor Di"ic \1. Spehar
\1ayor !}ro Tcrn Charles ..Sonny" \1cCov
Cornmissioncr George Neugent
Commissioner David P. Rice
(" pmm rs~iOllcr r\..lurrav E Nel son
DULY PASSED AND ADOPTED th~s l51h day or June, 200"-
(Sh\L)
A11e<.;t DANl'\.Y I K01HAGF. CierI.:
U.OARI) or: cae NTY COM MISS ION [.:RS
(W MONRO!"': COU....TY. Fl 01{ IDA
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