Resolution 139-2006
RESOLUTION NO. 139 - 2006
RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY
COMMISSIONERS OF MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA,
SUPPORTING EFFORTS TO PROTECT FLORIDA FROM
OFFSHORE DRILLING AND EXPLORATION
WHEREAS, Florida's coral reefs, mangroves, seagrasses, beaches, fisheries, endangered
species, tourism and quality of life depend upon clean ocean waters; the impacts of drilling muds
and spills caused by offshore oil development can be carried by great distances by the Gulf Loop
Current onto Florida's coasts; routine drilling muds release thousands of pounds of toxic
chemicals into the environment, harm fish, corals and marine mammals, and place Florida at risk
of a large or catastrophic spill; and
WHEREAS, Floridians and especially residents of the Florida Keys have been unified in
their opposition to offshore oil drilling and exploration for many years; and
WHEREAS, the area south of 26 degrees North Latitude, approximately where Marco
Island, Florida, lies, and all waters outside of Lease Sale 181, are under a Congressional
moratorium for oil and natural gas exploration and development, thanks to years of past efforts;
and
WHEREAS, the Congressional and a Presidential moratoria on offshore oil are now up
for review, at a time when our coral reefs are endangered and need more, not less, protection to
survive. The White House agreement with the state of Florida that currently protects most of
Lease Sale 181, a hotly contested area in the Gulf, expires next year; and
WHEREAS, the effort to open Florida up to oil drilling began with the Interior
Department removing Florida's jurisdiction and giving Louisiana authority over Lease Sale 181,
via publication of a revised "Seaward Boundary Lines Extension" in the Federal Register in
January of2oo6, that occurred without public review or comment; and
WHEREAS, the U.S. Interior Department released a new Five Year Plan for Oil and
Gas Development and Exploration that undermines current protections for Florida's coral reefs;
the current program runs through June 30, 2007, and the next Five Year Plan would put a 4
million + acre area on the auction block and proposes to rapidly make the west coast of Florida
the most intensively-leased region of all currently-protected Outer Continental Shelf waters
nationwide, also opening up the coast of Virginia and Alaska's fishery-rich Bristol Bay; and
WHEREAS, public comments on the proposed Five Year Plan can be submitted to the
Minerals Management Service until April, 2006; and
WHEREAS, efforts are undelWay in Congress to fast track removal of its moratoria and
the president could rescind his father's executive withdrawals that currently protect Florida from
offshore oil; the chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee filed a bill
that would authorize oil drilling in an area 100 miles south of the Florida Panhandle; Chairman
Pete Domenici (R-N.M,) says he has the votes to open the Lease Sale 181 area in the Gulf of
Mexico to oil and natural gas drilling; the first hearing is set for February 16th; the bill requires
the Interior Department to begin offering leases in the "bulge" portion of the Lease Sale 181 area
off the Florida coast within one year; and
WHEREAS, Florida Senators Mel Martinez (R) and Bill Nelson (D) have filed a bill
which makes permanent the drilling moratorium in the eastern Gulf of Mexico, including most of
Lease Sale 181; the Permanent Protection for Florida Act, numbered Senate Bill #2239, would
keep drilling as far as 260 miles off Florida's west coast and 150 miles off the Panhandle and the
east coast; the eastern Gulf is a military training zone and helps protect that zone by banning
drilling within it and setting up a buffer alongside it for at least five years, but the measure would
not prevent development on roughly 700,000 acres in the area's southwest portion; and
WHEREAS, as more threats to bring oil drilling closer to Florida's shores emerge in
Washington, Florida Govenor Jeb Bush's role is becoming increasingly pivotal; he can help craft
a remedy acceptable to Florida's delegation and Congress as a whole; after years of being unified
against drilling, Florida's congressional members seem more divided and indecisive on the issue
than ever; the Governor supports the Nelson Martinez bill;
NOW, THERFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE BOARD OF COUNTY
COMMISSIONERS OF MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA:
1. We support the strongest possible protection for Florida and other fragile marine
environments from the impacts of offshore oil and gas exploration and development,
including additional efforts to expand exclusionary zones, extension of Presidential and
Congressional moratoria, and defeat of legislation to open up our coast to offshore oil.
We encourage the Interior Department Minerals Management Service, our Florida
Congressmen and Florida Governor Jeb Bush to work in support of these goals, We
support the Permanent Protection for Florida Act, numbered Senate Bill #2239 filed by
Florida Senators Martinez and Nelson.
2. We oppose the Department of the Interior's new 5 Year Plan and the legislation filed by
Senator Pete Domenici to allow oil drilling near Florida. We oppose any new offshore
oil and gas leasing, exploration, drilling activity and seismic inventories affecting
Florida's coast and support new Congressional moratoria against offshore oil drilling
near Florida and other fragile coastal areas. We encourage extension of the Presidential
Executive Order that bans leasing off America's east and west coasts and parts of Alaska
from 2012 to 2020.
3. We support a permanent cancellation of the 90+ existing and active leases, some as
close as 11 miles from our coast. Compensate the holders of those leases through rents
due and royalty forgiveness for other current drilling activity. We support canceling any
activity in Lease Sale 181 and establishment of a 150 mile buffer zone against drilling on
Florida's east coast.
4. A copy of this resolution shall be sent to:
a. Renee 0", 5- Y ear Program Manager, Minerals Management Service (MS-40 1 0),
Room 3120,381 Elden Street, Herndon, Virginia 20170
b. Honorable Senalor Bill Nelson, 716 Senate Hart Office Building,
Washington, DC 20510
c. Honorable Senalor Mel Martinez, 317 Hart Senate Office Building,
Washington, DC 20510
d. Honorable Representative Deana Ros-Lehtinen, 2160 Rayburn Building,
Washington, DC 20515
e. Governor Jeb Bush, The Capitol, Tallahassee, Florida 32301.
PASSED AND ADOPTED by the Board of County Commissioners of Monroe County,
Florida, at a regular meeting of said Board held on the 15th day of March, 2006.
Mayor McCoy
Mayor Pro Tern Nelson
Commissioner Neugent
., ":Y..Qo~issioner Rice
/ f~ssioner Spehar
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BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
OF MONROE CO TY, FLORIDA
Attest: DANNY L.KOLHAGE, Clerk
G-L~
Dep ty Clerk
By
airperson
MONROE COUNTY ATT
AB ED AS T
S ANNE A, HUTTON
TA~~l~~ORNEY
/