Cuba Drilling For Oil Near Florida Keys, Republicans Use It As Excuse To Press For Drilling

Babalu found this item.
Turns out the Cubans are planning on drilling for gas and oil really close to the Florida Keys.

WASHINGTON, DC, Mar. 2 -- Cuba is moving to develop its offshore oil and gas resources, which would result in development closer to Florida's coast than the US government allows, Rep. John E. Peterson (R-Pa.) warned on Mar. 2.

"Offshore oil and natural gas drilling, sanctioned by the Cuban government, occurs within 60 miles of Florida's southern borders. Moreover, the drilling potential within the existing Cuban basin is such that oil wells will, in the near future, be as close as 35-40 miles from the Florida keys," he said.

Peterson then goes on to try to squeeze the ban on off-shore drilling in Florida..

Calling Florida "awash in gas" with the potential to be self-sufficient, he said, "I would never negotiate with one state at the expense of the country—especially one that uses 133 times the natural gas it produces."

He and Rep. Neil Abercrombie (D-Ha.) have introduced HR 4318, a bill that would lift congressional and presidential bans on offshore drilling for natural gas. The measure has 133 cosponsors, including more than 20 Democrats, Peterson said.

Personally, I don't want anyone, Cubans or Floridians drilling so close to Florida's coastline, which is this State's principal natural resource, and a national treasure.

I am with Senator Mel and Don on this one:

Most of the state's congressional delegation supports another bill that its two US senators, Republican Mel Martinez and Democrat Bill Nelson, introduced on Feb. 1 that would effectively push new offshore exploration 260 miles from Tampa Bay (OGJ, Feb. 20, 2006, p. 24).