Sierra Club to Fight Trump's Plan to Open Offshore Oil Drilling to All of Florida's Coasts

Sierra Club Florida today vowed to fight the Trump Administration's plan to open up the entire Florida coast to offshore oil drilling, but stressed that its efforts will be joined by very powerful economic and social forces that have, over decades, established the Florida brand — 1,197 miles of oil-free coastline of world-class beaches and fisheries.

 

Statement of Frank Jackalone, Sierra Club Florida Chapter director:

 

"Today's announced plan would open offshore oil drilling to Florida’s entire coast, Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico. This senseless, exploitive move threatens Florida’s $67 billion tourism industry, from the white sand beaches of Pensacola to the mangrove shorelines of the Florida Keys, from Miami Beach to Amelia Island.

 

"The threats to the state are not only the visual blight of the offshore rigs and their accompanying industrial onshore storage and transportation, but the numerous small leaks and major spills making their way to Florida beaches and poisoning fisheries and iconic marine life such as manatees and dolphins. Recent disastrous hurricanes like Harvey and Irma show that rigs and their onshore infrastructure are not immune from ferocious winds and storm surge.

 

"In 2010, the Deepwater Horizon oil spill off of Louisiana sullied Florida beaches triggering a downturn in tourism felt across the state. A similar or even smaller spill in the eastern Gulf or Atlantic under Trump’s plan would be catastrophic.

 

"We don't need new oil drilling. Americans are turning away from oil by buying more fuel efficient vehicles and those that don’t use oil at all.

 

"This oil plan is bad for our climate and our coasts."