Atwater's oil drilling memo

From a press release:

Tallahassee, FL – Senate President Jeff Atwater (R-Palm Beach) today announced that the staff of the Senate Environmental Preservation and Conservation Committee would be conducting a detailed and comprehensive review of the implications of offshore drilling. Describing offshore drilling as one element of the larger energy discussion facing Florida, the President also released the methodology by which the Florida Senate will manage the process.

 “Offshore drilling is a complicated issue with significant ramifications for our State,” said President Atwater.  “The citizens of Florida deserve a thoughtful and deliberative conversation free of rancor or hyperbole, and the Senate intends to provide a structure for that conversation within our body.”

House candidate Rick Minor: No dough from 'Big Oil'

Seeking to distinguish himself from Democratic primary opponent Rep. Michelle Rehwinkel Vasilinda, Rick Minor held a press conference this morning in which he vowed not to take any contributions from organizations or lobbyists representing the push for offshore drilling.

"I believe it's important to demonstrate the type of leadership I will bring to the capital," said Minor, running against Rehwinkel Vasilinda for the district that includes Leon and Jefferson counties.

Minor, who was until recently chairman of the Leon County Democratic Party, said a "cursory look" at his contributions so far doesn't show any donations tied to oil. But statewide, Democrats have received tens of thousands from oil and related interests. Among those Democrats: Rehwinkel Vasilinda, who voted last session for the last-minute proposal to drill offshore (it passed the House 70-43 but died for lack of Senate support, and is being pushed again for the 2010 session).

Is offshore drilling doomed yet again in the Senate?

The aggressive push for oil drilling off Florida's shores is backed by a coalition of powerful, well-financed business interests who are determined to succeed where they failed before: the state Senate.

But even as proponents insist they'll corral the votes they need, Senate skeptics are multiplying — including the chamber's presiding officer and several key Republicans who sound increasingly hostile to the idea.

Senate President Jeff Atwater, who's running statewide for chief financial officer, is not convinced that Floridians increasingly support drilling. Moreover, he says the issue is not on his priority list for 2010.

"The oil drilling matter is not on the Senate agenda for the coming session," Atwater, R-North Palm Beach, said flatly.

Beyond Atwater's lack of enthusiasm, several veteran Republican senators — some representing beachfront districts — are on record as saying they would not vote for a drilling bill. They include Sens. Victor Crist, R-Tampa; Dennis Jones, R-Seminole; Paula Dockery, R-Lakeland; and Durell Peaden, R-Crestview.

"Once you ruin those pristine beaches, they're ruined forever," said Peaden, a retired doctor who worked for Texaco before he went to medical school. He describes out-of-state oilmen as "shysters" promoting a "shell game" at the expense of Florida's tourism economy. (story here)

What's the tie between lobbyists, oil drilling and solar power?

From Progress Florida:

October 13, 2009

Mr. R. Bruce Kershner, Executive Director
Florida Solar Energy Industries Association
231 W Bay Ave.
Longwood, FL 32750-4125

Dear Mr. Kershner,

On behalf of the tens of thousands of our members across Florida who strongly support moving our state and nation toward a clean, renewable energy future and growing a green economy here in the “Sunshine State,” we were extremely disappointed to learn about your association’s support for opening Florida’s near shore waters to oil drilling.

Aronberg, Deutch offer their own oil proposal: task force

Democratic Sens. Ted Deutch and Dave Aronberg just released a draft of their own proposal dealing with oil drilling off Florida's coast.

But their proposed legislation is not what oil proponents want. Instead, Aronberg and Deutch propose a task force to study the pros and cons of drilling offshore -- something Republican leaders including future Senate president Mike Haridopolos and House speaker designate Dean Cannon want to get going soon, calling it a much-needed revenue generator.

The task force would look at the environmental and economic consequences of an oil spill, said Aronberg, who is running for Attorney General. The nine-member task force would consist of the AG, CFO, transportation and environmental protection secretaries, a labor representative and the heads of other state agencies such as Fish and Wildlife. The Senate president and House speaker would also appoint members representing experts in economics and the environment, as would the chambers' minority leaders.

New backer for ending ban on offshore drilling: Florida's solar industry

The drive to end Florida's ban on drilling for oil near the state's gulf beaches picked up a surprising new ally today: the solar industry.

The Florida Solar Energy Industries Association came out in support of Florida Energy Associates LLC, the shadowy group spearheading the well-financed drive to overturn the state's longtime ban on drilling in state waters. For more check out The Fueling Station.

Craig Pittman, Times staff writer

Chamber survey seeks support for 'energy exploration'

The Florida Chamber of Commerce is ratcheting up the oil-drilling debate with a new "survey" of its members that asks whether they would support or oppose cap and trade, renewable energy standards for electric companies and "energy exploration in the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Florida as long as any permanent structures necessary for oil and natural gas production are not visible from shore?"

Notice it's not called "oil drilling" anymore, but the new jargon is "energy exploration." 

Drill off Florida! Keep America safer, 'stronger'!

Drill offshore! Keep Florida and America safe! So goes the message in one of a handful of new videos pushed by oil drilling proponents to promote drilling off the Florida coast. There should be plenty of time to review and digest the videos (posted on the pro-drill Web site) now that an October special session seems unlikely for gaming, much less to include oil drilling or a renewable energy trade-off.

The nearly 6-minute video, produced by Ron Sachs Communications, features interviews with AIF president Barney Bishop and Martha Barnett, former American Bar Association president and longtime Holland & Knight attorney. There's an ominous picture of Venezuela leader Hugo Chavez, and an excerpt of an April 2009 Earth Day speech in which Obama says, "If we've got more oil here in the United States, we should find it."

A serious male narrator says things like, "The oil and gas we can produce will make America stronger" and "Florida has the resources to draw upon..if we find the will."

Bob Graham: We gave away the store to Seminoles

Appearing on Political Connections on Bay News 9 this weekend, former Gov. Bob Graham lamented that  the governor's office was too generous to the Seminole Tribe in negotiating the gaming compact - "We kind of gave away the store,'' said Graham, who also was disgusted with the advocates for drilling off Florida's coast popping up in Tallahassee. "I could use some very strong language, but I won't on this family television station."

NOTE: Clip may work better on Firefox. The full interview can be seen on Ch. 342, Bay News 9 on Demand in Tampa Bay.

Crist: Special session could include gambling, oil, energy

Gov. Charlie Crist, asked today what else might be on the agenda of an anticipated October special session beyond the gambling compact he signed Monday, said "possibly energy."

And oil? "Possibly, sure." He smiled and added "and lower taxes!"

The renewable energy package Crist wanted this past regular session died when House leadership tried in the final week to tack on oil drilling. The Senate sponsor, the late Jim King, R-Jacksonville, said there was no way he could get his members to sign off last-minute, so both proposals died.

Now word is leadership (including incoming Senate prez Mike Haridopolos and designated House speaker Dean Cannon) will make another go at it -- saying oil drilling, like the gambling compact, is a much-needed revenue generator that can help pay for enviro-friendly things like land conservation and solar energy research, etc.

Crist said October seems like a good time for a special session, though he hasn't decided. A committee week is already scheduled for the week of Oct. 5-9.

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