Bill threatens GC bases, maritime

WASHINGTON – Florida Congressman Francis Rooney (R-Fla.) is raising alarm about a House Natural Resources Committee’s go-ahead of a bill last week threatens Florida’s long-standing moratorium of drilling in the eastern Gulf of Mexico. Rooney, who represents the Naples-area district, and others in the state are worried the bill will pass a full congressional vote without extending the ban on drilling within 125 miles of Florida’s Gulf Coast when it expires mid-2022. Unable to convince the committee to extend the ban, Rooney is rallying support among members of the Florida delegation to back an amendment making the moratorium permanent. "We cannot have drilling in the eastern Gulf,” he said. “It will destroy our tourist economy." Florida lawmakers have fought against attempts to open up energy drilling off the Gulf Coast to protect the tourist-rich beaches, and the maritime industry, but lawmakers from other Gulf states, primarily Louisiana, have tried to help the industry expand in the eastern Gulf of Mexico and other parts of the country. (Source: Naples [Fla.] Daily News 11/20/17) The eastern Gulf is important to national security due to the flight training at NAS Pensacola and Whiting Field, and Eglin and Tyndall AFBs, and testing that takes place from multiple military bases in the Tampa area to NAS Key West. The eastern Gulf is the largest training ground for the U.S. military in the world, according to Rep. Rooney’s commentary in the Naples Daily News of Nov. 18.