Senate Deal on Coastal Drilling Sacrifices Nation's Protected Waters and Beaches

Senator Martinez' Flip-Flop Jeopardizes Florida's Coasts

(7/12/2006) - Washington, D.C. – At a closed-door meeting, led by Senator Mel Martinez (R-FL) and Pete Domenici (R-NM), the Republican Senate leadership has agreed to an offshore drilling bill that opens a large section of the Gulf of Mexico and gives Big Oil access to coastal waters off of Florida that are currently protected under the existing national moratorium.

"We worry that today's announcement of a Senate deal on offshore drilling signals that Senator Martinez has flip-flopped on his previous statements saying he would protect Florida's coasts. We are hopeful that Senator Martinez will ultimately recognize that keeping his pledge to protect Florida is more important than striking a deal with oil drilling advocates.

"Senator Martinez has the power to spare Florida's coasts from the pollution and potential disaster that offshore drilling can bring. He is the lynchpin to the fate of off shore drilling legislation in the Senate. Floridians and Americans nationwide are counting on him not to cut a deal but rather to protect our coastal communities, tourism industries and marine wildlife.

"Our coastal waters have been protected for 25 years and Defenders of Wildlife will continue working to make sure those protections last far into the future. We also urge Florida's other Senator, Bill Nelson, to remain committed to his long-standing, principled position on protecting Florida's coasts from offshore oil and gas drilling.

"Americans know that offshore oil and gas drilling is the slowest, dirtiest and most expensive way to produce energy. Indeed, new offshore drilling won't help address problems today, tomorrow or anytime soon as it won't produce any oil or natural gas until 2013. Americans have the ingenuity and capability to find better, more efficient ways to produce energy than by drilling. We know that clean, renewable energy initiatives are the solution to our energy problems, not short-term drill-at-all costs stop gaps."

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Defenders of Wildlife is a national, nonprofit membership organization dedicated to the protection of all native wild animals and plants in their natural communities.

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Contact(s):

William Lutz, (202) 772-0269