A proposed drilling ban is heading to the Florida House floor for a full vote
Florida lawmakers are advancing a proposed ban on oil and gas drilling near the Apalachicola River and Bay, but the bill still faces obstacles to becoming law.
A proposed ban on oil and gas drilling near the Apalachicola River and Bay is heading to the Florida House floor after clearing two committees with unanimous support.
“This will safeguard Florida's critical coastal ecosystems,” said state Rep. Jason Shoaf (R-Port St. Joe), who’s sponsoring the measure. “It is so critical for the local economy and the local environment.”
The bill — HB 1143 — is set to get a vote by the full chamber after recently passing the House State Affairs Committee (23-0) and the House Natural Resources and Disasters Subcommittee (16-0).
The legislation offers a glimmer of hope to opponents of a plan to allow exploratory drilling about a mile from the riverbank. It would prohibit oil and gas drilling — for exploratory and extraction purposes — within 10 miles of any of the state’s three National Estuarine Research Reserves, including the Apalachicola Reserve.
“These ecosystems are so incredibly fragile that we must do everything we can to protect them,” Shoaf said.
Before filing the measure, he consulted with the Apalachicola Riverkeeper, a nonprofit organization that works to protect the river, and others who are advocating for clean waterways. “We had a groundswell of local support,” he said.
Last April, the state Department of Environmental Protection signaled its intent to issue an exploratory drilling permit to Clearwater Land and Minerals LLC for an area located in the river’s floodplain in Calhoun County.
The move drew hundreds of opposition letters to the department, a protest outside state environmental offices and a legal challenge brought by the Apalachicola Riverkeeper.
While an administrative law judge weighs the legality of issuing a final permit to Clearwater, opponents to the drilling plan are urging lawmakers to pass the proposed drilling ban.
“We’re really counting on him [Shoaf] to try and push this through,” said Apalachicola Riverkeeper Cameron Baxley. “This would be a big benefit to protecting the river and the bay.”
If the measure passes the House, it would still need to clear the Senate before heading to the governor.
Differences remain between House and Senate drilling bills
State Sen. Corey Simon (R-Tallahassee) has sponsored a companion bill — SB 1300 — which would require state environmental officials to take a closer look at the potential harms of a drilling accident before issuing a permit.
But Simon’s bill doesn’t include the proposed drilling ban.
“I’m looking forward to working out the details with him,” Shoaf wrote in a text message. “We have discussed it and are trying to iron out the differences.”
Gov. Ron DeSantis’s office hasn’t responded to multiple requests for comment on whether he supports Shoaf’s legislation.
DeSantis also hasn’t taken a public stance on the department’s plans to issue an exploratory drilling permit to Clearwater.
Instead, he’s allowed the state to fight the Riverkeeper’s legal challenge and has refused to exercise his executive authority to intervene and block the permit.
“Why has he used taxpayer dollars to fight this lawsuit?” asked Shannon Robinson Barbuto, who lives in Franklin County and has been speaking out against the possible permit. “The ultimate authority is with the governor who could have stopped the Clearwater project.”