Sen. Corey Simon campaigns against potential drilling threat, but it's unclear how he plans to fight it
Sen. Corey Simon campaigns against potential drilling threat, but it's unclear how he plans to fight it
Republican state Sen. Corey Simon recently met with Franklin County residents at a campaign fundraiser, where he spoke about the possibility of exploratory drilling near the Apalachicola River.
Republican state Sen. Corey Simon is vowing to “fight” to protect Apalachicola Bay from possible exploratory oil drilling upriver, but it’s unclear how he plans to do that if a legal challenge is unsuccessful.
“If we can't get them to quit, we've got to force them to quit,” said Simon, who spoke about the issue at a recent campaign fundraising event near Apalachicola Bay. “We'll continue to kick down those doors where necessary.”
In April, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection signaled its intent to allow Clearwater Land & Minerals LLC to look for oil about a mile away from the Apalachicola River in Calhoun County. Many residents who live downriver are opposed to the plan and have expressed concerns about the risk of contamination to the river and bay.
“I understand what Calhoun [County] is looking for — they’re looking for their moment in the sun,” Simon said. “But it cannot come at the expense of what we have going here in Franklin County.”
Earlier this month, the Apalachicola Riverkeeper, a nonprofit organization that works to protect the river, filed a petition challenging the draft drilling permit. The department could deny Clearwater’s drilling permit application if an administrative law judge sides with the Riverkeeper.
Protecting the bay is a “number one priority,” said Simon, who’s seeking reelection this year. But he says he’s “still trying to sit down and figure out” actions he might take to achieve that goal.
Simon won’t say whether he’d sponsor legislation to stop drilling near the river
Last week, the Franklin County Republican Executive Committee hosted a fundraising event for Simon at The Station Raw Bar, an old gas station that’s now a seafood restaurant and bar near the bay. The words “Kill the Drill” were printed on a flyer advertising the event, where Simon was asked to speak about the issue.
“We’ll continue to fight,” Simon said. “I think it's now been appointed to a judge to determine if this process can move forward.”
Before the fundraising event, Simon met with executive members of the Riverkeeper to learn more about the status of their petition and the risks of allowing drilling near the river.
“We were very impressed with the degree of support that he’s expressed,” said Susan Anderson, executive director of the Apalachicola Riverkeeper. “We’re excited to have him on our team.”
Anderson says they plan to send Simon “more detailed information on some of the technical aspects” of why they oppose drilling near the river.
The case has been appointed to Administrative Law Judge Lawrence Stevenson, who will issue a recommended order after hearing the case. After that, the department will issue a final decision within 45-90 days, depending on how the judge rules. A date for a hearing hasn’t yet been set, and legal experts say it could be scheduled for sometime early next year.
If the issue isn’t settled before lawmakers meet in Tallahassee next year, they could pass legislation that would prevent drilling near the river, explained David Guest, a Tallahassee-based attorney who specializes in environmental law.
“[They could] pass a statute that says no siting oil drilling platforms within one mile of a floodplain of any water body in a circumstance in which directional drilling will reach the target,” Guest explained. Directional drilling can be used to access the target area for oil exploration while bypassing the wetlands.
State Sen. Corey Simon said he’s “open to all suggestions” when asked whether he’d support a ban on drilling in the river’s floodplain. “I can’t fight for things I don’t know.”
Potential drilling near the river has become an issue in the state Senate District 3 race
Simon is seeking reelection to state Senate District 3, which covers 13 counties. The district includes Gulf, Franklin, Liberty, Gadsden, Leon, Wakulla, Jefferson, Madison, Taylor, Hamilton, Suwannee, Lafayette and Dixie Counties.
The district leans Republican after the GOP-controlled legislature reconfigured its boundaries in 2022. Simon isn’t facing a primary challenger, but two Democrats are vying for the seat.
Democratic challenger Daryl Parks, who has raised ten times more money than his primary opponent Kimblin NeSmith, has called for a ban on drilling in the Apalachicola River Basin. That’s where exploratory drilling would take place if the department issues a permit to Clearwater.
Kristy Branch Banks, a local attorney and chairman of the Franklin County Republican Executive Committee, explained that the issue isn’t a partisan one. “In fact, I don't even think it's really a political issue, except to the extent that we have to rely on our elected officials to oversee what DEP is doing.”
Banks, who’s father was a commercial fisherman, says she grew up around people who worked in the seafood industry when it was thriving in the late 1970s and 1980s. “The seafood industry was so strong, and it was so healthy,” she said. “It was the livelihood for families all across the county.”
During Simon’s remarks, Banks asked Simon for an update on what’s happening with the drilling permitting process. “I just want to make sure he's on top of it.”
In response, Simon expressed his commitment to protecting water quality in the area and told residents at the fundraising event that he recently toured the bay with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission to get an update on efforts to restore the wild oyster habitat.
“I'm not willing to sacrifice any of the hard work or the time that's been committed to ensuring that we have a safe habitat for our fishery,” he said.
Last year, Simon sponsored legislation that sets aside $25 million to fund water quality projects in and around Apalachicola Bay over the next five years.
And Gov. Ron DeSantis last year signed a budget that includes $17 million to help restore the wild oyster habitat in the bay. But the governor has remained silent on Clearwater’s pending drilling permit application.
Simon didn’t respond when asked over text message whether he’s spoken with DeSantis about potential drilling near the river.
The Panhandle Press recently asked DeSantis’ office about where the governor stands on the issue, but a spokesperson instead referred the request to DEP, which only provided an update on the status of the pending litigation.
DeSantis could intervene and order the department to change the conditions required to issue a drilling permit, which could lead to the application’s denial, explained environmental attorney David Guest.
“It's an executive agency — he can do whatever he wants with that,” Guest said. “He's in charge.”