Florida House members lobbied to protect shores in new energy bill

WASHINGTON — Pressure from Florida's House delegation helped keep the eastern Gulf of Mexico off limits for oil drilling in a new Democratic proposal, members and their spokespersons said Thursday.

Florida Democrats had become nervous as their party's leadership looked to counter Republicans' push for more domestic drilling with a proposal of their own, said Rep. Robert Wexler, D-Fla.

He said that as the Democratic agreement was hashed out, recognition of a 2006 law was alarmingly absent. That law, in return for opening up 8.3 million acres for oil leases in of the eastern Gulf, placed a ban on drilling within 125 miles of the Florida's west coast through 2022.

Florida representatives are protective of the state's shores because of their importance to the tourism industry.

"We recognize the need to significantly increase domestic oil and natural gas production," Wexler said. "At the same time, we don't want to compromise the beauty of Florida."

Rep. Alcee Hastings, D-Fla., convened a meeting of all nine Democratic representatives on Tuesday to discuss the issue. The group then met twice with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., on Wednesday to ensure the law was safeguarded.

Hastings' chief of staff, David Goldenberg, praised the team effort that concluded weeks of work.

"One member could not have gotten this done," he said.

A broad outline of the Democratic proposal was released Wednesday night, and the leadership on Thursday was continuing to finalize the legislation.

According to the outline, the bill would allow drilling in federal waters 100 miles from land. It would also allow exploration and development as close as 50 miles offshore, but only with a state's permission.

Rep. Tim Mahoney, D-Fla., said he was particularly happy with that provision.

"I don't want anyone in Washington telling us what to do," he said.

In addition, the proposal includes tax incentives for alternative energy sources, a ban on drilling within marine sanctuaries, and higher taxes on oil companies.

"This is the comprehensive energy plan Americans have been waiting for since 1973," Rep. Ron Klein, D-Fla., said, referring to the damaging oil embargo of that year.

In addition, the Democrats said that a broad temporary funding bill expected to keep the government running until after the November elections would not include a congressional drilling ban that has been in force since the 1980s.

Wexler said the bill properly balances economic, environmental and energy needs.

"There's nothing partisan about it," he said.

Republicans may not agree when the bill comes up for a vote, which could take place as early as next week. House Minority Leader John Boehner, R-Ohio, called the proposal a "hoax" in a statement Wednesday night.

He said the 50-mile limit places too many reserves out of reach, and a lack of language that would share oil revenue with the states made it less likely that some would allow drilling.

Spokespeople for two Florida Republicans - Reps. Connie Mack and Cliff Stearns - declined to comment on the proposal because it is not finalized. But a spokesperson for Rep. Bill Young, R-Fla., said the congressman supports the decision to continue the ban in the eastern Gulf.

Drilling opponents have also raised concerns that exploration could interfere with military training in the area.

Republicans have made offshore drilling an election-season rallying cry, lumping the issue with concerns over U.S. energy independence and high gasoline prices. Although it's unclear that drilling could significantly address either problem, Democrats have been forced to play defense as polls show that about two-thirds of Americans support increased domestic drilling.

The debate has led each party to attempt co-opting the other's position.

Republicans looked to broaden support by adding incentives for alternative energy into their own offshore drilling proposal, which so far Pelosi has refused to bring up for a floor vote.

The Democrats' proposal is also a major shift for the party's leadership, which has previously opposed any drilling expansion.

Klein said Democrats were forced to compromise by the possibility that President Bush would veto any continuation of the 27-year-old drilling ban currently in place.

Victor Schmidt, drilling engineering editor at World Oil magazine, said election campaigns with slogans like "drill here, drill now" have oversimplified the issue. Although he supports lifting the ban on offshore drilling, he said it could be years before companies begin even exploring newly opened waters, let alone producing any new resources.

"Just holding the right to explore is no guarantee of production," Schmidt said.

Chris Megerian is a Washington correspondent for Cox Newspapers.