Senate Panel Approves Drilling Off Florida Coast

A Senate committee has approved opening the eastern Gulf of Mexico to oil and gas drilling within 10 miles to the Florida Panhandle and within 45 miles off the rest of the state's coastline.

By: Jamie Burch | WKRG-TV
Published: June 09, 2009

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WASHINGTON (AP) - A Senate committee has approved opening the
eastern Gulf of Mexico to oil and gas drilling within 10 miles to
the Florida Panhandle and within 45 miles off the rest of the
state's coastline.
The provision was tacked onto a broader energy bill by a vote of
13-10 Tuesday in the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee.
The eastern Gulf waters were singled out for protection against
drilling by Congress in 2006 as part of a deal that made available
8.3 million acres for drilling in the east-central Gulf.
Sen. Bill Nelson said that oil and gas development in the
eastern Gulf would interfere with military training in the area.
And the Florida Democrat vowed to filibuster the energy legislation
and block its approval if the provision is not removed.

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)