White House downplays differences with Gov. Scott over new offshore drilling plan

Facing criticism from Gov. Rick Scott and members of both parties in the Florida Congressional delegation over a new offshore oil and gas exploration initiative, the White House on Thursday sought to publicly minimize its differences with state officials, as Florida lawmakers demanded changes in the Trump Administration’s plan to open up new areas in the Atlantic, Pacific and Gulf of Mexico to new offshore oil and gas exploration.

“Our goal certainly isn’t to cross Governor Scott,” said White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders, as she was asked at a briefing about the drilling plan, which envisions possible drilling along the entire coastline, from Fernandina Beach to the Florida Keys and up to Pensacola.

“We have a great relationship with him, we’re going to continue working with him on a number of issues,” Sanders said of the Governor.

But in the Trump Administration’s first foray into the issue of offshore drilling, the Thursday announcement only brought scorn from Scott and members of both parties in the Congress.

“My top priority is to ensure that Florida’s natural resources are protected,” the Governor said in a statement, making clear his opposition to the drilling plan.

The reception in Congress for the Trump Administration’s plan was like the weather outside in Washington, D.C. on this January day – very cold.

“This plan is an assault on Florida’s economy, our national security, the will of the public and the environment,” said Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL), who has long opposed efforts by Presidents of both parties to expand offshore oil and gas exploration.

“This proposal defies all common sense and I will do everything I can to defeat it,” Nelson added.

“Reckless, misguided and potentially catastrophic to Florida,” said Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-FL). “Our economy, environment and way of life is at stake if oil drilling is expanded on Florida’s coastlines.”

State lawmakers also vowed to fight to keep – and extend – a ban on offshore oil and gas exploration in the eastern part of the Gulf of Mexico. That moratorium ends in 2022.

“I urge Secretary Zinke to recognize the Florida Congressional delegation’s bipartisan efforts to maintain and extend the moratorium in the Eastern Gulf of Mexico, and remove this area for future planning purposes,” said Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL).

“I have expressed my opposition to opening these waters to drilling to Secretary Zinke,” said Rep. Dan Webster (R-FL), who said he would work with state lawmakers to keep certain areas off limits to drilling, in order to “protect Florida’s unique ecosystem.”

“The Deepwater Horizon accident proved definitively that offshore drilling has the potential to ravage our state’s ecosystems and economy,” said Rep. Val Demings (D-FL).

The details of the Interior Department plan are included in a 380 page document released by officials on Thursday, which included maps showing most of the possible drilling areas off the state's East Coast would be north of Melbourne.

These are the maps included in the plan which outline where drilling could take place off of Florida:

In the Gulf of Mexico, while Florida fights to ward off new drilling, others welcomed the Trump plan.

“With this program, my constituents in southeast Louisiana whose jobs depend on the energy industry can rest easy knowing that oil and gas development is a priority for this administration,” said Rep. Steve Scalise (R-LA).

Historically, while lawmakers from Texas, Louisiana, and Mississippi have embraced offshore drilling in the Gulf of Mexico, most of Florida’s delegation on Capitol Hill has mainly been against it, no matter their party affiliation.

Cox Media Group