IT SEEMS ADAM PUTNAM HAS SOLD OUT FLORIDIANS

For 26 years, Floridians have enjoyed protection from oil drilling in the eastern Gulf of Mexico thanks to an annual moratorium, but it was almost killed in a close vote this year. The annual moratorium has helped to keep Florida beaches pristine and free of the threat of oil spills.

But it seems that marching to the orders of House Speaker Dennis Hastert (R - IL), Congressman Adam Putnam (R - Bartow) has brokered a deal with House Resources Committee Chairman Richard Pombo (R - CA) that would end the ban on drilling off much of the nation's coastline and could result in drilling for oil and gas as close as 50 miles off our beaches. The amendment is buried near the end of H.R. 4761, the Deep Ocean Energy Resources Act, and is set for action today in the House.

Many within the Florida congressional delegation oppose the measure, as well as both of our U.S. Senators. Senator Bill Nelson has said he would filibuster the bill when it comes up in the upper chamber.

Wednesday, several people staged a "mock oil spill" in front of Putnam's district office in Bartow to protest his involvement with the amendment.

"Any Floridian who wants to keep our coast free of oil rigs must oppose this bill," said Darden Rice, regional coordinator for the Sierra Club. "Adam Putnam has sold out Florida. Why would he undermine the protection we have had for 26 years?"

Putnam and his crew defend the proposal, saying the bill provides for a permanant ban and not an annual moratorium which would avoid the possibility of it not being renewed as almost occured this year.

In addition, according to Putnam, in the Gulf of Mexico the ban will be 235 miles offshore and will be written into law. That is because on top of the 100-mile ban in the Gulf, the military mission line -- where ships and aircraft for the military train and travel -- will be honored.

But here's the problem: The legislature of any state can choose to allow drilling within the 100-mile limit off it's coastline. And, there is no military mission line on the Florida coast for a very small piece of the Panhandle, which would make the limit there only 100 miles.

For example, if the Alabama or Mississippi Legislature got greedy and chose to allow drilling within the 100 mile limit, and something unfortunate occured that caused an oil spill, it wouldn't take much to cause that mess to wash up along Pensacola or Fort Walton Beach. The "Redneck Rivera" would have a heck of a cleanup...and who would pay? More than likely, you and I, and the tourist industry which drives that part of Florida would suffer for only God knows how long.

The Sierra Club National Office has released a statement on the bill. And the Tampa Tribune published an editorial last Saturday opposing the measure.

UPDATE - 06/30/2006 - 06:17 AM: The Deep Ocean Energy Resources Act passed last evening by a 232-187 vote. Thanks to the St. Petersburg Times, here is a breakdown of how Florida's delegation voted:

Aye:
Mike Bilirakis (R - Tarpon Springs)
Allen Boyd (D - Monticell0)
Virginia "Ginny" Brown-Waite (R - Brooksville)
Ander Crenshaw (R - Jacksonville)
Lincoln Diaz-Balart (R - Miami)
Mario Diaz-Balart (R - Miami)
Tom Feeney (R - Oviedo)
Ric Keller (R - Orlando)
John Mica (R - Winter Park)
Jeff Miller (R - Chumuckla)
Adam H. Putnam (R - Bartow)
Cliff Stearns (R - Ocala)
Dave Weldon (R - Indiatlantic)
C.W. "Bill" Young (R - Indian Shores)

Nay:
Corrine Brown (D - Jacksonville)
Jim Davis (D - Tampa)
Mark Foley (R - Jupiter)
Katherine Harris (R - Longboat Key)
Alcee Hastings (D - Miramar)
Connie Mack (R - Fort Myers)
Kendrick Meek (D - Miami)
Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R - Miami)
E. Clay Shaw, Jr. (R - Fort Lauderdale)
Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Weston)
Robert Wexler (D-Boca Raton)

The Times made note this morning:

Wednesday afternoon, the [Florida congressional] delegation agreed to seek two changes. One strengthened language to prevent drilling in the Navy and Air Force training zone in the eastern gulf, a vast region that extends 234 miles off Tampa Bay.

House leaders agreed to that change, because it still leaves open most of a gas-rich region of the gulf, called Lease-Sale Area 181, that energy companies have been eyeing for years. It also may not survive when the House reconciles its bill with whatever offshore drilling measure might pass the Senate, but allowing the change for now meant they could count on the support of several key Republicans, including Reps. C.W. Bill Young of Indian Shores and Jeff Miller, who represents the Panhandle.

''The military mission line is put into statute – anything east of that line in the Gulf of Mexico, there will be no drilling,’’ Young said during Thursday’s debate. ''Florida’s west coast is protected far and above where we had originally requested.’’

The second change, in the form of an amendment offered by Rep. Mike Bilirakis, R-Tarpon Springs, and supported by most Floridians, would have kept drilling 125 miles off the nation’s coasts unless states voted to allow it closer.

The amendment would have changed the heart of the Putnam-Pombo bill and was crushed, 353 to 65, by lawmakers who said it didn’t go far enough to ease restrictions on drilling. Among them was Rep. Dave Weldon, a Republican from the Melbourne area, who said the extra 25 miles added too much buffer.