House Natural Resources Committee passes Congressman Rooney’s offshore drilling ban

Today, the House Natural Resources Committee held a markup on the Protecting and Securing Florida’s Coastline Act, Congressman Rooney’s proposal to ban offshore drilling in the Eastern Gulf of Mexico. The bill passed out of the Committee by a vote of 24-12 (22 Democrats and 2 Republicans voting in favor).

Congressman Rooney stated, “Water quality impacts all of Florida’s residents and visitors. Drilling in this area would negatively affect our environment, tourism, and military readiness. I want to ensure that all areas east of the Military Mission Line in the Gulf of Mexico are permanently protected from offshore oil drilling. In 2022, the moratorium on drilling and exploration will expire unless Congress acts.

“I thank Chairman Grijalva and the Committee for taking up this legislation. Making the moratorium permanent is critical for Florida and for our military preparedness.”

The Protecting and Securing Florida’s Coastline Act can now be brought to the House floor for a vote from the entire House of Representatives.

Background:

• The Eastern Gulf of Mexico hosts the Gulf Test Range, a 120,000 square mile range that stretches from the Florida panhandle to the Keys. The vast size allows the testing of hypersonic weapons, combat maneuvers training, drone testing, and untold future operations of weapons and platforms that will not only need space for testing, but also restricted access areas for classified operations.