Florida’s Republican-controlled congressional delegation is calling on the Trump administration to walk away from a proposal that would open up new oil drilling off the state’s coast for the first time in decades.
Newsweek reached out to the White House, Department of the Interior, and Department of Energy by email on Friday evening for comment.
Why It Matters
During the 2024 presidential campaign, President Donald Trump made American “energy dominance” a central promise, vowing to “drill, baby, drill.” In line with that agenda, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum announced in November a plan to expand offshore drilling near California and Florida—areas that have largely been off-limits for decades.
The move would roll back multiple measures adopted under the Biden administration aimed at limiting offshore drilling and boosting clean energy development. Trump has sharply attacked those policies and, since returning to office, has reversed several of them, including canceling billions of dollars in clean energy grants and halting offshore wind projects.
However, the new offshore drilling proposal has sparked considerable bipartisan resistance in both California and Florida, where critics warn of environmental damage and threats to tourism-driven coastal economies.
What To Know
In a letter to President Donald Trump, Republican Senators Rick Scott and Ashley Moody, along with all 28 of Florida’s House members—including 20 Republicans—argued that the Interior Department’s proposal could jeopardize the state’s tourism industry and interfere with military training in nearby waters.
The appeal represents an unusual rebuke of a Republican president by members of his own party, highlighting just how critical Florida’s coastline is to the state’s economic health.
The lawmakers pointed to Trump’s decision during his first term to extend a moratorium on offshore drilling near Florida, a move that came after a similar bipartisan plea from Florida officials. That moratorium, which they are now urging him to maintain, would have kept new oil and gas leases off Florida’s shores until 2032.
“Florida’s economy relies on that same beautiful coastline, vibrant tourism industry, and sustainable fisheries,” the delegation wrote, recalling the fallout from the 2010 Deepwater Horizon disaster, which they said “wiped billions of dollars from Florida’s industries and caused irreparable damage to our environment and coastal communities.”
“The risks posed by new offshore drilling far outweigh any short-term gains,” they continued. “For these reasons, we urge you to uphold your existing moratorium and keep Florida’s coasts off the table for oil and gas leasing. Florida’s economy, environment and military readiness depend on this commitment.”
What People Are Saying
Representative Vern Buchanan of Florida, a Republican, wrote on X: “Florida’s beaches drive our economy and support millions of jobs. That is why I joined my colleagues to protect our coast from new offshore drilling plans that threaten our environment, economy and military readiness.”
Senator Ashley Moody of Florida, a Republican, wrote on X: “ICYMI: [Rick Scott] and I led Florida’s entire congressional delegation in sending a letter to President Trump encouraging him to reject any potential plans from [Department of Interior] that would violate his moratorium banning oil drilling off Florida’s coasts.”
Representative Kathy Castor of Florida, a Democrat, wrote on X this week: “Floridians and visitors don’t want to swim in dirty, polluted water or see our wildlife covered in oil. My Florida Coastal Protection Act would protect our coasts from Trump’s reckless plan to open it for oil drilling.”
