Gulf drilling bill advances in Senate

Both Florida senators vow to block it:

Florida's two senators vowed Wednesday to do "whatever it takes" to derail a fast-moving Senate bill that would open up 3.6 million acres of Gulf of Mexico waters to energy exploration.

Sens. Mel Martinez, a Republican, and Bill Nelson, a Democrat, said they would do all they could - with Nelson threatening a filibuster - to block legislation that easily obtained the Senate Energy Committee's approval Wednesday.

With Martinez as the sole Republican voting against the bill, the committee voted 16-5 to send the measure to the Senate floor. That action came as the bill's sponsor and committee chairman, Sen. Pete Domenici, R-N.M., promised lawmakers the legislation would provide U.S. consumers with swift access to more natural gas and lower fuel prices.

Domenici described the swath of Gulf waters targeted by his bill as "the most significant American asset now available" and said the reserves there are enough "to heat nearly 6 million homes for 15 years."

Martinez said Domenici's bill, which would allow drilling just beyond 100 miles from the Florida coast, doesn't offer Florida any permanent protection and would put oil rigs dangerously close to state beaches, a key to Florida's tourism economy.

"There are those here today who would be drilling 20 miles off the coast of Florida if they had their way," Martinez said at a committee hearing packed with industry lobbyists. "At what point do we get permanent protection?"

You may recall that this on again off again bill has bounced back and forth between politicians on both sides, with Florida Gov. Jeb Bush first opposing it, then supporting it. As the article notes, the lease area boundaries were recently redrawn to give Louisiana more say in the matter and Florida less.

Here is some previous Facing South discussion on the issue:

Oil Addicts Anonymous: Gulf Chapter

Follow up on Lease 181

Blanco has Washington over the barrel

Gov. Jeb flip-flops on offshore drilling

Bush loses another fight, this time with brother Jeb

Administration Pushing Offshore Drilling in Katrina's Wake

Katrina An Excuse to Expand Offshore Drilling?

A Coastal Catastrophe in the Works?