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Florida Gets Reprieve on Coastal Drilling, Other States Outraged

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BRADENTON – Florida Governor Rick Scott, a strong political ally of President Trump, appears to have successfully lobbied to have Florida removed from the administration's plan to expand offshore drilling in American waters. Other states quickly objected to what they saw as political favoritism.

The Trump administration’s announcement last week that it would seek to expand offshore drilling was met with immediate bipartisan resistance from governors and members Congress in coastal states, particularly those facing reelection. Locally, Congressman Vern Buchanan, also a Republican ally of Trump's, came out strong against the policy, calling it "reckless, misguided and potentially catastrophic."

Governor Scott, who'd once supported drilling in Florida waters, was among the most vocal critics and requested an immediate audience with Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke. Zinke visited Florida this week and praised Scott for being easy to work with. In a statement, Zinke said:

"I have witnessed Governor Scott's leadership through hurricane season and am working closely with him on Everglades restoration. He is a straightforward leader that can be trusted. President Trump has directed me to rebuild our offshore oil and gas program in a manner that supports our national energy policy and also takes into consideration the local and state voice. I support the governor's position that Florida is unique and its coasts are heavily reliant on tourism as an economic driver. As a result of discussion with Governor Scott's [sic] and his leadership, I am removing Florida from consideration for any new oil and gas platforms."

Other governors were quick to respond. South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster, a Republican who backed President Trump in his state’s tight 2016 primary, was the first among them. He was quickly joined by North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper. Soon, every governor with a coastal state had chimed in.

Michael Brune, the executive director of the Sierra Club, called into question the Administrative Procedure Act, a 1946 law governing major regulatory changes, noting that it "requires there to be a reasonable rationale behind agency decisions, and that they can’t be arbitrary and capricious."

"So, saying Florida is exempt because Rick Scott is straightforward and trustworthy?" Brune told the Washighton Post, "That Florida’s coastlines are unique? That seems to be the definition of arbitrary and capricious."

Several critics pointed out that Scott was the only governor not to voice opposition when the department began broaching the subject with states last summer. Some argued that it was a political favor granted to Scott to help him with his expected run against Florida's Democratic Senator Bill Nelson this November, a run that the President has several times encouraged.

"I have spent my entire life fighting to keep oil rigs away from our coasts," Nelson told the Tampa Bay Times this week. "But now, suddenly, Secretary Zinke announces plans to drill off Florida’s coast and four days later agrees to Ôtake Florida off the table?’ I don’t believe it."

Congressman Ted Lieu (D-Calif.) argued that Zinke’s decision to rule out Florida’s coasts will be struck down in court. In a post on Twitter, Lieu stated that "California and other coastal states also rely on our beautiful coasts for tourism and our economy."

The arguments cast doubt on whether Florida's announced exemption will stand, or whether the expansion itself will have the political support to remain viable.

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