Full Text of Manatee County's "No Offshore Drilling" Resolution and Letter to Our Federal Reps

Manatee County Information Outreach Coordinator Nicholas Azzara says, "In the fall, Manatee County and each municipality sent a joint letter of opposition, specifically to drilling in state waters of the Gulf of Mexico. This time around, because things are moving so quickly, we thought it would be best for each municipality to act independently. We've provided each municipality with a copy of our resolution, so that they may tweak the wording, if they so choose."

You can download the resolution here (pdf file).

Copies of the letter, which was approved by the County Commissioners during their April 13 meeting, were sent to Senators Nelson and LeMieux and Representatives Castor and Buchanan. Here's what it said:

MANATEE COUNTY FLORIDA

    April 13, 2010

    Dear (Representative's name)

    This letter is to express Manatee Board of County Commission’s unified strong opposition to lifting the federal ban on offshore oil and gas exploration and drilling in federal waters of the Gulf of Mexico. We thank you for your position on this issue, and we ask for your continued support in opposing any oil and gas exploration in Gulf of Mexico waters.

    Manatee Board of County Commission urges the United States Congress to maintain prohibit offshore oil and gas drilling in the territorial waters of the state. We ask you to join us in opposing initiatives to allow offshore drilling off the coast of Florida and to retain the current statutory ban on such drilling.  

    Manatee County’s economy relies significantly on tourism and many jobs are dependent on healthy tourism. The total economic impact of visitors to Manatee County beaches in 2009 was $696 million.

    While technology has improved the safety of the drilling and transporting of petroleum products, we believe there is still significant risk that a catastrophic spill would produce long lasting negative effects on our tourism activity, as well as that of the entire state.  A recent study by the Century Commission provided evidence that there is risk in the oil and gas drilling and transportation activities. Evidence was also presented showing that potential oil and gas deposits within Florida's Gulf Coast waters are minimal.  

    If this matter of critical and far-reaching import to our coastal community comes before you in a vote this year, please consider:

    * The beaches of Anna Maria Island and Longboat Key are among our community’s most valuable resources. The area’s natural beauty is the driving force behind a tourism industry that accounted for $696 million in Manatee County in 2009.

    * Drilling poses a clear threat to Florida's $562 billion-a-year coastal economy including tourism, fishing and other water-dependent businesses. A nearby oil spill has the potential to ruin the boating, fishing, charters, scuba diving and parasailing pastimes and related water industries that are a local way of life.

    * Oil production will take years to develop and the promise of local jobs and increased revenues is highly speculative. Offshore drilling is not a viable long term solution to energy independence and economic development.

    * Offshore oil drilling and its underwater components could have a direct adverse impact on valuable sand resources that will one day be utilized for the important beach nourishment of Anna Maria Island.

    * The possibility of offshore drilling presents a significant threat to the unique birds, fish and wildlife indigenous to Florida. Our valuable marine environments and the wildlife could suffer serious, perhaps catastrophic and long-lasting harm if an accident occurs off the coast of Florida.

    * Public beach access is important not only as major recreational and economic engine for Manatee County and the State of Florida, but also serves as an important free recreational resource. Some of the free public beach access provided on Anna Maria Island and on Longboat Key would be adversely impacted if the sand were to become polluted by the impacts of oil and gas drilling.

    * Proposed or planned drilling operations in the Gulf of Mexico could impair, restrict or negatively impact the ability of the United States military, and specifically Eglin Air Force Base, Tyndall Air Force Base, Hurlburt Field, Duke Field or the NAS Pensacola assigned, tenant, remote and/or guest units, to fully utilize the existing Joint Gulf Range Complex (JGRC) airspace and surface waters for ongoing or planned aircraft test, weapons test and/or training missions.

    We ask the members of the Manatee County Congressional Delegation to officially oppose any legislative initiatives that facilitate oil and gas exploration in the Gulf of Mexico. This legislation must be opposed to preserve our tourist economy, protect our clean beaches and shores and to ensure that our natural resources and coastal community character are retained.  

    We are unified in strong opposition to any initiatives to allow offshore drilling in state and federal waters. Please consider our concerns on this critical issue to the state and to our community.  

    Sincerely,
     

    BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS

    MANATEE COUNTY, FLORIDA
   
    DONNA G. HAYES

    Chairman