Florida — Gov. Ron DeSantis warned Friday that President Donald Trump’s push to restart offshore oil drilling near Florida could weaken long-standing environmental protections and disrupt military training zones along the Gulf Coast. The criticism marks a rare public break between the two Republicans since the 2024 election cycle.
The U.S. Department of the Interior is considering a proposal to reopen drilling areas off Florida, Southern California and Alaska for the first time in decades. Federal waters in the eastern Gulf have been off-limits since 1995 due to oil-spill concerns, a stance Florida leaders repeatedly defended after the 2010 Deepwater Horizon disaster that released 134 million gallons of oil into the Gulf.
DeSantis said the current proposal reverses a 2020 Trump-era policy that protected Florida’s coastline. He warned that opening waters near military bases in Pensacola and Panama City could interfere with essential training operations. “We hope they double down on the 2020 policy and not push ahead with what Interior wants to do now,” DeSantis said.
The plan has generated bipartisan backlash in Florida. Sen. Rick Scott and Attorney General Ashley Moody, both Trump allies, have urged the administration to keep the moratorium in place. Environmental groups are also mobilizing. Sierra Club Florida called the drilling plan “unacceptable,” arguing it threatens coastal economies and critical natural resources.
The proposed leasing schedule includes six sales between 2027 and 2030 in California, new drilling zones at least 100 miles off Florida, and more than 20 lease sales off Alaska.
Sources:
Discover more from News Facts Network
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
