HB 7245

1	A bill to be entitled
2	An act relating to oil and gas drilling; creating s.
3	377.061, F.S.; prohibiting activities associated with the
4	exploration for and production of oil, gas, or other
5	petroleum products in sovereignty submerged lands and
6	waterways; prohibiting Outer Continental Shelf energy
7	activities; prohibiting local governments and state
8	agencies from granting approval for certain licenses,
9	permits, activities, and projects; requiring the
10	Department of Environmental Protection to submit such
11	provisions to the United States Department of Commerce to
12	be made part of the state's coastal zone management
13	program; providing an effective date.
14
15	WHEREAS, the State of Florida is comprised of 2,276 miles
16	of tidal shoreline, 8,426 miles of detailed tidal shoreline, and
17	WHEREAS, sand beaches comprise 1,350 miles of coastline,
18	and
19	WHEREAS, in 2004, 13 million state residents lived along
20	the coastline, and
21	WHEREAS, the tourism industry attracted 79.7 million
22	tourists to Florida, who spent $57 billion in the state and
23	generated $3.4 billion of tax revenues in 2004, and
24	WHEREAS, tourists are attracted to Florida by virtue of the
25	pristine beaches, waterways, and coastal recreational
26	activities, and
27	WHEREAS, saltwater fishing contributed $5.8 billion and
28	59,418 jobs to Florida in 2005, and
29	WHEREAS, the commercial fishing industry generated an
30	estimated $562 million of revenue and provided 9,787 jobs to
31	Florida in 2005, and
32	WHEREAS, Florida has more seafood processing plants than
33	any other state and the seafood processing industry shipped $614
34	million worth of products and provided 3,108 jobs statewide in
35	2005, and
36	WHEREAS, Florida fishers catch more than 90 percent of the
37	nation's supply of grouper, pompano, mullet, stone crab, pink
38	shrimp, spiny lobsters, and Spanish mackerel, and
39	WHEREAS, the value of Florida aquaculture sales ranks third
40	in the nation and reached $95.5 million in 2003, and
41	WHEREAS, the total economic impact of Florida's seafood
42	harvest is more than $1 billion annually, and creates more than
43	20,000 full-time and 10,000 part-time jobs, and
44	WHEREAS, the coral reef in Key West is the third largest in
45	the world and the largest in North America, and
46	WHEREAS, oil and gas drilling would potentially damage or
47	destroy living bottom communities, beaches, coastal barrier
48	islands, wetlands, seagrass beds, mangroves, corals, and animal
49	life, and
50	WHEREAS, such damage would result from pipeline placement,
51	increased barge and tanker traffic, construction of supporting
52	facilities, discharge of trash and debris, and rig construction
53	and removal, and
54	WHEREAS, the release of hydrocarbons, chrome, lead, barium,
55	cadmium, copper, antimony, arsenic, mercury, and other toxic
56	chemicals would result from the discharge of drilling muds,
57	production waters, and oil or gas, and
58	WHEREAS, the chemicals released into the environment from
59	these discharges are virtually nonrecoverable and are extremely
60	toxic, and
61	WHEREAS, the Legislature declares that the state has a
62	vital interest and responsibility to protect its citizens,
63	coastal areas, natural wildlife, and economy, and
64	WHEREAS, the Legislature further declares that the
65	possibility for spillage of oil or other pollutants as a result
66	of the activities associated with the exploration and production
67	of oil, gas, or other petroleum products in certain lands and
68	waters surrounding the state constitutes a grave threat to the
69	health and welfare of the state's citizens, coastal areas,
70	natural wildlife, and economy, and
71	WHEREAS, the Legislature finds that despite safeguards that
72	could be imposed on the activities associated with the
73	exploration and production of oil, gas, or other petroleum
74	products from certain lands and waters surrounding the state,
75	the potential serious harm caused by these activities cannot be
76	eliminated, and
77	WHEREAS, the possibility of an oil spill cannot be
78	eliminated and pollution from an oil spill would be catastrophic
79	to the citizens, coastal areas, natural wildlife, and economy of
80	this state, NOW, THEREFORE,
81
82	Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
83
84	Section 1.  Section 377.061, Florida Statutes, is created
85	to read:
86	377.061  Prohibition of exploration for and production of
87	oil, gas, or other petroleum products.--
88	(1)  The exploration for and production of oil, gas, or
89	other petroleum products in the sovereignty submerged lands and
90	waterways over which the state has jurisdiction or control, now
91	or in the future, is prohibited.
92	(2)  No Outer Continental Shelf energy activity, as defined
93	under s. 1453 of the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972, as
94	amended, shall be permitted by this state.
95	(3)  No state agency or local government shall approve any
96	license, permit, activity, or project that violates this
97	section.
98	Section 2.  Prior to October 1, 2007, the provisions of
99	this act shall be submitted by the Florida Department of
100	Environmental Protection to the United States Department of
101	Commerce pursuant to the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972, as
102	amended, to be made part of the state's coastal zone management
103	program under chapter 380, Florida Statutes.
104	Section 3.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2006.

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.