U.S. President Donald J. Trump and legislators are receiving praise for extending a ban on drilling in the Gulf of Mexico and on Florida’s Atlantic Coast.
“Today, Florida’s future has been secured for another generation. This monumental decision by President Trump to ban drilling off Florida’s coast demonstrates his deep and abiding commitment to our state’s military mission, our environment, and our economy,” said U.S. Congressman Matt Gaetz. “These three assets are the lifeblood of Florida, and instituting this ban is the single most consequential action President Trump could have taken to preserve them. I’m proud to have worked closely with the Trump administration to see this decision come to fruition and fulfill my top legislative priority in the US Congress. This is an enormous victory for all Floridians who can now rest assured that their homes and livelihood are safe from the disastrous consequences of offshore oil drilling.”
Audubon Florida also issued a statement: “Florida’s elected officials at local, state, and federal levels and regardless of party have been united in the need to renew this protection, and the President heard them. We are eager to see this protection codified by Congress in legislation, and Floridians will have their eyes on past champions of the moratorium like Representative Francis Rooney and Senator Marco Rubio for leadership. Protecting our coasts from oil and gas drilling doesn’t just protect our ecology, it protects Florida’s economy and quality of life.”
