An oil drilling proposal near Florida’s coast has sparked concern among environmental experts and locals. The Trump administration’s five-year plan, announced Thursday, aims to expand U.S. oil production in offshore areas, including some sites just 100 miles from Florida’s coastline.
Dr. James Douglass, an FGCU professor and scientist, warned about the potential risks.
“This proposal would allow oil drilling in waters much closer to the coast of Florida, and would put Florida at greater risk of more oil spill disasters,” said Dr. Douglass.
The plan has raised alarms due to past oil spills in the Gulf that have impacted Florida’s ecosystem. Dr. Douglass emphasized the threat to local wildlife.
“We have many bottlenose dolphins and other marine mammals in Florida, including the Florida manatee, one of our most beloved animals here,” said Dr. Douglass. “One of the reasons that Floridians have year after year, refused to allow oil drilling in our coast is because of our concern for our unique Florida wildlife.”
Long-time Fort Myers Beach resident Justina Johnson echoed these worries.
“We were sitting and watching the sunset, and the dolphins were, you know, jumping out of the water,” said Johnson. “We’d hate for them to be affected, and any of the other wildlife or the sea life that’s out there.”
Dr. Douglass suggested alternative energy sources for the state.
“Florida has a ton of sunshine, and yet we’re kind of behind on solar energy development compared to other states like California and Texas,” said Dr. Douglass. “I think exploring some of those green energy options would make a lot more sense for us in Florida than risking drilling off of our coasts.”
While some people believe the drilling could create jobs and boost the U.S. energy supply, Dr. Douglass anticipates significant opposition to the plan.