Friday, May 26, 2006
Floridians Favor Offshore Oil Drilling
Floridians support lifting a ban on oil drilling 100 miles or more from the state's Gulf Coast beaches by a 51 to 42 percent majority, and many say rising gasoline prices have influenced their approval, according to a recent poll.
Such support stunned environmentalists, who have counted on opposition from Florida and other coastal states to deflect growing sentiment for offshore drilling among inland and oil state politicians. The U.S. House just last week rejected proposals to open more offshore areas to drilling, but those efforts are expected to continue.
"The poll itself explains there is a panic among some consumers," said Frank Jackalone, senior regional representative for the Sierra Club. "This is exactly what the oil industry intended."
Most Floridians, however, still oppose drilling closer to shore. They disapprove of a congressional proposal to allow natural gas drilling as close as nine miles from shore by a 55 to 36 percent margin.
"I do believe there is what I consider a seismic shift in opinion among Floridians," said Dave Mica, executive director of the pro-drilling Florida Petroleum Council. "They're not fully there yet, but there have been a lot of gains."
The poll by the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute was taken May 15-22 among 1,086 registered voters and has a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percent.
It showed Floridians almost equally divided on another energy matter, favoring construction of a new nuclear power plant by 48 to 45 percent, which is within the margin of error. But they were opposed, 60 to 36 percent, to building such a plant in their hometown.
Rising fuel prices left 39 percent of Floridians more likely to support lifting the ban on drilling more than 100 miles from shore with 16 percent less likely. Forty-three percent said rising prices did not affect their decision.
"The rising price of energy has changed the attitudes of many Florida voters," said Peter Brown, the institute's assistant director.
Eighty-eight percent of Floridians, however, also put some or great deal of the blame for those price increases on oil companies, while 65 percent say normal supply and demand is another element. They say others also share the blame, such as oil producing countries (80 percent), President Bush (62 percent) and drivers of gas-guzzling vehicles (54 percent).
Mica said more people have contacted his organization to offer support for drilling. Associated Industries of Florida, an influential business trade group, also has endorsed it but only if kept at least 100 miles offshore.
"This is an instance where the people of Florida are ahead of their elected officials except for Gov. (Jeb) Bush," said AIF President Barney Bishop.
Bush last year sought a compromise that would have allowed drilling no closer than 125 miles from shore but it failed.
Most members of Congress from Florida, with the notable exception of Mica's brother, Rep. John Mica, R-Winter Park, have opposed lifting bans on drilling in the eastern Gulf of Mexico and elsewhere along the Outer Continental Shelf. Some, however, did join Bush in seeking a compromise.
Florida and California lawmakers last week led the effort against more drilling in the House. The chamber first voted 279-141 against lifting the long-standing moratorium on oil drilling. It then voted 217-203 to return the ban on natural gas drilling to an Interior Department spending bill after a committee had removed it.
The poll results give added impetus to plans for a door-to-door campaign by the Florida Public Interest Research Group to "debunk the myths that the oil companies have spread" about offshore drilling, said FPIRG director Mark Ferrulo.
He argued drilling would do nothing to lower fuel prices.
"We wouldn't even see that energy for between five and eight years and it would be a drop in the bucket," Ferrulo said.
His group and environmentalists are pushing for conservation and alternative energy, such as solar and wind power, instead of more drilling and nuclear power.
"People have been buying the fear factor of gas prices rising," said Ginger Perlman, offshore issue chairwoman for the Sierra Club's Florida Chapter. "We need to be more active in getting our message out."
Floridians support lifting a ban on oil drilling 100 miles or more from the state's Gulf Coast beaches by a 51 to 42 percent majority, and many say rising gasoline prices have influenced their approval, according to a recent poll.
Such support stunned environmentalists, who have counted on opposition from Florida and other coastal states to deflect growing sentiment for offshore drilling among inland and oil state politicians. The U.S. House just last week rejected proposals to open more offshore areas to drilling, but those efforts are expected to continue.
"The poll itself explains there is a panic among some consumers," said Frank Jackalone, senior regional representative for the Sierra Club. "This is exactly what the oil industry intended."
Most Floridians, however, still oppose drilling closer to shore. They disapprove of a congressional proposal to allow natural gas drilling as close as nine miles from shore by a 55 to 36 percent margin.
"I do believe there is what I consider a seismic shift in opinion among Floridians," said Dave Mica, executive director of the pro-drilling Florida Petroleum Council. "They're not fully there yet, but there have been a lot of gains."
The poll by the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute was taken May 15-22 among 1,086 registered voters and has a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percent.
It showed Floridians almost equally divided on another energy matter, favoring construction of a new nuclear power plant by 48 to 45 percent, which is within the margin of error. But they were opposed, 60 to 36 percent, to building such a plant in their hometown.
Rising fuel prices left 39 percent of Floridians more likely to support lifting the ban on drilling more than 100 miles from shore with 16 percent less likely. Forty-three percent said rising prices did not affect their decision.
"The rising price of energy has changed the attitudes of many Florida voters," said Peter Brown, the institute's assistant director.
Eighty-eight percent of Floridians, however, also put some or great deal of the blame for those price increases on oil companies, while 65 percent say normal supply and demand is another element. They say others also share the blame, such as oil producing countries (80 percent), President Bush (62 percent) and drivers of gas-guzzling vehicles (54 percent).
Mica said more people have contacted his organization to offer support for drilling. Associated Industries of Florida, an influential business trade group, also has endorsed it but only if kept at least 100 miles offshore.
"This is an instance where the people of Florida are ahead of their elected officials except for Gov. (Jeb) Bush," said AIF President Barney Bishop.
Bush last year sought a compromise that would have allowed drilling no closer than 125 miles from shore but it failed.
Most members of Congress from Florida, with the notable exception of Mica's brother, Rep. John Mica, R-Winter Park, have opposed lifting bans on drilling in the eastern Gulf of Mexico and elsewhere along the Outer Continental Shelf. Some, however, did join Bush in seeking a compromise.
Florida and California lawmakers last week led the effort against more drilling in the House. The chamber first voted 279-141 against lifting the long-standing moratorium on oil drilling. It then voted 217-203 to return the ban on natural gas drilling to an Interior Department spending bill after a committee had removed it.
The poll results give added impetus to plans for a door-to-door campaign by the Florida Public Interest Research Group to "debunk the myths that the oil companies have spread" about offshore drilling, said FPIRG director Mark Ferrulo.
He argued drilling would do nothing to lower fuel prices.
"We wouldn't even see that energy for between five and eight years and it would be a drop in the bucket," Ferrulo said.
His group and environmentalists are pushing for conservation and alternative energy, such as solar and wind power, instead of more drilling and nuclear power.
"People have been buying the fear factor of gas prices rising," said Ginger Perlman, offshore issue chairwoman for the Sierra Club's Florida Chapter. "We need to be more active in getting our message out."
