WASHINGTON, DC -- U.S. Congressman John L. Mica (R-Winter Park) expressed his support for a compromise that was offered today by the United States Department of Interior regarding Lease Sale 181, a proposed oil and gas drilling site located in the Gulf of Mexico.
"This is an excellent compromise," Mica said. "It keeps in place our past commitments to preserving and protecting our environment while allowing us to develop much needed energy resources."
Earlier this year, Mica proposed eliminating oil drilling within the narrow "stovepipe" tract of Lease Sale 181 but allowing natural gas development in the rest of the lease sale area. This keeps the 100-mile minimum distance from Florida's shoreline while permitting drilling activities to proceed. Today's announced compromise mirrors Mica's proposal by eliminating from consideration the stovepipe portion of Lease Sale 181.
"This compromise is particularly important to meeting our State's natural gas needs in the near future," Mica stated. "28 of the 34 electrical generating plants planned for Florida over the next decade are designed for natural gas, and over the next 20 years, Florida's consumption of natural gas is expected to grow more than 140 percent."
Mica continued, "I compliment President Bush's Administration on taking this action and expect our State's Congressional Delegation will accept this proposal."
The proposed area for drilling exploration lies 108 miles from Panama City and 213 miles from Tampa, but had raised concerns because of a narrow tract which extended into Alabama waters within 18 miles of Florida's coastline. First proposed and under review since 1995, Lease Sale 181 includes a drilling prohibition 100 miles south from Florida's Panhandle, requested by then-Governor Lawton Chiles and the Florida Delegation. Final approval for Lease Sale 181 is expected this year, with initial drilling operations to begin in 2002.
There have already been ten previous lease sales in the Eastern Gulf, held over the last three decades. To date, 47 exploratory wells have been drilled in the region, with 13 producing natural gas, condensate and crude oil.