Martinez OKs Alaska oil production after getting Florida drilling ban exte

[Judi Lynn]

Martinez OKs Alaska oil production after getting Florida drilling ban extension

By BILL KACZOR
Associated Press
Posted March 16 2005, 4:26 PM EST


Mel Martinez


PENSACOLA -- U.S. Sen. Mel Martinez said he voted to allow oil production in an Alaskan wildlife refuge Wednesday only after getting a promise from the Bush administration to extend a moratorium on drilling off Florida's shores for five more years, through 2012.

A National Wildlife Federation official called that concession ``crumbs'' because it offers no assurance of a long-term or permanent ban on natural gas and oil drilling in the eastern Gulf of Mexico.

Environmentalists say the petroleum industry and congressional supporters see the vote for drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, or ANWR, as a step toward opening areas offshore from Florida and other coastal states.

``I share that concern, and I have worked closely with the administration to secure its explicit assurance that the current moratorium on Florida's gulf coast will be extended,'' Martinez, R-Fla., said in a statement from his Washington, D.C., office.

Martinez, elected last year with backing from President Bush, said he also plans to introduce his own legislation to make the offshore moratorium permanent and to buy back open leases.
(snip/...)

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/business/local/sfl-316martinez,0,6160597.story?coll=sfla-business-headlines



Mel Martinez is _Bush's Cuban "exile" appointment to the H.U.D. until Bob Graham decided to bail out of his Senate seat. That's a TRAGIC loss.

[TheFarseer]

1. NIMBY at it's finest n/t

[Dudley_DUright]

2. Thanks for nothin' Mel

After ANWR runs out after a few years, they will be back to drill off of FL next (and CA too). Rapacious bastards.

[jpak]

3. Yo Mel

The same arguments you used to justify your vote for drilling in ANWR are the SAME FUCKING ARGUMENTS THEY WILL USE TO DRILL OFF OF PENSACOLA.

Don't get it, do you fuckhead....

[Joey Liberal]

4. Florida Deserves Oil Drilling

Since the good people of Florida voted for Bush in 2004, they deserve to lose that Aircraft Carrier and to have oil wells on their coast line. After all, its what they voted for!

[OTownGuy]

5. Um, Excuuuuuuuuse me......

FL also has Tampa, Orlando, (the LEEEEEAST Southern city EVER, Praise Walt and Eisner), Miami, and Key West. If its TRUE theyere going to drill in the PANHANDLE they deserve it. Large Evangelical population there and Crackers. However they know that ANY oil rig along the the Gulf Coast and Atlantic would DECIMATE the tourism industry which =$$$$$$$$$$.

[blindpig]

6. excuse me

While the Panhandle is inflicted with some of the stupidist, ugliest people in the universe there are a few good ones. More importantly, the Apalachicola Valley has the highest biodiversity in this country. Don't throw out the baby with the bathwater.

You like Orlando??? The most californicated place in the state. Geez.
Fuck Disney, supreme engine of environmental mayhem in central Florida.

[OTownGuy]

7. i LIVE in Orlando!!

And yes i LIKE it here. Laid back, no religious psychos, WORKING CLASS ppl, ELEVEN theme parks, etc etc. And how DARE u diss Walt Disney World, especially on the enviorment. They have a 51% rating from the EPA. HAve u even SEEEEEN Animal Kingdom????

[blindpig]

8. my condolences

I don't go to theme parks to see animals, I go look for them in the wild. Central Florida was a much nicer place before Disney. Now the sand ridge habitat with its many endemic species is extremely endangered. I would refer you to Endangered and Threatened Animals of Florida and Their Habitats by Chris Scott.

How can you stand the traffic? Been to a few shows there and it was hell.(and I'm quite famaliar with the DC Beltway!)

[Orangepeel]

13. Welcome to Du, OTownGuy

:hi:

[Joey Liberal]

9. I actually like Florida, but.........

They've got Jethro Jeb Bush for Governor and they voted for President Bunnypants Bush as a state. They shall reap what they have sowed. Great place though. I've been there.

[pompano]

10. Won't happen...

More than likely you won’t see oil drilling in the Gulf of Mexico in or around the Pensacola area. Most of the rich Republicans who live there, on the beach, cringe at the thought of “Texas Tea” slopping up on the sugar white sands they call their back yards. Republicans know that in future “selections” Florida is a big southern State to carry and without the panhandle vote they can’t win it. Drilling in the Gulf of Mexico is about as popular as a “turd in a punch bowl” for both political parties, albeit for different reasons.

Florida panhandle residents are not responsible for a two term Bush Presidency. Might want to look at the obvious first... The Supreme Court and Nader voters the first time...Deibold and a media with a Republican agenda the second time...IMHO!

[Bryn]

11. No Florida doesn't Deserve Drilling!

I am a native of Florida. Even Tallahassee is very BLUE. So is SOUTH FLORIDA. I was truly surprised that we lost twice... I still don't believe it's a Red State. I don't know how Jeb Bush got there, though. Perhaps Teresa Heinz-Kerry was right when she said the vote machines were rigged. Who knows?

Also too many rich people from North have been coming to Florida, grabbing up lands for winter homes, building high-rise beehives on the beaches. Most policiticans don't care, just want money. I am a huge fan of Carl Hiassan. Ever read his books??

[iamjoy]

12. No We Don't

It looks like you are in a Red State too, Joey Liberal, do you deserve all the evils the Bush Administration may unleash?

I was one of those working very hard to get Kerry elected, and in the end, we did carry Orange County. I also promoted Betty Castor when I was out walking for Kerry, and can tell you how hard some of her volunteers worked.

It is true the panhandle is mostly "Blue Dog Democrats" who went overwhelmingly for Bush and perhaps those people do deserve to feel the affects of his agenda, but not at such a cost to the rest of us....