Washington (Platts)--14Jul2005

US House members from Florida and California introduced separate pieces of
legislation this week to permanently ban oil and gas drilling in certain areas
of Florida and California. 

US Rep. Katherine Harris (Republican-Florida) and 18 of her colleagues from
the Florida congressional delegation introduced a bill Tuesday to permanently
ban drilling off the Florida coastline. The proposed measure, the Florida
Coastline Protection Act of 2005, would amend the Outer Continental Shelf
Lands Act to prohibit any oil and gas leasing in areas of the Outer
Continental Shelf--including the Eastern Gulf of Mexico, the Straits of
Florida, and the South Atlantic planning area--from the Straits of Florida
planning area to the border between Florida and Georgia. 

"This legislation will make sure that the Florida coastline is protected from
the incursions of oil companies and other pro-drilling interests," Harris said
in a statement. The federal moratorium on drilling is slated to expire in
2012.

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