Florida delegation split over off-shore drilling

WASHINGTON — They raised their voices and shook their heads and, in some cases, agreed to disagree.

Clearly frustrated, one lawmaker walked out of the room.

For weeks, members of the Florida delegation were unable to reach a consensus on the divisive Gulf drilling issue. That division could not have been more evident Tuesday when the state’s lawmakers gathered around a table in a Capitol Hill conference room to bring together those far-reaching differences.

But they couldn’t make that happen.

On one side of the table, members such as Reps. Adam Putnam, R-Bartow, and Mario Diaz-Balart, R-Miami, supported the legislation that would allow oil and gas drilling 100 miles off Florida’s shorelines. “Florida has lost its purity in saying ‘no drilling,’” Putnam explained.

On the other side, lawmakers such as Reps. Alcee Hastings, D-Fort Lauderdale, and Corrine Brown, D-Jacksonville, also stood their ground. “I am opposed to any offshore drilling, period,” Hastings said firmly.

But with less than two days remaining until the House votes on the contentious legislation, some members of the delegation said the deal they negotiated with House Resources Chairman Richard Pombo, R-Calif., was the best proposal on the table.

In the face of rising gas prices and pressure to open up domestic resources, lawmakers said they had little choice in the matter.

The current legislation immediately would eliminate a presidential and congressional moratorium and open up drilling 50 miles off the coast unless state lawmakers enact legislation to prevent it. The House is expected to pass the legislation Thursday.

“I am comfortable with putting Florida’s future in Florida’s hands,” said Putnam, who helped negotiate the deal with Pombo. “If we don’t do anything, bad things happen to Florida because the moratoriums expire.”

Still, Putnam tried his best to appease opponents of the legislation: “Things are still somewhat fluid,” he said. “Nothing is set in stone yet.”

Some weren’t buying it.

If that were the case, why couldn’t Florida House members simply support a bill Sens. Mel Martinez, R-Fla., and Bill Nelson, D-Fla., introduced in the other chamber, they wondered aloud. That bill would create a permanent no-drilling zone at least 260 miles off the west coast of Florida, the farthest buffer proposed yet. It also would keep oil rigs more than 150 miles away from the southern and eastern coasts.

The Senate bill was one they could stand behind, said Rep. Jim Davis, D-Tampa, who was echoed by other Republicans and Democrats on Tuesday.

The House bill was too risky, they said.

“I think 100 miles is too close” said Davis, who is running for governor.

Rep. Connie Mack, R-Fort Myers, agreed.

“I think it would be irresponsible to pass such legislation,” he said.

When lawmakers argued the House compromise was a good one because it would place the decision-making in the hands of the state Legislature, Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Weston, blurted, “No offense. I just don’t trust the Legislature. I think we should take the Legislature out of the process.”

For a moment, the room fell silent.

Then, Rep. Ric Keller, R-Orlando, countered: “Floridians represent 100 percent of the Legislature and only 5 percent of the U.S. House. I think giving Floridians home court advantage is a good thing.”

No one on either side would budge during the hour-long meeting. Those who came into the meeting supporting the proposal left supporting the proposal. Those against it, left even more so.

“I don’t see any reason for compromise,” said Brown.

And even before anyone could respond, she left the room.