November 9, 2009
Today, Senate President Jeff Atwater (R-North Palm Beach) released a statement detailing the Senate’s process for studying the issue of offshore drilling in Florida’s territorial waters. Up to this point, the House of Representatives had led the way in holding discussions on this critical issue for our state via the Select Policy Council on Strategic & Economic Planning chaired by Speaker Designate Dean Cannon (R-Winter Park). Chairman Cannon’s Select Policy Council has held two day-long workshops so far on the issue. Today’s Senate release outlines some of the major questions and establishes a methodology for discussing the issue of oil and natural gas exploration. The Senate Environmental Preservation and Conservation Committee will be tasked with conducting the Senate’s review of the drilling issue.