November 3, 2015

Tallahassee, Fla. – Associated Industries of Florida (AIF) today applauded the House Agriculture & Natural Resources Subcommittee for passing House Bill 191.  This legislation, sponsored by Representative Ray Rodrigues (R-Estero), would allow the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to better govern the onshore oil and gas industry through increased regulation and oversight.

“The onshore oil and gas industry continues to contribute to Florida’s bottom line, lessen our dependence on foreign sources of oil and employ Floridians,” said Brewster Bevis, senior vice president of state and federal affairs for AIF.  “This is a responsible industry that’s been operating safely in the State of Florida for decades; but, advances in technology have made it necessary to bring clarity to the rules and regulations governing this industry, so it may continue to operate and contribute to Florida’s economy.”

“AIF applauds the members of the House Agriculture & Natural Resources Subcommittee for the passage of this good bill today, as well as Representative Rodrigues for championing this effort,” continued Bevis.  “While this bill is not perfect – for instance we continue to have concerns about instituting a moratorium until a study is conducted and new rules are adopted by DEP – we do believe it has many good provisions, including clarifying the definition of high-pressure well stimulation; requiring a permit for the use of those high-pressure well stimulation techniques; and ensuring the disclosure of all chemicals to FracFocus by the DEP, so we know what chemicals are being introduced into Florida’s environment.”

“We look forward to continuing to work with the sponsor, as well as Senator Garrett Richter, who is sponsoring this legislation in the Florida Senate, and supporting this smart legislation throughout the 2016 Legislative Session, which will bring good governance to the onshore oil and gas industry,” concluded Bevis.

For more information on AIF, please visit AIF.com and follow @VoiceofFLBiz.

 

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