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Hands Across the Sand-Join us to stop near shore Oil Drilling In Florida Waters

Dave Rauschkolb avatar
Dave RauschkolbBeach FanaticLocked
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Hands Across the Sand
-Join us to stop near shore Oil Drilling In Florida Waters

The Florida House of Representatives has already passed a bill that would allow NEAR SHORE oil drilling, that’s within 3 miles of our beaches. The bill would allow pipelines to run to the shore as well. Texas Oil interests have bought off every lobbyist and politician against near-shore oil drilling in our waters. Unless something is done we will have Oil derricks in sight of and fouling our beaches in the near future.

David Pleat is running for District 7 House of Representatives, and we had a meet and greet at Bud & Alley's on October 1. While the election is far off, David is bringing attention to the fact that we may soon have Oil platforms off our coast unless something is done. David spoke eloquently about the importance of stopping Texas Oil interests from fouling our beaches.


The politicians are promising to fix all the states ills, you name it, as a sweetener to get it passed fully. Don Gaetz, our Senator is advocating it. (SEE CLARIFICATION BY SENATOR DON GAETZ AT BOTTOM OF THIS POST) Every representative in our area already voted for it. They had a quick vote at the end of session and the public hardly knows what happened. In the near future they will be trying to pass this fully by tacking it on the gambling pact that is up for a vote with the Seminole Tribe.

This issue affects our quality of life and tourism. This could happen as soon as December or sooner. Most politicians are trying to divert attention to the fact that they voted for this bill, many are already backpedaling. If we make this issue visible and create a groundswell of opposition the bill could be stopped but we must act quickly.

This is not a partisan issue this is a Florida issue. Our beaches are sacred no matter what your race, religion, sex or political affiliation. We need to come together on this issue for our children and grandchildren. Thank you for your help in passing this along to all Florida citizens. A website will be coming out soon, handsacrossthesand.org.

This is what I am suggesting we do.

Hands Across The Sand

Premise:

Initiate a movement to encourage the Concerned Citizens of Florida on a chosen day to join hands on the beach along the 1197 statute miles of Florida Coastline or the Florida Gulf Coast (779 miles) for 15 minutes to create a human line in the sand for the purpose of opposing the eminent legislation to allow near shore oil exploration along the pristine coast of Florida.

This is an effort to "Draw a line in the Sand" against near shore oil drilling in our waters. "We have a choice. Do we want a pristine white line or an oil-drenched polluted one? Believe me, it will be black as oil if this bill passes"

All we have to do is simply go to the beach and join hands for 15 minutes, simple right? This could happen as soon as next month so we need to get the word out. We will be choosing the day next week.

This should get national attention and we very well could stop this legislation in its tracks.

Number of People needed for the whole state
1056 people per mile (one every 5 feet) x 1197 miles = 1,264,032 people

Number of People needed for the Gulf Coast of Florida only
1056 people per mile (one every 5 feet) x 770 miles = 813,120 people

Thanks for your support,


Dave Rauschkolb

A clarification from Senator Don Gaetz

I received a call from Senator, Don Gaetz in the past hour and would like to clarify his position on this Bill. He felt I mischaracterized his position having stated he was among politicians "advocating" the bill. I apologized to him and asked him to state his position on near shore oil drilling.

Don told me his voting history speaks for itself and that he has not voted on the bill and would consider the bill if it is brought to the Senate taking into regard the economic, military and environmental impacts. He verified his position stated in the article below.

Don will be emailing me on Monday with a more in depth statement regarding his position on the matter. I have known Don personally for the past 24 years and it is my sincere hope when all is said and done he will stand with us in opposition to near shore drilling.

The fact remains that all of our local representatives in the House voted for this bill and this article confirms that it is being considered if certain issues regarding the military are satisfied. At some time in the near future a version of the house bill could go before the State Senate. As concerned Floridian's we should follow this matter very closely.

Local lawmakers: oil drilling bill must include military protections
Comments 2 | Recommend 1
September 12, 2009 05:50:00 PM
By MATT DIXON / News Herald Writer
PANAMA CITY — In April, the Florida House passed a bill that would allow the governor and cabinet authority to accept applications for oil and gas drilling as close as three miles off Florida's beaches.

Both area House members supported the legislation, which was never considered by the Senate, but only after provisions were made to protect the Panhandle’s five military bases.

“Jimmy Patronis and I both worked together to ensure that the bill had language that explicitly protected the area’s military interests,” said Rep. Marti Coley, R – Marianna.

With speaker-designate Rep. Dean Cannon, R – Winter Park, and Sen. Mike Haridopolos, R – Merritt Island, in line to become Senate President, set to co-author a similar piece of oil drilling legislation, the topic of oil drilling near the beaches of Bay County, and other coastal areas statewide, is again fast approaching.

Area lawmaker’s priorities, however, remain unchanged.

“If there is any type of military mission that could be affected by a drilling plan, I won’t support it,” Patronis, R – Panama City, said.

Because last session there was no companion to the House bill in the Senate, and Senate President Jeff Atwater, R – North Palm Beach, citing time restraints, refused to take up the House bill, Sen. Don Gaetz, R – Niceville, never got the opportunity to officially chime in on the issue.

He says, however, that he stands in lock step with Coley and Patronis.

“I am with the military,” he said. “If a bill would make us vulnerable in any way, or put us in danger of having any missions being picked off by Nancy Pelosi or Harry Reid. … I will be the loudest voice saying, ‘Let’s slow down.’”

Gaetz said he thinks the issue will inevitably re-appear during the legislature regular session, but that talks of offshore oil drilling coming up during a potential two-day special session in October are pre-mature.

“I think it will come up again, and I think there will be companion bills with strong sponsors,” Gaetz said. “But it will not be a special session issue unless it’s a special session devoted entirely to the topic.

Coley said that talks she has had with House leadership about protecting military interests have gone well.

“I actually spoke with the speaker-designate about protecting the military when considering drilling off of our coast,” she said. “He told me. ‘That’s a given.’”

Edited

Replies

338
Teresa avatar
TeresaSoWal Guide
#303
COLUMN: Don't sacrifice Florida's beaches to Big Oil | florida, oil, drilling - Opinion - TheDestinLog.com

thanks Beauty. I saw that McLain's remarks about his experience with spill response operations made an impression . A sacrificial beach is some place to divert the oil to during a spill. SWCC provided the same link (as above) today in a fb discussion. The column was written by David McLain in July 2009 and published by the Destin Log.
here it is in full:

COLUMN: Don't sacrifice Florida's beaches to Big Oil


July 21, 2009 2:27 PM

David McLain
Many thanks to Sen. Bill Nelson for the strong stand he is taking in the face of the renewed push for drilling off Florida’s beaches.

This absolutely is the wrong way to secure long term energy independence. As a retired soldier with 28 years service and two sons on active duty today, I am as concerned as anybody about our dependence on Middle East supplies of petroleum.

And I know Senator Nelson, as senior member on the Senate Armed Services Committee, is as well. Much of the current clamor for drilling offshore of Florida is based in lack of information. Since I spent a fair amount of time after the Exxon Valdez catastrophe and the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA90) in oil spill response planning, training, and operations, maybe I can offer some eyes-on/hands-on experience to fill that void.

During the early 90s, I was a training consultant and planner for the Marine Spill Response Corporation (MSRC), a national corporation, and creature of the large petroleum companies to meet their newly legislated liabilities to clean up petroleum spills of their making.

Refinery specific and/or geographic-specific response plans were written and training exercises conducted to improve preparedness to counter, or rather diminish, the horrific effects of petroleum products spilled in the marine environment.

It was my job to create such response plans and to conduct exercises to train employees in their execution. While at MSRC, I participated in spill response operations such as the San Jacinto River double pipeline rupture just east of Houston.

I developed a two-week hands-on spill response course that later became the Mobil Oil “Management of Major Spill Incidents” course taught to all their refinery managers in Louisiana and Texas. In 1995, I was part of an international effort to clean up a major pipeline spill in the Komi Republic in Siberia, funded by the World Bank.

If you walk on the beaches of Texas and Louisiana you cannot escape the “tar balls” that are the ubiquitous by-product of offshore drilling. They get tracked in by children and lay ruin to beach clothing, cottages, etc. Try walking on the beach at Padre Island off the Naval aviation training center in Corpus Christi.

These were not caused by a calamitous spill, but by normal, day-to-day operation of the existing rigs.

The right strategy for long term independence of foreign oil has to be to promote and subsidize the most promising combination of alternative sources of energy — and the infrastructure modernization necessary to exploit them.

Without a deliberate turning away from petroleum and toward a long term set of renewable energy, we’re simply “doubling down” on a long term mistake.

As spill response planners we had to consider a necessary “contingency plan” called a “sacrificial beach.” When the petroleum is in the water and we can’t recover it before it impacts landward resources like mangroves, salt marshes, estuaries, the plan must call for the identification of a “sacrificial beach” — some place we can divert the oil to for subsequent treatment by poisonous dispersants, bio-degradation, bulldozers, etc.

Even then, it will be years before that beach is useable again — if ever.

Don’t let our Florida become that sacrificial beach.

David McLain is a retired colonel who lives in Eastpoint near Apalachicola.

Edited

30A TelevisionBeach Lover
#304
No one mentioned this car
[ame="http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=50419826"]Top Gear - Honda Clarity Video by Simon Atkinson - MySpace Video@@AMEPARAM@@http://mediaservices.myspace.com/Services/Media/Embed.aspx/m=50419826@@AMEPARAM@@mediaservices@@AMEPARAM@@myspace@@AMEPARAM@@Services/Media/Embed@@AMEPARAM@@aspx/m@@AMEPARAM@@50419826[/ame]
Early days but wow
Perhaps those pushing the other alternatives like our food sources and other too expensive not ready yet options would like to keep it a secret

More states, more filling stations this ones a winner
GoodWitch58Beach Fanatic
#305
Drilling May Be Harmful to Fish, Other Marine Animals too

Researchers warn of drilling dangers at symposium | tallahassee.com | Tallahassee Democrat

"Seismic testing associated with offshore oil and gas drilling could harm Florida's $6 billion commercial and recreational fishing industry, a Florida State University researcher warned on Monday."

Edited

Matt J avatar
Matt JSWGB
#307
They have many more trolls than we do here on sowal.com. 😀
Jdarg avatar
JdargSoWal Expert
#308
The Hands Across the Sand Facebook page has attracted so many people from all over Florida (and around the country). Posts from people from different beaches everywhere raise the excitement of the event - this is not just a local issue!


Login | Facebook

Some good articles and links are posted as well.

See y'all at the beach on Saturday!:wave:
Jdarg avatar
JdargSoWal Expert
#309
They have many more trolls than we do here on sowal.com. 😀

Yes, nothing like paid big oil trolls. Guess the profits need to go somewhere.;-)
Matt J avatar
Matt JSWGB
#310
Yes, nothing like paid big oil trolls. Guess the profits need to go somewhere.;-)

I'm curious if Satan still requires a blood signature or if he's modernized and accepts a digital signature on the contract?
Dave Rauschkolb avatar
Dave RauschkolbBeach FanaticAuthor
#313
That's awesome Bobby! Here's a link to a google map of all the beaches in the state

Many beaches on the east coast are being organized by Surfrider members!! Also Chambers of Commerce, Housewives, College Students, Business owners and Former and Current Legislators!


Hands Across The Sand - Google Maps
Bobby J avatar
Bobby JBeach Fanatic
#314
I really think it is cool how many of the folks that I have spoke with lately that are coming do not even live here. :clap:
Beauty hunter avatar
Beauty hunterBeach Fanatic
#315
I hope we get some aerial shots from the different beaches all over Florida.
Great organization with this map, Dave, good visual.
I am extremely excited about the participation statewide and beyond.
Thanks, surf on dude.
Thanks to everyone for protecting the beaches.
Matt J avatar
Matt JSWGB
#316
I hope we get some aerial shots from the different beaches all over Florida.
Great organization with this map, Dave, good visual.
I am extremely excited about the participation statewide and beyond.
Thanks, surf on dude.
Thanks to everyone for protecting the beaches.

I know that South Walton's beaches will be photographed and video taped. So don't panic when the Sheriff's helicopter flies over. ;-)
Gidget avatar
GidgetBeach Fanatic
#317
The Hands Across the Sand Facebook page has attracted so many people from all over Florida (and around the country). Posts from people from different beaches everywhere raise the excitement of the event - this is not just a local issue!


Login | Facebook

Some good articles and links are posted as well.

See y'all at the beach on Saturday!:wave:

I love it!!! I've linked to it on facebook!! Thanks!!

Got my shirts and ha ha! SWGB sold them to me 😀😀 How cool is that!!

I'm just sayin' it may be "gloves across the sand" if this weather keeps up!!

We'll be at BMB. This is my first "act" as a "local". Thank you all for your hard work!!

Gidget
Jdarg avatar
JdargSoWal Expert
#318
I love it!!! I've linked to it on facebook!! Thanks!!

Got my shirts and ha ha! SWGB sold them to me 😀😀 How cool is that!!

I'm just sayin' it may be "gloves across the sand" if this weather keeps up!!

We'll be at BMB. This is my first "act" as a "local". Thank you all for your hard work!!

Gidget

I was standing at the table right next to him- with the DeFuniak Herald/Beach Breeze newspapers! :bang:
BeachSiO2 avatar
BeachSiO2Beach Fanatic
#319
I know that South Walton's beaches will be photographed and video taped. So don't panic when the Sheriff's helicopter flies over. ;-)

Another reason I hope there are no vehicles on the beach that day.
Andy A avatar
Andy ABeach Fanatic
#320
I love it!!! I've linked to it on facebook!! Thanks!!

Got my shirts and ha ha! SWGB sold them to me 😀😀 How cool is that!!

I'm just sayin' it may be "gloves across the sand" if this weather keeps up!!

We'll be at BMB. This is my first "act" as a "local". Thank you all for your hard work!!

Gidget
You and your husband should join us at Sea Bluff if you are so inclined. You would be most welcome. Afterall, you only live practically across the street. Please come and descend and climb our 69 steps with us.😀 All others are welcome as well.

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