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

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.’”