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Break in the ranks

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 29, 2008

The Florida tourist industry, backed by almost all state, county and municipal government leaders, has for decades opposed exploring for oil and natural gas off the state's coast. The risk of damage to the tourism industry from, for instance, a drilling rig blowout that fouls Florida beaches, was too great, industry leaders have said.

Now, however, a Sunshine State tourist industry trade group has broken ranks. The Florida Association of Convention and Visitors Bureaus has issued a position paper in which it says oil and gas drilling off the state's coast would help preserve the tourism industry. Catering to visitors employs about a million Floridians and generates about $65 billion a year for the state's economy.

The association, which continues to back conservation and developing energy alternatives, now says drilling for oil and gas off the Florida coast would be OK, as long as the rigs stay at least 30 miles offshore.

The association has come out for energy exploration off Florida as crude oil and gasoline prices plunge. This recent big price drop, however, mainly is a result of the worldwide financial crisis. If the "jolt" President-elect Barack Obama wants to give the economy via an increase in government spending proves successful - or as usual the economy simply heals itself over time - whatever oil and gas resources lie off our coast would help keep energy prices from once again spiraling upward.

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