The Trump administration is preparing to unveil a new five-year plan to allow offshore drilling in the entire Atlantic Coast. The plan is expected to take effect as early as 2019, according to Senator Bill Nelson citing media reports.
On Tuesday, Sen. Nelson denounced the plan as a big Christmas present to the oil industry. However, it a huge threat to threat to Florida, so he is “doing everything to block it.
During his speech in the Senate floor, the Florida senator encouraged his colleagues to pass a bill to prevent oil drilling in the East Coast until 2022.
Sen. Nelson said, “You can’t pull oil rigs off of Cape Canaveral,” the home of military, NASA and commercial rockets and non-military, government payloads.
The Trump administration is about to unveil a new plan that will open up the entire Atlantic coast to offshore oil drilling. This would be a huge win for the oil industry; and a huge threat to Florida. I’m doing everything I can to block it. pic.twitter.com/CqDskvAjCs
— Bill Nelson (@SenBillNelson) December 12, 2017
Florida stakeholders strongly oppose drilling in the Atlantic Coast
Additionally, the senator emphasized that the Department of Defense, chamber of commerce, fishermen, and coastal communities all along the Atlantic strongly opposed the Trump administration’s plan.
