Florida Petroleum Council: Offshore Exploration Beneficial to Florida's Economy and Jobs

TALLAHASSEE, February 8, 2018 – Florida Petroleum Council Executive Director David Mica today pointed to Florida’s significant economic opportunity to safely and responsibly develop Florida’s offshore energy resources in advance of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management public hearing on the Interior Department’s proposed five-year offshore natural gas and oil leasing plan.

“The inclusion of Florida in Secretary Zinke’s offshore plan is critical to enabling Floridians to reap the long-term benefits of affordable and reliable U.S.-produced energy and specifically secure Florida’s long-term economic future with new tax revenue, new jobs and new industries to support energy development,” said Mica. “Today’s BOEM hearing is the first step in gathering public input on the plan, while advancing a forward-looking energy strategy for our state.”

“The Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf has not been surveyed in more than thirty years, and with rapid advancements in safety and assessment technologies in the past decade, we can safely and accurately determine what energy potential exists off our coasts.”

“Gathering data on our long-term energy resources is a critical step in strengthening our national security and making America energy self-sufficient in the long-term.”

“Developing affordable and reliable U.S. energy also supports many industries across our state, such as tourism, restaurants, and commercial fishing operations. It creates opportunities for high-paying jobs, investment, and revenue for public education and modernizing our infrastructure.”

The Florida Petroleum Council is a division of API, which represents all segments of America’s oil and natural gas industry. Its more than 625 members produce, process, and distribute most of the nation’s energy. The industry also supports 9.8 million U.S. jobs and 8 percent of the U.S. economy. Learn more at www.api.org.