Sen. Bill Nelson released the following statement today in response to President Obama’s announcement to permit offshore drilling for oil and gas:
I’ve talked many times to [ Interior Department ] Secretary [ Ken ] Salazar and told him if they drilled too close to Florida’s beaches they’d be risking the state’s economy and environment. I believe this plan shows they heeded that concern.
And it ought to derail the scheme in the Florida Legislature to drill three miles offshore. Now I need to hear from Defense Secretary Robert Gates. I want him to look me in the eye and tell me it will not compromise national security by interfering with the unfettered space we have for training and testing our most sophisticated military weapons systems.
