CRC Proposal #91, No Oil and Gas Drilling, Yes or No?

This coming Thursday, December 14th, I will be presenting CRC proposal #91 to the General Provisions committee, the committee I chair. For the presentation and vote, I will be turning this part of the meeting over to Vice-Chair, Emery Gainey as is proper form. Just as with any other proposal, #91 needs your support! Please write the members of the committee here to make your support and concerns known or attend the meeting and speak briefly during public comment: http://flcrc.gov/Committees/GP/

With every passing day, I feel more strongly about this proposal. As we are witnessing right now, long-standing, pristine lands across our country are being tapped for oil and gas. Florida’s tourist, beach, and water-economy, and its abundant coastal wildlife, demand there is no oil and gas drilling in the territorial waters of the state.

Please see my blog post on this topic, and thank you for your support: https://jacquithurlowlippisch.com/2017/11/16/time-for-floridas-constitution-to-say-no-to-coastal-oil-and-gas-drilling/

  CRC - 2017                                                  P 91
       
       
        
       By Commissioner Thurlow-Lippisch
       
       thurlowlj-00106-17                                      201791__
    1                         A proposal to amend                       
    2         Section 7 of Article II of the State Constitution to
    3         prohibit oil drilling for exploration and extraction
    4         in specified coastal waters.
    5          
    6  Be It Proposed by the Constitution Revision Commission of
    7  Florida:
    8  
    9         Section 7 of Article II of the State Constitution is
   10  amended to read:
   11                             ARTICLE II                            
   12                         GENERAL PROVISIONS                        
   13         SECTION 7. Natural resources and scenic beauty.—
   14         (a) It shall be the policy of the state to conserve and
   15  protect its natural resources and scenic beauty. Adequate
   16  provision shall be made by law for the abatement of air and
   17  water pollution and of excessive and unnecessary noise and for
   18  the conservation and protection of natural resources.
   19         (b) Those in the Everglades Agricultural Area who cause
   20  water pollution within the Everglades Protection Area or the
   21  Everglades Agricultural Area shall be primarily responsible for
   22  paying the costs of the abatement of that pollution. For the
   23  purposes of this subsection, the terms “Everglades Protection
   24  Area” and “Everglades Agricultural Area” shall have the meanings
   25  as defined in statutes in effect on January 1, 1996.
   26         (c) To protect the people of Florida and their environment,
   27  oil drilling for exploration or extraction is prohibited in and
   28  beneath all state waters between the mean high tide line and the
   29  outermost boundaries of the state’s territorial seas. This
   30  prohibition does not apply to the transportation of oil and gas
   31  products produced outside of such waters. This section is self
   32  executing.