A majority of Floridians support offshore drilling for natural gas and domestic oil, according to a new Harris Interactive poll.
Sixty-four percent of Florida residents say they favor offshore drilling while even more — 87 percent — believe producing domestic oil and natural gas is crucial.
The American Petroleum Institute commissioned the telephone survey of 603 random registered voters for its “What America is Thinking on Energy Issues” public opinion series.
“Floridians and residents of other coastal states are in the same boat in support of offshore drilling,” Dave Mica, executive director of the Florida Petroleum Council, said in a statement. “We can create good-paying jobs and strengthen our local economy by allowing more oil and natural gas production here in the Sunshine State.”
In addition, there was also broad agreement throughout the political spectrum: Republicans with 92 percent, Democrats at 86 percent and Independents with 81 percent.
“As Governor Scott just announced in Daytona Beach, an oil and gas technology firm will add 100 jobs in our state to support exploration and production in other states,” Mica added. “The multiplier effect for high tech and engineering jobs will be tremendous if additional access to exploration is granted in Florida both onshore and offshore.”
The Obama administration will begin work soon on a five-year offshore leasing plan, examining both the Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) and the Eastern Gulf of Mexico for oil and natural gas leasing. In 2014, the administration will also determine whether to approve seismic survey permits in the Atlantic from Delaware to northern Florida. It will be the first time in 30 years the U.S. will allow seismic surveys, used safely worldwide for decades.
The Florida Petroleum Council, a division of API, represents more than 550 members of the national technology-driven oil and natural gas industry, which supports 9.8 million U.S. jobs and 8 percent of the U.S. economy.
Members have invested over $2 trillion in U.S. since 2000, in capital projects for all forms of energy production, including alternatives.
