SAVE OUR SHORES—Florida PIRG Director Mark Ferrulo thanks lawmakers for defending the moratorium that protects Florida’s coast from drilling—and urges them to strengthen coastal protections.

Offshore Drilling Battle Rages On
Florida’s beaches will remain “Rig Free”—for now—thanks to the efforts of Florida PIRG and its allies, who defended the moratoriums protecting Florida’s coast from offshore drilling.

Florida PIRG and its allies worked closely with the Florida Congressional delegation, especially Senators Bill Nelson and Mel Martinez and Rep. Jim Davis (Tampa), to keep the moratoriums in place, despite pressure from oil and gas companies.

Language in the country’s seriously flawed new energy bill, however, means the state’s world-famous coastline is still threatened.

The bill includes a provision that would allow the oil industry to conduct an ‘inventory’ of offshore fossil fuel resources up and down the east and west coasts of Florida, despite the fact that the state’s hard won moratoriums protect these areas against drilling activity.

Exxon, Chevron and their allies in Congress know that an inventory would be an important step in opening up areas currently protected from offshore drilling. Inventories consist of thousands of underwater explosions; they cause untold environmental harm, especially to the state’s fisheries and marine mammal populations.

Competitive Elections Initiative Under Way
Florida had the least competitive elections of any state but Arkansas in the last election cycle.

More than 100 of the 142 Congressional seats went uncontested by a major party candidate and not a single incumbent was defeated.

If passed, a Florida PIRG-backed ballot initiative would amend the state Constitution to put the state’s redistricting process in the hands of an independent body.

The initiative would reverse a clause in Florida’s Constitution that allows elected officials to draw their own legislative and congressional boundaries—in effect, choosing their voters rather than allowing voters to choose them.

The clause was originally designed to accommodate changes in population. However, new technology has made it possible to manipulate voter data so that politicians can create districts that favor political parties and incumbents. Many districts cut across cities, counties and even different coasts of the state.

“Legislators that draw their own districts are like foxes guarding the henhouse,” said Florida PIRG Consumer and Democracy Advocate Brad Ashwell. “Without opposition and competitive elections, politicians have little incentive to be responsive to their constituents.”

STANDING UP FOR CONSUMERS—Florida PIRG Consumer And Democracy Advocate Brad Ashwell appears on Channel 27 News urging lawmakers to take action that will control how much cell phone companies can charge in early termination fees.

Early Termination Fees Trap Cell Phone Users
A new Florida PIRG report found that nearly half of all cell phone customers would switch or consider switching cell phone carriers to get a lower rate and better service—if it weren’t for an average cancellation penalty of $170.

“Consumers are captives locked in a cell by early termination fees preventing them from shopping for better or cheaper cell phone service,” said Brad Ashwell, Florida service,” said Brad Ashwell, Florida PIRG consumer and democracy PIRG consumer and democracy advocate. “No cell phone company advocate. “No cell phone company has to provide the best service if its customers can’t afford to shop around because of unfair penalties.”

According to a Florida PIRG report, early termination fees cost consumers more than $4.6 billion in the last three years. Seventy-seven percent of consumers support the elimination of such penalties.

The report’s release coincides with a Federal Communications Commission (FCC) review of a petition from the cell phone industry.

If granted, state oversight of early termination fees, which range from $150-$240 depending on the company, could be eliminated.

The report highlights the recent Nextel/Sprint merger approval, which leaves just four companies providing more than 80 percent of the cell phone service in the U.S.

“Wireless companies want to stifle competition rather than compete for the customer’s business,” said Ashwell.

He concluded: “The FCC can promote consumer choice by denying the industry petition, or it can keep siding with industry.”