SAVE OUR SHORES—Florida PIRG Director Mark Ferrulo appears on the national CBS Evening News to explain the threat that offshore drilling poses to Florida’s world famous coastline.

The oil industry and their allies in the White House and Congress are orchestrating one of the most aggressive efforts in recent memory to open Florida’s coast to offshore drilling.

This summer, Florida PIRG will be launching a huge grassroots effort to mobilize our congressional delegation to “Save Our Shores” from drilling.

Pressure to drill is mounting as gas and energy prices continue to rise.

“Offshore oil and gas drilling is the slowest, dirtiest and most expensive way to produce energy,” said Mark Ferrulo, director of Florida PIRG. “Opening our coasts to drilling would do little to lower prices or make us more energy independent, but it would spoil our beaches with routine pollution. Just one major spill could destroy our coastal economy for a generation.”

There are currently two bills in Congress that would open Florida’s coast to drilling activity. Sen. Pete Domenici (N.M.) is pursuing legislation that would open up 3.7 million acres off Florida’s coast to drilling. Rep. John Peterson (Penn.) is sponsoring a bill that would allow drilling as close as 20 miles from Florida’s world famous beaches.

Offshore drilling platforms and pipelines spilled 1.8 million gallons of oil in U.S. waters from 1990 to 1999 in 224 reported accidents—an average of almost 500 gallons a day.

Florida PIRG is working to convince Florida’s congressional delegation to unify in opposition to offshore drilling and to support better options for meeting our nation’s energy needs, including making cars and trucks go further on a gallon of gas.