Despite a year of aggressive attempts by the oil industry and their allies in Congress to open Florida’s coast to offshore drilling, Florida PIRG and allies closed 2005 with a ban on offshore drilling intact and the beaches rig free. But challenges loom on the horizon.

“Last year was a year of many Save Our Shores campaign victories, but the celebration could be short lived as we are already seeing new attacks on our coastal protections in 2006,” said Mark Ferrulo, director of Florida PIRG.

Ferrulo was referring to a new rule adopted by the U.S. Department of Interior in January that designates millions of acres of waters off the Florida coast as within the boundaries of Louisiana—a state that has pursued drilling closer to Florida’s coast.

Pro-drilling advocates have already made plans for 2006, including the Bush administration’s new five year offshore leasing plan and a number of expected efforts by Congress to expand drilling into sensitive areas, including Florida waters.

Routine offshore drilling activity releases thousands of pounds of toxic chemicals into the environment, harms fish and marine mammals and places Florida at risk of a large or catastrophic spill.

Over 3,000 Florida PIRG members and others have contacted their members of Congress urging them to oppose drilling in Florida’s waters.

Florida PIRG and its allies are working to convince policymakers that there are better options for meeting our nation’s energy needs than drilling off our coasts, including making our cars and trucks go further on a gallon of gas.