Dan Molloy Says No To Offshore Drilling

June 9, 2010 - PRLog -- (TAMPA, FL) – Dan Molloy, Republican candidate for the Florida State Legislature, District 57, has issued his statement in opposition to oil drilling within the state’s coastal waters; however he has also expressed his opposition to adding additional amendments to the state constitution to prohibit additional oil drilling.

“I do not support the granting of oil leases or drilling in state waters within ten miles of the coastline, either now or prior to the Deepwater Horizon event. As a matter of public policy, there is no simply rationale for permitting oil drilling within ten miles of the Florida coastline,” says Molloy.

However, Molloy feels that Florida’s constitution is an outline for state government, not a place to place public policy decisions. “Our state constitution is about 100 pages long, compared to about seventeen for the US Constitution, because far too many details and ordinary policies are enshrined in its text. I also take note that many fear the state legislature will someday take action which is not supported by most Floridians with regard to this issue, a trend which appears to be more common today, and that a constitutional provision would prevent this. But if that be the case, we need to elect better legislators – those with more practical experience, leadership, and vision for the future – to protect the quality of life that makes us all Floridians,” Molloy proclaims.

Dan Molloy is a Tampa real estate attorney, who has served as a member of the Hillsborough County Consumer Protection Board, the Hillsborough County Transportation Task Force, the Parkway Center Community Development District, the Avelar Creek Community Development District, and as a past president of the Tampa Bay Builders Association, whose members live and work throughout the counties of Pinellas, Pasco and Hillsborough.

Molloy suggests that if oil reserves exist within the territorial waters, they can be recovered by directional drilling from areas further offshore or possibly from land. He points out that oil platforms close to the Florida coastline are likely to be visible from the shoreline or by those boating in near coastal waters, and would likely have a chilling effect on recreational activities and tourism. “While the economic benefit from oil drilling is speculative and of little significance, the economic benefit and quality of life derived from our natural resources along the coastline is substantial and proven,” states Molloy, “The chances of another spill of the magnitude of the Deepwater Horizon are probably small, but the likelihood of lesser spills is significant, particularly in light of the number of tropical storms that pass near the west coast of Florida. Our tropical weather, while sparing Florida direct damage for the last few years, it is nonetheless a fact of life for Floridians. We do not need to add oil cleanup to the post-storm recovery process, or suffer additional economic loss while our visitors vacation elsewhere.”

“We should be cutting our state budget further, not looking for ways to increase funds to hire more regulators. The state does not need additional revenues to fund its bureaucracy and the additional unnecessary regulation of our businesses and people. And of course, there’s the disaster factor that we are now acutely aware of. We don’t know what the long-term effects of the Deepwater Horizon spill will be yet, but we know there will be effects. All the assurances of the safety of oil operations and unlikely spillage have been proved false,” declared Molloy.

Dan Molloy a 50-year resident of Tampa is a graduate of Chamberlain High School and the University of Florida Law School, who lives in Hyde Park with his wife, Judy. They have four grown children.


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FOOTNOTE:
Pursuant to federal law, Florida has jurisdiction over and ownership of waters within ten miles of the state coastline. The federal government retains jurisdiction beyond that boundary. In 2009, legislation was passed by the Florida House of Representatives in HB 1219 to authorize the cabinet, acting as trustee for state-owned lands, to enter into oil leases for submerged lands between three and ten miles from the Florida coastline. As is customary with oil leases, the state as property owner would have a royalty interest (share of the gross income) in the production of potential, as well as fees derived from the lease option, or the contractual equivalent thereof. The primary justification for this was to decrease our reliance on non-domestic energy sources, and to provide the state with additional nontax revenues. The Florida Senate declined to enact the legislation, although it remained a priority for some legislators and business lobbyists. Today, in light of the economic and environmental disaster resulting from the Deepwater Horizon oil leaks, discussion of a possible Florida constitutional amendment to prohibit oil leases and recovery in state waters is occurring.

“As to the federal issue of granting drilling rights beyond the ten mile state area but closer than the present limit, the question may remain open for some time. Obviously, rigs already in place farther away will have a substantial negative impact on our state and our essential tourism industry. Equally apparent is that physical proximity is a factor in the possible damage caused by a spill. At the federal level, we need to re-evaluate our reliance on the management of these oil platforms and their safety. Given the potential harm likely to result from the Deepwater Horizon explosion and spillage, this is one area that we have a compelling governmental need for closer regulatory scrutiny. That’s difficult for me to say, as I strongly believe in personal rights and rights to do business without interference, over more government. But there’s an old saying that your rights to swing your fist end where my nose starts, and the Deepwater Horizon event is a punch in the nose by BP and the oil industry to all Floridians.” – Dan Molloy

For additional information contact: MPA Consulting, Inc. (813) 689-5659

[Political advertisement paid for and approved by Dan Molloy, Republican, for State Representative, District 57.]

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