Porter Goss: “we in Florida are deeply troubled by the OCS inventory language currently under consideration in the energy bill…”

“we in Florida are deeply troubled by the OCS inventory language currently under consideration in the energy bill conference. This language was already firmly rejected once by this body, and I believe we should make it well known that we will reject it again if it returns to this Chamber. The prospect of an ``inventory'' of OCS resources, specifically in the Gulf of Mexico, poses a direct and detrimental threat to our coastal areas in Florida. It looks like a badly disguised attempt to re-open our coastal waters to drilling. In fact, it is the latest move in a long series of clever distractions that try to mask what it really is: a relentless effort to undermine the long-standing OCS moratorium and expose our coastal communities to the dangerous and disastrous repercussions that oil drilling can often bring. This is an insult to the Members of Congress who voted the inventory language out of the House version, as well as to our constituents in Florida. In our State, we have a particularly strong interest in protecting our shores and beaches from unnecessary threat. We are blessed with beautiful beaches and coastal areas that provide extraordinary benefits to Floridians and millions of other Americans who visit. Over 80 percent of our State's population lives in coastal communities. These beaches and coastal areas are an indispensable part of the great character and quality of life we have in Florida.”