Florida's governor approved an oil drilling ban to protect a sensitive river near key research reserves.
As the Tallahassee Democrat reported, Governor Ron DeSantis signed House Bill 1143 to prevent drilling for oil along the Apalachicola River.
Supporters of the bill applauded the governor's action because the Apalachicola River is a valuable resource that many people depend upon. The river supports a vast amount of plant and animal life and is home to endangered and threatened species.
Florida's state government has prevented Clearwater Land and Minerals from drilling along the river and halted plans to install an exploratory well 60 miles west of Tallahassee. An oil spill would have put the fragile watershed at significant risk and impacted local economies that depend on it.
The newly approved bill prohibits anyone from drilling within 10 miles of a national estuarine research reserve, a designation that encompasses 52 miles of the Apalachicola River.
The environmental protection secured by this ban is promising because it helps prevent devastating oil spill events like BP's Deepwater Horizon disaster. Oil spills contaminate public drinking water supplies, require costly cleanup efforts, and destroy natural habitats.
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"Oil from the BP spill didn't reach our coasts, but the damage caused by the threat was enough," said state representative Allison Tant, per The Guardian.
"We've seen what can happen. We've lived it. This is not theoretical. It was a perilous time for small businesses and for those who lived in the area. It stopped tourism and shuttered small businesses. So it defies logic to think it's a good idea to drill for oil along the Apalachicola River."
Approving pro-conservation bills like this requires the efforts of many people willing to take local action to protect the lands they love.
You can support local efforts to protect natural areas where you spend time by learning about the critical climate issues that affect them and voting for candidates who share your values.
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"The Apalachicola River and Bay are worth fighting for and something people of all political persuasions can rally behind," Representative Tant said, per the Tallahassee Democrat.
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