US Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Florida) said he will fight any attempts to open up areas of the Eastern Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Florida to oil and natural gas drilling.

摘要

On Thursday, the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee approved just such a measure by a 12-10 party-line vote. The GOP-backed measure would allow oil and gas rigs to operate as close as 50 miles from much of Florida’s Gulf Coast, in effect canceling the no-drilling zone extending 125 miles off most of that coastline and as far out as 235 miles at some points to protect military training areas. That moratorium, made possible by 2006 legislation co-authored by Nelson, is in effect until 2022.