The Pensacola City Council is expected to vote Thursday on a resolution opposing new offshore oil and gas leasing in the Gulf of America, a symbolic move aimed at pushing back against the Trump administration's push to expand fossil fuel production in federal waters.
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The resolution, introduced by Councilwoman Jennifer Brahier, opposes the inclusion of eastern Gulf waters off Florida's coast in the federal government's latest offshore leasing program. It cites economic and environmental risks to Pensacola's coast, including potential damage to tourism, fisheries, and marine ecosystems.
"Tourism is a major economic driver in Pensacola," the resolution reads, adding that "clean water, healthy ecosystems and an attractive coastal environment are vital to maintaining property values, sustaining local businesses and ensuring the quality of life for residents and visitors alike."
The vote comes amid a renewed federal push to increase domestic oil production. In June, the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management proposed an 80-million-acre lease sale in the Gulf of Mexico, scheduled for Dec. 10, offering blocks at the lowest allowable royalty rate of 16.67%. The proposal follows a January executive order by President Donald Trump rescinding Biden-era protections that had limited drilling in large portions of the outer continental shelf.
Also in January, the Trump administration declared a national "energy emergency" and began rolling back regulatory barriers to offshore leasing, prompting legal challenges from environmental groups and a coalition of Democratic state attorneys general. In May, the administration announced plans to accelerate lease review timelines, cutting environmental assessments on federal lands to six months or fewer.
The Pensacola resolution raises concerns about the use of seismic air gun blasting during oil exploration, which it says can harm whales, dolphins, sea turtles, and fish by disrupting communication, navigation, and feeding. It also warns of long-term economic impacts from potential spills, invoking the memory of the 2010 Deepwater Horizon disaster. Though the spill occurred off the Louisiana coast, it caused an estimated $2.04 billion in lost tourism output in northwest Florida and $17.2 billion in ecological damage to the Gulf region, according to the resolution.
The measure also notes the longstanding opposition of the Department of Defense to offshore drilling in the eastern Gulf, home to the Eglin Gulf Test and Training Range, which the military has described as "an irreplaceable national asset."
If adopted, the resolution would not carry the force of law but would add Pensacola's voice to a growing number of local governments opposing expanded offshore leasing. The City Council last passed a similar resolution in 2017, and records indicate the city has taken stances against offshore drilling dating back to at least 1990.
BOEM is currently developing the 11th National Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Program, which will dictate lease sales from 2024 to 2029. While the initial version of the plan included only three lease sales—the lowest number in the program's history—Trump administration officials have indicated they are considering expanding the plan to include additional lease sales.
Environmental advocates warn that additional drilling in deep and ultra-deepwater areas—beyond 5,000 feet—poses heightened risk, as these zones are more technologically complex and difficult to manage. Despite holding more than 12 million acres under lease in federal waters, the oil and gas industry has brought less than 20% of that area into production as of late 2024.
The council is expected to take up the resolution during its regular meeting at 5:30 p.m. Thursday at Pensacola City Hall. If approved, the resolution would take effect five business days after adoption.
