Along the beaches of Northwest Florida, the Gulf is part of everyday life. It’s where people work, where families gather, and what draws visitors here year after year. That’s why a new federal proposal to expand offshore drilling closer to Florida’s coast is raising concerns.
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The U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management is considering a plan that would open nearly 20 million acres of the eastern Gulf to offshore oil and gas drilling. That’s an area roughly the size of South Carolina and just under half the size of Florida. If approved, drilling would move closer to Florida than ever before.
Opposition has been building across Northwest Florida, cutting across county lines and industries.
For Escambia County Commissioner Ashlee Hofberger, the concern starts with what keeps the county running.
“The two biggest economy drivers in Escambia County are tourism and the military,” Hofberger said. “And both of those things hinge on the Gulf of Mexico — or the Gulf of America. And we want to make sure that we protect those things so that Escambia County continues to be a wonderful place to live, work, and play.”
Hofberger said offshore drilling could impact more than just beachfront neighborhoods.
“It affects not only the people who live on the beach, but the entire ecosystem of the beach,” she said. “So it has the environmental impact, but then it also affects our economy.”
In Okaloosa County, commissioners unanimously approved a letter to state and federal lawmakers opposing oil drilling.
There are also concerns about military activity in the eastern Gulf. Large portions of the area are used for flight training and weapons testing connected to nearby bases. Florida lawmakers, including U.S. Rep. Jimmy Patronis, have urged federal officials to keep drilling out of the Eastern Gulf Test and Training Range and have encouraged residents to submit public comments on the proposal.
For business owners along the coast, the issue is deeply personal.
Jeff Elbert owns Island Style in Navarre, a family business his parents opened in 1982. He said the experience of the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill is something he has never forgotten.
“We were only a week away from having to close our doors,” Elbert said. “As far as a family-owned business that’s been in business since 1982, who survived multiple hurricanes, just barely survived the oil spill.”
Elbert said natural disasters and oil spills are not the same.
“Unlike a natural disaster, which we can recover from, these man-made disasters sometimes don’t end for months and months and months,” he said. “It was devastating. It was the worst experience of my entire life, as far as career-wise.”
He said dealing with BP after the spill only made matters worse.
“They did everything possible not to make it right, including losing my paperwork over and over and over again just to, I guess, make us give up,” Elbert said.
Elbert said he is not opposed to drilling altogether but believes location matters.
“I’m certainly not against drilling for oil. We need oil for our economy to function correctly,” he said. “But there’s safer places to drill. It’s not worth drilling that close to our beautiful coast.”
In response to the proposal, organizations across Northwest Florida have passed resolutions and submitted formal letters opposing expanded drilling in the eastern Gulf.
For now, the decision remains open. Federal officials are accepting public comments through Jan. 23, giving residents and business owners a chance to weigh in.
Comments can be submitted through the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management.
A press conference is scheduled at the Gulfside Pavilion, Pensacola Beach, Saturday, Jan. 17.
