Florida leaders push back against Trump's drilling plan
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People swim in the Gulf on St. Petersburg's Pass-A-Grille Beach. Photo: Gary Hershorn/Getty Images
The Trump administration's proposal to allow oil drilling 100 miles off Florida's west coast has drawn rare bipartisan blowback.
Why it matters: There are not many things these days that everyone in the Sunshine State can agree on, but at least one thing's certain: You don't mess with its parks or its shores.
The big picture: President Trump's Interior Department wants to allow oil drilling in a stretch of the Gulf where it has never been permitted before, covering waters along the entire Florida Panhandle.
- Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said the plan is needed to ensure that "the nation remains energy dominant for decades to come."
- During Trump's first term, Florida lawmakers pushed back on attempts to open the Eastern Gulf for drilling, leading Trump to extend a drilling ban off the state's coast.
Driving the news: Gov. Ron DeSantis has spoken out against the Interior Department's plan, which he said would "weaken protections that we worked very hard to establish offshore."
- U.S. Sens. Ashley Moody and Rick Scott also criticized the plan on X, calling it "highly concerning," while Florida Democratic Party chair Nikki Fried described it as a "nonstarter."
- Seven members of Florida's congressional delegation also sent a letter to Trump, saying further oil exploration could have severe "economic consequences for the region" and "reduce tourism along the Gulf Coast, which is God's gift to Florida."
- Among those who signed the letter were Tampa Bay Reps. Vern Buchanan and Laurel Lee, as well as Rep. Byron Donalds, a Trump-endorsed candidate for Florida governor.
Between the lines: Florida's economy and environment are, as the Tampa Bay Times put it, "inextricably linked."
- And, according to the latest data from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA), Florida generates more revenue from outdoor recreation than any other state in the South, at $58 billion.
What's next: The public comment period for the Interior Department's plan opened on Nov. 24 and will close on Jan. 23, 2026.
- Details on how to submit a comment are available here.