Congressman Richard Pombo (R-CA) has introduced a bill that would repeal the existing moratorium that protects our coasts and leave Americans no more than 100 miles of protection from offshore drilling, 50 of which would have to be requested and renewed by each state's legislature every five years. This is a dangerous plan that jeopardizes the environment and economies of coastal states like Florida.  

The US has about 3% of the world's oil reserves but consumes about 25% of the world's energy. We simply cannot drill our way to energy independence. We should invest more time and money in clean energy solutions like improving energy efficiency and developing alternative energy capacity. This bill provides mechanisms for neither. The only thing it will deliver is an industrialized coastline, polluted beaches, and grave risks to birds and coastal habitats.
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