Trump administration says no oil drilling off Florida coast
By Gary Fineout and Matthew Daly January 9 at 9:29 PM
Tallahassee — The Trump administration said Tuesday it would not allow oil drilling off the coast of Florida, abruptly reversing course under pressure from Republican Gov. Rick Scott.
Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke said after a brief meeting with Scott at the Tallahassee airport that drilling would be “off the table” when it comes to waters in the eastern Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean off Florida.
The change of course — just five days after Zinke announced the offshore drilling plan — highlights the political importance of Florida, where President Trump narrowly won the state’s 29 electoral votes in the 2016 election and has encouraged Scott to run for Senate.
The state is also important economically, with a multibillion-dollar tourism business built on sunshine and miles of white sandy beaches.
Zinke said Tuesday that “Florida is obviously unique” and that the decision to remove the state came after meetings and discussion with Scott.
more:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-administration-says-no-drilling-off-florida-coast/2018/01/09/91981160-f5a8-11e7-a9e3-ab18ce41436a_story.html?utm_term=.f49257c4fe79
| 
