Florida Should Follow Louisiana's Lead on Offshore Oil Drilling

The high price of gasoline in America has led to calls for increased domestic production. Jim Brown suggests that Florida should follow Louisiana's example by allowing offshore oil drilling, citing a study on the environmental effects of such activities.

Brown notes that despite concerns about pollution and major oil spills, a study by Humberto Fontova found that areas off the U.S. coast where drilling is banned hold an estimated 115 billion barrels of oil and 633 trillion cubic feet of natural gas.

Louisiana has successfully balanced offshore oil production with commercial fisheries, producing one-third of America's commercial fish while maintaining pristine marine life around its oil platforms. In contrast, Florida's beaches were soiled by an oil spill in 1976, which was not caused by drilling but rather the transportation of oil.

A study by LSU's Sea Grant college found that marine life has exploded around offshore oil platforms, with 85% of Louisiana fishing trips involving fishing around these structures. The same study showed a 50-fold increase in marine life around rigs and pipelines compared to other areas.