[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 14 (Wednesday, February 8, 2006)]
[Senate]
[Page S854]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               OIL AND GAS EXPLORATION IN GULF OF MEXICO

  Mr. MARTINEZ. Mr. President, the Senator from New Mexico, chairman of 
the Energy Committee, whom I greatly admire and respect and consider a 
good friend, spoke about the bill he proposes to create opportunities 
for oil and gas exploration in the Gulf of Mexico.
  I rise to point out that last week Senator Nelson and I offered a 
bipartisan bill that also deals with opening some aspects of lease area 
181 to oil and gas exploration. The bill Senator Nelson and I propose 
is a bill that I believe should find favor with many Senators. It 
allows protection to Florida's coast of 150 miles. It is the kind of 
protection that Florida's economy depends upon and demands. The people 
of Florida fully understand the significance of this. This is what jobs 
in Florida are about, opportunities for people to continue to come to 
our State to enjoy the wonderful open air, the beaches, the great 
environment that we have to offer. It also protects the military 
mission line. This is a very important area for military training out 
of Eglin Air Force Base and other adjoining bases that utilize this 
area of the Gulf of Mexico as a primary area for training exercises.
  More than that, it also gives the State of Florida permanent 
protection. This buffer of protection around the State, unlike all the 
other proposals, gives the State of Florida permanent protection. Once 
and for all we will define where in the Gulf of Mexico we will drill 
and where we will not drill, where in the Gulf of Mexico the State of 
Florida will find permanent protection.
  The chairman's bill opens more area for drilling in lease area 181. 
We don't like that as well as what the Senator from Florida and I 
proposed, but we understand it does also conflict with what is being 
proposed and today was outlined by the Minerals Management Service of 
the Department of the Interior. The Department of the Interior today 
proposed the next 5-year leasing area for the Gulf of Mexico in lease 
area 181, and they speak of an area open for drilling that is even less 
than what the Senator from New Mexico is proposing. But equally flawed, 
this is protection for 5 years. It is another 5-year moratorium.
  Five years from now, we will be right back here where we are today 
discussing how yet another portion of the Gulf of Mexico might be open 
to oil exploration. The bill Senator Nelson and I propose is the only 
one that opens areas in lease area 181 and a substantial portion south 
of lease area 181 to further oil and gas exploration but also provides 
the State of Florida with permanent protection, permanent protection 
the State of Florida ought to decide whether they wish to have. And we 
representatives of the State of Florida believe strongly this is 
important to us.
  What is the rationale for this? Why must we continue this quest for 
more and more drilling in the gulf? We are talking about the price of 
gas. Since we were debating this a couple months ago, the price of gas 
has dropped dramatically. It is now not almost but almost 50 percent of 
what it was a couple of months ago. In addition, for the last 15 years, 
we have gone to a very inefficient way of producing electricity by 
generating electricity with gas. Almost 95 or 92 percent of all new 
generating facilities that have been built over the last 10 years or so 
have been powered by gas, a very inefficient way of doing it. Why? 
Because it was cheap. Because gas was so cheap, this was the best 
alternative, just as the energy companies moved in the direction of gas 
because it was inexpensive. As the price of gas has risen, it will 
dictate that they will move to other fuel sources.
  I continue to believe that inefficient power, generating decisions 
made 10 years ago, should not inure to the detriment of the people of 
Florida, Florida's economy, and environment. It is fine to use the Gulf 
of Mexico for oil exploration in areas where it is sufficiently far 
away from the State of Florida. It is fine to go into lease area 181. 
We are willing to open up more of 181 to oil and gas exploration. What 
we are not willing to do is not insist that the State of Florida be 
provided with some permanent protection.
  There is more than one bill to discuss. There is more than one way to 
go here. I believe that we offer a way for more gas and oil exploration 
in the State of Florida while at the same time providing our State with 
the vital permanent protection that the people of Florida expect and 
demand.
  I yield the floor.

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