“The new maps released today by @SecretaryBurgum and @Interior outlining potential new offshore oil drilling sites in the Gulf of America are HIGHLY concerning—and we will be engaging directly with the department on this issue,” wrote Sen. Ashley Moody (R-Fla.) in a post on X.
“Preserving our state’s natural beauty is deeply important to the millions who call the Sunshine State home, our visitors, and those whose livelihoods depend on tourism,” she wrote.
It’s a rare rift between the state’s Republicans and Trump, whose primary residence is also in Florida. While his Mar-a-Lago is situated on the state’s east coast, drilling in the eastern gulf could impact the state’s west coast.
The office of Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) also criticized the plan, noting that in 2020, Trump blocked drilling off the state’s coasts.
“Our Administration supports the 2020 Presidential Memorandum and urges the Department of Interior to reconsider and to conform to the 2020 Trump Administration policy,” said DeSantis spokesperson Molly Best in a statement to The Hill.
Read more when the story runs this weekend at TheHill.com.
