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Rubio Statement on Trump Administration's Proposal to Consider Offshore Drilling in Eastern Gulf of Mexico

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) released the following statement today after the Interior Department released its draft 2019-2024 National Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Oil and Gas Leasing:

“I have long supported the moratorium in the Eastern Gulf of Mexico, which is not slated to expire until 2022, and introduced legislation to extend the moratorium until 2027. As the Department of Interior works to finalize their draft plan, I urge Secretary Zinke to recognize the Florida Congressional delegation’s bipartisan efforts to maintain and extend the moratorium in the Eastern Gulf of Mexico, and remove this area for future planning purposes.”

Background: 
After Florida’s economy and workers across the state were uniquely impacted following the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in 2010, Rubio introduced legislation that would extend the moratorium until 2027 while ensuring Florida is included in federal revenue sharing along with the other Gulf states to fund much-needed coastal conservation projects.