Comments on: Florida’s Populaton Declines For First Time Since 1946

By: B

Thu, 20 Aug 2009 20:18:13 +0000

Nice rebuttals Daryl. I agree to drill, drill, drill would be just plain dumb, dumb, dumb. The harvest of all types of fossil fuels irrecably damages the environment. Some people need to stop being so short-sighted and look a little past tomorrow and the next day and become a little more concerned with our environment before it is too late.

By: Darryl

Darryl — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 13:42:26 +0000

If saying I like the principals of T. Roosevelt over Bush on the environment, If saying I think the state of Florida has to look at the real cost and impacts of drilling versus the tourism and recreational industry in the state (and based on the numbers it is a big gamble), and if saying that oil rigs and their pipelines do spill oil makes me A) liberal, B) “Democrat” (actually an independent; I’m not letting either party dictate my position), or C) whatever other derogatory label, then I can handle it, for when we are short sighted, looking out only for ourselves, others and our future generation be damned, then I don’t think I’m the one being led like a sheep.

It is the same thing with the local waterways versus certain industry; for years Escambia let industry pollute the creeks and rivers because for years we just didn’t pay attention, and when we did, we were told industry couldn’t operate efficiently if it had to do protections against environmental damage. So now we struggle to clean up the mess. Anyone willing to drink the water out of Escambia River or how about Perdido River just below 13 mile creek? Wanting to have water that is clean or air that doesn’t make you sick or kill the vegetation is not asking too much. The Smoky Mountains have large areas of trees dying from acid rain. How many waterways are unsafe and have warnings on eating fish from them?

A doctor who specialized in cancer up in Birmingham, back in the late 80’s, said he covered a 360 degree area around Birmingham and his worst count of cancer per the population count was the region area around Pensacola and Mobile. Something to think about.

By: Sheepherder

Sheepherder — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 20:47:41 +0000

Darryl sounds like another one of the mindless sheep in this country (IE Democrats). Believing everything they write and believing what the politicians are telling him to do. Keep following the flock into poverty. BAHHHH!!! BAHHHH!!!

By: Frank

Frank — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 18:28:26 +0000

I remember the oil rig in East Bay years ago with no problems and as a Florida Native I see no problem with Tapping our resources. It served Santa Rosa Co. well for years with the Jay oil.

By: Darryl

Darryl — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 18:26:07 +0000

All I’m saying is that the money from the other industries far exceeds the money from any oil revenues, and that the notion that protecting beaches is unimportant is rather frightful. What if a spill hits 5% of the tourism industry, where using the smaller revenue number puts the impact greater than the benefit from the oil revenue. I mean you are talking about a 40,000,000,000,000 industry (I think I left off some zeros before). Plus, what jobs for the average Floridian will be created by oil companies drilling off shore? I know Escambia is really loosing jobs in manufacturing and other traditional sectors, but relying on oil isn’t going to fill the void. There are some serious problems in the panhandle that old industry solution will not fix over the long term. And saying CBS or anyone else is biased doesn’t change the fact that oil spills happened…or do you think hollywood contributed special effects for the photos too? I guess you prefer the tabloid Fox News distortions. None of the media outlets are perfect but to whitewash over the issues just because you don’t like the source, or the message, doesn’t change the facts. I’m amazed how some will sacrifice their home environment, try to use up every resource, foul their own environment to get some resource (you should see the effects of strip mining for coal) all at the expense of their own children’s future.

I just think you’re being short sighted to the costs versus the actual benefits, unless you are in the industry, then you obviously have some personal gain from it.

By: JD

JD — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 17:59:20 +0000

I have to agree with Drill!. We have heard the “we don’t want to damage our beach argument “for to long and it is getting old. I can’t feed my kids with beach sand.

By: Drill! Drill! Drill!

Drill! Drill! Drill! — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 17:53:56 +0000

Daryl,
Unfortunately I don’t have the time on my hands to “Google” the internet for the biased opinions of MSNBC and CBS that you do, and I am not going to get into a battle of numbers from useless reports. My point is, if you continue to live in the dark and are not willing to contribute and make use of all the resources you have at your disposal- The state of Florida will continue to lose jobs and people to the states that are willing to tap natural resources or encourage industry. Florida cannot continue to survive on tourism alone. California is a prime example of this. Not everyone can afford the taxes and insurance in the state of Florida working at the “T-Shirt Shop”. Lastly, more damage is done each year to the coastal areas because of drainage from inland pollutants than anything the Offshore Industry “might” do. I was simply asking the readers to look at what is happening around them. Valuable oil is being taken away by Cuba and the Chinese and Senator Nelson is refusing to look at the big picture and the needs of all of the citizens, only the wants of the rich.

By: Darryl

Darryl — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 17:11:57 +0000

Well, I may be listening to “wacho environmentalist” but the truth is there was oil spills:

excerpt:
“In May 2006, the U.S. Minerals Management Service (MMS) issued a report stating that as a result of both Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, the number of pipelines damaged was 457, and the number of offshore platforms destroyed was 113, with a total of 146 oil spills recorded.

A study of environmental impacts written for MMS by Det Norske Veritas and Company and published March 22, 2007 told an even more detailed story.

As a result of both storms, a total volume of 17,652 barrels (or roughly three-quarters of a million gallons) of total petroleum products, of which 13,137 barrels were crude oil and condensate, was spilled from platforms, rigs and pipelines. 4,514 barrels were refined products from platforms and rigs.

There were 542 reports related to offshore pipelines that were damaged or displaced, of which 72 resulted in spills that had a volume of one barrel or more of crude oil or condensate. These pipelines were reported to be dented, kinked, pulled up, twisted or bent, pinhole or valve leaks or other damages.

The 72 pipeline spills were accountable for about 7,300 barrels of crude oil and condensate spilled into the Gulf.”
link: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/07/19/opinion/main4275167.shtml

or this msnbc link on oil spills: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9365607/

I know there are some who think we should drill any where and any time to get the oil we desire as if it is some kind of right but sooner or later we will have to face the fact alternatives have to be made the focus instead of business as usual. Your locking in the cap lock key doesn’t make your point any more valid, in fact it is not on the oil spills.

On the taxes, something to consider: In 2002, the tourism and recreational activities of Florida residents generated $51,127.6 billion in taxable (sales and use tax) transactions as compared to $41,380.4 billion in 1998. This is $9.5 billion more than in 1998. Whereas taxable sales from tourism and recreational activities were down by $168.9 million in 2001 due to the recession and 9/11, by 2002 they were again up, by $193 million. Table 3 shows by sales category those portions of taxable sales most influenced by tourism between 1998 and 2001. link: http://www.cefa.fsu.edu/florida_tourism03.pdf

on the drilling: New revenues would come from a $1 million non-refundable application fee for every bidder and, according to an industry-hired economist, from as much as $1.6 billion in royalties and taxes if the wells produce oil.

So IF the wells produce it is 1.6 billion versus 40,000,000,000 to 50,000,000,000 from tourism. link: http://www.miamiherald.com/486/story/1011104.html

On some of the more silly comments in your last post: artificial reefs can work as well as oil rigs, that is a misdirection comment with no validity. The issue of tourist creating trash is a problem and one to address, along with the over pumping of water from the aquifer, etc. But that too is straying from the main point that oil spills occurred, and the state of Florida has to weigh the actual benefits of each, not the rhetoric such as “there was no oil spills”.

By: Drill! Drill! Drill!

Drill! Drill! Drill! — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 15:32:26 +0000

Darryl,
You have been led down the path of death and destruction by the Wacko Environmentalists. The facts ARE that rigs-do not have oil spills as they have no oil on them- they drill for oil, the majority if not all are cable of moving out of the path of a hurricane. Platforms do not spill oil as a result of hurricane damage as they have Sub-Surface Safety valves that are closed and shut-in that prevent the oil form ever coming from the well. The only chance of a spill may come from a damaged pipeline, and that is a rare occurrence. There is very little chance of damage to your precious beaches. The areas that they are looking to develop are over 100 miles from the coastline. If there was any type of spill the currents in the gulf would carry it towards Texas. Ever been to South Padre Island? Everything your tourists throw in the water ends up there. Right now there are tankers from overseas with thousands of barrels of oil crossing through the waters off Florida’s coast within 100 miles that are more likely to have a spill than an oil rig or platform. If your fishing industry brings in so much revenue, why are there so many boats based out of Destin and Ft. Walton that travel out to the Platforms in Alabama and Louisiana to find and catch fish? The revenue that the Oil Industry would bring to Florida would overtake the revenue generated by tourism (which is dying off) and increase the revenue of the fishing industry. The taxes and royalties paid by the Oil companies as well as the taxes paid by their suppliers that would set up shop in Florida would lead to lowering your property taxes. There is no manipulation of the facts by the advocates of Offshore Drilling ONLY THE OPPONENTS!! Get informed, seek information, talk to those in the industry, visit the platforms and rigs, and see this firsthand before you speak Darryl, as you have NO FIRST HAND knowledge to be speaking in a public forum.

By: Darryl

Darryl — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 13:47:55 +0000

On “Drill, Drill, Drill”, if I not mistaken, the issue with Florida, is the tourism and fishing industry brings in more revenue to the state than oil rigs in the Gulf or Atlantic, so there is a legitimate fear of an oil spill damaging an existing industry. I know the technology is better than of old, but the fact remains, the rigs get damaged or destroyed during hurricanes and have oil spills. So which is more important, or is it worth the risk to the tourism and sports fishing industries is the question the people of Florida need to ask. Not sure how drilling will lower taxes in the state, I think that is some manipulation of fact.

As to the reduction in population, that is good news. The ecology and geology of the state is such that it is over burdened by the current population, and the destruction to the environment by the mass migration of citizens to south Florida over the decades has strained everything, including your sources of fresh water. It is a book written over 50 years ago, but it is still very informative regarding the state ecology and that is “The River of Grass” by Marjory Stoneman Douglas. Here is a link for info on her and the Everglades. The coastal developments, especially on barrier islands has been an insane proposition from the beginning, thus impacting the entire state’s cost relating to land and insurance.

http://www.everglades.org/msd.html