State's Oil/Gas Drilling Bill Dead
TALLAHASSEE (CBSMiami/NSF) – Don't look for a controversial measure which would have made it easier to explore for oil and gas on state-owned land to go anywhere this legislative session.
On Tuesday, the Senate's Environmental Preservation and Conservation Committee chose not to take up the measure, SB 1158, during its last meeting of the 2012 session.
Committee chairman Sen. Charlie Dean, R-Inverness, said the votes weren't there to pass it out of committee, with members concerned about a lack of specificity in the bill and its potential impact on Everglades.
The House bill, HB 695, is scheduled to be heard in the State Affairs Committee on Wednesday. Dean said you can never say never in the legislative process, but indicated it was very doubtful the measure would see further light this session.
The News Service of Florida contributed to this report.
