Report Says Beaches Worth More Than Oil

According to “Oceans Under the Gun: Living Seas or Drilling Seas?”, a report released by Environment America, clean beaches and oceans support a vibrant coastal tourism and fishing economy that generates almost $200 billion per year and accounts for over 4.1 million jobs in coastal counties. By contrast, based on a very optimistic scenario, the American Petroleum Institute claims that vastly expanded drilling off every coast might create 160,000 new jobs. Offshore drilling puts jobs that are dependent on clean beaches and oceans at risk from oil spills, a realistic concern given the two month spill off the coast of Australia that shows spills still inevitably happen even with new technology and good regulations.

At least 7 chambers of commerce on the West coast of Florida in jeopardy from drilling proposals have recently passed resolutions against the expansion of drilling because of the threat posed to tourism by oil drilling. For the full list of chambers of commerce, cities and counties that officially oppose drilling in Florida, see: http://www.protectfloridasbeaches.org/resolutions.html