Name: Bi-partisan pushback against Gulf oil drilling
Uploaded: 2026-04-02T04:58:33.034Z
Duration: 2 min 51 s
Description: A rare meeting of the federal endangered species committee could open the Gulf waters to oil drilling, which has Democrats and Republicans urging an about-facing, hoping that legal challenges will succeed. FOX 13’s Evan Axelbank reports.

A rare meeting of the federal endangered species committee could open the Gulf waters to oil drilling, which has Democrats and Republicans urging an about-facing, hoping that legal challenges will succeed. FOX 13’s Evan Axelbank reports.

Florida

Florida politicians from both major parties are expressing rare unity in opposing a federal initiative that could allow new oil drilling in the Gulf of Mexico. The move follows a meeting of the federal endangered species committee, where the Secretary of Defense argued for sidelining Endangered Species Act considerations to boost domestic oil production for national security.

Both Republican and Democratic leaders, along with environmental groups and local business representatives, have raised concerns about the risks to endangered species, the tourism economy, and the potential for oil spills reminiscent of the BP disaster. Environmental advocates are urging Congress to enact permanent protections, while several groups have pledged to pursue legal action to maintain current safeguards.

Bi-partisan pushback against Gulf oil drilling

Something rare is happening in Florida. There is bipartisan agreement over actions being taken by the federal government. A rare meeting of a federal endangered species committee could open the Gulf waters to oil drilling. That has Democrats and Republicans urging and about face or hoping that legal challenges will succeed. FOX 13's Evan Axelbank reports. The rules changed literally overnight when it comes to protecting endangered species in the Gulf and that could give developers an opening to drill off the coast. A meeting of the federal endangered species committee is so rare that the chair had to explain who's in it. For those that are not familiar, the committee is comprised of six permanent federal members. For just over 15 minutes. Thank you for being here to discuss a matter of urgent national security. They listened to the secretary of defense argue that America badly needs more crude oil. This is not just about gas prices, it's about our ability to power our military and protect our nation. His solution is to bar the consideration of the Endangered Species Act when granting new permits for oil drillers in the Gulf. He says litigation from environmental groups has effectively blocked new drilling. When development in the Gulf is chilled, we are prevented from producing the energy we need as a country and as a department. Even Trump administration allies like Republican Lieutenant Governor Jay Collins couldn't bring himself to be cool with this. Until we can unequivocally know for sure that there will be no spillage, no leakage, or no harm or risk, I can't get behind that. I have to stand up for our people here in Florida on that issue. It's not a new fight. Just last year, the governor successfully convinced the administration to go back on plans to issue new oil leases at least until 2032. Democrats are furious over the calling of the meeting in the first place, a committee that has only met three times in 50 years. This is so risky and costly at a time when people are already being squeezed and the memory of the BP oil disaster is still fresh on the minds of people because the economic damage was so devastating. Indeed, the CEO of the Tampa Bay Beaches Chamber of Commerce says 100,000 families rely on Gulf tourism for the economy. Environmental groups are especially worried about endangered species like rice's whales and the impact a spill could have on fishing businesses. We hope Congress will act and pass the Coastal Protection Act and put the protections, the ban on drilling in the Eastern Gulf, put that in law so that it's not something that we have to be worried about being changed. Several environmental groups, including Earth Justice, are pledging to sue to try and stop changes to the protections under the Endangered Species Act. Evan Axelbank, Fox 13 News.

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