Florida offshore oil drilling may be back on table

TALLAHASSEE — Florida is still under consideration for offshore oil drilling, a top Interior Department official said Friday, contradicting an announcement last week from Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke that energy exploration off the coast of Florida was “off the table.”

The comments from Walter Cruickshank, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management director, came during a congressional hearing where he was grilled by U.S. Rep. Jared Huffman, D-Calif., and U.S. Rep. Darren Soto, D-Orlando.

“[Zinke’s] statement stands for itself, and we have no formal decision yet on what is in or out of the five-year program,” Cruickshank said in response to a question.

Cruickshank later said an analysis would have to be done but that Zinke’s statements would be taken into account.


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