Special Oil Session Eyed

Momentum is growing again for Florida lawmakers to hold a special session on oil drilling and clean energy strategies.

On Monday, the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy called for the Legislature to convene and place two questions on the November general election ballot. One would ask voters to approve an oil drilling ban off Florida’s shores and the other would create a renewable-energy portfolio standard for the state to obtain up to 20% of its energy from wind, solar, and other clean sources by 2020.

Months ago, Gov. Charlie Crist said he supported a special session, but other top legislators did not agree because Florida’s constitution already bans oil drilling in state waters.

Senate President Jeff Atwater, R-North Palm Beach, told the Tallahassee Democrat on Monday that he would consider a special session to approve property-tax breaks and other forms of relief for victims of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.

On Tuesday, the Palm Beach County Commission joined other counties in the state urging Crist to convene a summit of scientists, oil company officials, and legal experts to explore new ideas for coastal protection and cleanup and how to preserve the state’s rights while dealing with the Gulf oil catastrophe.

The objective would be to create a “Protection and Restoration Program” to assure recovery of Florida’s natural resources and tourism economy and create a funding strategy for the program.

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