Drilling Could Affect Tourism

Florida Destin Tourism in Florida grapples with offshore drilling issues.

by Associated Press

Published: Fri, October 03, 2008 - 12:34 am CST Last Updated: Fri, October 03, 2008 - 12:38 am CST

DESTIN, Fla. (AP) - As tourism industry leaders from the Florida
Keys to the Panhandle met today for a summit on offshore drilling,
David Mattiford cleaned his fishing charter boat on the Destin
Docks nearby. He explained why he would welcome the oil companies.
Oil platforms could provide perfect cover for attracting schools
of fish, oil spills are easily contained with today's technology
and - Mattiford argued - charter boat operators cannot keep paying
$1,200 each time they fill their boats with gas.
But for many Floridians, the question isn't so simple: while
tourism is the state's top industry and relies largely on motorists
hit hard by soaring gas prices, many fear the possibility of damage
to the famous state's beaches if more offshore drilling is allowed.
Despite months of national debate about offshore drilling, The
Florida Association of Convention and Visitors Bureaus has yet to
take an official stance.

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carl Says:

Fri, Oct 03, 2008 at 11:55 am

Whooo eeee Give me a half mil or even a quarter mil and I’d keep the fires burning in those factories from me buying everything I wanted to.

claycitymadness Says:

Fri, Oct 03, 2008 at 10:05 am

carl i liked that plan where they gave each of us 1/2 a mill and let us pay off all our debts and let it trickle UP for a change.

carl Says:

Fri, Oct 03, 2008 at 7:27 am

Claycity you better go hit the road to Meridian and drill for some money over there. You’ve got a big debt to help pay off,that $800 billion bailout. But I know you feel better knowing that your helping those rum producers in Puerto Rico.

claycitymadness Says:

Fri, Oct 03, 2008 at 6:59 am

i woudlnt be opposed to rigs you cant see, say 10 or 12 miles out, but would certainly be opposed to those that sit off of dauphin island or fort morgan. first, there is the possibilty of a spill which would wash right up on our beaches. next is the fact that they are even there. its not too bad during day light but go out there especailly at night at fort morgan or the east end ofdauphin island and its just ruined. you can hear the conversations they are having on the rigs, the constant hum of machinery. its not like those three or four wells are solving out energy dilemma. but they are ruining it for any other purpose. windfall tax the four billion exxon made last quarter and return it to us and that would lower the energy costs. they had to know what they were doing when they set prices to lead to this four billion dollar profit. wonder how many gallons this four billion represents. (I wonder how much excess pfrofit over cost per gallon this represents is a better statement)

carl Says:

Fri, Oct 03, 2008 at 6:20 am

I think thewife is working on your’s as we speak assuming you want the one from the other site,if not, tell her what you wnat