EnergyFLA: Sierra Club Issues Report Opposing Creating Jobs, Boosting the Economy and Generating Revenue

TALLAHASSEE, Fla.--(Business Wire)--
Offshore drilling will create jobs, boost our economy and generate critically
needed public revenues. That`s the position a majority of Floridians said
Associated Industries of Florida in response to a new report on offshore
drilling issued by the Sierra Club and Sen. Bill Nelson. Associated Industries
of Florida is a member of the EnergyFLA coalition.

"There`s no evidence anywhere that offshore drilling has hurt tourism in any
area where it has been allowed. High energy costs and high unemployment kill
tourism more than anything. Without affordable gas, we can`t get tourists to
Florida," said Barney Bishop, president of Associated Industries of Florida.
"Florida`s unemployment rate is 10.7 percent and tourism is already down nearly
9.5 percent. Instead of helping our recovery, the knee-jerk opponents of energy
exploration want to throw stones at a clean job-creating industry that could put
billions of dollars into working Floridians` pockets."

Bishop added that Florida`s Sierra Club chapter has been notorious for its
extreme environmental positions, which even have put it at odds with the
national Sierra Club. Last year, infighting led to a 4-year suspension of
Florida`s Sierra Club chapter by the national organization.

"This is the extreme environmental fringe speaking, the 7 percent who will not
accept oil production under any circumstances," Bishop said. "The overwhelming
majority of people in Florida support offshore production, and their support is
growing. By refusing to even discuss a new, necessary and responsible energy
policy, drilling opponents are hurting Florida, because we could wind up with
zero revenue from the federal government."

Economist Hank Fishkind, principal of Fishkind & Associates, projects that
offshore drilling and production could add from $7 billion to $41 billion a year
to Florida`s economy, and create from 40,000 jobs to more than 230,000 new
Florida jobs.

"We are talking about adding a new industry that could be as important as
Florida agriculture. We would get that positive impact in addition to Florida
tourism, not to replace tourism. There is a significant benefit to having both
industries here, because oil production jobs would pay higher average wages than
most service-oriented tourism jobs," Fishkind said.

NOTE TO WEB EDITORS:The linked video is of economist Hank Fishkind discussing
the economic impact of oil production in Florida.You have permission to use the
footage in any format.

DIRECT LINK
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B9uZZ07OHg8

In noting the tremendous economic boost creating a new energy sector would
provide for Florida, Bishop added that he would like opponents to present a plan
to create as many jobs and generate billions of dollars of revenue to the state.

Oil production is acknowledged to be one of the cleanest industries operating in
the United States. Only 1 percent of the oil that enters North American waters
originates from drilling rigs, according to a study by the National Research
Council. Most oil spills originate from shipping, which currently supplies about
98 percent of Florida`s petroleum supplies. The largest source of oil in the
Gulf of Mexico is natural seepage, which accounts for as much as 95 percent of
the oil entering Gulf waters.

"Shipping is much more dangerous than drilling, so we would actually reduce the
chances of a spill by producing more oil here," Bishop said. "Florida should
demand the highest possible safety standards and environmental protection for
any drilling proposals. The chance of a spill hurting our tourism industry is
insignificant, and we can make it even safer by having a real discussion based
on facts."

For EnergyFLA
Ryan Banfill, 850-222-1996

Copyright Business Wire 2009

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