Miami Gardens, Fla. - As Floridians brace for the Gulf oil slick to reach Florida beaches, Kendrick Meek, the only U.S. candidate to warn of the consequences of offshore drilling before the spill, will be traveling to the Florida Panhandle to help plan for the clean-up effort. He will talk with fishermen, coastal business owners and tourism workers who are already reeling from the economic impact of the spill.
"This Gulf Coast oil spill will likely be one of the most costly environmental disasters in Florida history, and the timing just couldn't be worse. It is threatening to bring some of Florida's most vital industries to a standstill just as Florida is struggling to emerge from the worst economic downturn in generations. This spill is already having terrible consequences for Floridians and their families in the seafood and tourism industries. When politicians in Tallahassee promoted drilling off Florida beaches to advance their political careers, my fight was to keep drilling away from Florida beaches even though it was politically unpopular to do so. As I travel to the Panhandle this weekend, I will meet with the folks on the front lines of this economic and environmental crisis and continue my fight to keep offshore drilling from threatening our beaches and economy ever again," said Kendrick Meek, Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate candidate.
On Sunday, Kendrick Meek will travel to Panama City to tour Captain Anderson's Marina and meet with Floridians employed in the fishing and tourism industries who are bracing for the impact of the Gulf oil spill. He will also observe and learn about the preparation for clean-up efforts. Later that day, he will be in Pensacola to hold an anti-drilling roundtable where he will once again call for a moratorium on any offshore drilling expansion to ensure this environmental disaster is never repeated.
Kendrick Meek is the only major candidate in the U.S. Senate race to consistently oppose drilling off of Florida's coasts both before and after the spill. Both of his Republican opponents were in favor of drilling off Florida's beaches. Governor Crist even stood with Sarah Palin as she told a cheering crowd in New Port Richey, "We will drill here, drill now safely and effectively" in 2008. Even in December, Crist told the Orlando Sentinel he supported drilling off Florida beaches. You can watch Governor Crist and Palin campaign for oil drilling here (http://blogs.tampabay.com/buzz/2010/05/flashback-charlie-drill-here-drill-now-crist.html) and Crist explain his support for drilling here (http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/orlando_opinionators/2010/05/the-governors-oil-flip-flop.html).
Posted By: Kendrick Meek
Friday, May 14th 2010 at 11:29AM
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