Florida’s coasts are once again under threat.

The Trump administration has proposed a sweeping new plan to open parts of the eastern Gulf of Mexico to offshore oil drilling—breaking a previous moratorium and pushing new lease sales dangerously close to Florida’s shores. This move directly threatens the state’s $100 billion tourism industry, critical wildlife habitats, and the health of our oceans.

Floridians have not forgotten the Deepwater Horizon disaster. The 2010 oil spill devastated coastal communities, killed marine life, and blanketed beaches with crude oil. We cannot afford to repeat that nightmare.

This new drilling plan—which includes two lease sales in a newly designated area just 100 miles off the Florida Panhandle—puts all of that at risk again. Scientists warn that any spilled oil in these waters could easily travel to our coastline via the Gulf Stream, threatening areas like Tampa Bay and Pensacola Beach. And it’s not just our beaches at stake: endangered species like the Rice’s whale, already down to fewer than 100 individuals, could be pushed to extinction by expanded drilling.

Even Republican lawmakers like Sen. Rick Scott and Rep. Vern Buchanan oppose this plan. State officials from both parties have called for its immediate withdrawal. And Florida’s own military readiness is at risk—drilling in this region could interfere with testing zones for advanced weapons systems used by nearby military bases.

This isn’t about politics. It’s about protecting Florida’s future—its ecosystems, economy, and communities.

We, the undersigned, call on President Donald Trump, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, and the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management to immediately remove the eastern Gulf of Mexico from all current and future offshore oil drilling lease plans. Florida must not be a sacrifice zone for fossil fuel profits.

Let Florida’s coasts remain wild, clean, and oil-free. Sign to stop this drilling plan before it’s too late.

Photo: AP Photo/Jae C. Hong