Collier County is  known around the world as "Paradise". We have miles of beaches, a thriving local economy and year round tourism from around the world. Collier County  is home to the Florida Everglades, Big Cypress National Preserve, and Picayune Strand State Forest, Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge. There are many protected & endangered animal species who live in this area. The proposed drill site is in Golden Gate Estates in Naples, FL and is very close in proximity of these protected preserves. Families live right next to the proposed drill site and call this home. Golden Gate Estates residents all produce their own drinking water from wells that are more then likely sourced from an aquafier.The aquafiers also produce drinking water for the city & county. Drilling for oil in Collier County would put our families and our sensitive ecosystem in Collier County and Florida in great danger. At a meeting with Dan A. Hughes Co representatives from Beeville, Texas (who would be doing the drilling "oil and gas exploration", leasing 115,560 acres from Barron Collier Compainies: Collier Resources Company, LLP, Barron Collier Resources, LLP,  Collier Land and Cattle Corporation, Collier Land Holdings, Ltd, CDC Land Investments, Inc., et el) applied for the permit to do the exploration oil drilling, they could not assure us of our safety or of the benefits or drawbacks of drilling for oil. They responded to the majority of our community's questions with I don't know, it's not us. When asked what they planned to do with the oil if it would remain in the U.S. or be exported, they didn't know. When asked if it would create local jobs, they didn't know. When asked about if they would be fracking, they responded with we don't plan on it, but we can't speak for other companies. They woudn't put anything in writing. When asked about the dangers to our families drinking water, Hydrogen Sulfide, Fires, spills, etc they responded with "getting in your car every day puts you in danger" they also said, "You never know how the Earth is going to respond". I can speak for the majority of the citizens who live in the area, and we do not want this here and we want our voice to be heard. Please protect our familys, our way of life, our protected & endangered wildlife as well as protected parks and National  Preserves. Please listen to us.

Thank You for signing this petition, we appreciate your consideration and time!  Here's a few Myths and Facts. More information can be found at Preserve our Paradise. On Facebook at: ​Preserve Our Paradise

Your voice matters! Write a letter, email, call and voice why this shouldn't happen to:

Nick Wiley (Executive Director)

℅ Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission

620 South Meridian Street

Tallahassee, FL 32399-1600

850-487-3796​

email.fwc@MyFWC.com

 

Eric Sutton (Assistant Executive Director)

℅ Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission

620 South Meridian Street

Tallahassee, FL 32399-1600

850-487-3796

 

Karen Ventimiglia  (Chief of Staff)

℅ Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission

620 South Meridian Street

Tallahassee, FL 32399-1600

850-487-3796  

 

Thomas Colios

℅ South Florida Water Management District

PO BOX 24680

West Palm Beach, FL 33416-4680

tcolios@sfwmd.gov​

(561) 686-8800​  /   (800) 432-2045

 

Ed Garret, (Chief of Minerals, Mining, Oil & Gas)

℅ Florida Department of Environmental Protection

Bureau of Mining and Minerals Regulation, Oil and Gas Section

2051 East Paul Dirac Drive, MS 715

Tallahassee, FL 32310

(850) 488-8217 ext.12​

Ed.garrett@dep.state.fl.us

 

Danielle H. Irwin, (Deputy Division Director)

℅ Florida Department of Environmental Protection

Bureau of Mining and Minerals Regulation, Oil and Gas Section

2051 East Paul Dirac Drive, MS 715

Tallahassee, FL 32310

(850) 488-7843​

danielle.irwin@dep.state.fl.us

Steve Spencer ( Professional Geologist)

℅ Florida Department of Environmental Protection

Oil and Gas Program

2600 Blair Stone Road, MS 3588

Tallahassee FL, 32399-2600

(850) 245-8405​

steve.spencer@dep.state.fl.us

 

Levi Sciara (Engineer)

℅ Florida Department of Environmental Protection

Bureau of Mining and Minerals Regulation, Oil and Gas Section

2051 East Paul Dirac Drive, MS 715

Tallahassee, FL 32310

 

(850) 245-8406​

Levi.Sciara@dep.state.fl.us

 

Paul Attwood, (Local Professional Geologist)

℅ Florida DEP / Mining, Mitigation and Delineation

Oil & Gas Section - Fort Myers Field Office

2295 Victoria Avenue

Suite 179

Ft. Myers, Florida 33901

(239)344-5721​

Paul.Attwood@dep.state.fl.us

 

Pierre Bruno (Environmental Specialist III)

℅ Florida DEP / Mining, Mitigation and Delineation

Oil & Gas Section - Fort Myers Field Office

2295 Victoria Avenue

Suite 179

Ft. Myers, Florida 33901

 (239) 344-5611​

Pierre.Bruno@dep.state.fl.us

 

Larry Cole

Environmental Protection Agency

cole.larry@epa.gov​

(404) 562-9474

 

James Ferreira

Environmental Protection Agency

ferreira.james@epa.gov​

(404) 562-9399

 

Wilda Cobb

Environmental Protection Agency

cobb.wilda@epa.gov

 

Joe Haberfeld

Florida Dept. of Environmental Protection

joe.haberfeld@dep.state.fl.us​

(850)245-8655

 

United States Army Corps Engineers Jacksonville District

Mailing Address:

P.O. Box 4970

Jacksonville, Florida 32232-001

Phone (904) 232-1177 Fax (904) 232-1904

SUBJECT LINE for email type:

Regulatory Division

email : SAJ-RD@usace.army.mil

 

United States Army Corp of Engineers

Fort Myers Permits Section

1520 Royal Palm Square Blvd., Suite 310

Fort Myers, FL 33919

Phone (239) 334-1975 Fax (229) 334-0797

SUBJECT LINE for email type:

Fort Myers Section

email: SAJ-RD@usace.army.mil