No oil drilling off Florida coast

The Trump administration late Tuesday said it would not allow oil drilling off the coast of Florida, reversing course from just five days ago when Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke announced an expansive offshore drilling plan. Zinke said on Tuesday night drilling in the waters of the eastern Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Florida was “off the table” after a meeting with Florida Gov. Rick Scott. Last week, Zinke announced a five-year plan to open 90 percent of the nation’s offshore reserves to development by private companies, including 47 new leases in the Arctic, Atlantic, and Pacific oceans, and the Gulf of Mexico. Scott immediately came out against the plan, saying his top priority was to protect Florida’s natural resources. While announcing the change, Zinke said, “Florida is obviously unique,” and that the administration’s tactic was to open everything up and then meet with governors and stakeholders to shape the specifics. “The president made it very clear that local voices count,” he added.