Cuba Oil Bid a Bad Idea, Florida Says

Florida lawmakers are seeking ways to stop Cuba from drilling for oil off its shores, including meeting with the Spanish firm working with Cuba.

BY LESLEY CLARK, Miami Herald

“The rational approach is a direct dialogue between the U.S. and Cuba,” said David Guggenheim, a senior fellow at The Ocean Foundation in Washington

WASHINGTON — With Cuba poised to drill for oil off its coast as early as this spring, Florida lawmakers are renewing efforts to block it, citing fears about damage to the state’s beaches in the event of a major oil spill.

Sarasota Republican Rep. Vern Buchanan has introduced legislation that would allow the U.S. Interior Department to deny U.S. oil and gas leases to companies involved in Cuba’s oil drilling operations. Sen. Bill Nelson plans to re-introduce legislation to pull the U.S. visas for executives of such companies. Nelson also is hoping to “outline our position” in a yet-to-be-scheduled meeting with officials from Spanish energy giant Repsol, which is working with Cuba.

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