Drilling in the Gulf or Hands Across the Sand?

If the beauty of the Emerald Coast doesn’t convince you to oppose oil drilling, South Walton’s David Rauschkolb says, think of the beauty of the Emerald Coast economy.

“It’s tantamount to drilling for oil in Yellowstone National Park,” Rauschkolb told a Dec. 16 Destin meeting of Emerald Coast Chamber of Commerce officials. “If we had one oil-related accident, our whole tourism industry could be at risk, not just for a couple of months like with a hurricane but one year, or two years ... It really scares me.”

A bill that passed the House this year, but lacked a companion bill in the Senate, would have authorized drilling within three miles of the coast if local government signed off on it. It includes provisions for energy companies to obtain submerged-land easements in order to run pipelines onto the land. The bill, which has strong backing from the oil industry, is expected to return in 2010.

At an October rally for David Pleat — who has made opposition to drilling a centerpiece of his campaign for the Florida House District 7 seat — Rauschkolb said people should “draw a line in the sand” for oil drilling, then hit on the idea of making the metaphor literal. A human line called Hands Across the Sand is scheduled to form on Feb. 13, 2010.

“The simplicity is amazing,” said Rauschkolb, who attended the meeting to encourage chamber support for the anti-drilling campaign. “All we’re asking is for people to go to the beach on one specific day at one specific time and hold hands.”

A poster Rauschkolb provided said the goal of the event is to raise public awareness about the drilling bill, organize opposition and convince the state government to drop the legislation. The poster includes advice such as using only approved beach accesses and to “leave only your footprint.”

Rauschkolb said Hands Across the Sand is also building a network that can be reactivated again and again if the drilling bill keeps coming back. He told The Log that almost all the Gulf coast chambers of commerce have come out against drilling, although the East Coast chambers have not taken a stand.

Adam Babbington, a lobbyist for the Florida Chamber of Commerce attending the meeting, said the state chamber supports drilling provided it won’t interfere with military operations in Florida; there will be no permanent structures visible from shore; and the industry puts environmental protections in place.

“We support off-shore energy production,” he said. “It’s always been phrased that way.”

Destin City Manager Greg Kisela said one risk for the Emerald Coast is to future beach restoration, because oil drilling pollutes potential sand sources; in Louisiana, he said, a third to half of potential “borrow sites” are now unusable.

Rauschkolb said he’s already found that opposition to drilling spans the political spectrum, an issue that people on both the right and left agree on: “If you go to the beach a lot, this is visceral. We are protesting to protect a treasure we cannot allow endangered for any reason.”

Rauschkolb added that the “joining hands” metaphor has turned out quite appropriate: “I’m meeting people all over the state I’d never have met.”

For more information, visit handsascrossthesand.org.