Fate unclear for ban on oil drilling along Apalachicola River in north Florida

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Fate unclear for ban on oil drilling along Apalachicola River in north FloridaThere's unconfirmed rumors of a veto by Gov. DeSantis, and a planned rally in Apalachicola to boost the ban.WATCH | Go for a boat ride down the Apalachicola River
Franklin County Sheriff A.J. Smith goes for a boat ride down the Apalachicola River.

The fate of a Florida bill banning oil drilling near the Apalachicola River is uncertain, with rumors of a potential veto by Gov. DeSantis.Supporters are rallying and urging DeSantis to sign the bill, while opponents await the outcome of a permit appeal.The bill's future hinges on DeSantis' decision, with specific rules dictating his timeframe for action.The fate of a bill to ban oil drilling along the Apalachicola River in internationally acclaimed north Florida wetlands is uncertain.
There's unconfirmed rumors of a veto by Gov. Ron DeSantis, and a planned rally in Apalachicola to boost the ban.
In the meantime, opponents of proposed exploratory oil drilling in the river watershed have mounted an effort to persuade DeSantis to sign the measure (HB 1143) creating a 10-mile wide buffer zone along the final 52 miles of the river’s flow into Apalachicola Bay.
The measure – by Rep. Jason Shoaf, R-Port St. Joe, and Rep. Allison Tant, D-Tallahassee – is in response to a 2024 announcement by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection that it intended to issue a permit to Louisiana-based Clearwater Land and Minerals for an exploratory well in Calhoun County, 60 miles west of Tallahassee.
Anxiety among groups opposed to Clearwater’s plans is fueled by a pending appeal of an administrative law judge’s recommended order for the permit to be denied, and legislative rules regarding how much time DeSantis has to act once he receives the bill.
If he receives the bill while lawmakers are in session, which they are as of June 13, the governor must act within seven days. If he gets it after the Legislature adjourns, he has 15 days. If he doesn't veto or sign it, the bill becomes law without his signature.
The calendar creates a window in which DEP could set aside the administrative law judge’s recommendation and issue the permit before DeSantis can act. A request for comment is pending with the governor's office but environmental activists suspect DeSantis may veto the bill. Previously when asked about the measure, his office referred to DeSantis’ 2025 "Bill Action" page, which did not have any information.
“This is not over yet,” said Cameron Baxley, the Apalachicola Riverkeeper, about issuing a call to action to show support for the measure. “The momentum has been with us because the (coastal) community does not want this. That is our strength.”
Members of the Apalachicola Riverkeeper, Florida Wildlife Federation, Florida Shellfish and Aquaculture Association, as well as the Kill the Drill coalition, have mounted a letter writing, phone call and email campaign to encourage DeSantis to sign the bill.
Moreover, a rally is planned for 6 p.m. (Eastern time) June 16 at the Apalachicola Yacht Club, 170 Water St.
Supporters say they want to stand with DeSantis as he signs oil drilling banAdvocates have also offered to host DeSantis at a signing ceremony in Apalachicola once he receives the bill to mark what Adrianne Johnson of the Florida Seafood Association said would be “a momentous occasion and a new era in the preservation of our way of life.”
The invitation says oystermen, along with Franklin County Sheriff A.J. "Tony" Smith and county commissioners and mayors from Franklin and Gulf counties want to stand with DeSantis when he signs the bill.
Shoaf said he's heard rumors the governor is leaning toward a veto, but believes DeSantis will stand with north Florida and sign the measure.
“North Florida loves our governor, and north Florida also loves our precious natural resources. This bill is essential to prevent unnecessary and irreparable harm to Apalachicola Bay, as well as the economies and ecosystems that depend on it,” Shoaf said in a text message exchange with a reporter.
The Shoaf-Tant bill does not specifically mention the Apalachicola River. It prohibits DEP from issuing drilling permits within 10 miles of a National Estuarine Research Reserve, or NERR – if the adjoining counties are economically constrained to qualify as a state-designated rural area of opportunity.
The Apalachicola NERR takes in 52 miles of the river. The Apalachicola River winds through Calhoun, Franklin, and Gulf counties, all chronically economically distressed and traumatized the last 15 years in the aftermath of the BP oil spill and the collapse of the bay’s fishery.
Shoaf, a Port St. Joe native, explained that while oil from the 2010 BP spill never reached the bay, the threat of oil-covered beaches and polluted water kept tourists away and sank the seafood and tourism economy.
As Shoaf told the Florida House before it passed his bill with a unanimous vote on April 16, “The Forgotten Coast knows about the dangers of oil. We’re still carrying those scars.”
James Call is a member of the USA TODAY NETWORK-Florida Capital Bureau. He can be reached at jcall@tallahassee.com and is on X as @CallTallahassee.