How I missed this I do not know, but apparently the push from State Representative Doug Broxon has been ongoing to long-term lease parts of our State Forest to big oil/gas. http://www.myfloridahouse.gov/Sections/Bills/billsdetail.aspx?BillId=49579 http://www.nwfdailynews.com/local/b...oration-in-blackwater-forest-document-1.88773 http://www.pnj.com/article/20130205...ackwater-River-State-Forest-drilling-proposal http://www.pnj.com/article/20130125/NEWS01/301250035/Broxson-proposes-Blackwater-drilling "Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has given approval for exploration in the 190,000 acres" "That bill, first introduced by state Rep. Clay Ford, R-Pensacola, died without being passed in March." There's two names that I will be voting against every time I see them from now on.
I guess you don't use oil/gas Some of the benefits just might include: -less dependence on foreign oil -cheeper gas prices -lower property taxes
Me too. I remember oil exploration in Blackwater back in the 70's, trucks all over the forrest shaking the ground, leaving rectangular impressions everywhere.:eek1
Yea, it's awesome to see an active oil well rig in Canyonlands National Park on the way to Dead Horse Point. Hell, maybe they can clear cut BW and put oil rigs everywhere. We might be able to carve a few trails in, out, & around the rigs. Drill baby, drill!
Hatch, saw the article in today's PNJ about this very thing; I read the paper this AM and that was absolutely the first time I can remember hearing anything about it from a news source. Last year a couple of our local riders told me they've seen exploration trucks in BW, and warned me that it was prolly just a matter of time before they started drilling. I tell ya what, I ain't a tree-hugger but I am a conservationist. And when it comes to our (relatively) tiny little 190K-acre wilderness oasis known as Blackwater State Forest, well the last thing I wanna see in it is oil and gas exploration trucks running around all over the place. As my grandparents used to say--I'm agin it, and that's an understatement. George Washington Hayduke approves of this post
http://www.thefloridacurrent.com/article.cfm?id=31212105 They have the target in sight. Time to fire up a letter generator.
Back around 2000, they did some 3d seismic testing just above Blackwater Forest in Alabama Conecuh Forest (Both forest touch at the state line). Apparently they didn't find anything worth more than a few test holes. They DID mash out a bunch of trails with their big seismic tractors that made for some fun bike riding till the Conecuh forest rangers ran us off months after they were done. They got plenty static from the gopher tortoise and woodpecker protection groups the whole time. Maybe they won't find anything a few miles south either. We could help by keeping their routes mashed down for future reference. Maybe lemonaid from lemons?
I find it truely ironic that the GOV in general protects the forest from use by PEOPLE to keep all the little critters safe... except when real MONEY is involved and then - well its ok -... Take Eglin - we cant get off designated roads to protect the widlife and preserve the forest. I get it. Im fine with it. OH wait - Special Forces need land - NO PROBLEM - clear cut what you need....thousands of acres we could not touch is not clear cut... Should this be "Pee Leak"
I agree Vic and all. We've been through the dance for many years to get the riding area opened. Now they drag their feet and find reasons not to move forward. Funny how money talks though!
Maybe I can get a job with the drillers? Damn, I would do it for free. I want oil!! DRILL BABY DRILL!!!
People want less dependency on foreign oil... then complain when steps are done to do just that... :-/
+100000 Jnich and the New Jersey guy are falling back on the FAIL assumption that oil out of a spendy/inefficient hole in CONUS = 'less dependence on foreign oil'. That ain't the way the market works. It ain't the way the refineries in Houston area work either. And to New Jersey guy: yes, i've heard of North Dakota. I can find it on a map, even. Some of us Chuckleheads have been there, even. If you need me to post some which-one-of-these-places-is-not-like-the-other pictures of Blackwater State Forest vs N. Dakota, i certainly can Bring the NIMBY argument, b/c it's always a valid argument. But you have to bring a better foil than North Dakota, dude. Drilled desert is not the same as drilled Longleaf forest, no matter how much you squint/justify
Aktually if we'd just start promote the use of Solar Power a little more, we could do just that. The Sunshine State... laughable at times. Not sure if the petition page has been posted or not so check THIS OUT
Yes sir we do; but we are also running out of places to ride our dirt bikes. Are you on this formum because you like to ride dirt bikes or as a conservationist? If so you might want to find a forum about conservation!
If we could convert the big users of fossil fuels to alternatives, there would be plenty already existing to supply consumers. me personally? you're damn right NIMBY! This forest is where I grew up, camping fishing hunting riding hiking canoeing.. and the actual wording in the bill would allow a potential clearcut of the ENTIRE forest. Yes I know that wouldn't happen, but I'll tell ya what will happen - the nicest most choice pieces of land will be the first ones cleared. murphy's law applies here. foreign oil? not going to be supplanted by our lil forest. aint gonna happen. and from what i've heard the area has yielded little results from exploratory drilling on private land in the area. so yes, lets destroy thousands of acres in the hopes of finding something they haven't found here already. this is a prime example of the government and their contractors "inventing" work to keep the money moving around. NIMBY? gawddamn right.