Florida Senator Ashley Moody brought the fight for the state’s coastline to the Senate floor today, seeking to fast-track legislation that would keep oil rigs out of sight for another decade.
Moody requested unanimous consent for the American Shores Protection Act, a measure designed to codify a 2020 executive order by President Donald Trump and extend the current drilling moratorium from 2022 out to 2032. Fellow Florida Senator Rick Scott joined Moody in backing the request.
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The bid for immediate passage did not clear the floor today. Senator Mike Lee, Chairman of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee, objected to the procedural move. However, the Utah Republican committed to bringing the legislation up within his committee, signaling that the bill will move forward through the standard lawmaking process rather than dying on the floor.
For Moody, the legislation is a necessary shield for the state’s massive tourism economy.
“Florida’s beaches alone generate more than $127.7 billion a year in tourism spending and support more than 2.1 million related jobs,” Moody said in her remarks. She pointed to the Deepwater Horizon catastrophe of 2010 as a grim reminder of the risks involved, noting that the disaster “wiped billions of dollars from Florida’s industries” and devastated the environment.
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Beyond the economic arguments, the Senator highlighted the region’s role in national security. The legislation covers areas including the Gulf Test Range, a critical zone for Department of War training exercises and mission readiness.
According to Moody, operations at military facilities in the Florida Panhandle support more than 50,000 jobs.
“As a fifth-generation Floridian, preserving our state’s natural beauty is deeply important to me,” Moody said, framing the legislation as a duty to future generations. “It is my mission to protect our state’s coastline—from Pensacola Beach where the Blue Angels fly to Duval Street in Key West.”
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