Chamber Board Issues Resolution Opposing Offshore Drilling

     Destin, FL, July 1 - On June 29, the Destin Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors approved a resolution opposing any oil well construction and off-shore drilling within 40 miles of the Northwest Florida coast, including the Destin Dome.

     “The Board is committed to the community of Destin and its economy,” explained Board Chairman Karen McCarthy, Army Aviation Center Federal Credit Union. “We are a drivable destination where people come to enjoy the emerald green waters of the Gulf and the sandy white beaches. Tourism is the livelihood of Destin.”

     While the resolution recognizes the need for new energy exploration, it stresses the preservation and conservation of Northwest Florida’s natural resources as critical to the area’s environmental and economic future. It states the construction of oil wells within the Destin Dome or within 40 miles of Destin’s pristine coastline would be harmful to the area’s tourism and economy.

     “We understood that times are changing, and we need other sources of energy, but we felt it would be detrimental to the beaches to see the rigs from the beach, so we incorporated the 40 miles radius for offshore drilling,” said McCarthy.