I am an oyster farmer in Apalachicola, and I’ve spent all my life along the water in northwest Florida. I am one of hundreds of watermen and women who currently work across Franklin, Wakulla and Gulf counties, the main areas that will be protected by HB 1143 which prevents oil drilling upriver in the Apalachicola River Basin.
This bill, championed by Rep. Jason Shoaf, R-Port St. Joe, and Sen. Corey Simon, R-Tallahassee, passed the Florida House and Senate unanimously this session. Now it’s waiting on Gov. DeSantis’ signature ensuring that the water I depend on for my livelihood is protected.
This bill is a huge win for rural coastal communities that are often forgotten or sold out by people not invested in our way of life. I want to commend the leadership of Sen. Simon and Rep. Shoaf in listening to their constituents and truly fighting for the needs of our region. Their efforts to stand with and for our rural communities will not be forgotten.
Apalachicola is special and it’s no stranger to the threat of oil which devastated our coastal economy and oyster industry after the BP Oil Spill. As a Floridian and an oysterman, I take seriously my responsibility to be a steward of our natural resources. Apalachicola Bay is home to one of the most productive estuaries in the world and living amongst it represents a way of life that is uniquely Florida. A way of life worth fighting for.
I would like to invite the governor to an historic signing ceremony in Apalachicola to celebrate HB 1143, securing his legacy as the governor who protects our wild Florida and the working men and women who depend on it.
Jeff Wren is the owner-operator of Rattlesnake Cove Oyster Co. in Apalachicola. (There will be a Kill the Drill Rally with supporters at 6 p.m. in Apalachicola on Monday, June 16th, at the Yacht Club Bar and Grill, 170 Water St.)
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This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Gov. DeSantis: Sign HB 1143, protect Apalachicola, secure your legacy | Opinion
Reporting by Jeff Wren / Tallahassee Democrat
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