The Collier family considers expanding its operations to the Everglades as federal money is on hold.
By Associated Press
Published October 13, 2003
MIAMI - A federal investigation that has stalled an Everglades land buyout has a rich Florida pioneer family thinking about reviving plans for exploratory oil and gas drilling on some of the nation's most sensitive land.
The Bush administration's $120-million purchase of mineral rights on 390,396 acres of federally owned land in the Everglades was intended to halt drilling planned by the Collier family, for whom Collier County is named.
The Bush administration asked for a $40-million down payment, but with the Interior Department's inspector general conducting an investigation, House and Senate appropriations committees are not expected to put the money into the current spending bill.
Bob Duncan, general manager of Collier Resources Co., said the family will "look at its options" if no money is forthcoming.
"We firmly believe there's additional oil to be found. We have our permits in with the National Park Service, so clearly, that's one of the alternatives," he said.
Mary Munson, regional director of the National Parks Conservation Association, said the Colliers should be patient with the national budget process.
"The Colliers know the fiscal climate," she said. "The threat to drill if they do not get this huge payout borders on extortion."
The Colliers, major Florida landowners and developers descending from advertising baron Barron Collier, retained the mineral rights when they sold land to the federal government for the creation of the Big Cypress, Florida Panther and Ten Thousand Islands preserves.
They run a modest oil drilling operation at two locations in Big Cypress. But three years ago, they proposed a major expansion with exploratory drilling, road building and underground blasting.
An elated Gov. Jeb Bush called it "a historic day" when he and his presidential brother announced a federal commitment to buy the Collier rights and other oil and gas leases off Florida in the Gulf of Mexico in May 2002.
Democratic U.S. Sen. Bob Graham, who dropped his presidential bid this week, asked the Bush administration in February to justify the price before it moves ahead with the purchase.
On another Everglades protection front, the Miccosukee Indian tribe asked a federal judge Friday to appoint an expert to oversee compliance with an 11-year-old settlement of a pollution lawsuit. A ruling is due in two weeks.
State water managers and the federal government agreed to work together to stop the flow of phosphorus into marshland.
The tribe that lives in the Everglades says the state is breaking the agreement and is claiming everything is fine to avoid determining the cause of problems and finding answers.
