Like all of you I have been shocked and saddened by the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico and BP's inability and unwillingness to do the right thing in the wake of this massive disaster. I immediately called for a moratorium on any new oil drilling in the Gulf, co-introduced legislation towards that end and launched a petition that has been signed by nearly 12,000 Americans also opposed to any new drilling.
BP now says they'll spend $25 million to attract tourists to Florida, a fraction of what is needed to deal with the problems caused by the spill. I sent a letter to BP CEO Tony Hayworth telling him that Florida needs more than this paltry sum.
After the jump you can see the letter and our latest release on the petition, which I urge you to sign.
Letter
Miami Gardens, Fla. - Kendrick Meek demanded $75 million more in aid from BP to revive Florida tourism, the state's number one industry, in a letter sent today to BP CEO Tony Hayworth.
The letter comes just days after BP's promise to the state that it would spend $25 million on a marketing campaign aimed at attracting visitors back to Florida. Ad buyers who were asked to approximate the cost of the marketing campaign described by VISIT FLORIDA, the state's tourism office, estimated that it would cost a minimum of $100 million for just 12 weeks of advertising in the top cities where Florida tourists travel from. These cities are Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit, Hartford, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, Nashville, New York City, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Raleigh, St. Louis, Washington, DC and Toronto. The campaign would include television, radio, print, online, outdoor and promotional advertising.
Kendrick Meek has consistently opposed drilling off Florida's beaches.
The letter reads below:
Dear Mr. Hayward,
While I applaud your company's promise to make $25 million available to promote Florida tourism, it simply is not enough. I am writing to request that you pledge an additional $75 million - the amount of money required by conservative estimates to run an adequate domestic and international marketing campaign. This type of ad campaign will cost at least $8 million a week. Over 12 weeks, it will cost the state at least $100 million.
Florida earns over $65 billion per year from its tourism economy. It is the #1 industry in Florida employing over 1 million people. Recreational fishing alone accounts for $5 billion and 50,000 jobs. A $25 million ad campaign is just a drop in the bucket of what is truly needed and it will not turn the tide on the pervasive perception that Florida's beaches and water have been oiled.
In a normal year, the state of Florida's annual tourism marketing budget is $100 million. In the wake of the oil spill, we need to double-down on these efforts in order to bring tourists back to our beaches.
Many of the small counties on Florida's coast have been effected. Charter boat operators, fisherman, market workers, and small hotel owners are experiencing huge drops in the numbers of tourists due to the perception that Florida's beaches are damaged and that the state is now closed for tourism. Generations of Floridians who have been living and working in the area are now having their livelihood severely threatened. Moreover, this is going to be a long-term problem.
A national and international campaign is going to be pivotal to rebuilding the economy that once was. Over 80 million people visit Florida every year, but tourists from around the world are not going to come if they believe their vacation might be ruined by your oil washing up on our beaches. I urge you to pledge additional funding and take more responsibility for the decline in Florida's tourism since the spill.
Sincerely,
Kendrick Meek
Petition
Five million gallons. That is how much crude oil is estimated to have leaked into the Gulf.
Just this week, NASA released a new image that shows the massive spill heading southeast towards the open ocean. That means the oil could catch a current and hit the vulnerable Florida Keys.
On top of that, scientists fear that the giant plumes of oil deep below the surface could lead to "dead zones" in the Gulf that will be devoid of all marine life.
I went to our coastal communities this week. I've been to the beaches facing serious threats. I've talked directly to the fishermen who will be directly affected. I've learned enough to know everyone in Florida will feel this spill's impact.
That's why we have to clean up the Gulf and why we have to make sure nothing like this ever happens again.
I am calling for a moratorium on expansion of oil drilling in the Gulf and off the shores of Florida. I hope you will join me.
Click here to sign our petition right now and stand with me calling for a moratorium on expansion of oil drilling in the Gulf.
While I've been working with my colleagues in Congress to secure our coasts, protect our state's economy, and help Florida families, some Republicans in the Senate have moved to block the legislation that Senator Nelson and I proposed to hold BP accountable for the cost of their mistakes.
While the GOP plays politics to protect its relationship with Big Oil executives, 210,000 gallons a day of crude oil are gushing into the Gulf. Florida can't afford another mistake.
We need to work together to send one loud and clear message: we can't risk another spill. We need a moratorium on offshore drilling along our beaches, right now.
Click here to join me today by signing our petition.
Let's make sure, together, we keep this disaster in plain sight.
Thanks,
Kendrick Meek