Pickens Plan District Group FL-12

Comment

Comment by Jeff Greene on October 13, 2009 at 4:08pm

Dear Fellow Pickens Plan members:

I have been impressed with your level of response as well as your passion relating to the recent message about environmental groups and their opposition to oil and gas exploration. In fairness to all sides; I believe it is important to add some further perspective on this issue. After checking with House and Senate Sponsors and the focus of future legislation as well as advocacy groups on this issue, I have been told the following considerations are being made right now:

1. Drilling will be banned in the traditional 3 mile state waters around Florida. The New “open area” will be the 3-9 nautical mile area that is traditionally federal waters but Florida and Texas own due to historical reasons.
2. The proposal does NOT allow drilling. It merely lifts the ban and requires the Governor and Cabinet to receive proposals for leases and then permits. There is no requirement to drill and if the Trustees determine drilling is not economically viable or environmentally safe, they would reject the proposals. (and keep the $5M application fee).
3. No permanently equipment visible from shore will be allowed. Temporary rigs may be used between 3 and 9 miles, but cannot be in place for more than 6 months.
4. Many coastal areas of military and environmental concern would be off limits.
5. The state of Florida will receive MINIMALLY 20.5% of all revenue received from the sale of oil and gas – The state is effectively a 20.5% revenue share partner in the agreement – and potentially more depending upon the bids of the participants.
6. Funding received from the proposal will be spent on the following areas: Future and alternative fuel developments (Including specifically infrastructure and end-user grants for CNG Vehicles), environmental restoration and enhancement projects, local governments, education, economic development and promotion for arts and tourism.
7. In order to ensure the best companies and best trained employees are involved; a $5M non refundable application fee would be required as well as a $500 Million bond prior to any drilling activity by each entity engaged in the process. An apprentice type training program will also be required as well as the best materials and pipes to ensure accident free drilling activity. Florida will have the world’s highest standards for drilling if it is allowed here.
8. I have also been told that revenue could become available immediately from application fees, advanced royalty fees and advanced payments. AND that oil and gas revenue would flow in 12-18 months after a permit is issued. So the funding is not a – “years out” issue – it is short term available.

Many of you may wish to oppose this plan, but let me respectfully remind you that the Pickens Plan is about many things, but it is Certainly about using American made fuels (some renewable, some fossil) to power our cars and homes. CNG is a huge part of our plan and massive amounts of natural gas lie in the Gulf’s eastern planning region and Florida waters. To suggest we don’t need to enhance our supply of American fuels seems inconsistent with our mission and that is the basis of support for this proposal. Secondly, the fact that it can be done – and will ONLY Be done with massive environmental protections, huge financial protection measures and with the best trained labor available makes it more appealing. And lastly, yes, the money matters too. Florida is in Deep, Deep financial peril. After cuts of nearly $7B in the past two years, our leaders tell us we will face another $7B in cuts over the next two years. Tax increases in a recession make no sense, so a wealth event like oil and gas exploration may be our only way out as a state. AND, that the legislative leaders want to expand and fund CNG infrastructure as well as deployment of vehicle filling equipment only adds to the allure of this proposal for Pickens Plan supporters.

Please visit www.EnergyFLA.com to join the move in Florida to enhance our supply of American fuels.

I hope you will join me in supporting this effort – and ensuring that the legislature knows the Pickens Plan is behind it – and fully expects CNG to benefit in the years ahead to help eliminate the balance of trade deficit americ now has with its energy needs.

Comment by Ronald Bernt on August 14, 2009 at 7:47am

August 14,2004
Hello All!
Captain Ron here! I'm your new District 12 Leader. I hope all of you had the opportunity to catch the Clean Energy Summit broadcast that was broadcast over the internet this last week. T.B. Pickens was in rare form and he made us proud to be in his army. Thursday I attended District 11's first District Meeting. District 11's John Osborn hosted a speaker from Progress Energy, who spoke about their efforts in traditional as well as renewable energy. Although Progress is investing heavily in natural gas power generators, there are no plans at this time to install wind generators or solar systems. Progress currently has a problem justifying renewable energy sources that are cyclical and can't be counted on 24/7. Humm.....I believe these guys are missing the point. Army, perhaps the jumping from coal, to gas, to nuclear and back should be a message to the powers that be. Standard fuels, in the long term, are perhaps the most cyclical of all, and all have a not so likeable "foot-print".
Ok now its the 12 District's turn, anyone out there want to have a District 12 meeting? Let me know. In the mean time lets continue to rally our neighbors and to keep an ear to the Network. Be prepared to contact our Senators and Adam Putnam to support the up-and-coming Energy Bills.
By the way, great job John!
And remember "Wind is our Friend!" - Captain Ron
Take care,
Ron Bernt

Comment by Jeff Greene on August 2, 2009 at 2:10pm

I would like to thank Ron "Captain Ron" Bernt for leading this district. Please give your support to Captain Ron and feel free to let me know what I can do to help.

Jeff Greene
Florida State Leader

Comment by Mike Pickens on June 24, 2009 at 12:56pm

I am your new regional leader, please let me hear from you !

Comment by Renee Klink on April 3, 2009 at 11:19am

District members, we’re at the third and final day of the Virtual March, and today we are focusing on getting action on a bill to establish a 21st century transmission system and a National Renewable Electricity Standard (RES). As Boone points out, twenty-eight states now have an RES – which directs electric utilities to produce a set percentage of their power using alternative sources by a date certain.

Let’s make a great final push. Please use this link to contact Congress and the President again today and send a message to them about renewable energy! Thanks to all who have participated in the Virtual March this week!

Comment by Renee Klink on April 2, 2009 at 8:52am

Thanks to all of you who have taken action in the Virtual March so far! It’s Day Two, and the focus today is on oil imports -- the March 2009 numbers show we imported 65 percent of the oil we used -- so let’s contact our Members of Congress again today about reducing America’s dependency on foreign oil. You can do this by phone, of course, and we have also set up links to e-mail Congress or contact your members via Facebook and Twitter about today's issue.

When you’ve done this, please leave a note here on our group page to let other members know you’ve taken action, and tell us if you received any information or feedback from the members’ offices.

Also, if you are a business owner or part of an organization that would like to take part in the Virtual March, please let me know and we’ll recognize you as a partner on the Pickens Plan Virtual March page!

Comment by Renee Klink on April 1, 2009 at 1:04pm

The first day of the three-day Pickens Plan Virtual March on Washington is here!

Among other actions, I’m encouraging everyone to send a single e-mail today, tomorrow, and Friday. It’s a simple thing to do, but it has tremendous impact.

Click here to ask Congress and President Obama to support the NAT GAS Act of 2009.

Thank you for your support.

Comment by Renee Klink on March 4, 2009 at 9:58am

Hi district members, have you signed up for the Virtual March on Washington yet? It's April 1-3. We want to continue to have an impact on how the Administration formulates American energy policy, and the Army will focus its energy during those three days on e-mails, calls and faxes to every Member of Congress.

Click here for more information about the Virtual March! And let's all make the commitment to recruit 10 other people to take part, too.

Comment by Renee Klink on February 4, 2009 at 11:12am

Hi all, let's keep the pressure on the Senate! While the stimulus package is not perfect, it does have good in it and will jumpstart efforts to get wind and solar projects going.

More than 30,000 members of the New Energy Army have contacted their elected officials in the last 48 hours. If you haven't done so, please take a few minutes now to contact your Senators. Use phone and/or e-mail to reach out to them on this very important issue.

Senator Martinez 202-224-3041 - Senator Nelson 202-224-5274

As Boone says, "let's give the Senators another push... to get this accomplished.... The Army and the grassroots are going to do it."

Comment by Renee Klink on January 27, 2009 at 11:16am

Your help needed today!

Boone and the Pickens Plan need your help! As you saw from Boone's email last Friday, the stimulus package will be voted on tomorrow in the House, and it includes wind energy elements that are in line with the Pickens Plan.

We need you to make a phone calls today to your Congressman and Senators. To find the phone number of your Member of Congress, go to the House of Representatives website and the U.S. Senate website and enter the info when prompted. It will give you complete contact info, including the phone number.

Here are some talking points to use when you call your Congressperson or Senator's office:

1. Urge them to tell House Leadership that their constituents support the wind energy elements included in the Stimulus Bill which will build upon 2008's successes in the wind energy sector:
-- Extension of the Production Tax Credit
-- Implementation of a renewable infrastructure loan program

2. We hope they're willing to do more on the natural gas side and provide the incentives that will greatly expand the use of domestic natural gas as a vehicle fuel in America. Expanded use of NGVs (natural gas vehicles) will help wean us off of foreign oil and create new American jobs. These incentives include:
-- Increasing the vehicle tax credit to make natural gas trucks more accessible for heavy and medium duty truck operators
-- Extending the fuel tax credit

3. The Pickens Plan works best as a whole plan - wind and natural gas - and we hope Members of Congress will support that. The Stimulus Bill is a strong start but there's more we can - and should – do.

Once you make your call, leave a comment here to let us know how it went. Or email me directly – renee.klink@pickensplan.com. (And be sure to give me your name and email address so we can make sure you get the 10 MyEnergy points we are awarding for each phone call.)

Good luck, and let's get it done!

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