Everglades oil hunters back in business

A Texas company has won state approval to resume its hunt for oil in the Everglades, over the objections of environmental groups that say the work could harm the habitat of panthers, black bears and other wildlife.

Burnett Oil Co., of Fort Worth, had requested permission from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection to complete testing across a section of Big Cypress National Preserve that straddles Alligator Alley west of Broward County, a swath of swamp and forest that’s popular for hunting, hiking and bird watching. The company plans to send specialized trucks into the 110-square-mile area to pound the ground with steel plates to detect seismic evi-

dence of the presence of oil.

Alison Kelly, senior attorney with the Natural Resources Defense Council, said her group was “extremely disappointed” at the issuance of the permit, which she said contained insufficient safeguards to protect the environment.

“The vague permit conditions fail to protect wetlands and wildlife, and do not even disclose the locations of seismic survey lines,” she said. “Most of the state’s permit conditions punt decisionmaking to the National Park Service, even though the federal government has no authority to enforce state law, and kick the can down the road to determine appropriate restoration of impacts.” Burnett declined comment. An environmental review by the National Park Service concluded that the oil company’s work would have only temporary, minor impact on wildlife and their habitat, and a federal judge rejected an attempt by environmental groups to stop the work, saying that the federal government had conducted an extensive review of its effect and imposed sufficient environmental safeguards.

“The federal government, under President Obama’s administration, has approved this activity, which was upheld by the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida in 2017,” states a letter from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection to Burnett, enclosing the approved permit. “Therefore, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection is re-authorizing the activity under this permit, consistent with federal action by the Court and the National Park Service, who is the land owner.”

The company started looking for oil at Big Cypress earlier this year. But it was forced to stop by the arrival of the wet season, requiring it to apply for a new state permit to resume the job. Its federal permit is still valid.

Environmental groups tried to stop it from resuming work, saying the state shouldn’t issue a new permit because the work earlier this year has already damaged the preserve’s trees and wetlands.

What they oppose most strongly is any future drilling, if any oil is discovered. Although Big Cypress already has two oil fields that have been active since the 1970s, they say the discovery of sufficient oil to be worth recovering would subject the preserve to the construction of roads, oil pads and the danger of spills.

The company’s permits do not cover any actual drilling for oil, just the use of trucks to conduct seismic exploration. If the company did want to set up a system to extract oil, it would have to apply for federal and state permits and submit to an extensive environmental review.

MIKE STOCKER/STAFF FILE PHOTO Two oil fields have been active in Big Cypress National Preserve since the 1970s.