Oil drilling in Everglades? Ludicrous

One definition of the word “ludicrous” is so foolish, unreasonable, or out of place as to be amusing; ridiculous.

This seems to aptly apply to the proposal by Kanter Real Estate, and to a greater extent the directive by a state appeals court to issue that firm a permit for exploratory oil drilling in the Everglades.

Consider the following to understand why any drilling in our treasured Everglades is ludicrous:

1. President Trump, in his State of the Union address, proudly proclaimed that our country is now a net exporter of oil. To ensure everyone understands what this means, it is just that we now produce more oil and natural gas than we consume.

2. A noble goal of this country and this state should always be to continue to promote and create incentives for sustainable, non-polluting energy sources.

3. The Everglades is an important asset to humans. Numerous Floridians rely on the Everglades for drinking water. Also, it provides shelter and protection for scores of wildlife. There are probably other benefits to keeping this National Park pristine.

Yes, even considering a proposal to drill for oil in the Everglades is indeed ludicrous. I’m hopeful that the permit will be revoked and, moreover, that legislation be developed to keep the Everglades free of fossil fuel exploration forever.

Ted Pollock , Boynton Beach