Some Florida lawmakers are urging President Donald J. Trump to withdraw portions of the Eastern Gulf Test and Training Range (EGTTR) from an upcoming federal offshore oil and gas lease sale, citing concerns that exploration in the area could disrupt military operations and harm Northwest Florida’s economy.
In a letter sent this week, Reps. Jimmy Patronis, Neal Dunn, Mike Haridopolos, Daniel Webster, Vern Buchanan, Laurel Lee, Scott Franklin, and Byron Donalds asked the president to revise the Big Beautiful Gulf Lease Sale (BBGLS) 1, scheduled for Dec. 10, arguing that certain lease blocks intersect with a critical military testing zone used by Eglin Air Force Base, Hurlburt Field, Tyndall Air Force Base and Naval Air Station Pensacola.
The EGTTR covers a large swath of the eastern Gulf of Mexico and supports weapons development, flight testing and joint exercises. According to the lawmakers, annual operations include the deployment of more than 200 bombs, over 500 missiles and tens of thousands of rounds, with many missions conducted at night. They said introducing oil infrastructure into the area could interfere with testing, including electromagnetic-sensitive systems such as hypersonic and counter-drone technologies.
The members also warned that disruptions to military activity could have economic consequences. The defense sector contributes an estimated $21.8 billion to Northwest Florida’s GDP and supports nearly 200,000 jobs. They added that tourism along the Gulf Coast could also be affected.
“[P]otential oil exploration activities in these limited areas are incompatible with military operations and recreational uses. As proposed, the planned terms require the lessee “to control its own electromagnetic emissions and those of its agents,” which appears unworkable given that the average internet-connected, American household owns 17 devices that emit such signals (e.g., cellphones, Bluetooth devices, microwaves, etc.),” the lawmakers wrote. “Given concerns over electromagnetic interference, allowing these parcels to go forward in the BBGLS 1 would have a chilling effect on the military’s ability to test new munitions, including hypersonic and counter drone weaponry, which appear to be key to maintaining America’s military dominance on the everchanging battlefield.”
The lawmakers asked Trump to withdraw all EGTTR-related parcels from the December lease sale, writing that oil exploration in those areas is incompatible with defense readiness and regional economic priorities.
