By Doug Alderson
June 27, 2025–Phew! Yes! That’s our collective sigh of relief and shout of jubilation when we learned Governor Ron DeSantis signed HB 1143, the “Kill the Drill” bill, on June 26. It wasn’t without some consternation and lots of effort. The Kill the Drill coalition groups sent out numerous email and social media blasts. Hundreds of you sent emails and made phone calls to the Governor’s Office. The media stepped up to effectively cover the issue, and a Kill the Drill Rally was held on Monday, June 16, in Apalachicola, to urge the Governor to sign the bill. And you know what, it all worked!
There was concern that the Governor was going to veto the bill. Some in his staff said the recent legal victory by Apalachicola Riverkeeper made the bill unnecessary, something the governor reiterated in answering questions at his June 23 press conference in Clearwater. Apalachicola Riverkeeper and others sent strong messages to the Governor’s Office, stating that the bill was necessary because the legal victory only pertained to one permit application. Other applications could follow. So now, oil drilling in the Apalachicola Basin is null and void once and for all!
Here is the press statement from our Riverkeeper, Cameron Baxley, that was published in several media outlets: “We applaud the governor for doing right by the river and bay and the many people who depend on this valuable resource for their livelihoods. We want to thank Representatives Jason Shoaf and Allison Tant, and Senator Corey Simon, for shepherding the measure through the Legislature. We also want to thank the thousands of people and businesses who have been active on this issue from the very beginning. The Apalachicola River and Bay are worth fighting for and something people of all political persuasions can rally behind.”
Both the legal and legislative victories would not have been possible without you, whether it was your donations to cover the legal challenge, or your calls and emails to lawmakers and the Governor’s Office, or showing up to the protest at DEP, the Kill the Drill Rally, and other events. A broad coalition of business leaders and conservation groups was formed to help bring it home, and the media effectively covered the issue from beginning to end. As we celebrate, it would be worth sending a note of gratitude to the bill sponsors, Representatives Jason Shoaf and Allison Tant and Senator Corey Simon, along with Governor DeSantis.
Now, we know what monumental things we can do when we work together!
Here are a few news articles about the bill signing. Some articles may require an account to read in full.
