The fact is that Governor Bush who has a solid environmental record and wants to keep it that way does not want any drilling that could threaten Florida's coastline. We sympathize with Governor Bush. The federal government has usually been a more reliable steward of the country's natural resources than the states, so any state that strives for even higher levels of protection than Washington asks for deserves support. But the governor is facing powerful precedents. Oil and gas rigs in the western and central gulf supply about 30 percent of the country's natural gas and 20 percent of its oil, and drilling in the gulf has long been an accepted part of the country's energy strategy, even by environmentalists.
Industry now says the wells in the western and central gulf are beginning to run out.
Further, the governors of the other states near Lease 181, including Alabama, welcome exploration. Some people have suggested a compromise, under which the boundaries of Lease 181 could be redrawn, barring all exploration within 100 miles, much as Mr. Clinton and Mr. Chiles had agreed. That seems a plausible approach, but only if the area's oil and gas are truly needed. Our own recommendation is that the lease sales be blocked until the president can demonstrate that need. With prices rising, rigs are sprouting throughout the West and Southwest on land that has long been open for drilling.