By Shane Weddle
Okaloosa County offers a rare trifecta: unmatched beaches and waterways that fuel a robust tourism and recreation industry, critical military installations that safeguard our nation and drive our economy, and a true sense of community rooted in shared values.
As a veteran, a small business owner and a Republican who voted for President Donald Trump, I can tell you that this trifecta is what keeps our region great. That’s why I’m asking him now to tell the Department of Interior to reverse course on its proposal to give away massive areas off Florida’s Gulf Coast to offshore drilling, putting our region’s lifeblood on the line.
My community and business also depend on an important trifecta: healthy waters, strong military bases and an unspoiled environment that supports our unique way of life.
Tourism and recreation aren’t just nice-to-haves here. These industries are the economic cornerstone of our region. Our white sand beaches — which I consider to be the absolute best in the world — and clear waters support thousands of small businesses like mine.
From fishing charters to restaurants to family-owned shops, all are supported by a beautiful and healthy environment. It is what makes our community thrive. One spill, one accident, one bad decision offshore could undo generations of stewardship and prosperity.
We’ve seen this happen before. About 15 years ago, the BP Deepwater Horizon disaster gushed toxic oil in the Gulf for weeks, decimating wildlife, shutting down fishing and recreation, reducing property values and ultimately leading to a barrage of vacation cancellations that took years to recover — even in areas that saw no oil on their beaches.
Our area competes with the world as a premiere vacation and tourism destination. Florida’s marine economy generated $40 billion in 2021 alone. If there is even the perception of oil or pollution, people go elsewhere. It’s that simple. This risk alone should be enough to keep drilling away from our shores.
The importance of Eglin Air Force Base and the broader military presence in Northwest Florida cannot be overstated. As a veteran, I understand the value of readiness and what it means to protect our nation.
Eglin and nearby installations and training ranges over the eastern Gulf provide unmatched open-water instruction and testing opportunities that exist nowhere else in the United States. These waters are essential for weapons testing, pilot training and maintaining America’s military edge. Offshore drilling infrastructure and industrial activity threatens access and, with it, our national security and the steady economic engine these bases provide to local communities.
The eastern Gulf has repeatedly been recognized as incompatible with offshore energy development for these reasons. Brig. Gen. Mark A. Massaro, U.S. Air Force commander of the 96th Test Wing here at Eglin Airforce Base, has written about his concerns on protecting the continued availability and integrity of the test range in a recent letter outlining his opposition to expanded offshore drilling in Florida.
Most important of all, however, is our community’s way of life. People don’t move to our region to live next to oil rigs. They come for the pristine waters, the open horizons and the sense that this place is still special.
Beyond economics, the Gulf is where my family finds peace and connection. It’s where we boat and fish, teach our kids respect for the water and build community with neighbors. The proposed expansion of offshore drilling puts all of that at risk.
I believe that President Trump understands this. During his first term, he issued a 10-year moratorium protecting Florida’s Gulf Coast from offshore drilling for many of the reasons I’ve outlined. That decision earned respect across party lines and helped solidify the bipartisan “Don’t Drill Florida” movement. It was a promise to coastal communities like mine that our voices mattered.
President Trump is the one person who can stop this proposal with one word to the federal bureaucrats who put forth this plan. As someone who voted for him, served this country and built a business here, I’m asking President Trump to keep his promise.
Protect our Gulf, our military readiness and our way of life. Remove the eastern Gulf of America from the federal drilling plan.
Shane Weddle is the owner of FASTSIGNS in Fort Walton Beach/Destin, with a background in the U.S. Navy and the National Guard. Banner photo: An offshore drilling platform at sunset in the Gulf (iStock image).
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