Florida Geological Survey


statement of policy outlining rules and
regulations to be observed in performing offshore
geological and/or geophysical work was
prepared by the State Board of Conservation
(Babcock, 1966). These covered "submerged
lands, other than inland waters of Florida and
applicable to federal lands seaward of Florida's
boundary." The rules were supposedly "pursuant
to authorization of the Department of the Interior
of the United States dated April 3, 1965, and
published in the federal register (Federal
Register Document 56-2450, Volume 21, No.
64)."
 Approximately 100 offshore geophysical
permits were issued. In the early 1970's, it was
determined that there was no statutory authority
to issue these permits and geophysical
permitting was discontinued (David Curry, Florida
Geological Survey Oil and Gas Section
Administrator, personal communication, 1989).
 These rules expressed concern for natural
resources other than oil and gas, primarily for
commercial fisheries; thus, the concern was
again prompted by economics. They included;
however, a brief reference which indicates an
aesthetic or environmental concern (Babcock,
1966):
 "All operators conducting seismic operations
 shall use reasonable precaution in
 accordance with approved and accepted
 methods to prevent destruction of, or injury
 to, fish, oyster, shrimp and other aquatic life,
 wildlife, or other natural resources."


 PHASE IIl: PETROLEUM POLICY
 DEVELOPMENT IN RESPONSE TO
 ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERN

 South Florida Development History

 The minimal legislative activity and apparent
 lack of environmental concern between the time
 of the passage of the conservation law and the
 early 1970's may have been partly due to the
 slow development and limited success in south


Florida following the opening of the Sunniland
field. During the years between Sunniland field
discovery (1943) and the first rule revision to
include extensive environmental concerns
(1972), only 92 exploratory wells were drilled in
south Florida. The Sunniland discovery was not
followed by the usually rapid successes seen
when new production areas are opened. Forty
Mile Bend field was discovered in 1954, but
showed disappointing production from only two
wells and was abandoned in 1955 (Gunter, 1955
and 1956). The second really successful oil field
was not discovered until 1964, 21 years after the
Sunniland discovery. This was the Sunoco Felda
field (Babcock, 1966). Discoveries of West Felda
field in 1966 (Babcock, 1968), Lake Trafford field
in 1969 (Applegate and Lloyd, 1985), and Bear
Island in 1972 (Applegate and Lloyd, 1985)
followed.


 Policy Development In Response to South
 Florida's Sensitive Environments

 The rule revision of 1972 included the first
statutory evidence of serious environmental
concerns and the first mention of concern for
onshore native and sensitive environmental
resources. These rules incorporated the
concerns that developed through the years with
the recognition of the importance of wetland
environments, especially as it related to oil
exploration and development in south Florida.
 South Florida oil production is partially within
 the Big Cypress Swamp and is adjacent to the
 Everglades (Figure 1). The wetlands of these
 areas provide important feeding, nesting, and
 wintering grounds for migrating and several
 endangered and threatened species. are
 dependent upon the wetland ecosystem for
 subsistence (Big Cypress Area Management
 Task Force, 1984).
 The Big Cypress Swamp Advisory Committee
 was created by the Governor and Cabinet in
 1971 in response to pressures exerted on the Big
 Cypress ecosystem by many external factors, not