They Told Us Banning Fracking In Florida Was Impossible — Thankfully We Didn’t Listen

“Well, best of luck with that. A ban on fracking just doesn’t seem realistic in this state.”

“You’d be more likely to win if you just focus on getting regulations for fracking passed.”

“LOL.”

These are the kinds of admonishments and replies Jorge, Michelle, Brooke, Jackie, Emily and others from the Floridians Against Fracking campaign have been hearing since they embarked on the mission to ban fracking nearly six years ago.

We’ve Pushed Ahead To Ban Fracking In Spite Of Naysayers

After fracking was used in Southwest Florida in 2013, oil companies began aggressively pursuing pro-fracking legislation in Florida. Food & Water Watch decided it needed to take a leadership role in defeating them. We set up a dedicated team of fighters in the organization, launched our campaign, and have been a thorn in the side of the oil and fracking industry there ever since. We also formed a coalition of about 60 organizations and over 250 Florida businesses. 

We didn’t listen to the warnings along the way about how difficult — or even impossible — our work could prove to be. We had a vision for the future that Floridians deserve, we have been methodically pursuing our plan to eventually ban fracking everywhere for the sake of humanity, and we boldly went after the strategy that we knew would prove to be right over time. We knew it was the necessary work to pursue, and that if anyone could make it happen, it was our team of clever, diligent and tireless campaigners and volunteers. We'll bet it all on people-power every time. 

During the 2018 Florida election, our Food & Water Action team placed constant pressure on all the candidates for governor to pledge to end fracking. Amazingly, every single candidate, regardless of their party, pledged to ban fracking if they won the seat. Our super-volunteer Ginger Goepper was on the ground tailing DeSantis without fail until she got him on the record committing to ban fracking:

We’ve Got This Victory On The Books & We’ll Hold DeSantis To It

Today our persistence and faith in our grassroots mission was rewarded.

We learned just hours ago that Florida’s Republican Governor Ron DeSantis announced today — day three of his administration — via executive order that he will initiate the process to ban fracking in the state. He specifically ordered his Department of Environmental Protection to take actions to “adamantly oppose” hydraulic fracturing in the state. This executive order is only the first step towards ensuring fracking is banned in the Sunshine State, and while there’s still work to do to ensure fracking is finally banned, it is a clear demonstration that people power can overcome the power of Big Oil.

Now we’re working to ensure the fracking ban order is implemented swiftly and correctly. Elected officials in the Florida House and Senate have followed the Governor’s  bills to ban fracking, so over the next few months, we’ll be working to pass that legislation and cement a fracking ban into Florida law.

Once this process is finalized, it will make Florida the fourth state to ban fracking outright, and the second headed up by a Republican governor to do so (after Maryland). It comes after years of organizing by the Floridians Against Fracking coalition.

As you can see from the statements below, Florida groups are working to ensure that matrix acidizing and acid fracking are prohibited along with hydraulic fracturing in the ban.

BREAKING: Florida Government Publicly Takes Step to Ban Fracking in Florida

Statement of Michelle Allen, Florida Organizer, Food & Water Watch

"We are happy to see the Governor fulfilling his promise to protect Florida's water by banning fracking statewide. DEP should immediately issue a policy that prohibits all forms of fracking including hydraulic fracturing, matrix acidizing, and acid fracking. This proves that there is a bipartisan movement across this country to ban dangerous and outdated dirty energy practices. The Governor’s commitment to banning fracking in the state is an environmental win for Florida and for this country. After a year of facing traumatic environmental disaster after traumatic environment disaster, this is the step forward towards a clean energy future Floridians deserve and need."

We Won This Ban on Fracking and We’re Ready To Win Again

We’re proud of this incredible win for the wellbeing of Floridians and all humanity, we’re excited to show that this CAN be done in spite of what defeatists told us, and we’re ready to put this winning approach to work in other states next.

We’ve worked hard with our coalitions and banned fracking in New York, Maryland and now Florida will be next. We need your help to get fracking banned everywhere — will you chip in to help us continue to ban fracking state by state?