The wetland habitats of Western Florida are facing increasing and significant threats from the petroleum industry as the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill continues to demonstrate.
Conventional onshore petroluem extraction has also been taking place onshore within a number of Florida’s federally protected spaces, most noticeably the Big Cypress National Preserve, which contains 11 pre existing wells while also providing a critical habitat for one of the worlds most endangered felines, the Florida Panther. Advances in unconventional oil and gas production, most noticeably fracking ( fraccing ) and acidization techniques have led to new plans to drill inside Florida’s protected areas causing serious concerns over the likely and potentials impacts and risks – in particular the peculiarities of its unique limestone geology and the increased risk of water contamination this geology poses.

News:

http://news.wfsu.org/post/part-2-renewed-push-oil-sparks-concern-southwest-florida-some-say-issue-overblown

http://ecowatch.com/2014/04/30/big-oil-floridas-public-lands-the-everglades/

http://blogs.browardpalmbeach.com/pulp/2014/02/oil_industry_has_eyes_on_flori.php

Change.Org Petition|

http://www.change.org/petitions/expand-florida-panther-habitat-stop-further-development-create-corridors-to-divert-them-from-roads