LTC 444-2020 Town of Surfside Resolution No. 2020-2748M IA M I B EA C H
O F F IC E O F T H E C IT Y C L E R K
No. 444-2020
LE T T ER T O CO M M IS S IO N
T O : M ayo r D a n G e lbe r and M em bers of the C ity C om m ission
F R O M : R afael E. G rana do, C ity C le rk
D A T E : D ecem b e r 9, 2020
S U B JE C T: TOWN OF SURFSIDE RESOLUTION NO. 2020-2748
A tt a c he d fo r yo u r info rm a tio n is R eso lution N o. 2020-2748, adopted by the M ayor and C om m ission
of the T ow n of S u rf sid e on D e cem ber 8, 202 0.
A R E S O L U T IO N O F T H E T O W N C O M M IS S IO N O F T HE T O W N O F SU R FS ID E,
F L O R ID A, U R G IN G T H E BA H A M IA N G O V E R N M E NT T O REV O K E O FFS H O R E
O IL D R ILLI N G EX P LO RA T IO N LI C E N S E S A N D PE R M A NE NTLY BA N
O F FS H O R E O IL D R IL LI N G A C T IV IT IE S IN T H E BA H A M A S ; PR O V ID IN G FO R
T RA N S M IT T A L ; A N D P R O V ID IN G FO R A N EF FE C T IV E D A T E .
T h e T ow n C lerk of S u rf side has req ue sted that a copy of this R esolution be pro vided to the M iam i
Be a c h M a y o r an d C o m m issio ne rs.
If yo u ha v e an y qu e stions, ple ase contact the O ffi ce of the C ity C lerk at 305.673. 7 411.
R E G /le
A tt a c hm ent
F:\CLER\$ALL\LILIA\L TC's - Transmittal's\Surfside\Resolution 2020-2748 Town of Surfside.docx
R E S O L U T IO N N O . 2020 - 2748
A R E S O L U T IO N O F T H E T O W N C O M M IS S IO N O F T H E T O WN
O F S U RF S I D E , F L O R I D A , U R G I N G T H E B A H A M IA N
G O V E RN M E N T T O R E V O KE O F F S H O R E O I L D R I L L I N G
E X P L O RA T I O N L I C E N S E S A N D P E RM A N E N T L Y B A N
O F F S H O RE O I L D R I L LI N G A C T I V I T I E S I N T H E B A H A M A S ;
P R O V I D I N G F O R T R A N S M I T T A L ; A N D P R O V I D I N G F O R A N
E F F E C T I V E D A T E .
W H E R E A S , the Bahamas Petroleum Company ("BPC") has been granted an offshore oil
drilling exploration license by the Bahamian government that allows them to construct exploratory
offshore oil drilling wells 150 miles off the coast of Florida; and
WHEREAS, exploratory and commercial drilling, extraction, and transportation of
offshore oil and gas resources by BPC poses a significant risk of oil spills and chronic leakage that
impact the Bahamas and coastal communities in the Caribbean and Florida; and
WHEREAS, offshore drilling activities pose threats to treasured vacation destinations in
the Caribbean and along Florida's Coasts, which are of intrinsic economic value for numerous
industries and countries, provide essential nursery habitats for recreational and commercially
important fisheries, and act as natural buffers from storm surge and hurricanes; and
WHEREAS, the Town of Surfside ("Town") is one of numerous coastal communities in
Florida and in the Caribbean whose marine habitats, industries, and public health could be
devastated by offshore drilling oil spills originating in the Bahamas; and
WHEREAS, the Town endeavors to protect the environmental health of all marine habitats
in the Caribbean and the Atlantic, and, particularly, off the coast of the Town and Biscayne Bay;
and
WHEREAS, exploration and development of oil and gas resources off the coast of Florida
may not effectively address the long-term economic diversification goals of the Bahamas, and
would likely substantially damage the tourism sector of the Bahamian economy, which makes up
sixty percent of the country's economy; and
WHEREAS, the Town urges the Bahamian government to revoke BPC's offshore oil
drilling exploration license and permanently ban offshore oil drilling activities in the Bahamas,
and further urges Miami-Dade County and the State of Florida to oppose such offshore oil drilling
and work with the Bahamian government in such efforts.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE TOWN COMMISSION OF THE
TOWN OF SURFSIDE, FLORIDA, AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Recitals Adopted. The above referenced "Whereas" clauses are true and
correct and made a part hereof.
Section 2. Urging the Bahamian Government to Ban Offshore Oil Drilling. The
Town Commission urges the Bahamian government to revoke offshore oil drilling exploration
licenses issued to BPC and further urges the Bahamian government to pennanently ban all offshore
oil drilling activities in the Bahamas. The Town Commission further urges Miami-Dade County
and the State of Florida to oppose such offshore oil drilling and work with the Bahamian
government in such efforts.
Section 3. Transmittal. That the Town Commission hereby directs the Town Clerk
to transmit a copy of this Resolution to the Bahamian Prime Minister Hubert Minnis and Bahamian
Ambassador to the U.S. Sidney S. Collie, the Miami-Dade County Board of County
Commissioners, Governor Ron DeSantis on behalf of the State of Florida, and to all municipalities
in Miami-Dade County, Florida.
Section 4. Effective Date. This Resolution shall become effective immediately upon
its passage and adoption.
PASSED AND ADOPTED this 8th day of December, 2020.
%é22-eroso
Second By: 'o, L le
FINAL VOTE ON ADOPTION:
Commissioner Charles Kesl
Commissioner Eliana R. Salzhauer
Commissioner Nelly Velasquez
Vice Mayor Tina Paul
Mayor Charles W. Burkett
c
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A P P R O V E D A S T O F O RM A N D L E G A L IT Y F O R T H E USE
AND BENEFIT OF THE TOWN OF SURFSIDE ONLY:
Weiss ierman, P.L.
Town Attorney
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