TANKER TRAFFIC TO SHIFT IN FLORIDA KEYS AREA

March 5, 1990
Several oil companies have voluntarily agreed to move their tanker traffic 10 miles away from the Florida Keys. Florida Gov. Bob Martinez said the move is designed to protect coral reef and other sensitive coastal resources from the threat of groundings and oil spills.

Several oil companies have voluntarily agreed to move their tanker traffic 10 miles away from the Florida Keys.

Florida Gov. Bob Martinez said the move is designed to protect coral reef and other sensitive coastal resources from the threat of groundings and oil spills.

In addition, he said, the U.S. Coast Guard has agreed to recommend a shipping avoidance area around the Florida Keys to the International Maritime Organization (see map). The avoidance area is 10 nautical miles from shore, 5 nautical miles from reef. "The Coast Guard's decision to bring this proposal to IMO is an important move to tell the world that the Florida Keys are off limits when it comes to shipping petroleum and hazardous products," Martinez said.

MOVING TANKER TRAFFIC

Companies that agreed to shift tanker traffic include Amoco Corp., ARCO, Ashland Oil Inc., BP America Inc., Chevron Corp., Exxon Corp., Mobil Corp., Phillips Petroleum Co., Shell Oil Co., Oryx Energy Co., Texaco Inc., and Unocal Corp., representing 25% of the tanker traffic through the Florida Straits each year.

"This action by the petroleum industry is one of the most important things we can do to make sure our coastline doesn't suffer the same fate as that of Alaska and California," Martinez said.

The Coast Guard will conduct hearings on the avoidance zone proposal this week in Miami and Key West.

Areas to be covered by the proposal include the Dry Tortugas, Marquesas Keys, and the length of the Florida Keys from Key West to the northern boundary of Biscayne National Park, encompassing all major reef areas.

The proposal applies to all U.S. and foreign vessels carrying oil or hazardous material and all other vessels of 500 gross tons or more.

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