To the Editor:

Thanks for the forum on offshore drilling just held recently. To someone with a very long memory, it’s hard to believe that we are having the same conversation again and again.

The Florida people/ voters have been against this as long as I have lived here.

In 1963, I can recall some oil wells here in Lehigh Acres off of Bell Blvd. They disappeared and did not return. They’re nowhere near our beaches!

Special efforts by oil interests must be defeated once again – unless we change our economy from tourism, a $60 billion a year industry.

Approximately four years ago, Louisiana oil interests announced they intended to drill off-shore, along Louisiana, Mississippi , Alabama and western parts of Florida’s panhandle.

How could they violate the sovereign rights of those states? Some Louisiana oil interests resurrected an old treaty, that continued these outrageous proposals.

Incidentally, this treaty was never ratified, therefore was never valid. Sen. Bill Nelson expressed this attempt at a townhall meeting at Edison College.

There are those, who will do anything to drill offshore along the Gulf Coast and in Alaska.

These outright crooked tactics, convince me that their end goal will justify any means to achieve the offshore drilling.

We will continue to have this conversation again and again. To your readers, I hope they value the wonderful, fragile environment that brings tourists, residents and money to the beautiful state of Florida.

Joan Patterson

Lehigh Acres