Economic Opportunity

Besides stimulating our state economy and putting Floridians to work, a producing energy sector also would pour revenues into state budget coffers, where it could fund priorities like renewable energy, education, local government, economic development and environmental preservation.

At the lowest estimate of offshore reserves, Florida's economy would enjoy an impact of more than $7 billion a year, employing nearly 20,000 workers in direct energy sector jobs and more than 40,000 workers overall.

At the higher end of estimates, creating a Florida-based energy sector would grow our economy by a whopping $41 billion a year in direct and indirect impacts. Under that scenario, 231,000 Floridians would be put to work. (Fishkind & Associates, 2009)