Protestors draw line in the sand to protest off-shore drilling

St. Petersburg Beach, Florida - Drilling in the eastern Gulf of Mexico has been considered for years now, but never more seriously than today, with debate in both the U.S. Senate and Florida State Legislature to happen in the next few weeks.

But many Floridians say it's too risky and many are drawing a line in the sand. Representative Rick Kriseman, FL District 53, (D) said "Whether it's in Key West or Pensacola from Daytona Beach to the Tampa Bay area we're going to be shouting in one loud voice and standing up and saying no drilling off our coasts"

Some of those who gathered along the beach on Saturday chanted "Not one drop we won't stop!" and they held hands across the sand at St. Pete Beach.

Robin Grabowski is one of the organizers for the event and said, "Everyone's asked to wear black today so it can signify an oil slick along the white sand beach and the contrast."

It was a scene that played out along 80 beaches across the sunshine state Saturday. Lawmakers, business owners and beach residents gathered to speak out saying no to offshore drilling. They believe it would put all 800 miles of Florida's beaches and tourism at risk.

Gregg Nicklaus is the Co-owner of Sirata Beach Resort at 5300 Gulf Boulevard and said, "Oil rigs within three miles of our coast is very difficult to even fathom."

Rep. C.W. "Bill" Young, Fl 10th Congressional District (R) said, "We do not want to walk on our beaches and end up with tar balls all over our feet like you get in some states."

Dennis Jones, FL District 13 (R) said, "More people come to Florida for beaches than go to Disney world and that's a true fact. They come here for sun, sand and water. So when you think about that our beaches to Florida and our tourism is like snow to Colorado. There are so many oil leases out there in the Gulf of Mexico already owned by the oil companies why don't they drill out there?"

Charlie Justice FL District 16 (D) said, "It means we don't negotiate with the oil companies...we don't negotiate with the lobbyists. We draw a line in the sand and we say no!"

The next move for the group "Hands Across the Sands" is to put together all of the video, news clips, and pictures of Saturday's event. They plant to send those items directly to Senator George Lemieux who has a key vote in a climate bill that could include offshore drilling. 

They'll also send those items to the Florida legislature since the next session is due to start in March.