Last week, I had the pleasure of hosting 15 bloggers on a conference call about the challenges of deepwater exploration and the impact of these projects on the U.S. economy.

The conversation featured Robert N. (Bobby) Ryan, Jr., vice president of global exploration for Chevron Global Upstream & Gas and also included API Chief Economist John Felmy and API Federal Relations Director Mark Kibbe.

Today, American Petroleum Institute President and CEO Jack Gerard issued the following statement on API's decision to seek rehearing of a U.S. Appellate Court panel's decision remanding and vacating the Department of Interior's 2007-2012 Five-Year Outer Continental Shelf leasing plan. API on May 12 asked the court to change the remedy from "vacate and remand" to "remand." The Interior Department has sought similar relief from the court.

This week the Florida House of Representatives voted overwhelming to pass a bill to authorize oil and natural gas development in Florida state waters.

Florida's House of Representatives--like the majority of Americans--recognizes that domestic oil and natural gas development is necessary to preserve and create jobs, generate revenues for cash-strapped state and local governments and bolster America's energy security.

It also recognizes the nation's oil and gas industry uses state-of-the art technology and strict operating practices to ensure that any development would be done in a way that protects both the environment and state's vital tourism industry.

We hope that the state's governor and its Senate can see the wisdom in the House proposal, and re-open the door to offshore oil and gas development that would benefit not only Florida but the entire nation.