As it stands, oil and natural gas exploration is limited to dozens of miles away from Florida's beaches and some in the state worry that allowing access just ten miles away, in Federal waters, puts Florida at risk environmentally without any of the financial windfalls.

Florida's Petroleum Council argues lawmakers should open up state waters, the first ten miles of ocean and gulf waters beyond the shoreline, to oil exploration. Analysts estimate such a move could generate more than $1.5 billion a year in lease agreements and jobs.

"We know it's out in the eastern Gulf of Mexico," Council spokesperson Eric Hamilton says. "And we can get to that with a very small footprint."

Governor Charlie Crist has remained open-minded on the offshore drilling debate, provided platforms were largely out of sight and environmental risk was small.

"It's such an important issue that all the aspects of it, particularly if it would mean any revenue for Florida," Crist said Wednesday. "I understand that it may not. That would be a deal breaker."

Ultimately, voters could decide if near-shore drilling is in Florida's future. A push is on to put the question of opening up Florida's waters for oil and natural gas leases on the 2010 ballot.

"We've got this beautiful economy that every other state would envy," Audobon of Florida spokesperson Eric Draper says. "Why would we put that at risk for a little bit of oil that's not even going to bring that much money into the state of Florida."

Recent polling by Mason-Dixon Polling and Research Institute find a majority of Floridians support drilling off Florida's coasts, if safety was guarunteed.