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http://www.tampabay.com/news/business/energy/article626702.eceTime is right for oil refinery in Hernando County, former governor says
By Chandra Broadwater, Times Staff Writer
In print: Monday, June 16, 2008 SPRING HILL — Former Gov. Claude Kirk paid a visit to Hernando County last weekend.
He was guest speaker at the Hernando High School Class of 1983's 25th reunion, held at the Palace Grand.
The perfect time, the 82-year-old Kirk said, to pose an idea:
Why not build an oil refinery in Hernando County?
"I thought it was apropos, as I was talking about how you get to be 40 and how we all wonder what's next," Kirk said on the phone from his home in West Palm Beach.
"Then I went to the high price of oil, discussed how we are too dependent on other countries, and what we can do about it."
What "we" can do, he explains, includes drilling off the Gulf Coast and building an environmentally responsible refinery. Hernando would be the perfect place, he said, because of its location on the water.
Known for his quirky style when he served as governor from 1967 to 1971, Kirk oversaw a revision of the state Constitution and the creation of the state Department of Environmental Protection while in office. He fancies himself as one of the state's oldest proponents of all things green.
But when it comes to his idea for a plant to process crude oil into more useful petroleum products, namely gasoline, Kirk admitted that there are more questions than answers.
Has he spoken to any government leaders about this idea?
"No, not yet. They come later."
What about restrictions on drilling for oil in the gulf?
"You can't bring ships back and forth like we do today. If I said that gas would be $2 a gallon and you had to look at a shadow (of an oil rig) 20 miles away, I think, quite frankly, that we can get used to anything."
Where would the refinery go in Hernando?
"Well, this all comes in stages. These are only my opening thoughts on the idea."
After all, Kirk explained again, he didn't just happen to become the first Republican governor to take office in 90 years when he was elected. His campaign started with an itsy-bitsy idea.
In fact, he said, he announced that he was going to be governor in a similar way 40 years ago — and it worked. So why not this idea now?
Cheryl Holley, of the HHS Class of 1983, wonders the same thing. She invited Kirk, whom she met through his daughter, Claudia, to address her former classmates June 7.
After high school, Holley went off to work for the very state party that Kirk refers to as "the fruit of my loins, if you like references like that."
Describing the former governor as a captivating, witty speaker, Holley, who lives in Tampa, said she and others were taken by the idea of creating change, even though they're getting on in years. (Most in the class are now about 42 years old.)
"China is taking over leases for oil in Cuba, and they're already tapping into Florida's resources," Holley said. "And with gas being so expensive, we thought, wow, we need to look into this. Why aren't we?"
She said there were a lot of people in the crowd who expressed interested in following through with Kirk.
So what's next?
Kirk hopes to assemble a committee on the subject to get things moving. Whoever wants to work with him is more than welcome.
"It's just like everything else I do," he said. "If you see a problem and it's not being answered, then you have to decide that you want to get something done."
Chandra Broadwater can be reached at cbroadwater@sptimes.com or (352) 848-1432.
