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While Washington lawmakers were warring over what to do about Wall Street, a 26 year old congressional ban on offshore oil drilling expired. President George Bush lifted an executive ban on drilling this summer, about the same time Governor Charlie Crist changed his tune on the issue. The expiration of the ban doesn’t mean you’ll be seeing oil rigs off the coast of Florida anytime soon. The Gulf Coast is still protected under legislation passed in 2006, and states will still have to approve any new drilling. Governor Charlie Crist said he’s ready to start looking at his options.

“I have consistently said that I would be for it as long as it’s far enough clean enough and safe enough for Florida and our beaches, and I do think it would end up helping our tourist industry because if people can’t drive to Florida, they’re not going to visit it, and I want them to be able to afford to drive here and visit Florida. It’s a beautiful place. They ought to keep coming,” said Crist.

The ban could be reinstated at a later date, and it could take years before oil companies can obtain the leases they need to start drilling.