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The state is asking BP for 50 million dollars to let travelers know most of Florida’s beaches are clean. The request comes as Visit Florida is spending the last of a 25 million dollar adverting grant. As Whitney Ray tells us, the pressure is on to get BP to cough up more cash so the state doesn’t have to pull its advertising.

On Visit Florida’s website early Friday morning, a live webcam showed oil and a clean up crew at Perdido Key. A hundred miles to the east in Panama City, the coast was clear.

Visit Florida has 40 webcams stationed across the state as part of its multi-million dollar campaign to let travelers know most of Florida’s beaches are clean.

BP is funding the media blitz with a 25 million dollar grant. The money runs out July 18th.

Wednesday Governor Charlie Crist sent this letter to BP asking for 50 million dollars for advertising. He followed up the letter by meeting with the pay Czar, in charges of a 20 billion dollar BP claims fund.

It will still be weeks before the state knows if BP is going to cough up the extra cash. Visit Florida, the state’s tourism agency, is on pins and needles in the mean time.

“There’s a lot of opportunity for us to be proactive and minimize the economic damages on the front end and then on the back end result in hopefully less claims for individuals and businesses,” said Chris Thompson, CEO of

Instate travelers Fred and Zina Peuckert have been watching news reports closely as they make plans for the 4th of July Holiday weekend. They’re going to Alligator Point, a beautiful beach with boom but no oil.

“We’ll get in the water as long as it is safe and everything and we have not reason to believe it isn’t at this point,” said Peuckert.

Panhandle beach businesses will need all the instate help they can get this holiday weekend, and after the smoke from the fireworks has cleared they’ll need help from BP more than ever.

The state should get news about the 50 million dollars around the same time the latest sales tax estimates are released, which will give the state a better picture of how the spill is affecting Florida’s economy.