Former Florida Lt. Gov. Jeff Kottkamp/courtesy photo

A national coalition with deep Florida ties brought its message of supporting offshore oil and natural-gas “exploration” to Tallahassee, as pushback continues against a Trump administration plan that could lead to expanded drilling off the country's coasts.

Dubbed “Explore Offshore,” the coalition is backed by the American Petroleum Institute and the Florida Petroleum Council and held its first Florida event to promote access to offshore natural gas.

David Mica, executive director of the Florida Petroleum Council, said the coalition is aimed at giving a voice to “unheard” supporters who view domestic energy production as a job creator and a national security issue. Also, he said the coalition aims to “provide a more favorable public opinion of what we try to do to bring us the energy resources we need.”