Commissioners received an update from the bay defense alliance's tom Neubauer on the possible affects of oil drilling to the military installations in Bay County.

During his 10-minute summary, Neubauer said oil rigs in the gulf could drastically restrict training missions at Tyndall Air Force base and naval support activity in Panama City Beach.

Those affects could include reducing Tyndall’s competitiveness in attracting new aircraft to replace the f-15 squadron scheduled for draw down next year.

Neubauer said the gulf range testing area was a key factor in Tyndall becoming the F-22 raptor training base in 2002, and gives this area a distinct advantage over western states.

Bay Defense Alliance representative Tom Neubauer said, "We're still competing with communities all over the country for important missions. The F-35 is just an example of that because there are currently at least seven bases pursuing the balance of those 48 airplanes, the f-35's that we're really hoping to get."

Bay County Commissioner Jerry Girvin added, "If we're going to have the Air Force and the Navy here I do not want to take any action that would diminish their ability to function. The flip side of that though is that if we're going to lose these installations as might be, then perhaps we need to be aware of that and find something to fulfill that economic niche. Perhaps oil drilling and oil wells, gas drilling would be that answer."

U.S. Senator Bill Nelson has threatened to filibuster the energy bill that would allow drilling in the gulf.