Gov. Jeb Bush on Wednesday criticized parts of a fast-moving Republican effort to lift a ban on oil and gas exploration off the Florida coast, lending his clout to an issue that is splintering the state's congressional delegation.

In a letter to U.S. Rep. Richard Pombo, the Republican chairman of the House Resources Committee, Bush lauded the proposal passed by the committee for establishing new protections for some areas of the state's coastline. But he expressed reservations about part of the measure that he believes could ``encourage drilling activities in the protected areas.''

Bush noted in the letter that the proposal does not address existing leases in the Gulf of Mexico -- raising the potential that drilling could occur within 100 miles of the Florida coast, something Bush said he has long opposed.

''With these leases outstanding, the threat remains,'' said Bush, who along with his brother, President George W. Bush, pledged during his 2002 reelection campaign to prevent drilling along Florida's coastline.

An amendment adopted by the committee would lift the presidential and congressional ban on natural gas production along the country's Outer Continental Shelf, and Bush wrote in the letter, that ``Floridians cannot support your efforts . . . [if the provision] remains a part of your bill.''

Bush's stance comes as efforts to defend Florida's moratorium on drilling off its coastline faces its most serious threat in decades.

Emboldened by rising gas prices and damage to the industry by two hurricanes, oil and gas interests are pushing to lift energy development bans across the country, including ones that have protected Florida's coastline and the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska.

BACKING DOWN

Some members of the Florida congressional delegation have softened their support for the ban, arguing that soaring gas prices and the fear of foreign dependence on energy have made it politically impossible to fend off advances from the oil and gas industry.

Bush's letter was addressed to Pombo, but was also circulated to the Florida congressional delegation, which has splintered over the proposal.

U.S. Rep. Jeff Miller, a Panhandle Republican and one-time drilling opponent, negotiated with Pombo for a 125-mile buffer around the state in exchange for the creation of ''gas-only'' leases.

BUFFER ZONE?

But critics called the buffer zone -- which would have to be enacted by the governor and Legislature -- a ruse, because it could still open up areas close to shore to drilling.

Florida's two senators are opposed to the measure and a number of congressmen today plan to protest the legislation, which heads to the House floor next week.

''This reckless approach not only opens Florida's pristine coast to natural gas production, but it poses a catastrophic risk which cannot stand,'' said a draft letter prepared by U.S. Rep. Connie Mack, a Fort Myers Republican. ``Under no circumstances can we support legislation that includes this devastating amendment or similar language.''

`GAS CRISIS'

But U.S. Rep. John Peterson, R-Penn., said the coasts are flush with natural gas.

''We can't wait any longer,'' Peterson said. ''We're in the middle of a full-fledged natural gas crisis'' after hurricanes Katrina and Rita disrupted natural gas production and processing.

Democrats criticized the plan, noting that it provides states with royalties from the drilling.

''It's bribery,'' said U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, a Broward Democrat. ``And no matter how you try to parse it, for the first time it's a violation of the long-standing ban that we've long fought to preserve.''