Federal officials are beginning to leave alone some beaches that still have oil in sand below the surface because further cleanup could cause more environmental harm, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said Wednesday.The explosion and sinking of the Deepwater Horizon oil rig in April led to oil washing ashore on beaches along the western Panhandle in June and July. Federal
Thursday, 30 September 2010
Tuesday, 28 September 2010
Florida Cabinet delays Big Cypress land transfer
Posted on 15:02 by Unknown
View Larger MapThe Florida Cabinet on Tuesday delayed action on a proposed transfer of 29,412 acres in Big Cypress National Preserve to the federal government after state Agriculture Commissioner Charles H. Bronson raised concerns about management of the land.Big Cypress National Preserve is part of the Everglades and covers 729,000 acres in southwest Florida. After Congress established the
Monday, 27 September 2010
Florida to appeal ruling overturning 2009 growth law changes
Posted on 18:53 by Unknown
The Attorney General's Office says it will appeal a judge's ruling on a controversial 2009 growth management law that may have created uncertainty and confusion among local governments and developers.Chief Circuit Judge Charles Francis on Aug. 26 struck down the changes contained in SB 360, which removed a requirement in state law that developers pay for new roads. The bill, which was passed in
Friday, 24 September 2010
Florida House Republicans hint at special session on energy rebates
Posted on 02:45 by Unknown
A windmill and billboard promoting solar energy were displayed outside the Capitol earlier this year on Earth Day.House Republican leaders on Thursday said a special session could be held in November -- possibly during the Legislature's organizational session -- to approve using federal economic stimulus money for state energy rebate programs.Gov. Charlie Crist got into a flap with House and
Thursday, 23 September 2010
Feds agree to review wood storks' status at request of Florida home-builders
Posted on 11:46 by Unknown
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service says it will review the "endangered" status of wood storks because of a petition filed by the Florida Home Builders Association.FHBA says the storks' 26-year-old classification is outdated, but an Audubon of Florida representative says the 12-month review raises concerns and that the future of the species should be closely studied.Wood storks, which have black
Wednesday, 22 September 2010
Backlash brewing against Florida septic tanks requirement
Posted on 05:29 by Unknown
A proposed state septic tank rule and the legislation that sparked the rule are becoming the focus of anti-government critics.SB 550 during the legislative session requires septic tank owners statewide to receive an inspection at least once every five years. A Florida Department of Health advisory board is reviewing a draft rule on Thursday and DOH has scheduled a series of workshops in
Tuesday, 21 September 2010
Crist fills two Florida Public Service Commission seats to be vacated by ouster
Posted on 18:20 by Unknown
Gov. Charlie Crist again passed over a state senator and a former Florida Public Service executive director and instead named Eduardo Balbis and Julie I. Brown to the Public Service Commission on Tuesday.Balbis, 38, is an assistant city attorney in West Palm Beach, and Brown, 35, is associate legal counsel for the First American Corp. They will replace Commission Chairman Nancy Argenziano and
National ag groups ask EPA to reconsider water strategy nationally and in Florida
Posted on 05:57 by Unknown
Thirty-six national agriculture groups are asking the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to delay a proposed action on water quality in Florida and to reconsider its strategy nationally because of the expected costs.The EPA has proposed numeric limits for nutrients including phosphorus and nitrogen in Florida's rivers, springs and lakes to reduce algae blooms and coastal red tide events. But
Monday, 20 September 2010
Florida agency moves forward with sprawl, climate change rules
Posted on 05:43 by Unknown
The Florida Department of Community Affairs last week continued moving ahead with two important proposed rule changes, but the question is whether DCA will adopt them before a change in administrations.With Gov. Charlie Crist seeking a U.S. Senate seat, voters will have to choose among Republican Rick Scott, Democrat Alex Sink and several other candidates. The winner will control the statewide
Saturday, 18 September 2010
PSC's Skop refuses to withdraw from Florida Power & Light Co. cases
Posted on 05:33 by Unknown
Florida Public Service Commissioner Nathan A. Skop has refused Florida Power & Light's request to remove himself from all cases involving the utility.Skop's 12-page order filed Thursday is the latest round in a war between Gov. Charlie Crist's reform-minded PSC appointees and the utilities and their allies in the Florida Legislature. The Legislature in April refused to confirm two Crist
Friday, 17 September 2010
Florida oil spill research goes on with or without BP money
Posted on 05:22 by Unknown
When the BP oil spill began following a rig explosion in the Gulf of Mexico on April 20, researchers in Florida didn't wait, says State University System Chancellor Frank Brogan. Instead, they began working to study the extent of the oil spill and the possible effects on the Gulf before they received any money from the giant oil corporation for research, Brogan said.On May 24, BP committed $500
Wednesday, 15 September 2010
Florida governor, legislative leaders spar over energy rebates
Posted on 19:28 by Unknown
A dispute between Gov. Charlie Crist and the Legislature over funding for a solar rebate program escalated Wednesday as House Speaker Larry Cretul suggested the governor's administration had been "duping" applicants into believing they would receive checks.Crist sent Cretul and Senate President Jeff Atwater a letter on Tuesday saying he was disappointed the Legislative Budget Commission did not
Tuesday, 14 September 2010
Florida PSC rejects four utilities' conservation plans
Posted on 19:19 by Unknown
The Florida Public Service Commission on Tuesday rejected energy conservation plans for three utilities after staff said they failed to meet the aggressive annual goals established by the commission. The utilities have 30 days to resubmit the plans.The PSC set the goals for seven utilities in December under the Florida Energy Efficiency and Conservation Act of 1980. In 2008, the Legislature
Florida Growth group shifts stance on constitutional measure
Posted on 05:39 by Unknown
Citing the unwillingness of local governments and the Legislature to address "serious shortcomings" in the state's growth management process, 1000 Friends of Florida on Monday said it "refined" its position on the proposed Amendment 4 from "not supporting" to neutral.The measure, which is on the Nov. 2 general election ballot, would amend the Florida Constitution to require voter approval of
Monday, 13 September 2010
DEP working on criteria after surplus lands controversy
Posted on 19:03 by Unknown
The Florida Department of Environmental Protection is developing criteria for agencies to use in deciding whether they want to get rid of conservation land following controversies over the Suwannee River Water Management District's proposals to sell or exchange land.Florida has the largest conservation land-buying program in the nation with 2.4 million acres having been purchased since 1990. Some
Sunday, 12 September 2010
Two Florida ag commissioner candidates say they are environmental advocates
Posted on 13:51 by Unknown
The two candidates vying for the post of Agriculture Commissioner are both trying to maintain they would help Florida's environment if elected.But GOP contender Adam Putnam's two-page environmental policy paper released last week prompted a sly retort and denouncement from his Democratic opponent Scott Maddox.Putnam's paper was thin on specifics. Yet asked whether he had issued an environmental
Thursday, 9 September 2010
Renewable energy supporters back Sink for Florida governor, tussle with Scott
Posted on 18:00 by Unknown
Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink spoke June 29 to the Clean Energy Congress in Tallahassee. A spokesman for Rick Scott, her Republican opponent for governor, said she was promoting "policies that will only cost more jobs."Some renewable energy supporters who are backing Democrat Alex Sink for governor said Wednesday that her Republican opponent, Rick Scott, should explain more about his support
Wednesday, 8 September 2010
State, feds agree to extend red snapper season because of oil spill
Posted on 06:37 by Unknown
Florida has joined federal authorities in extending the length of the red snapper fishing season in the Gulf of Mexico, partially addressing a contentious issue from earlier this year.“This is just what the doctor ordered and couldn’t have come at a better time to give a much-needed boost to our Gulf fishing communities that have had a challenging summer, to say the least, because of the Gulf oil
Thursday, 2 September 2010
Supporters of growth measure go after Florida Chamber
Posted on 18:37 by Unknown
Supporters of Amendment 4 say the Florida Chamber of Commerce, a major opponent of the proposed growth management measure, is encouraging employers to pressure their workers to join the opposition.Amendment 4 would require voter approval of changes to local comprehensive land use plans which say where development can occur. Supporters say the measure is needed to remove control of local growth
New oil rig explosion creates Florida political firestorm
Posted on 17:04 by Unknown
A new oil rig explosion off the Louisiana coast on Thursday led House Republicans and Democrats to trade accusations about oil drilling. The Mariner Energy production rig caught fire Thursday morning. Thirteen workers were rescued, one with injuries.There were reports of an oil sheen on the Gulf surface but it was unclear whether the rig was leaking, according to a report by the New Orleans
Wednesday, 1 September 2010
BP Claims administrator Feinberg responds to Florida oil spill task force criticism
Posted on 19:41 by Unknown
Members of a state oil spill task force on Wednesday sharply criticized independent claims administrator Kenneth R. Feinberg for his new claims review process while Attorney General Bill McCollum said he plans to meet with Feinberg to discuss their differences.The BP oil spill that began April 20 sent waves of oil ashore at Pensacola Beach in early July and has continued to send scattered tar
Florida wildlife agency adopts new species classification system
Posted on 19:36 by Unknown
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission on Wednesday approved a new process for identifying threatened species that would replace the controversial state listing process.The agency faced a firestorm of opposition in 2007 when it considered moving the manatee from endangered to the less protective "threatened" category on the state list. The commission delayed action at the request
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