John H. Hankinson Jr., a Florida native and former regional U.S. Environmental Protection Agency administrator, was named Monday as executive director of the new federal Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Task Force.President Barack Obama signed an executive order earlier this month establishing the task force, which will coordinate restoration programs and projects following the BP oil spill last
Monday, 25 October 2010
Friday, 15 October 2010
Federal official defends Gulf oil spill reporting
Posted on 19:41 by Unknown
MISSOULA, Mont. -- NOAA Administrator Jane Lubcheco on Friday defended as "consistent" her description of the fate of oil spilled last summer in the Gulf of Mexico. Meanwhile, an oil industry representative told environmental journalists that the nation must continue deep-water oil drilling as an important economic driver in the Gulf region.The Deepwater Horizon drilling rig exploded and sank in
Tuesday, 12 October 2010
Florida closes on scaled-back Everglades purchase
Posted on 17:39 by Unknown
The South Florida Water Management District on Tuesday closed on the purchase of nearly 27,000 acres of U.S. Sugar Corp. land in a scaled-down version of the once-massive Everglades restoration project.Gov. Charlie Crist in 2008 first proposed the purchase of 187,000 acres, which the district agreed to buy for $1.3 billion. But the economic downturn caused the state to twice scale back the
Argenziano quits Florida PSC to support Alex Sink for governor
Posted on 17:24 by Unknown
Nancy Argenziano announced Tuesday she is resigning from the Florida Public Service Commission to support Democrat Alex Sink in her race against Republican Rick Scott for governor.Argenziano -- who was elected as a Republican state senator -- told reporters she is resigning to speak out against what she considers to be a "catastrophe" facing the state if Scott is elected. State law prohibits
Monday, 11 October 2010
State nixes bear workshops because of hunting controversy
Posted on 17:39 by Unknown
State wildlife officials on Monday postponed workshops on black bear management because they said too many people wanted to talk about hunting bears. But it was a state wildlife official who publicly suggested that hunting should remain an option in the future.The state banned bear hunting in 1994 because of an outcry from animal rights activists, environmentalists and news media that reported on
Saturday, 9 October 2010
Environment a neglected issue in Florida governor's race
Posted on 06:55 by Unknown
1000 Friends of Florida, a group focusing on growth management issues statewide, sent a questionnaire last month to the eight major party candidates in the state Cabinet races. The number of responses: Zero, said Charles Pattison, the group's president.That may be telling about the importance that growth and environmental issues are playing in this year's governor's race. With less than four
La Niña contributes to tough Florida wildfire season forecast
Posted on 06:54 by Unknown
Agriculture Commissioner Charles H. Bronson on Friday predicted a tough wildfire season because of a long-range weather forecast calling for dry conditions.Wildfire season typically peaks in January and extends until June, though fires can break out any time because of dry conditions. The dire forecast should cause state and federal parks and other land-management agencies to take notice along
Friday, 8 October 2010
Rick Scott takes aim at Florida DCA
Posted on 14:26 by Unknown
Republican candidate for governor Rick Scott says he would put a bull's-eye on the Florida Department of Community Affairs, the scorn of many developers. Scott said he would support eliminating DCA, which oversees growth in the state, according to a St. Petersburg Times report on Friday."On the campaign trail, I'll tell you the one that everybody's fed up with. It's DCA," Scott says. "It's really
Meek rejects Sierra Club endorsement with Crist in Senate race
Posted on 03:10 by Unknown
The Sierra Club's endorsement of both Gov. Charlie Crist and U. S. Rep. Kendrick Meek in the Senate race on Thursday took a surprise turn when Meek immediately rejected the endorsement.Sierra Club officials said both Crist, a former Republican now running as an independent, and Meek, a Democrat, have strong environmental records -- especially compared to Republican Marco Rubio, a former Florida
Paul C. Parks, Everglades scientist and "pioneer," dies at 75
Posted on 03:06 by Unknown
Paul C. Parks, a recent member of the state Environmental Regulation Commission and a key figure in Everglades and Lake Okeechobee issues at the Capitol, died Wednesday at his home in Wakulla County. He was 75.Gov. Charlie Crist appointed Parks to ERC in 2008 but Parks stepped down after discovering he had cancer, said Manley Fuller, president of the Florida Wildlife Federation. Parks, who joined
Wednesday, 6 October 2010
"Zombie political insiders" vs. Florida TaxWatch in duel over growth measure
Posted on 19:03 by Unknown
Supporters of the "Hometown Democracy" Amendment 4 are using Godzilla and vampires to get their message across while opponents on Wednesday were using a Florida TaxWatch report to put the scare into voters.Amendment 4, which is on the Nov. 2 ballot, would require voter approval of changes to local comprehensive land use plans. Supporters say the measure is needed to wrest control of local growth
Sink quietly releases environmental platform in Florida governor's race
Posted on 05:29 by Unknown
Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink, caught up in an increasingly bitter and tight race with Republican Rick Scott, has quietly distributed her environmental platform in the last week. Sink's campaign released an eight-page paid political advertisement entitled "Preserving Florida's Natural Assets: Improve our economy while protecting our environment." The document outlines her stances on issues
Tuesday, 5 October 2010
Oil spill researchers gather in Florida as president creates Gulf ecosystem task force
Posted on 18:00 by Unknown
More than 150 scientific researchers from around the nation were gathering Tuesday at St. Pete Beach for the beginning of a two-day conference to discuss oil spill research in the Gulf of Mexico.Also Tuesday, President Obama signed an executive order establishing the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Task Force. The panel, which will have representatives appointed by each of the five Gulf states,
Florida Panhandle legislators seek to repeal septic tank inspection requirement
Posted on 17:52 by Unknown
Two Panhandle legislators say they have filed a bill to repeal a new requirement in state law that all septic tanks be inspected every five years. SB 550 was introduced by Sen. Lee Constantine, R-Altamonte Springs, in response to concerns about nitrogen pollution of waterways and groundwater. The law was amended by the Senate Ways and Means Committee to include the inspection requirement signed
Petition drive launched for amendment to ban oil drilling
Posted on 04:56 by Unknown
Environmental groups have launched a petition drive to put a constitutional amendment on the ballot in 2012 that would ban oil drilling in Florida's nearshore waters.The Florida Wildlife Federation announced the petition drive in an e-mail to supporters on Friday. The amendment is needed because the House in 2009 voted to pass a bill to allow drilling within three miles of the Gulf coast, said
Monday, 4 October 2010
Oil spill claims administrator says location now not a factor
Posted on 17:42 by Unknown
The man put in charge of a $20 billion fund to help those hurt by the Gulf of Mexico oil spill said Monday that distance from the oil spill won't be a factor in deciding whether to pay damages to Florida business owners and residents.Although oil has washed ashore only in six Florida Panhandle counties, state officials say tourism across Florida was affected by lingering images of the summer's
Former DEP chief Sole going to Florida Power & Light
Posted on 14:48 by Unknown
DEP's Mike Sole speaks to reporters on June 1 as Gov. Charlie Crist, right, looks on.Former Florida Department of Environmental Protection Secretary Michael Sole is going to work for Florida Power & Light Co., according to a Miami Herald report.Sole will be vice president of state governmental affairs and will be paid $350,000 in salary, stocks and bonuses. He will report to Eric Silagy, an FPL
Brogan "more comfortable" with Florida's role in oil spill research
Posted on 04:45 by Unknown
State University System Chancellor Frank Brogan said Friday he is becoming "more comfortable" with the possible role that Florida's public and private universities will play in oil spill research funded by BP following an announcement by the company this week.The company said in May that it was providing $500 million for research into the oil spill that began after the Deepwater Horizon exploded
Sunday, 3 October 2010
Georgia senators seek to undo judge's favorable ruling for Florida
Posted on 09:03 by Unknown
Two Georgia senators have introduced bills in Congress to overturn a federal judge's ruling in 2009 that was favorable to Florida in the states' lengthy battle over water.Alabama, Florida and Georgia have been fighting in federal court since 1990 over water from the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint river system. Alabama and Georgia want water for future growth while Florida wants water for fish
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