Some said they felt welcomed by the Society of Environmental Journalists, others felt marginalized by the organization.More than 100 protestors for varying causes held signs, beat drums and chanted Saturday at a "Rally for the Environment" in a park outside the International Hotel in Miami, site of SEJ's national conference.Ana Campos of Fort Lauderdale described herself as one of the "culprits"
Saturday, 22 October 2011
Monday, 12 September 2011
Rumberger remembered as tireless champion for Everglades
Posted on 19:32 by Unknown
E. Thom Rumberger was remembered Monday as a champion of the Everglades who was gracious and effective while also helping build the modern Republican Party in Florida.Read more at the new Floridaenvironments.com.(Photo by Mark Wallheiser/markwallheiser.com, used with permission.)
Thursday, 25 August 2011
Future of state growth management in question under new department
Posted on 11:19 by Unknown
Doug Darling, executive director of the Department of Economic Opportunity
The head of the new department that will house Florida's growth management division says he'll have to decide future growth management decisions on a case-by-case basis.
SB 2156, signed into law by Gov. Rick Scott on June 14, abolishes the Florida Department of Community Affairs and transfers its planning division to a
Wednesday, 27 July 2011
Nestlé drops idea of water pumping near Wacissa River
Posted on 15:46 by Unknown
Nestlé Waters North America on Wednesday told state officials the company no longer is considering a water-pumping operation along the Wacissa River in Jefferson County.Nestlé, a global water company which includes bottling operations near Blue Spring in Madison County and near Crystal Springs in Pasco County, said testing of Allen Spring along the Wacissa showed a lack of sufficient flow during
Tuesday, 26 July 2011
Gopher tortoises became candidate for federal protection
Posted on 11:51 by Unknown
The U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service said Tuesday that gopher tortoises warrant federal Endangered Species Act protection in Florida and Southern states east of the Mississippi.The tortoise will become a candidate for listing as threatened and endangered east of the Mississippi River including Florida. But the gopher tortoises won't be listed for protection because the agency doesn't have the
Florida PSC may reconsider energy goals set in 2009
Posted on 11:05 by Unknown
The Florida Public Service Commission on Tuesday rejected energy conservation plans proposed for the state's two largest electric utilities because of concerns about cost.Instead, commissioners said they may reconsider the conservation goals set by the PSC only two years ago -- before the Legislature removed four of the five commission members at the time."Sometimes certain things work during
Monday, 25 July 2011
Florida parks increase visitors after drop in previous year
Posted on 07:13 by Unknown
Honeymoon Island State ParkMaybe the slow economy is encouraging people to rediscover nature. Or maybe the weather just was more inviting this past year.For whatever reasons, attendance at Florida state parks increased slightly in 2010-11 following a sharp dip the previous year, according to state park officials.Park attendance in fiscal year 2010-11 increased to 20.4 million, up 332,191 from
Thursday, 21 July 2011
Author hopes nature stories will turn around Florida politics
Posted on 11:12 by Unknown
The environment didn't cause the recession so it shouldn't become victim of the current political climate.So says Florida nature writer Bill Belleville, author of "Salvaging the Real Florida: Lost and Found in the State of Dreams."He hopes his new book will help people develop their own environmental ethic that may turn the political situation around for Florida environment.Belleville, who lives
Wednesday, 13 July 2011
Gov. Scott's late parks announcement not a sneak attack, aide says
Posted on 07:56 by Unknown
Scott told reporters after visiting DEP in February that he enjoys visiting state parks and they should be protected.After a week of controversy involving Florida Park Service proposals to put recreational vehicle campgrounds in four state parks, Gov. Rick Scott announced last Friday he was pulling the plug on at least the proposal at Honeymoon Island State Park.But was the timing of the
Wednesday, 6 July 2011
Florida environmental commission is a shell of its former self
Posted on 11:54 by Unknown
Gov. Rick Scott last month reappointed Cari Roth to the state Environmental Regulation Commission. But if recent history is an indicator, she shouldn't find the position to be too time-consuming.The ERC sets standards and rules for the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. Most issues that go before the commission deal with air pollution, water quality and waste management.The
Monday, 20 June 2011
Nation's largest land-buying program appears doomed by veto
Posted on 11:09 by Unknown
With the stroke of a pen last month, Gov. Rick Scott turned Florida from a conservation land-buyer to a land seller.Florida had the largest land-buying program in the nation with more than 2 million acres purchased since 1990. The Florida Forever program received $300 million a year until state revenues started slipping in 2009, when the Legislature appropriated nothing for the program for the
Sunday, 22 May 2011
Florida growth agency "boogeyman" disappearing without debate
Posted on 14:36 by Unknown
An employee enters the Department of Community Affairs headquarters where more than 20 workers were told last week they're being laid off.With some state planners being handed their pink slips this week, the question arises over what really happened to the debate over the fate of Florida's growth management agency -- the Department of Community Affairs?There was no debate, really. Perhaps because
Saturday, 7 May 2011
Session could have been worse but it was still bad, environmentalists say
Posted on 07:12 by Unknown
The Florida legislative session went off track early Saturday, taking several bills with it that were supported by business and industry groups and opposed by environmentalists.But environmentalists were not in a celebratory mood as the Legislature passed bills gutting state growth management and placing the burden of proof on those who file legal challenges against state permits."It was not as
Thursday, 5 May 2011
Final day of session: Energy dead but growth overhaul, septic bills very much alive
Posted on 18:55 by Unknown
Growth management, fertilizer and septic tanks are some of the environmental issues awaiting action by the Legislature on Friday, its final scheduled day of the regular session.Renewable energy, permitting and growth management were the big three issues heading into the session. There also was an outcry from some rural residents against last year's requirement that septic tanks be inspected every
Wednesday, 4 May 2011
Bennett says he now wants to shift burden of proof to challengers
Posted on 09:48 by Unknown
A provision that was stripped out of a House permit streamlining bill last week after environmentalists denounced it was back Wednesday as a proposed amendment to a Senate rulemaking bill.The amendment to SB 1382 would place the burden of proof on those who challenge state environmental permits. The amendment by Sen. Mike Bennett, R-Bradenton, mirrors a provision that was taken out of HB 991 last
Saturday, 30 April 2011
Permitting bill sails through House with amendments
Posted on 12:22 by Unknown
Joking that he had taken out "the nasty stuff" opposed by environmentalists, Rep. Jimmy Patronis said Friday his environmental permitting bill still is good for Florida's businesses.The House quickly amended HB 991 on Friday and gave it final approval without questions or debate.The bill would streamline the state permitting process to reduce lawsuits and delays, supporters said. Developers and
Friday, 22 April 2011
Permitting bill includes "sneak attack" on local rock mining regs
Posted on 05:20 by Unknown
In a move described as a "sneak attack" by one environmental opponent, a House bill that supporters say would streamline the state permitting process was amended Thursday to prevent local governments from regulating rock mining.HB 991 by Rep. Jimmy Patronis, R-Panama City, was amended by the House Economic Affairs Committee. Business groups long have argued that the mines should be exempt from
Tuesday, 12 April 2011
Florida environmentalists uneasy as legislative session enters second half
Posted on 17:55 by Unknown
With the Legislative session more than half over, some environmentalists are saying the session already has been bad enough. But at least one veteran environmental lobbyist says the worst could be yet to come.The Legislature is showing little interest in providing new money for the Florida Forever land-buying program while at the same time it moves to eliminate the Florida Department of Community
Friday, 8 April 2011
EPA agrees to study new water standards in Florida
Posted on 11:31 by Unknown
The U. S. Environmental Protection Agency has agreed to an independent review of federal water quality standards for Florida that were adopted last fall.The EPA says nitrogen and phosphorus have caused algae in Florida waterways and toxic red tides along the coast. The federal numeric nutrient criteria replaces a state narrative standard that environmentalists said was too vague to be
Wednesday, 6 April 2011
Commission faces heat for considering increase in redfish catch
Posted on 06:04 by Unknown
A proposal by state fisheries managers to increase the daily recreational catch for red drum in North Florida recalls the "redfish wars" of the late 1980s, according to a veteran recreational fishing activist.The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission on Wednesday will consider raising the limit for red drum from one to two in North Florida. The commission meets in Havana at the Pat
Tuesday, 5 April 2011
Wakulla Springs lodge could close under proposed versions of state budget
Posted on 07:15 by Unknown
The historic lodge at Wakulla Springs State Park could eventually close under proposed House and Senate versions of the 2011-12 state budget.Both versions of the budget call for turning concessions at five state parks over to private companies to operate. Wakulla Springs State Park supporters are concerned that the 27-bed lodge built in 1937 could close if no one bids on operating it.The lodge,
Sunday, 3 April 2011
Author says "water ethic" needed in Florida's future
Posted on 12:12 by Unknown
Florida doesn't need another white paper offering water policy recommendations to protect future water supplies. What the state finally needs is a "water ethic."That's the case made in a recent report by the Collins Center for Public Policy called "Our Water, Our Florida: A Water Ethic for Florida" by Cynthia Barnett. She is an associate editor of Florida Trend magazine and author of "Mirage:
Wednesday, 30 March 2011
Senate budget chief wants land sales to pay for new purchases
Posted on 07:57 by Unknown
The Senate's budget chief says selling state land could help the Florida Forever land-buying program survive these lean budget times.A proposed Senate version of the 2011-12 state budget includes $308 million in spending authority for the program. But the money would have to come from the sale of land the state now owns.Florida has purchased more than 2 million acres since 1990 under Florida
Sunday, 27 March 2011
Developers would determine "need" under proposed growth law rewrite
Posted on 08:24 by Unknown
Empty cul-de-sacs cover an area of Rotunda West in Charlotte County. See more of "Human Landscapes in SW Florida" at the Boston Globe web site. During a recent Cabinet meeting, Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater summed up an important debate over growth management policy by relating it to the rapidly expanding Five Guys hamburger chain.Some Bay County residents had asked the Cabinet to deny a
Friday, 25 March 2011
Coley targets another section of last year's water quality bill
Posted on 04:32 by Unknown
Rep. Marti Coley has filed another bill to repeal a section of the SB 550 the water quality bill that passed the Legislature in 2010.SB 550 included a requirement that septic tanks statewide to be inspected every five years and it banned the spreading of septic tank waste on land in 2016.The Legislature in November voted to delay the septic tank inspection requirement after hearing from rural
Tuesday, 22 March 2011
Some biomass energy projects stall as others remain viable
Posted on 15:14 by Unknown
Conceptual rendering of American Renewables' proposed plant in GainesvilleOfficials in the biomass energy industry say regulatory uncertainties continue to affect the development of new projects in Florida.As state officials continue to promote biomass as a source of energy that will create jobs in Florida, some projects remain in limbo while company officials say others remain viable. A company
Walton County bill raises statewide concerns for sea turtles
Posted on 02:43 by Unknown
Some environmentalists are asking the Legislature to take a closer look at a local bill for Walton County that could allow sea walls to remain in place without state permits.Following extensive beach erosion caused by Hurricane Dennis in 2005, Walton County authorized the construction of between 250 and 275 sea walls along 26 miles of beach, according to the Sea Turtle Conservancy. Sea walls can
Friday, 18 March 2011
State may have nearly 25,000 acres it doesn't need
Posted on 05:26 by Unknown
An initial review of state-owned lands has identified more than 24,000 acres that possibly could be exchanged or sold, according to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.Some legislators say the state has too much land and should sell some of it to generate revenue, raising concerns among environmentalists. But almost none of the 24,555 acres identified for possible sale was
Wednesday, 16 March 2011
Representatives scold DEP for voicing concerns on bill
Posted on 10:45 by Unknown
Bills that would streamline construction permitting and prohibit the state from enforcing federal water quality standards were passed out of a committee on Tuesday despite Florida Department of Environmental Protection concerns.HB 239 by Rep. Trudi Williams, R-Fort Myers, was filed in response to the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency adopting specific limits for nitrogen and phosphorus in
Friday, 11 March 2011
Senators say septic tank inspections still needed
Posted on 06:22 by Unknown
Several senators on a committee Thursday objected to a proposed bill that would repeal a statewide septic tank inspection requirement.Last year's lawmakers mandated inspections every five years but it was met with an outcry from rural homeowners. The bill's supporters said the inspections of the state's estimated 2.7 million septic tanks were needed to protect springs and water quality.Sen.
Tuesday, 8 March 2011
Governor skips Florida Forever rally, visits with Tea Party
Posted on 18:25 by Unknown
Gov. Rick Scott skipped a rally for the Florida Forever conservation land-buying program but attended a nearby "Tea Party" rally on the opening day of the legislative session.Florida Forever was the largest land-buying program in the nation from 1990 to 2008, when funding was reduced. Scott offered no money for the program in his 2010-11 budget recommendation.Scott told the Tea Party on the east
Monday, 7 March 2011
Environmental groups digging in for tough legislative session
Posted on 07:23 by Unknown
Environmental groups, which have become accustomed to playing defense in the Legislature for many years, are digging in for what could be an even tougher fight this year. The legislative session starts on Tuesday, March 8.There are bills filed to streamline environmental permitting, repeal a statewide septic tank inspection requirement and prohibit local governments from regulating fertilizer."
Thursday, 3 March 2011
Industry group challenges Everglades Foundation study
Posted on 05:45 by Unknown
One of the state's largest business groups is disputing an Everglades Foundation study in October that said the economic benefits of Everglades restoration would be at least $46.5 billion compared to the $11.5 billion cost of restoration work.Associated Industries of Florida on Wednesday released what it said were two independent peer review studies that it said debunked the Everglades Foundation
Tuesday, 1 March 2011
Opponents of growth ballot measure take new aim at Florida enviro groups
Posted on 17:00 by Unknown
The group that led the opposition to the "Hometown Democracy" Amendment 4 last November said Tuesday that environmental groups continue to "wage a campaign of unchecked misinformation."Amendment 4, which was voted down by 67 percent of voters, would have required local voter approval of changes to comprehensive land use plans. Business groups, cities and counties opposed the measure, which was
Thursday, 24 February 2011
Legislators pushing ahead with major rewrite of growth laws
Posted on 07:42 by Unknown
The Florida House and Senate both are taking up major rewrites of the state's growth management laws, according to the key committee chairmen in each chamber.Gov. Rick Scott has proposed eliminating the Florida Department of Community Affairs and laying off most employees while moving its planning functions to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. Meanwhile, a coalition of groups,
Wednesday, 23 February 2011
House panel passes three controversial bills
Posted on 08:42 by Unknown
Three of the most controversial environmental and agricultural bills to emerge prior to the 2011 legislative session were approved on Tuesday by a House committee.The House Agriculture and Natural Resources Subcommittee approved bills dealing with septic tanks, local fertilizer regulations and agricultural exemptions from water management district permits.HB 13 by Rep. Marti Coley, R-Marianna,
Tuesday, 22 February 2011
Cabinet agrees to reverse DCA stance on Volusia development
Posted on 18:25 by Unknown
Two months after outgoing Department of Community Affairs Secretary Tom Pelham determined that a 5,000-acre land use change in Volusia County was illegal, the DCA won Cabinet approval Tuesday for the development.Gov. Rick Scott and the Cabinet approved an order for the proposed "Restoration" development on 5,187 acres in Edgewater west of Interstate 95.An attorney representing a development
Saturday, 19 February 2011
EPA regional chief, responding to critics, says pollution prevention is good investment
Posted on 05:44 by Unknown
U. S. Environmental Protection Agency Regional Administrator Gwen Keyes Fleming said Friday that investing in clean water is better than paying more to clean up dirty water and fight harmful algal blooms.She held introductory meetings with state and local officials in Tallahassee amid concerns about new federal water quality standards. Those proposed federal limits on nitrogen and phosphorus face
Friday, 18 February 2011
EPA regional chief visits Tallahassee, may discuss water quality controversy
Posted on 05:38 by Unknown
The regional administrator from the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency today visits Tallahassee to meet with Florida officials and attend an event at Florida A&M University.Gwen Keyes Fleming will have an introductory meeting with Florida Department of Environmental Protection Secretary Herschel Vinyard, according to DEP. There's no word on what they may talk about but Vinyard hinted last week
Tuesday, 15 February 2011
Facing elimination, DCA employees question Gov. Rick Scott
Posted on 17:19 by Unknown
After hearing Gov. Rick Scott speak Tuesday during a visit to the Florida Department of Community affairs, department systems programmer Robab Fayazi said she remains worried about losing her job there.Scott was peppered with questions by employees at the department, which he is proposing to eliminate.DCA oversees local growth management decisions and it includes the Division of Emergency
Federal takeover? Legislators aren't told of Florida's role in water standards battle
Posted on 11:09 by Unknown
Florida legislators who made angry comments about new water quality standards for Florida weren't being told about the state's key involvement in the issue two years ago.The U. S. Environmental Protection Agency last November adopted specific limits for nitrogen and phosphorus in Florida waterways. The move came despite objections from utilities, industry and agriculture groups and many state
Monday, 14 February 2011
House, Senate to give closer scrutiny to budget this week
Posted on 05:04 by Unknown
House and Senate budget writers this week will be looking for ways to cut environmental agencies' budgets after questioning some of Gov. Rick Scott's own recommended 2011-12 budget cuts last week.Senate Budget Subcommittee on General Government Appropriations holds hearings Tuesday through Thursday. The House Agriculture & Natural Resources Appropriations Subcommittee meets Tuesday and Wednesday
Thursday, 10 February 2011
Groups want panther back in North Florida, South Georgia
Posted on 15:32 by Unknown
Environmental groups are asking federal wildlife officials to reintroduce panthers into North Florida and South Georgia to help save the endangered species.Panthers once ranged across the southeast but are now limited to South Florida, where there are fewer than 130 living in the wild. Threats to their survival habitat loss, highways, lack of genetic diversity and human population growth.The
Wednesday, 9 February 2011
Crist, Sink to lead drilling ban effort
Posted on 18:01 by Unknown
Former Gov. Charlie Crist and former Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink said Wednesday that banning oil drilling will help protect the state's tourism economy and environment.They returned to Tallahassee to announce they will co-chair the petition drive to put a ban on oil drilling on the 2012 election ballot.As the Deepwater Horizon oil spill sent oil onto Panhandle beaches last July, Crist
New Florida agency chief calls for refocus on growth management
Posted on 06:20 by Unknown
The new chief of Florida's growth management agency on Tuesday made some suggestions that sound like what some statewide environmental groups have been advocating -- an increased focus on long-range planning and less oversight of growth in urban areas.Gov. Rick Scott has repeatedly called the Department of Community Affairs a job-killer and on Monday his budget recommendations included moving
Monday, 7 February 2011
Scott would reorganize DCA, DEP under proposed budget
Posted on 18:42 by Unknown
Gov. Rick Scott is warning his supporters that unnamed "special interests" will his attack his 2011-12 budget recommendations and the cuts they include for growth and environmental programs.Scott proposes substantially reducing the number of state planners who oversee local growth management decisions and would move them to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. He also recommends no
Bennett says he's glad Scott moved to fill PSC posts
Posted on 05:07 by Unknown
Sen. Mike Bennett says he's glad Gov. Rick Scott "put to bed" without disruption the issue of who will be serving on the Florida Public Service Commission.The governor on Friday reappointed four PSC members whose appointments he had withdrawn two days earlier.Scott on Wednesday withdrew 154 appointments made by Gov. Charlie Crist, including four of the five PSC members. In 2007, Crist withdrew
Thursday, 3 February 2011
Scott withdraws appointments to PSC, other enviro panels
Posted on 08:07 by Unknown
Gov. Rick Scott on Wednesday withdrew 154 appointments to boards across the state including four of the five Florida Public Service Commission members.Scott withdrew the appointments in a memo to Sen. President Mike Haridopolos. The appointments were awaiting Senate confirmation.Gov. Charlie Crist withdrew 283 appointments in 2007 when he took over after former Gov. Jeb Bush, according to the
Wednesday, 2 February 2011
Senate bill would scrap Florida's climate program
Posted on 03:19 by Unknown
A bill filed by Rep. Scott Plakon, R-Longwood, would eliminate Florida's greenhouse gas emissions cap-and-trade program before one was ever adopted.Climate change and regulation of greenhouse gas emissions was a priority of Gov. Charlie Crist soon after he took office in 2007, but it dropped as a priority after 2008. Gov. Rick Scott, who took office last month, said last summer that he didn't
Tuesday, 1 February 2011
Scott plans realignment of Florida's growth management agency
Posted on 05:46 by Unknown
Gov. Rick Scott said Monday he plans to cut $1 billion in government spending over two years by consolidating and streamlining government including the Florida Department of Community Affairs.Scott's plan -- which included only a few details -- would remove all regulatory functions from DCA and move them to other state agencies. Scott also said he planned to move the collection of alcoholic
Monday, 31 January 2011
Senator's spoiled beach trip leads to bill directing DOH to investigate
Posted on 18:19 by Unknown
A senator whose summer beach trip was spoiled by high bacteria levels has filed a bill directing the state to investigate possible sources of beach water contamination.Sen. Eleanor Sobel, D-Hollywood, rented a hotel room at Hollywood Beach last summer to stay with visiting relatives. But when they went down to the water, they discovered that advisories against swimming had been issued by the
Friday, 28 January 2011
Florida House members uneasy with proposal to close 53 state parks
Posted on 04:21 by Unknown
Peacock Springs State Park near Luraville is one of the 53 state parks that would be closed.A budget-exercise proposal to close 53 state parks drew concerns Wednesday from members of a House budget-writing committee.State agencies last fall were asked to come up with 15-percent budget cut proposals for the upcoming fiscal year. State legislators are confronting a potential budget shortfall of
Thursday, 27 January 2011
House water panel hears differing views on environmental protection
Posted on 17:46 by Unknown
This reservoir in DeSoto County was built with some state water supply funding.Conservation and development of new water supplies must be part of Florida's future to attract industry and create jobs, panelists on Thursday told the House Select Committee on Water Policy. But there were differing views on how much the environment should be protected.The committee was created in December by House
House panel approves growth rewrite to address court ruling
Posted on 04:46 by Unknown
A House panel on Wednesday passed three bills that are intended to address a court ruling that threw out 2009 legislation that revamped the state's growth management laws.SB 360 in 2009 removed a requirement that developers pay for new roads and schools in designated areas and it removed state oversight of large developments in designated "dense urban land use areas." Gov. Charlie Crist signed
Senators warn wildlife officials on hunting requirement
Posted on 04:46 by Unknown
Members of a Senate committee said Wednesday they want state wildlife officials to explain at their next committee meeting why they are considering requiring deer hunters to report their kills.The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission will consider the reporting requirement when it meets next month in Apalachicola, said Tim Breault, director of the agency's Division of Habitat and
Tuesday, 25 January 2011
Thirty-nine Florida groups seek to block federal water standards
Posted on 19:24 by Unknown
Representatives of 39 utility, development and agricultural groups on Tuesday sent a letter to Florida's senators and congressional representatives asking them to deny federal agency funding to implement new water quality standards.The industry groups seem to be taking a harder line against the federal standards than some state agency officials. One state agriculture official told a House
PSC approves Gulf Power conservation plan after initial rejection
Posted on 19:22 by Unknown
The Florida Public Service Commission on Tuesday approved an energy conservation plan for Gulf Power Co. after initially rejecting a plan submitted by the utility last fall.Gulf Power, the state's fourth largest investor-owned utility with more than 430,000 customers, was one of four utilities whose "demand-side management" conservation plans were rejected initially by the commission because they
Monday, 24 January 2011
Another top Florida DEP official is on the way out
Posted on 16:44 by Unknown
The resignation of another top staffer has been accepted at the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, creating another high-level vacancy under new DEP Secretary Herschel Vinyard.Janet Llewellyn, director of the Division of Water Resource Management, was told Friday that her resignation had been accepted, according to sources outside of the agency. Resignations were requested from
Florida senator files bill targeting nuclear fees
Posted on 05:23 by Unknown
With the Public Service Commission next week holding hearings on revised charges for Florida Power & Light Co. customers, a Senate bill would eliminate a 2006 state law that allows utilities to charge for new nuclear plants even if they are never built.SB 200 by Sen. Mike Fasano, R-New Port Richey, would repeal a law that allows utilities to charge for building new nuclear plants and upgrading
Friday, 21 January 2011
Lawsuit says pesticides threaten Florida wildlife species
Posted on 14:39 by Unknown
Two national environmental groups on Thursday filed a lawsuit claiming that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency had failed to consult with wildlife agencies on regulating pesticides that are harmful to endangered species, including the Florida panther.The lawsuit, filed in San Francisco by the Center for Biological Diversity and the Pesticide Action Network, cites the regulation of
Thursday, 20 January 2011
Century Commission says it should develop Florida strategic plan
Posted on 10:29 by Unknown
The Century Commission for a Sustainable Florida says it wants to help Florida develop a strategic plan as suggested by Gov. Rick Scott.Scott in November told the Florida Council of 100 that the state "lacks a sufficiently focused strategic plan," according to a copy of a prepared speech.The Century Commission for a Sustainable Florida was established by the Legislature in 2005 to recommend ways
Septic tanks inspection delay becomes law without signature
Posted on 10:18 by Unknown
Gov. Rick Scott on Wednesday allowed a bill to become law that delays a statewide inspection requirement for septic tanks.The inspection requirement was in SB 550, which then-Gov. Charlie Crist signed in June with support that included the Sierra Club Florida and the Florida Home Builders Association. Supporters said the requirement would protect public health and water quality.SB 2A was adopted
Wednesday, 19 January 2011
Cabinet confirms Vinyard to DEP post; Eight top vacancies remain
Posted on 19:20 by Unknown
New Florida Department of Environmental Protection Secretary Herschel Vinyard, a former shipyard executive, was confirmed by the Cabinet Wednesday.Vinyard thanked Gov. Rick Scott and the Cabinet for the opportunity to serve the state. He takes over a department that lost eight senior staff members last month when the Scott administration accepted their resignations.Vinyard, who also served as a
Scott: We "clearly need" better growth management
Posted on 19:19 by Unknown
Gov. Rick Scott on Wednesday said he supports growth management but says it needs to be improved.Scott was among several Cabinet officials and legislative leaders along with U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla., who spoke at the Associated Press Florida Legislative Planning Session in the Capitol. They answered questions on a wide range of topics.Scott's transition team last month recommended merging
Tuesday, 18 January 2011
Bill would prevent Florida from implementing federal water standards
Posted on 18:05 by Unknown
A bill introduced by the chairman of the House Agriculture and Natural Resources Appropriations Subcommittee would ban the state from implementing new federal water quality criteria that were adopted in November.Utilities, industries and agricultural groups say the numeric standards will cost billions of dollars to comply with. But an attorney representing environmental groups says the bill would
Thursday, 13 January 2011
House panel may reconsider firey water issue
Posted on 17:49 by Unknown
The chairman of the new House Select Committee on Water Policy said Thursday that the state's "local sources first" policy that discourages water pipelines will be reviewed along with the role of water-management districts. But she also said doing away with districts in favor of a statewide water agency would be "crazy."One of the most controversial aspects of Florida water law is the "local
Estimates of federal costs of water rules vary widely, Florida DEP says
Posted on 08:02 by Unknown
Uncertainty over how the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency plans to enforce new water quality standards continues to create wide-ranging cost estimates for meeting the new requirements, a state environmental official said Wednesday.The EPA in December adopted new numeric nutrient standards for phosphorus and nitrogen in Florida waterways. The standards are needed to reduce the number of lakes
Wednesday, 12 January 2011
Florida utilities cutting back on power plants, including biomass, PSC says
Posted on 19:05 by Unknown
Florida's electric utilities are continuing to lose customers and are delaying construction of new electric plants as less electricity is being used, according to a report approved Wednesday by the Florida Public Service Commission.The report could play a role in the debate over new nuclear plants in the state and the economic viability of renewable energy in the future. Critics say new nuclear
Tuesday, 11 January 2011
New DCA secretary says he doesn't have marching orders on agency's future
Posted on 18:12 by Unknown
Department of Community Affairs Secretary Billy Buzzett told reporters on Tuesday during his first day on the job that he had been given no specific orders by his boss, Gov. Rick Scott, as to the future of the agency. Buzzett attended a meeting of the Senate Community Affairs Committee but he did not address the panel.The transition team for Gov. Rick Scott in December recommended merging DCA
Growth management legislation clears first committee
Posted on 18:05 by Unknown
Three growth management bills that are intended to address a judge's ruling last summer passed their first Senate committee stop on Tuesday.In August, Circuit Judge Charles Francis in Tallahassee ruled that the 2009 growth management overhaul in SB 360 was unconstitutional because they represented an unfunded mandate for cities and counties and because the bill included more than one subject. The
Florida Power & Light told to revise its energy conservation plan
Posted on 18:00 by Unknown
The Florida Public Service Commission on Tuesday told Florida Power & Light Co. to resubmit its energy conservation plan to meet yearly goals established by the agency under state law.FPL, the state's largest utility with 2.1 million customers, was the last among seven utilities to have its plans reviewed by the PSC as provided for by the Legislature in 2008 revisions of the Florida Energy
Monday, 10 January 2011
SACE says it's hopeful with Duke-Progress Energy merger
Posted on 14:49 by Unknown
The leader of a Southern regional environmental group that has been battling Progress Energy over energy conservation and a planned new nuclear plant in Levy County says it's hopeful that the utility's merger with Duke Energy will lead Progress to take more environmentally friendly positions.Duke Energy and Progress Energy on Monday announced the merger agreement to combine the companies, though
Groups back off merger criticism in growth recommendations
Posted on 14:48 by Unknown
Environmentalists on Monday issued growth management recommendations to state leaders but stopped short of criticizing a proposal by Gov. Rick Scott's transition team to merge state growth management and environmental protection agencies into a new "Department of Growth Leadership."Scott's transition team last month recommended creating the new agency by merging the Department of Community
Saturday, 8 January 2011
Florida ag commissioner sees "common cause" in Everglades as new federal refuge announced
Posted on 06:19 by Unknown
WESTON -- Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam at the Everglades Coalition Conference on Friday called for "smart" environmental restoration while the U.S. Interior Secretary announced a federal initiative with landowners to conserve portions of the Kissimmee River and Lake Okeechobee.Putnam is the first agriculture commissioner to speak at the conference, according to organizers. More than 500
Thursday, 6 January 2011
Scott names former St. Joe exec to lead Florida planning agency
Posted on 05:51 by Unknown
Gov. Rick Scott on Wednesday evening announced that he was hiring Billy Buzzett, a former top executive at the St. Joe Company to take over the Department of Community Affairs.Buzzett will take the place of Tom Pelham, who criticized Scott's statement that DCA is killing jobs. Pelham maintained that land-planning agency had approved plenty of development in recent years but that the financial
Wednesday, 5 January 2011
Septic tank delay bill goes to Gov. Rick Scott
Posted on 05:11 by Unknown
A bill that would delay implementation of a statewide septic tank inspection requirement was presented Tuesday to Gov. Rick Scott -- after agency rule-making already had been halted.A Senate spokesman declined to say whether the Legislature had delayed sending the bill to avoid a veto by then-Gov. Charlie Crist. He signed SB 550 in June, which contained the inspection requirement. Supporters,
Tuesday, 4 January 2011
Scott's inauguration speech raises concerns among some enviros
Posted on 13:25 by Unknown
Gov. Rick Scott on Tuesday vowed to create the "most favorable business climate in the world" in Florida and issued an executive order to suspend government rule-making.While not specifically blaming environmental permitting during his inauguration speech, he said regulation, taxation and litigation together form the "axis of unemployment.""Unless they are approved, regulations grow like weeds,"
Incoming governor Scott taps shipyard executive for Florida DEP post
Posted on 04:16 by Unknown
Governor-elect Rick Scott on Monday named Jacksonville shipyard executive Herschel Vinyard Jr. to lead the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, calling him a man of "deep environmental knowledge and practical business experience."Vinyard, who also served as a member of Scott's economic development transition team, recently served as director of business operation for BAE Systems
Outgoing PSC commissioner raises concerns about agency
Posted on 04:14 by Unknown
Former Florida Public Service Commissioner Nathan Skop said Monday that the public should be concerned about the agency's ability to be fair and impartial now that he and other reform-minded commissioners have been ousted.Skop's final day in office was Jan. 1. He and then-PSC Chairwoman Nancy Argenziano were ousted in June when the PSC Nominating Council voted not to interview them for
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