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,
Thursday, 24 February 2011
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
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