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, […]
House panel passes three controversial bills Read More »
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.
Cabinet agrees to reverse DCA stance on Volusia development Read More »
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
EPA regional chief, responding to critics, says pollution prevention is good investment Read More »
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
EPA regional chief visits Tallahassee, may discuss water quality controversy Read More »
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
Facing elimination, DCA employees question Gov. Rick Scott Read More »
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
House, Senate to give closer scrutiny to budget this week Read More »
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
Groups want panther back in North Florida, South Georgia Read More »
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
Crist, Sink to lead drilling ban effort Read More »
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
New Florida agency chief calls for refocus on growth management Read More »
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
Scott would reorganize DCA, DEP under proposed budget Read More »
