Author name: bruce

Cabinet approves search for DEP secretary and first oyster leases near Pensacola

1 Comment / Misc /

By BRUCE RITCHIE FLORIDAENVIRONMENTS.COM The Florida Cabinet will conduct a nationwide search for the Department of Environmental Protection secretary following the Senate’s refusal to confirm appointments during the 2015 legislative session. Gov. Rick Scott and the Cabinet on Tuesday voted to reappoin DEP Secretary Jon Steverson and Rick Swearingen as director of the Florida Department […]

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Alabama isn’t joining Florida in this water fight with Georgia

3 Comments / Water /

By BRUCE RITCHIE FLORIDAENVIRONMENTS.COM Alabama says it doesn’t need to be involved in a legal fight between Florida and Georgia over water, unlike earlier disputes when Alabama usually fought alongside Florida in cases involving the three states. Florida filed a lawsuit in 2013 asking the U. S. Supreme Court to allocate water in the Apalachicola, Chattahoochee

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With Steverson reappointed to DEP, Senate prez says confirmation not “a simple rubber stamp”

2 Comments / 2015 Legislature, Gov. Rick Scott, Land Acquisition /

By BRUCE RITCHIE FLORIDAENVIRONMENTS.COM Gov. Rick Scott on Monday reappointed Department of Environmental Protection Secretary Jon Steverson along with 15 other agency heads following the Senate’s failure to confirm. The Senate failed to vote on many of Scott’s appointments last week as the 2015 legislative session broke down amid an impasse between the House and

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Court official in FL v. GA water case issues confidentiality order

Misc /

By BRUCE RITCHIE FLORIDAPOLITICS.COM An official appointed by the U.S. Supreme Court to oversee a lawsuit filed by Florida against Georgia over water use on Monday issued an order providing for confidential talks among the states. Ralph I. Lancaster, a Maine attorney who’s special master in the case, in a conference call also called the

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Florida in a bad spot with argument in water dispute, professor says

1 Comment / Water /

By BRUCE RITCHIE A legal dispute in the U. S. Supreme Court between Florida and Georgia over water can proceed without the involvement of federal government that operates dams on the Chattahoochee and Apalachicola Rivers, federal officials say. That argument highlights how the water dispute between the states has changed. And if the argument holds

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Apalachicola group fires back at Georgia subpoena in water lawsuit

Water /

By BRUCE RITCHIE FLORIDA ENVIRONMENTS Two Florida universities, two counties and more groups in Apalachicola have received subpoenas from Georgia in its water dispute with Florida before the U. S. Supreme Court, prompting more criticism of Florida’s lawsuit. Florida in 2013 asked the U. S. Supreme Court to divide water in the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint (ACF) system

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Florida, Georgia issue subpoenas to groups in water legal fight

Gov. Rick Scott, Water /

By BRUCE RITCHIE FLORIDA ENVIRONMENTS Environmental groups in Georgia and a seafood workers group in Franklin County are among the organizations required to turn over information in a legal dispute over water between Florida and Georgia. Alabama, Florida and Georgia have been fighting in court over water from the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint river system since 1990. In

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Governor provides Amendment 1 spending breakdown

2015 Legislature, Budgets, Gov. Rick Scott, Land Acquisition, Pollution, Water Supply /

By BRUCE RITCHIE FLORIDA ENVIRONMENTS Gov. Rick Scott’s office on Thursday provided a breakdown of how the governor requests $757 million provided by Amendment 1 be spent in the 2015-16 state budget. Amendment 1, approved by voters in November, provides one third of the revenue from an excise tax on real estate transactions to the

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Georgia claims Florida is responsible for collapse of Apalachicola Bay oysters

Gov. Rick Scott, Water /

BY BRUCE RITCHIE FLORIDAENVIRONMENTS Georgia is denying it caused the decline of oysters in Apalachicola Bay beginning in 2012 and says Florida is responsible for environmental problems along the Apalachicola River. Alabama, Florida and Georgia have been battling in court since 1990 over water from the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint River system. Florida contends that increasing water use

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Graham irks environmentalists with vote for Keystone XL pipeline

5 Comments / Energy, Misc /

By BRUCE RITCHIE FLORIDAENVIRONMENTS After taking office this week, “The North Florida Way” for U. S. Rep. Gwen Graham on Friday meant joining with Republicans on Friday in support of the Keystone XL oil pipeline. Graham, D-Tallahassee, unseated Republican Rep. Steve Southerland of Panama City in November. She said in her campaign she would bring the “North Florida

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