By BRUCE RITCHIE FLORIDAENVIRONMENTS.COM Sen. President Andy Gardiner said Thursday that a five-year planning process for land purchases and water projects may be a good idea following voter approval last month of Amendment 1. The amendment provides one-third of revenue from an excise tax on real estate to water and land conservation. Amendment 1 was […]
Senate president says five-year land-buying work plan needed Read More »
By BRUCE RITCHIE FLORIDAENVIRONMENTS.COM Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal announced Thursday he is establishing a new office to coordinate the state’s efforts on two fronts in water wars with Alabama and Florida. Also on Thursday, Florida Gov. Rick Scott named Jon Steverson, the outspoken executive director of the Northwest Florida Water Management District, to lead the
By BRUCE RITCHIE FLORIDAENVIRONMENTS.COM Florida Department of Environmental Protection Secretary Herschel T. Vinyard Jr. told Gov. Rick Scott on Wednesday that he is leaving the department on Dec. 1. Vinyard, who has lived in Tallahassee while commuting to his Jacksonville home on weekends since being appointed in 2011, was expected to leave following Scott’s re-election
Vinyard announces he’s leaving DEP, interim replacement named Read More »
The U. S. Supreme Court has appointed Maine lawyer Robert I. Lancaster to oversee a water dispute between Florida and Georgia. The Supreme Court earlier this month gave Florida permission to sue Georgia over water from the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint river system. Florida Gov. Rick Scott blames Georgia for lack of freshwater flow that harms Apalachicola Bay
Supreme Court appoints special master in GA v. FL water dispute Read More »
By BRUCE RITCHIE FLORIDAENVIRONMENTS.COM Atlanta created its own legal mess over water because in 1950, then-Mayor William B. Hartsfield refused to spend a little more than $1 million to help pay for Lake Lanier, writes Skye Borden in “Thirsty City: Politics, Greed and the Making of Atlanta’s Water Crisis.” Alabama, Florida and Georgia have been locked in a legal
“Thirsty City” traces history of Atlanta’s water crisis and fight with Florida Read More »
By BRUCE RITCHIE FLORIDAENVIRONMENTS.COM A Florida election with environmental overtones saw Gov. Rick Scott re-elected Tuesday over Democrat Charlie Crist and a state constitutional amendment for conservation passing by a wide margin. Scott, who won election in 2010 with tea party backing and vetoed conservation lands spending in his first year of office, led by
Scott, conservation lands amendment win in Florida election Read More »
By BRUCE RITCHIE FLORIDAENVIRONMENTS.COM The U. S. Supreme Court on Monday allowed Florida’s lawsuit against Georgia over water use to move forward, at least long enough for Georgia to file a response. Alabama, Florida and Georgia have been battling in federal court over water from the Apalachiciola-Chattahoochee Flint River system. A year ago, Florida Gov.
US Supreme Court accepts Florida’s water lawsuit Read More »
BY BRUCE RITCHIE FLORIDAENVIRONMENTS.COM Apalachicola Bay seafood industry representatives said this week they’re concerned by a lack of action by Florida to protect oysters there while Georgia environmental groups critized their state for policies that the groups say are increasing tensions in the tri-state water wars. Alabama, Florida and Georgia have been fighting in federal
BY BRUCE RITCHIE FLORIDAENVIRONMENTS.COM U. S. Rep. Steve Southerland is accusing Democratic challenger Gwen Graham of flip-flopping on the issue of the Apalachicola River but Graham denies there has been any shift in her stance. A year ago, Florida Gov. Rick Scott filed a lawsuit against Georgia asking the U. S. Supreme Court to divide
Graham denies Southerland accusation of river flip-flop Read More »
By BRUCE RITCHIE FLORIDAENVIRONMENTS.COM Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam on Friday offered support for state wildlife officials as they whether decide to close Apalachicola Bay to oyster harvesting. Alabama, Florida and Georgia have been fighting in federal court over water in the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint river system since 1990. Last Oct. 1, Florida asked the U. S. Supreme Court
