Author name: bruce

In a legislative session marked by major environmental losses, environmentalists say there were a few bright spots among the bills that passed. The session was grim for environmentalists because no new money was provided for the Florida Forever land-buying program. And the House refused to consider Gov. Charlie Crist’s proposals to require utilities to use […]

The Florida House didn’t reject Gov. Charlie Crist’s environmental agenda during the Legislature’s 2009 regular session, House Speaker Larry Cretul said soon after the session adjourned sine die. The session ended today without the governor’s proposed renewable energy bill being brought up in the House nor his proposal for Florida to adopt California’s automobile emissions

Sen. JD Alexander is defending proposed budget language that would prevent the Florida Department of Health from implementing “any nitrogen reduction strategies” for a year until a septic tanks study is completed. The measure is aimed at preventing the DOH from implementing a proposed rule requiring advanced septic tanks to protect groundwater flowing from springs

Shell Point Beach in Wakulla County was purchased with Florida Forever money through Florida Communities Trust. Environmental groups this afternoon issued statements expressing regret that the state’s land-buying program next year will receive no state money or bonding authority. Florida Forever and its predecessor land-buying program received $300 million a year in bonding authority or

Everglades restoration will receive $50 million under a proposed fiscal year 2009-10 budget agreed upon by House and Senate leaders, but Florida Forever will receive no new money. The proposed budget also includes borrowing about $100 million to pay for cleaning up petroleum contamination sites. But a group representing gasoline station owners said the money

Gov. Charlie Crist said he’s still hopeful that there can be action in the legislative session on energy. But he also said he is considering again taking unilateral action on the issue. The House refused to consider a bill he supported that would require utilities to produce at least 15 percent of their electricity from

No renewable energy bill.No money for Florida Forever land-buying or Everglades restoration.No California auto emissions bill.No springs bill. That’s how the 2009 legislative session effectively ended tonight as far as environmental legislation goes. The Legislature will reconvene next week to vote on a 2009-10 state budget, but no environmental bills will be taken up. The

Two cases of H1N1 (swine) flu have been confirmed in Florida, Gov. Charlie Crist said. The cases, confirmed by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, were a student in Lee County and another in Broward County. One student recently traveled to Mexico, where the flu is thought to have originated. State Surgeon General

Senators and representatives from rural counties pleaded to a legislative conference committee for more money for a DEP solid waste program that provides money for waste programs in rural counties. The program provides for rural counties to collect garbage and to operate landfills, waste collection sites and recycling programs. The Senate and House have tentatively

Florida’s cleanup program for protecting groundwater from leaking underground tanks at gas stations will effectively end under a budget agreement between House and Senate leaders, Sen. Carey Baker said today. Florida collects an 80 cents-per-barrel tax on petroleum imported into the state to help pay for cleaning up soil and groundwater that poses a threat