Author name: bruce

Supporters of the Florida Forever land-buying program say reports that the program is dead in fiscal year 2009-10 are premature. The state has purchased 2.4 million acres since 1990 under Florida Forever and a predecessor program, making it the largest conservation land-buying program in the nation and a top priority for environmental groups each year. […]

The House today adopted a growth-management bill after heated debate during which a Republican leader suggested he’d like Department of Community Affairs Secretary Tom Pelham to leave state government. The remark by Rep. Dave Murzin, R-Pensacola, followed a statement issued by Pelham yesterday against SB 360. DCA supported the bill as approved by the Senate,

The governor and Cabinet today approved its first priority purchase list for more than 54,000 acres of ranches and farmland under a program that’s designed to keep the property in private ownership while protecting it from development. The Rural and Family Lands Protection Act of 2001 established the program to purchase “conservation easements” that would

Gov. Charlie Crist said this morning that it’s “appropriate” that the Senate apparently won’t hear before the legislative session ends a House bill that would lift the ban on drilling for oil and gas within three miles of the coast. “While I believe that it’s worthwhile studying and looking into for energy independence for our

In a vote described by both sides in historic terms, the House today approved a bill that would allow oil drilling in state waters as close as three miles to the coastline. Supporters said the bill was needed to reduce the nation’s dependence on foreign oil. But opponents said drilling would put the state’s beach

By Bruce Ritchie Some environmentalists say their low expectations for the legislative session have been met. Heading into the final week of the session that began March 3, the prospects range from uncertain to bleak for Gov. Charlie Crist’s energy bills, conservation land-buying and for a Senate measure aimed at protecting Florida’s springs. But some

“Some people would like to think that (the world’s petroleum supply is limited). Estimates might show that. But that doesn’t mean that at all. We happen to worship a god who made it all out of nothing anyway. And if we ran out, I certainly believe he could make some more.” Rep. Charles Van Zant,

The Florida House today gave preliminary approval to a bill that would lift the ban on oil and gas production within three miles of the coast. Earlier today, Gov. Charlie Crist and CFO Alex Sink, a Democrat, criticized the proposal as coming late in the legislative session. HB 1219 would require the governor and Cabinet

A House committee on Wednesday passed a bill that would exempt conservation lands from being taxed as approved by voters last November. But farming and environmental groups remained concerned that the measure would restrict landowners from receiving the tax breaks. Amendment 4, approved by 68 percent of voters in November, exempts land from property taxes

Celebrating Earth Day outside the Capitol on Wednesday, Gov. Charlie Crist said he is open minded to HB 1219, which would allow oil drilling off the Florida coast. “I think the more diversified we can be when it comes to the energy resources that we have the stronger that makes Florida and America,” Crist said.