Author name: bruce

By Bruce Ritchie When do the Sunshine Law and weather small-talk not mix? When the law applies to members of the new Florida Energy and Climate Commission, which held its first meeting last week. The commission received a briefing from Pat Gleason, director of Cabinet affairs for Gov. Charlie Crist and special counsel on open […]

By Bruce Ritchie ST. MARKS, Fla. — An estimated 2,000 people were here today to see seven endangered whooping cranes being led by ultralight aircraft to the St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge. The young cranes were led to the refuge for the first time as part of an effort to re-establish an eastern flock of

By Bruce Ritchie Those who work to improve natural areas on federal, state and private lands are at risk of losing one of their most important tools — prescribed fire, a top federal fire official said this week. Land managers in Florida burn about 2 million acres a year in Florida on average to improve

By Bruce Ritchie Gov. Charlie Crist today told the inaugural meeting of the state Energy and Climate Commission that Florida has embarked on a “great path and challenge” in developing renewable energy and diversifying its fuel resources. “These are challenging times,” Crist said during the meeting in the Capitol. “And I am convinced that the

By Bruce Ritchie A Leon County landowner says he likely won’t sell to the state now that the Legislature has cut its conservation land-buying program. The Legislature Wednesday voted to approve a $2.8 billion package of spending cuts and trust fund transfers. The measure was needed to offset declining revenue in the state budget, legislative

By Bruce Ritchie Florida state CFO Alex Sink raised concerns today that the Legislature’s proposed cuts to the state’s land purchase program will kill land deals that already have been approved by the governor and Cabinet. The Legislature is poised to cut about $230 million from Florida Forever, the nation’s largest conservation land-buying program. The

By Bruce Ritchie Gov. Charlie Crist said he’s joining with Florida residents and businesses today in applauding a U.S. Supreme Court decision not to hear an appeal by Georgia dealing with Apalachicola River Flow. Alabama, Florida and Georgia have been in court since 1990 battling over water from the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint river system. Alabama and Georgia

By Bruce Ritchie “Clean” Coal as renewable energy? No way. That was the sentiment of a majority of the Florida Public Service Commission on Friday when it considered adopting a proposed rule to require utilities to produce a percentage of their energy from renewable sources. To reduce greenhouse gas emissions that scientists say contribute to

By Bruce Ritchie Florida’s fight against the microscopic menace of its beaches and coastal waters could be dealt a blow by spending cuts being considered by the Legislature, marine researchers say. House and Senate committees this week recommended cutting spending for research into “red tide,” a toxic microorganism that causes fish kills, contaminates shellfish and

By Bruce Ritchie House and Senate committees are considering recommending cutting more than 100 positions from environmental agencies to meet a projected $2.3 billion state budget deficit. The Legislature is meeting in special session this week to find ways to reduce a $2.3 billion budget shortfall caused by the slow economy. House Natural Resources Appropriations