E. Thom Rumberger was remembered Monday as a champion of the Everglades who was gracious and effective while also helping build the modern Republican Party in Florida. The 79-year-old general counsel of the Everglades Foundation died Sept. 7 from complications associated with diabetes. “The Everglades has lost its most important advocate,” W. L. “Bud” Kirk, […]
Rumberger remembered as tireless champion for Everglades Read More »
The Florida legislative session went off track early Saturday, taking several bills with it that were supported by business and industry groups and opposed by environmentalists. But environmentalists were not in a celebratory mood as the Legislature passed bills gutting state growth management and placing the burden of proof on those who file legal challenges
Session could have been worse but it was still bad, environmentalists say Read More »
Growth management, fertilizer and septic tanks are some of the environmental issues awaiting action by the Legislature on Friday, its final scheduled day of the regular session. Renewable energy, permitting and growth management were the big three issues heading into the session. There also was an outcry from some rural residents against last year’s requirement
Final day of session: Energy dead but growth overhaul, septic bills very much alive Read More »
Gov. Rick Scott skipped a rally for the Florida Forever conservation land-buying program but attended a nearby “Tea Party” rally on the opening day of the legislative session. Florida Forever was the largest land-buying program in the nation from 1990 to 2008, when funding was reduced. Scott offered no money for the program in his
Governor skips Florida Forever rally, visits with Tea Party Read More »
Environmental groups, which have become accustomed to playing defense in the Legislature for many years, are digging in for what could be an even tougher fight this year. The legislative session starts on Tuesday, March 8. There are bills filed to streamline environmental permitting, repeal a statewide septic tank inspection requirement and prohibit local governments
Environmental groups digging in for tough legislative session Read More »
The group that led the opposition to the “Hometown Democracy” Amendment 4 last November said Tuesday that environmental groups continue to “wage a campaign of unchecked misinformation.” Amendment 4, which was voted down by 67 percent of voters, would have required local voter approval of changes to comprehensive land use plans. Business groups, cities and
Opponents of growth ballot measure take new aim at Florida enviro groups Read More »
Environmental groups are asking federal wildlife officials to reintroduce panthers into North Florida and South Georgia to help save the endangered species. Panthers once ranged across the southeast but are now limited to South Florida, where there are fewer than 130 living in the wild. Threats to their survival habitat loss, highways, lack of genetic
Groups want panther back in North Florida, South Georgia Read More »
Former Gov. Charlie Crist and former Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink said Wednesday that banning oil drilling will help protect the state’s tourism economy and environment. They returned to Tallahassee to announce they will co-chair the petition drive to put a ban on oil drilling on the 2012 election ballot. As the Deepwater Horizon oil
Crist, Sink to lead drilling ban effort Read More »
The leader of a Southern regional environmental group that has been battling Progress Energy over energy conservation and a planned new nuclear plant in Levy County says it’s hopeful that the utility’s merger with Duke Energy will lead Progress to take more environmentally friendly positions. Duke Energy and Progress Energy on Monday announced the merger
SACE says it’s hopeful with Duke-Progress Energy merger Read More »
Environmentalists on Monday issued growth management recommendations to state leaders but stopped short of criticizing a proposal by Gov. Rick Scott’s transition team to merge state growth management and environmental protection agencies into a new “Department of Growth Leadership.” Scott’s transition team last month recommended creating the new agency by merging the Department of Community
Groups back off merger criticism in growth recommendations Read More »
