By BRUCE RITCHIE FLORIDAENVIRONMENTS.COM The strong El Nino now underway is expected to bring heavy rains to the southeast in the upcoming winter but some drier weeks until then, Florida state climatologist David Zierden said Tuesday. El Nino refers to a climate pattern associated with high air pressure in the western Pacific Ocean and low […]
Friday, January 9, 2015
By BRUCE RITCHIE FLORIDAENVIRONMENTS After taking office this week, “The North Florida Way” for U. S. Rep. Gwen Graham on Friday meant joining with Republicans on Friday in support of the Keystone XL oil pipeline. Graham, D-Tallahassee, unseated Republican Rep. Steve Southerland of Panama City in November. She said in her campaign she would bring the “North Florida […]
Tuesday, August 19, 2014
Comments Off on Scientists question Scott’s commitment on climate after meeting
By BRUCE RITCHIE FLORIDAENVIRONMENTS.COM Scientists who met Tuesday with Gov. Rick Scott to explain the threat of climate change said the governor asked only modest questions while withholding comment on the issue. “He asked modest questions but he did not ask questions that reflected his understanding of the material,” Eckerd College Professor David Hastings said. […]
Thursday, April 10, 2014
Comments Off on Bills are dying — is springs legislation next?
By BRUCE RITCHIE FLORIDAENVIRONMENTS.COM I wrote a piece on the status of major environmental bills at the midpoint in the legislative session on April 4. But I didn’t get around to posting it. And that’s OK, because most of it had changed just seven days later. 1. SPRINGS LEGISLATION Sen. Charlie Dean said on April […]
Tuesday, February 25, 2014
Comments Off on The lesson learned from 10,000 miles in an all-electric Nissan LEAF
Our car recently passed the 10,000-mile mark. That’s usually not a big deal. But with our car, it may hold a lesson about when to invest in the latest green technology. Our car is the all-electric 2012 Nissan LEAF, which we leased in August 2012 with the intent of buying when the 40-month lease expired. […]
Saturday, March 30, 2013
Comments Off on WEEK FOUR: Hope for land-buying; Florida’s “broken” tanks program
With the Senate and House only holding meetings on Wednesday and Thursday this week, there was time to catch up on some stories that were slowly bubbling up. Like natural gas from a hydraulic fracturing well. QUOTE OF THE WEEK: “I think this issue has become radioactive, pardon the pun, for a lot of folks,” […]
Friday, March 15, 2013
Comments Off on Legislature Week Two: Everglades at warp speed
By Bruce Ritchie Floridaenvironments.com What a difference a week makes — when it comes to Everglades legislation. On March 7, after an Everglades bill was rolled out in a House committee, Rep. Matt Caldwell said there was no “go-fast” approach. Environmentalists who opposed HB 7065 said they had only seen the bill language less than […]
Friday, March 8, 2013
Comments Off on Florida’s Legislature’s 2013 session starts slow, gains steam
BY BRUCE RITCHIE Anyone interested in the environment couldn’t be blamed for skipping Tuesday’s opening session of the Legislature. But the week ended with a bang. Gov. Rick Scott’s “state of the state” speech on Tuesday contained no reference to the environment, energy or growth management. (See “Scott sounds re-election themes as 2013 session opens,” […]
Thursday, November 1, 2012
Comments Off on Issues in West Texas follow journalist back to Florida
By BRUCE RITCHIE My return journey home last week began in a jet taking off over a West Texas landscape of brown cotton fields under circles of pivot irrigation. It ended with a 20-mile-long descent over the tall pines and cypress trees in the Apalachicola National Forest — and a feeling of relief. Relief at […]
Monday, February 6, 2012
Comments Off on Florida environmentalists say there are more bills to work on
By Bruce Ritchie Floridaenvironments.com After scoring victories last week, environmental group lobbyists at the Florida Capitol say there is plenty more work to do during the 2012 legislative session. Environmental groups dropped their opposition on Tuesday to HB 503 dealing with environmental permitting and HB 639 dealing with reclaimed water after they were amended to […]
Tuesday, July 21, 2015
Comments Off on Strong El Nino could bring winter rains to southeast