Government

Northwest Florida could get $21 million for springs protection

By BRUCE RITCHIE FLORIDAENVIRONMENTS.COM MIDWAY — The Northwest Florida Water Management District is in line to receive more than $10 million in springs protection funding from the state budget and could get as much as $21.5 million, the district’s governing board was told Thursday. The eight possible springs projects include $6.4 million for 1,077 acres …

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Supreme Court official denies Georgia’s motion to dismiss case

By BRUCE RITCHIE FLORIDA ENVIRONMENTS.COM A court official has denied a motion by Georgia to dismiss a U. S. Supreme Court lawsuit by Florida seeking to cap Georgia’s water use. Florida in 2013 asked the Supreme Court to intervene following the crash of the oyster population in Apalachicola Bay. Alabama, Florida and Georgia have battled …

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Gov. Rick Scott, Georgia Gov. Deal meet privately on water dispute

Florida Gov. Rick Scott met Tuesday with Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal as part of a continuing round of private meetings to discuss water issues. Alabama, Florida and Georgia have been fighting in court over water since 1990. In 2013, Florida asked the U. S. Supreme Court to cap Georgia’s water use at 1992 levels to protect water …

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Graham legislation would require feds to consider Apalachicola Bay water needs

EASTPOINT — After a morning spent working with seafood harvesters on Apalachicola Bay, U. S. Rep. Gwen Graham said Tuesday she is introducing legislation to require federal reservoir managers to consider the bay’s freshwater needs. Alabama, Florida and Georgia have been battling in federal court for 25 years over water from the Chattahoochee and Flint Rivers, …

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DEP says no “critical” funding would force state parks to close

By BRUCE RITCHIE Florida would be forced to close state parks without approval of a new state budget that provides for at least “critical” spending, according to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. DEP on Monday issued a list of critical funding needs as requested last week by Gov. Rick Scott in advance of a June 1-20 …

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With Steverson reappointed to DEP, Senate prez says confirmation not “a simple rubber stamp”

By BRUCE RITCHIE FLORIDAENVIRONMENTS.COM Gov. Rick Scott on Monday reappointed Department of Environmental Protection Secretary Jon Steverson along with 15 other agency heads following the Senate’s failure to confirm. The Senate failed to vote on many of Scott’s appointments last week as the 2015 legislative session broke down amid an impasse between the House and …

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Florida, Georgia issue subpoenas to groups in water legal fight

By BRUCE RITCHIE FLORIDA ENVIRONMENTS Environmental groups in Georgia and a seafood workers group in Franklin County are among the organizations required to turn over information in a legal dispute over water between Florida and Georgia. Alabama, Florida and Georgia have been fighting in court over water from the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint river system since 1990. In …

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Governor provides Amendment 1 spending breakdown

By BRUCE RITCHIE FLORIDA ENVIRONMENTS Gov. Rick Scott’s office on Thursday provided a breakdown of how the governor requests $757 million provided by Amendment 1 be spent in the 2015-16 state budget. Amendment 1, approved by voters in November, provides one third of the revenue from an excise tax on real estate transactions to the …

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Georgia claims Florida is responsible for collapse of Apalachicola Bay oysters

BY BRUCE RITCHIE FLORIDAENVIRONMENTS Georgia is denying it caused the decline of oysters in Apalachicola Bay beginning in 2012 and says Florida is responsible for environmental problems along the Apalachicola River. Alabama, Florida and Georgia have been battling in court since 1990 over water from the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint River system. Florida contends that increasing water use …

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Senate president says five-year land-buying work plan needed

By BRUCE RITCHIE FLORIDAENVIRONMENTS.COM Sen. President Andy Gardiner said Thursday that a five-year planning process for land purchases and water projects may be a good idea following voter approval last month of Amendment 1. The amendment provides one-third of revenue from an excise tax on real estate to water and land conservation. Amendment 1 was …

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