The chairman of the new House Select Committee on Water Policy said Thursday that the state’s “local sources first” policy that discourages water pipelines will be reviewed along with the role of water-management districts. But she also said doing away with districts in favor of a statewide water agency would be “crazy.” One of the […]
House panel may reconsider firey water issue Read More »
Uncertainty over how the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency plans to enforce new water quality standards continues to create wide-ranging cost estimates for meeting the new requirements, a state environmental official said Wednesday. The EPA in December adopted new numeric nutrient standards for phosphorus and nitrogen in Florida waterways. The standards are needed to reduce the
Estimates of federal costs of water rules vary widely, Florida DEP says Read More »
Department of Community Affairs Secretary Billy Buzzett told reporters on Tuesday during his first day on the job that he had been given no specific orders by his boss, Gov. Rick Scott, as to the future of the agency. Buzzett attended a meeting of the Senate Community Affairs Committee but he did not address the
New DCA secretary says he doesn’t have marching orders on agency’s future Read More »
Three growth management bills that are intended to address a judge’s ruling last summer passed their first Senate committee stop on Tuesday. In August, Circuit Judge Charles Francis in Tallahassee ruled that the 2009 growth management overhaul in SB 360 was unconstitutional because they represented an unfunded mandate for cities and counties and because the
Growth management legislation clears first committee 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 »
WESTON — Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam at the Everglades Coalition Conference on Friday called for “smart” environmental restoration while the U.S. Interior Secretary announced a federal initiative with landowners to conserve portions of the Kissimmee River and Lake Okeechobee. Putnam is the first agriculture commissioner to speak at the conference, according to organizers. More than
Gov. Rick Scott on Wednesday evening announced that he was hiring Billy Buzzett, a former top executive at the St. Joe Company to take over the Department of Community Affairs. Buzzett will take the place of Tom Pelham, who criticized Scott’s statement that DCA is killing jobs. Pelham maintained that land-planning agency had approved plenty
Scott names former St. Joe exec to lead Florida planning agency Read More »
A bill that would delay implementation of a statewide septic tank inspection requirement was presented Tuesday to Gov. Rick Scott — after agency rule-making already had been halted. A Senate spokesman declined to say whether the Legislature had delayed sending the bill to avoid a veto by then-Gov. Charlie Crist. He signed SB 550 in
Septic tank delay bill goes to Gov. Rick Scott Read More »
Gov. Rick Scott on Tuesday vowed to create the “most favorable business climate in the world” in Florida and issued an executive order to suspend government rule-making. While not specifically blaming environmental permitting during his inauguration speech, he said regulation, taxation and litigation together form the “axis of unemployment.” “Unless they are approved, regulations grow
Scott’s inauguration speech raises concerns among some enviros Read More »
Governor-elect Rick Scott on Monday named Jacksonville shipyard executive Herschel Vinyard Jr. to lead the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, calling him a man of “deep environmental knowledge and practical business experience.” Vinyard, who also served as a member of Scott’s economic development transition team, recently served as director of business operation for BAE Systems
Incoming governor Scott taps shipyard executive for Florida DEP post Read More »
