2010 archive

Gov. Charlie Crist on Tuesday vetoed bills related to yard waste in landfills and petroleum contamination sites. Both HB 569 and HB 1385 were introduced by Rep. Ralph Poppell, R-Vero Beach and chairman of the House Natural Resources Appropriations Committee. HB 569 would have lifted the state ban on yard waste in landfills where methane […]

Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue on Tuesday signed a bill that supporters say could help resolve the state’s water wars with Alabama and Florida. The three states have been fighting in federal court since 1990 over water from the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint river system. U. S. District Judge Paul A. Magnuson on July 17, 2009 ruled that water

Grant programs at the Florida Department of Community Affairs will not be accepting new applications this year for local parks and working waterfronts projects. The Florida Communities Trust (FCT) matches local dollars to help build recreational trails, preserve cultural and historic sites and provide public access to waterways and beaches. Because of the lack of

Gov. Charlie Crist on Friday vetoed HB 1565, saying the rule-making bill violated the separation of powers between the legislative and executive branches of state government. The bill required the Legislature to approve agency rules that would cost economic growth in excess of $1 million or affect private sector innovation or competition with other states

A worker removes oil from a beach in Louisiana on May 23. No oil connected with the Deepwater Horizon spill has been confirmed on Florida beaches. Researchers are concerned that a sub-surface plume of oil could threaten Florida’s coast for months even if BP is successful in capping a gushing oil well. The Deepwater Horizon

Vessels conduct “top kill” operation at oil spill site in Gulf of Mexico. (Coast Guard photo) A BP official said Thursday that it was too soon to know whether the “top kill” operation aimed at ending the gush of oil from the damaged oil well off the Louisiana coast was working. BP was planning to

Conceptual rendering of American Renewables proposed plant in Gainesville A biomass power plant proposed by Gainesville was narrowly approved Thursday by the Florida Public Service Commission after nearly being voted down in February. The commission split 3-2 in favor of the plant. Gainesville Regional Utilities requested a determination of need for the 100-megawatt plant that

BP on Wednesday began its “top kill” procedure for trying to stop an oil well leak in the Gulf of Mexico that threatens Florida’s coast. There was no word whether the procedure was working. The top kill involves pumping dense oil drilling “mud” and concrete through a malfunctioning blow-out preventer device. A BP official said

Gov. Charlie Crist says he is giving HB 1565 regarding agency rule-making “a close look” as he considers whether to sign the bill or veto it in response to opposition. Crist has until Friday to sign the bill, which would require the Legislature to approve agency rules that cost economic growth in excess of $1

Opponents of a proposed biomass gas electric plant in Gainesville are asking the Public Service Commission to delay an expected decision on Thursday because of a new federal rule dealing with greenhouse gas emissions. The needs determination for the American Renewables plant proposed by Gainesville Regional Utilities is being watched closely by supporters and opponents