Misc

SB 142 by Sen. Carey Baker, R-Mount Dora, would reverse the Legislature’s elimination last year of a requirement that water-management district boards vote to approve water-use permits.Last year, SB 2080, co-sponsored by Baker, prohibited homeowners associations from banning “Florida-friendly” landscaping in yards. The bill was supported by environmental groups until it was amended on the […]

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency this morning issued its proposed limits for phosphorus and nitrogen in Florida lakes and rivers — a move anticipated by industry and environmental groups alike. Springs, lakes and rivers have become choked with algae, fed by the nutrients phosphorus and nitrogen, scientists say. Potential sources of nutrients include stormwater runoff

Republican House members today expressed support for the idea of requiring oil rigs to be located out of sight even while they are pumping oil from beneath state waters near the coast. A representative of the National Ocean Industries Association told a House panel that oil and gas production platforms could be connected by pipelines

The House Energy & Utilities Policy Committee Wednesday heard from speakers on what a new state energy policy should include. The Legislature last year wrangled over energy issues as the House adopted a bill to allow offshore oil drilling in state coastal waters and the Senate adopted a bill to require utilities to use more

Ten endangered whooping cranes being led by ultralight aircraft on Wednesday arrived at St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge south of Tallahassee while another 10 continued towards Central Florida. The birds were being led by Operation Migration pilots under an effort to re-establish a migrating population of the whooping cranes east of the Mississippi River. Whooping

The talks among Alabama, Florida and Georgia over water-sharing are confidential now under an order entered last week by a federal judge — despite an objection from an environmental group involved in the litigation. The three states have been battling in federal court since 1990 over water from the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint river system. Alabama and Georgia

State planners increasingly are requiring cities and counties to show that proposed new developments include features to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from motor vehicles, a Department of Community Affairs official said today. HB 697, adopted by the Legislature, in 2008 required cities and counties to have energy-efficient land use patterns and greenhouse gas reduction strategies

Alabama, Florida and Georgia have agreed to at least one issue in their dispute over water — that their talks on a water agreement should remain confidential. The three states have been in federal court since 1990 fighting over water from the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint river system. Alabama and Georgia want water for cities, agriculture and industry

Here’s a look at the Top 10 environmental stories from around Florida’s Capitol in 2009 and a look at how those issues may play out in 2010: 1. Oil drilling — Drilling off Florida’s coastline faced bipartisan opposition until 2008, when Gov. Charlie Crist said he was open to the idea at the time he