desantis

Environmental Changes Teed Up for Florida Budget Talks

Dan Environment, Florida, Irrigation, Lake Okeechobee, Legislative, Regulation, Water, Wetland

(NSF/TALLAHASSEE/Feb. 22, 2022) — A controversial environmental bill the Senate massaged last week after outcries from Everglades activists, fishing guides and Gov. Ron DeSantis is ready to become part of budget talks with the House. With little comment, the House on Tuesday, took up the bill (SB 2508) and nine other Senate measures and positioned them for negotiations that will …

DeSantis Takes Aim at Senate Environmental Proposal

Dan Conservation, Environment, Florida, Lake Okeechobee

(TALLAHASSEE, FL/NSF/Feb. 10, 2022) — Gov. Ron DeSantis on Thursday opposed a controversial Senate budget bill that critics say could affect Everglades restoration. But Senate President Wilton Simpson, R-Trilby, defended the bill as protecting restoration efforts, including a massive reservoir. Members of the Senate Appropriations Committee on Wednesday approved the bill (SB 2508), which drew opposition from environmentalists, charter boat …

desantis

Florida Senate Proposes Money for Everglades, Sea Level Rise

Dan Environment, Florida, Lake Okeechobee, News from Our Sponsors, Water

(NSF) — Gov. Ron DeSantis would get more than he requested for Everglades restoration and water projects in the coming year under an initial Senate budget proposal that also would set up a grant program to address sea-level rise. In addition, the Senate is proposing an increase in money for the state’s springs, a reduction to the Florida Forever conservation …

farm bureau

‘Right to Farm’ Expansion Clears Senate

Dan Field Crops, Florida, Lake Okeechobee, Legislative, Specialty Crops, Sugar

(NSF) — A proposal to help shield farmers from “nuisance” lawsuits was approved Thursday by the Florida Senate, as some critics contend it is intended to protect the sugar industry around Lake Okeechobee. A priority of Senate President Wilton Simpson, R-Trilby, the measure (SB 88) was approved in a 37-1 vote. It would expand Florida’s “Right to Farm” law, which …

farm

‘Right to Farm’ Expansion Gets House Support

Dan Florida, Lake Okeechobee, Legislative

(NSF) — A priority of Senate President Wilton Simpson to give farmers more protection from “nuisance” lawsuits started to move forward Wednesday in the House. Over the objections of environmentalists who contend the proposal is intended to protect the sugar industry around Lake Okeechobee, the House Civil Justice & Property Rights Subcommittee voted 14-4 to support a measure (HB 1601) …

acquisition

Judge Says Trial Needed in Conservation Dispute

Dan Florida, Industry News Release, Irrigation, Lake Okeechobee, Water

(NSF) — A Leon County circuit judge has said a trial is needed in part of a long-running lawsuit about how the Legislature carried out a 2014 constitutional amendment aimed at land and water conservation. Environmental groups in October asked Circuit Judge Charles Dodson to grant summary judgment finding that some state budget items from 2015 and 2016 violated the …

supreme court

Supreme Court Set to Hear Water Battle

Dan Florida, Georgia, Industry News Release, Lake Okeechobee, Water

(NSF) — After years of battling between Florida and Georgia, the U.S. Supreme Court next month will again take up a dispute about water in a river system that links the two states. The Supreme Court last week scheduled oral arguments Feb. 22 in the case about divvying up water in the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint river system, which stretches from northern Georgia …

everglades

DeSantis Calls Reservoir ‘A Top Environmental Priority’

Dan Environment, Florida, Industry News Release, Lake Okeechobee

(NSF) — Gov. Ron DeSantis backed a controversial reservoir being built in the Everglades while announcing the state will use a pool of environmental money to help Miami-Dade County protect Biscayne Bay from continued degradation. DeSantis said his office will continue to support the $1.6 billion Everglades Agricultural Area reservoir, which was approved by the Legislature in 2017 but has …

simpson

Backroom Briefing: Simpson Not a Fan of Reservoir

Dan Florida, Industry News Release, Lake Okeechobee

(NSF) — Senate President Wilton Simpson (R-FL/District 10) said he wasn’t sold on a $1.6 billion reservoir south of Lake Okeechobee when he voted in 2017 for the project, which was a priority of then-President Joe Negron, R-Stuart. And with the coronavirus pandemic punching a $3 billion to $4 billion hole in the state budget for next fiscal year, Simpson …