Gray Rohrer
Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis wants Congress to reverse a federal court decision eliminating a rule allowing Florida to take over part of the federal government’s environmental permitting processes.
Patronis wrote to Florida’s Congressional delegation asking them to support legislation from the state’s U.S. Senators, Marco Rubio and Rick Scott, to essentially reverse that decision.
“Since its enactment over three years ago, the state 404 permitting program has allowed Florida to build enough roads, housing, and businesses to keep up with the influx of new Floridians,” Patronis wrote.
“Now, construction projects across the state have come to a grinding halt and placed many of our business owners and their employees in financial straits. I’m appalled that one person in a robe judging from their bench all the way in Washington has been allowed to shut down many of our state’s economic development projects.”
The ruling from D.C. District Court Judge Randolph Moss in February overturned an action taken by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the waning days of former President Donald Trump’s administration in January 2021. The EPA allowed Florida to take over the permitting process of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers under the Clean Water Act.
Seven environmental groups, led by Earthjustice, sued Florida and the federal government over the move, alleging it violated the Administrative Procedures Act and the Endangered Species Act.
Judge Moss in his ruling noted that the EPA had only twice before approved a state’s application to take over the permitting process for a given project — Michigan in 1984 and New Jersey in 1994 — and those were isolated cases.
“In this case, however, Florida proposed something novel: It sought to confer, through the Section 7 mechanism, broad ESA liability protection on all future state permittees for incidental take resulting from state-issued dredge and fill permits,” Moss wrote.
“We’re talking about the destruction of some of the last remaining habitat for one of the most endangered animals in the world,” Earthjustice attorney Bonnie Malloy said in a statement released in February after the ruling. “Restoring the Endangered Species Act protections will ensure that these projects get the analysis and review Congress intended to protect threatened and endangered species.”
Earthjustice estimated that a development project in South Florida seeking a wetlands permit under the state’s process could result in the deaths of up to 26 Florida panthers.
But for Patronis, the ruling is putting the brakes on Florida’s economy.
“Right now, over 1,600 applications have yet to be approved, leaving private and public projects in a state of limbo,” Patronis wrote. “Unfortunately, nobody knows how to shoot themselves in the foot quite like short-sighted environmental alarmists who set out to find activist judges who will twist the law to their own ends. This is why we need congressional action immediately.”
9 comments
ScienceBLVR
April 24, 2024 at 9:40 pm
Jimmy, STOP! Protect Florida habitat! Do your job for our kids and grands. Please.. serve the People!
Like a duck riding a bicycle
April 25, 2024 at 2:38 am
You might as well ask a snake to wear cowboy boots. They won’t quit until there’s nothing left but strip malls and pavement and pollution and hopefully then it all topples into the sea…
wake up now
April 25, 2024 at 7:41 am
Patronis is a big loser. Gross disrespect for the rule of law. Gross contempt for Florida’s constitutional mandate to protect the natural resources and scenic beauty of this State. Let’s pave paradise and put up a parking lot, eh Jimmy? FYYCSMF
Ocean Joe
April 25, 2024 at 7:57 am
Pave everything, paint it red and holler for more carpetbaggers to show up.
Nobody seems to understand the carrying capacity of Florida’s resources. We tried to steal water from Georgia and lost in court.
We give away our spring waters to the lowest bidder. We (Dirty Ricky) abolished the DCA and gutted the Water management districts, destroying 2 decades and environmental progress under Askew through Chiles.
Nothing like the smell of hot asphalt at the megamall parking lot.
Dont Say FLA
April 25, 2024 at 11:34 am
Florida’s economic vision is so far behind even neighboring states like Georgia that Florida is still building malls while Georgia is looking to convert tons of empty malls into something useful.
Ocean Joe
April 25, 2024 at 7:57 am
Pave everything, paint it red and holler for more carpetbaggers to show up.
Nobody seems to understand the carrying capacity of Florida’s resources. We tried to steal water from Georgia and lost in court.
We give away our spring waters to the lowest bidder. We (Dirty Ricky) abolished the DCA and gutted the Water management districts, destroying 2 decades and environmental progress under Askew through Chiles.
Nothing like the smell of hot asphalt at the megamall parking lot.
LexT
April 25, 2024 at 8:05 am
I think people need to understand what this is. When someone in Florida wants to develop a wetland (most of Florida at least has some), the landowner is required to put money towards purchasing conservation land. Under Florida law, if we do not let someone develop their land, it is a legal taking and the local government will need to purchase the land from them. So, Florida needs to get these permits so as not to get sued and the Feds are keeping Florida from making significant conservancy purchases.
Dont Say FLA
April 25, 2024 at 11:31 am
It’s only till December when it’ll be cool enough (relatively speaking) to work outside again.
If the FLg0P hadn’t shut down heat and water breaks for humans working in the oppressive Florida heat and humidity, this “stop work” order from the Feds wouldn’t be happening.
Thanks a lot FLg0P and your little pink sock puppet named Rhonda
Ron Forrest Ron
April 26, 2024 at 8:19 am
Yeah, it’s environmental regulations that caused a construction stop work across the entire state of Florida. Yeah! That’s it. The DeSantis (Campaign’s) anti-immigrant legislation definitely didn’t do that. It’s environmental regulations. Yeah. That’s the ticket. Environment regulations! SQUIRREL!