Thanks to Gov. DeSantis, legislators and advocates, a river still runs through it

Image via AP.

“Eventually, all things merge into one, and a river runs through it.”

That line from the famous Robert Redford film of the same name feels just right today.

With the stroke of his pen on HB 1143, Gov. Ron DeSantis reminded the state — and maybe the whole country — that sometimes, when the cause is righteous enough, when the place is sacred enough, and when the people are loud enough, everything really does merge into one.

With his signature on HB 1143, DeSantis delivered a clear, decisive win for the people of North Florida, for the environment, and for everyone who still believes good policy can prevail over deep pockets.

The bill stops oil drilling dead in its tracks near the Apalachicola River and surrounding estuarine reserves — an ecosystem as fragile as it is vital. It sends a simple, unmistakable message: these Florida treasures are not for sale. Not to Big Oil. Not to anyone.

And let’s be clear— this didn’t happen by accident. Credit starts at the top. DeSantis has built an environmental legacy that few Republicans — or Democrats, for that matter — can match. Now, he’s built a firewall for the hunters and fishermen of the Forgotten Coast.

This was also a masterclass in bipartisan leadership. Republican Rep. Jason Shoaf fought relentlessly to get this bill passed, standing shoulder to shoulder with Democratic Rep. Allison Tant, proving that North Florida’s interests transcend party lines. And Republican Sen. Corey Simon’s leadership in the Senate ensured the bill moved with speed and purpose. When local leaders speak with one voice, Tallahassee listens.

Further, this is a win for the environmental and seafood industry advocates who kept the pressure on. Groups like Apalachicola Riverkeeper, the Downriver Project, and the Florida Shellfish Aquaculture Association never wavered. They reminded everyone — lawmakers and residents alike — that the river isn’t just a place on the map. It’s a way of life, an economic engine and an ecological jewel.

The fact that an out-of-state oil company, armed with lawyers, consultants and a pile of influence, couldn’t buy its way past the people of Florida? That’s a story worth telling. And it shatters the tired narrative that money always wins in Florida politics.

In the end, all things did merge into one. The Apalachicola was, indeed, “cut by ancient floods and runs over rocks from the basement of time.” On some of those rocks are the fingerprints of those who stood up when it mattered. DeSantis. Shoaf. Simon. Tant. Riverkeeper. Downriver. The oyster farmers. The charter captains. And the thousands of Floridians who never forgot what this place means.

Today, with the stroke of the Governor’s pen on HB 1143, the river will run forward — not over drilling rigs or well pads, but as it should. Wild. Free. A little safer now, a little more forever.