Bruce Ritchie, Author at Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Bruce RitchieApril 21, 2015

The Florida House on Tuesday voted down bill amendments that would have repealed or scaled back a 2006 state law that allows utilities to charge in advance for nuclear power plants that may never be built. HB 7109 is a bill that establishes term limits for Public Service Commission members and provides for Duke Energy […]

Bruce RitchieApril 21, 2015

Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam said Tuesday the 2015 Legislative session is going well from a policy standpoint including a water bill his department is supporting. SB 918/HB 7003 eliminate a Lake Okeechobee pollution permitting program, set deadlines for establishing minimum flow levels for springs, requires review of springs cleanup plans and places a Central Florida […]

Bruce RitchieApril 20, 2015

Democrats have filed at least 16 amendments to a House bill involving the shutdown of the Crystal River nuclear plant to include eliminating the advanced cost recovery fee for nuclear power plants. HB 7109 was amended in its final committee stop on April 9 to include a deal allowing Duke Energy Florida to seek Public […]

Bruce RitchieApril 20, 2015

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The Deepwater Horizon oil spill in 2010 likely shut the door politically on oil drilling in Florida waters, a Florida State University oceanography professor said Monday on the five-year anniversary of the spill. In April 2010, a Florida House committee led by future House Speaker Dean Cannon was considering draft legislation to allow drilling in state […]

Bruce RitchieApril 20, 2015

President Barack Obama’s planned trip to the Everglades this week is being used some supporters to boost the proposal to buy U.S. Sugar Corp. land for water storage. In his weekly radio address on Saturday, Obama said he will visit the Everglades on Earth Day, which is Wednesday, to talk about how climate change threatens […]

Bruce RitchieApril 19, 2015

Can we find a way to tax the sunshine? That seemed to be the underlying issue recently when state analysts were trying to determine the potential cost of a proposed constitutional amendment that promotes solar energy. Representatives of utilities, cities and counties warned the analysts that increased use of solar energy could mean the loss […]

Bruce RitchieApril 19, 2015

Can we find a way to tax the sunshine? That seemed to be the underlying issue recently when state analysts were trying to determine the potential cost of a proposed constitutional amendment that promotes solar energy. Representatives of utilities, cities and counties warned the analysts that increased use of solar energy could mean the loss […]

Bruce RitchieApril 17, 2015

Last year a comprehensive water bill that passed the Senate included a major focus on Florida’s springs and reducing threats from groundwater pollution and over-pumping. Florida’s springs during the past 30 years have turned green with algae because of nitrogen in groundwater from various sources including septic tanks, fertilizer and sewage treatment plants. Fixing the […]

Bruce RitchieApril 16, 2015

Sen. Jack Latvala on Thursday cautioned against any elected state official opposing his bill that would allow Duke Energy Florida to issue bonds for closing its Crystal River nuclear plant. His warning came after a vote on the House version was delayed this week. Duke says the plant closing cost is $1.4 billion. Latvala said […]

Bruce RitchieApril 16, 2015

Gov. Rick Scott’s lawsuit against federal healthcare agency over hospital funding would be a “frivolous” would represent the “tea party gone wild,” House Democratic Leader Mark Pafford said Thursday The impending loss of $2 billion in Low Income Pool money and Medicaid expansion has been at the center of a budget impasse in the Legislature. House and Senate […]

Bruce Ritchie

Democrats’ amendments repealing nuclear fees voted down

Adam Putnam says despite criticism, water bill makes “tremendous progress” for springs

House Democrats pile amendments on nuclear plant bill

Offshore oil drilling has been off Florida’s table since Deepwater Horizon

President’s visit is “vital” to land deal, Everglades Trust says

Bruce Ritchie: Is there a fair way to tax sunshine?

Bruce Ritchie: Is there a fair way to tax sunshine?

Springs bill in Senate disappoints some environmentalists

Jack Latvala warns against opposing his nuke plant financing bill

Dems’ leader calls healthcare lawsuit “Tea Party gone wild”