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

Bruce RitchieApril 13, 2015

Could the Freedom Tower in Miami, where U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio on Monday announced his bid for president, be underwater by 2060? Before Rubio announced on Monday that he was running for president in 2016, NextGen Climate suggested the building could be underwater by 2060. The political action committee said Florida is on the front line […]

Bruce RitchieApril 13, 2015

An official appointed by the U.S. Supreme Court to oversee a lawsuit filed by Florida against Georgia over water use on Monday issued an order providing for confidential talks among the states. Ralph I. Lancaster, a Maine attorney who’s special master in the case, in a conference call also called the media “relentless and ruthless” and said, […]

Bruce RitchieApril 10, 2015

A group of large power customers says that if proposed legislation involving Duke Energy Florida is going to save customers money, then that language should be put in the bill. HB 7109 was amended on Thursday to provide the Florida Public Service Commission with authority to approve bonds that could be issued by Duke to […]

Bruce RitchieApril 10, 2015

A proposed solar energy amendment could unfairly shift the cost of maintaining electricity plants and power lines from homes and businesses with solar energy to other utility customers, representatives of cities and electric utilities said Friday. Floridians for Solar Choice proposes a constitutional amendment establishing that the state’s policy is to promote local, small-scale solar […]

Bruce RitchieApril 10, 2015

With a solar energy constitutional amendment proposed for the 2016 ballot, a pair of bills designed to provide tax savings for residents who install solar on their homes appears dead in the 2015 Legislative Session. SB 400 by Sen. Jeff Brandes, a Republican from St. Petersburg, would provide a ballot measure to extend a residential property […]

Bruce RitchieApril 9, 2015

Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam says Florida’s citrus industry still is threatened by disease despite a federal forecast that shows the industry holding almost steady. Florida agriculture faces a threat from citrus greening, a bacterial disease that is spread primarily by Asian insects called citrus psyllids. Acreage planted with citrus declined from 845,250 acres in 1998 […]

Bruce RitchieApril 9, 2015

A bill that delays a ban on the disposal of septic tank waste on farm fields across the state passed the House in anticipation of a state study of the waste disposal practice. Florida has 2.6 million septic tanks scattered across the state that annually produce 100 million gallons of waste, called septage, when they […]

Bruce RitchieApril 9, 2015

A bill that would allow septic tank maintenance businesses to continue spreading waste on fields for two more years is teed up for approval in the House on Thursday. In 2010, the Legislature voted to ban the land application of septic tank waste beginning in 2016 as part of a bill that supporters said would protect springs […]

Bruce RitchieApril 8, 2015

House Speaker Steve Crisafulli said Wednesday that the Senate is getting closer to the House on a comprehensive water bill but differences remain. SB 918 was rewritten in a committee on Wednesday in response to requests by business groups and environmentalists, both of whom had raised concerns. Both sides still have issues, with environmentalists remaining […]

Bruce RitchieApril 8, 2015

A House property rights bill prompted by a U.S. Supreme Court case involving a Florida landowner was amended Wednesday to resolve many concerns raised by local governments. The Supreme Court in 2013 overturned a Florida Supreme Court ruling against the late Coy A. Koontz Sr., who sought to build on 3.7 of his 15 acres […]

Bruce Ritchie

Miami’s Freedom Tower under water by 2060? Unlikely, scientist says

Court issues confidentiality order in Florida v. Georgia water case

“Trust but verify” on Duke Energy deal, industrial power customers say

Cities, utilities say amendment would let solar customers get away without paying

Solar bills falter in Legislature while ballot initiative rolls on

Adam Putnam says citrus still threatened despite improved forecast

Bill delaying septic waste ban passes House with calls for study, springs protection

House vote could allow septic tank waste to continue spreading on land

Speaker says water bills closer, advisory council possible sticking point

Property rights bill clears final House stop with fewer local government concerns