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Ryan RayAugust 15, 2015

The South Florida Water Management District was joined by Republican elected officials Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam and Rep. Matt Caldwell this week in saying tighter restrictions on agriculture in the Everglades Agricultural Area are unnecessary because best management practices, or BMPs, are working. Levels of harmful phosphorous – a product of agricultural runoff into the ecologically sensitive […]

Ryan RayAugust 12, 2015

The group originally founded to advance 2014’s landmark Amendment 1, Florida’s Water and Land Legacy, has rebranded itself as a new political committee called Florida Conservation Voters. Key to the nonprofit group’s new formal arrangement is its designation as a 501(c)(4), like most major issue advocacy groups such as the National Rifle Association and the National Audubon Society. That […]

Melissa RossJuly 29, 2015

Saying it’s an “outrage” that the Florida Legislature “thwarted the will of the voters,” the new head of the North Florida Land Trust says the fight over Amendment 1 and land conservation in the state isn’t over. “We’re organizing for 2016,” said Executive Director Jim McCarthy during an appearance on WJCT’s First Coast Connect. “We need […]

Bruce RitchieJune 23, 2015

Gov. Rick Scott on Tuesday vetoed more than $87 million in environmental spending including $27.3 million for suspect “dispersed” water projects. Scott vetoed $461.3 million in spending from a budget of more than $78 billion. While highlighting tax cuts and spending to bring more jobs to Florida, the governor said the 2015-16 state budget provides […]

Guest AuthorJune 23, 2015

This year in Tallahassee, there has been no shortage of opinions on how to divide the dollars the Florida Legislature is constitutionally required to spend on natural resources through Amendment 1. Throughout the debate, some have tried to hold our lawmakers to an arbitrary standard, arguing for tens of millions of dollars to be spent […]

Guest AuthorJune 22, 2015

This year in Tallahassee, there has been no shortage of opinions on how to divide the dollars the Florida Legislature is constitutionally required to spend on natural resources through Amendment 1. Throughout the debate, some have tried to hold our lawmakers to an arbitrary standard, arguing for tens of millions of dollars to be spent […]

Christine Jordan SextonJune 12, 2015

Legislative leaders on Friday said the House and Senate budget chairs would continue to work over the weekend in order to bring the General Appropriations Act in for a landing. The goal is for a copy of the budget to be on lawmakers’ desks by Tuesday so they can wait the mandated 72 hours before […]

Staff ReportsJune 11, 2015

The Senate Appropriations Committee on Thursday passed a $400 million tax package reduction, absent the direction of Chairman Sen. Tom Lee who was preparing for a noon budget meeting with House counterpart Richard Corcoran. HB 33A was placed on the Senate Special Order Calendar so it will be on second reading Friday, the end of […]

Guest AuthorJune 7, 2015

During the 2015 special session, a controversial topic involving Amendment 1 funding entangles a push to purchase land south of Lake Okeechobee in the Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA). Extreme elements of the environmental movement have made it sound as though the simple purchase of one property will “save the Everglades.” If the Everglades ecosystem is […]

Guest AuthorJune 3, 2015

For students of Big Sugar and its control of Florida, sub-section county government, Tuesday’s discussion and vote on a resolution proposed by Miami-Dade County Commissioners Daniella Levine Cava and Rebeca Sosa was a master class. The resolution, aimed at lawmakers now in special session, from the outset seemed innocuous but doomed. Instead, it passed. Here, […]

Tag: Amendment 1
Uloma Ekpete Kama. Image via campaign site.

State officials say Everglades water policy, BMP regime are working

Amendment 1 sponsors reorganize, launch anew as Florida Conservation Voters

North Florida Land Trust vows “we’re organizing” to fight over Amendment 1

Governor vetoes water projects, firefighter pay increases

Brewster Bevis: Legislature showing leadership by ensuring Amendment 1 dollars benefit everyone

Brewster Bevis: Legislature shows leadership by ensuring Amendment 1 dollars benefit everyone

Everybody’s working over the weekend, really

Senate panel OKs $400 million tax package; budget chairs meet at high noon

Dan Peterson: Amendment 1 Everglades restoration money more complex than just buying land

Alan Farago: How Big Sugar's shadow fell across a simple Miami-Dade resolution