Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Jenna Buzzacco-FoersterJune 30, 2016

Three Southwest Florida lawmakers are asking Gov. Rick Scott to include Lee County in an emergency declaration to address blue-green algae blooms. In a joint statement Thursday, Sen. Lizbeth Benacquisto, and Reps. Matt Caldwell and Ray Rodrigues said Scott’s emergency declaration for Martin and St. Lucie counties is “drawing much-needed attention to the algal blooms and […]

Jenna Buzzacco-FoersterJune 9, 2016

U.S. Sugar officials are pushing back after a guest editorial in a Southwest Florida newspaper said sugar producers are part of the reason why efforts to build reservoirs south of Lake Okeechobee have been postponed. “At no point has anyone representing U.S. Sugar ever said anything about opposing scientifically and technically proven storage projects throughout […]

Jac VerSteegJune 9, 2016

A politician is a guy who shoots you in the gut and then campaigns by bragging about the Band-Aid he put on the wound. The latest example: Just days after The Palm Beach Post’s John Kennedy documented how Gov. Rick Scott‘s environmental policies had led to an explosion of huge developments in Palm Beach County […]

Jenna Buzzacco-FoersterJune 1, 2016

Lizbeth Benacquisto is calling on the Department of Environmental Protection to step up its efforts to ensure clean water is flowing through the Caloosahatchee and St. Lucie rivers’ estuaries. In a letter to DEP Secretary Jon Steverson, the Fort Myers Republican urges the agency to work with the South Florida Water Management District and other […]

Jenna Buzzacco-FoersterMarch 17, 2016

Relief could be coming for some South Florida small businesses impacted by the Lake Okeechobee discharges. On Thursday, Gov. Rick Scott activated Florida’s Small Business Emergency Bridge Loan Program for more than 100 businesses affected by the releases. The move comes after theFlorida Department of Economic Opportunity conducted a survey to assess the economic damages […]

Jenna Buzzacco-FoersterFebruary 27, 2016

Sen. Bill Nelson urged Southwest Floridians to call state lawmakers and tell them to put Amendment 1 money toward land purchases, a move he said would help ease the effect of Lake Okeechobee releases. “If you can take that dedicated source of funding and, instead of using it on salaries, go spend it on buying […]

Jenna Buzzacco-FoersterFebruary 16, 2016

Adam Putnam was met by a crowd of angry Treasure Coast residents during a stop in Martin County last week. Putnam, the state’s agriculture commissioner, was greeted by protesters calling on the state and the Army Corps of Engineers to stop discharges from Lake Okeechobee into the Indian River Lagoon and the Caloosahatchee River. In […]

Jenna Buzzacco-FoersterFebruary 9, 2016

Rep. Heather Fitzenhagen is calling on Gov. Rick Scott to do what he can to stop the releases from Lake Okeechobee into the Caloosahatchee River. “On behalf of Southwest Floridians, I am requesting a study of the fiscal and ecological impacts of the releases. Second, I’d like to invite you to tour Southwest Florida to […]

Diane RobertsJuly 6, 2015

No doubt you’re wondering what new ways Florida’s alleged leaders have found to squander taxpayer money, suck up to the rich and further foul Florida’s environment. Well, prepare to be impressed: The Rick Scott administration is suing the feds for trying to protect rivers and wetlands. I mean, why should water get special rights: Does […]

Mike SchneiderJune 28, 2015

Surely it must be the Miami-Fort Lauderdale area, where the traffic jams are legendary. Or Orlando, where thousands of often lost and wandering tourists mix with residents to create a glacial sludge of cars. And if not those, it must be the Tampa Bay area, where many commuters contend with bridges and causeways as they […]

Tag: Caloosahatchee River

Lizbeth Benacquisto, Matt Caldwell and Ray Rodrigues request Lee County be added to emergency declaration

U.S. Sugar pushes back over claims cane industry is to blame for postponed water projects

Jac VerSteeg: Rick Scott puts Band-Aid on environmental wounds

Lizbeth Benacquisto addresses water quality concerns in letter to DEP

Rick Scott activates emergency loan program for small businesses impacted by Lake O discharges

Bill Nelson, Curt Clawson promise to help communities affected by Lake O discharges

Angry protesters demand that Adam Putnam put stop to Lake Okeechobee releases

Heather Fitzenhagen asks Rick Scott to halt Lake Okeechobee releases

Diane Roberts: Top state pols defend Florida’s right to filthy water

Which drivers in Florida suffer through the longest commute?