Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Bruce RitchieApril 7, 2015

A bill that would allow the Cabinet to give away state land on Tuesday passed its only committee stop with changes requested by environmental groups. HB 7135 would establish “low-impact agriculture” as a management goal for state lands. The bill also would allow the Cabinet to give away state parks and other state lands to […]

Bruce RitchieApril 7, 2015

Rep. Matt Caldwell said Tuesday he hopes a series of amendments he filed will make his HB 7135 state lands bill acceptable to environmental opponents. The bill is scheduled to be considered at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday by the House Appropriations Committee. HB 7135 would allow the Cabinet to give away state parks and other state […]

Bruce RitchieApril 2, 2015

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As lobbyist Stephanie Kunkel, representing the Conservancy of Southwest Florida and Clean Water Action, approached the podium on Tuesday to speak on a Senate oil and gas fracking bill, there was a murmur through the committee room packed with fracking opponents. “Sellout,” one man muttered before Kunkel started speaking. The Conservancy of Southwest Florida and […]

Bruce RitchieMarch 30, 2015

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An amendment filed Monday — and later withdrawn — by the chairman of a Senate committee would have placed a ban on state permits for oil and gas fracking until a study of the practice can be completed in 2016. SB 1468 by Sen. Garrett Richter, a Republican from Bradenton, requires the state to develop […]

Bruce RitchieMarch 26, 2015

Despite opposition from environmental groups, a House committee on Thursday voted to file a bill allowing the Cabinet to give state park lands to adjacent landowners. The committee bill, SAC 15-02, also would establish “low-impact agriculture” as a management goal for state lands along with existing goals such as recreation and protection of endangered species. Rep. […]

Bruce RitchieMarch 17, 2015

House bills that involve oil and gas “fracking” passed their first committee stop with support from some environmental groups and opposition from others and tense questioning by Rep. Ray Pilon. HB 1205 would establish a permitting program for hydraulic fracturing and acid fracturing, which are processes used to extract oil and gas from rock. HB […]

Bruce RitchieFebruary 11, 2015

A pair of bills filed this week would wade into what became a stinky issue last year — a deadline to ban the spreading of septic tank waste on land. In 2010, the Legislature voted to ban the land application of septic tank waste beginning on Jan. 1, 2016 as part of a bill that […]

Mark FerruloJuly 23, 2014

Imagine a future where Florida’s soil and air are contaminated, iconic endangered species like the Florida panther are lost forever and our drinking water is poisoned. Unfortunately it could happen — if we don’t put a stop to new oil and gas extraction process known as acid fracking. There are many environmental and public health […]

Tag: Conservancy of Southwest Florida

Amended state lands bill passes committee, heads to House floor

Matt Caldwell seeks support with amendments to state lands giveaway bill

Enviro groups that support fracking bills thread the needle

Senate committee chair seeks to ban fracking during study

House panel files bill allowing state land giveaways for conservation

Fracking bills pass House panel after testy exchanges

Bills would lift 2016 ban on spreading septic tank waste

Mark Ferrulo: To protect Florida’s future, ban fracking