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Staff ReportsNovember 23, 2018

Florida’s state parks are open 8 a.m.-sunset on Thursday, “offering an abundance of family-friendly activities in the beautiful outdoors,” the Florida Department of Environmental Protection said in a news release. “Holidays are the perfect time to visit state parks and trails,” Florida State Parks Director Eric Draper said. “Each year I look forward to taking advantage […]

Ryan NicolOctober 4, 2018

Red-tide-to-blame-as-hundreds-of-thousands-of-dead-fish-wash-up-on-Pinellas-beaches.jpg

Amid widespread beach closures across South Florida Thursday because of the appearance of red tide, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) announced it will offer $3 million in grants to help counties deal with the outbreak. Palm Beach announced the closure of all county beaches Thursday. Miami-Dade also joined in after red tide was found […]

Ryan NicolJune 7, 2018

Though multiple outlets are reporting blue-green algae sightings this week, the Water Resources Analysis Coalition (WRAC) has a message for the public. It’s not time to panic, just yet. Not all forms of algae are toxic, and it’s not yet clear whether the algae spotted by some is the same type that troubled Floridians during the bloom […]

Jim RosicaMay 4, 2018

As a May 25 deadline to complete discovery approaches, depositions continue in a lawsuit over how the state funds environmental conservation. Court dockets viewed Friday show a flurry of notices filed late last month for what are called “depositions duces tecum,” which compel witnesses to produce documents and be interviewed before a trial. Environmental advocacy groups […]

Danny McAuliffeMarch 3, 2018

The state is one step closer to restoring funding to its premier land-purchasing fund. On Friday night, budget chiefs Rep. Carlos Trujillo and Sen. Rob Bradley agreed to fund Florida Forever at $100.8 million for fiscal year 2018-2019 — a big jump from last year, when the Legislature did not appropriate anything to the trust. […]

Jim RosicaFebruary 8, 2018

Noah Valenstein, Florida’s Secretary of Environmental Protection (DEP), on Thursday sent a letter to the feds in opposition of any exploratory drilling for gas or oil off the state’s coasts. The move comes after Gov. Rick Scott “secured a commitment from (U.S.) Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke to take Florida off the table for future consideration for offshore […]

Jim RosicaNovember 28, 2017

Business interests brought out a panoply of former state officials, judges and others Tuesday to heap criticism on a proposed state constitutional amendment to expand the right to bring environmental-related lawsuits. But one environmental advocate countered there was no potential for a “parade of horribles” to come out of the amendment. The Florida Chamber of […]

Jim RosicaOctober 9, 2017

A Senate panel on Monday cleared a ‘water bill’ aimed at cleaning up some of the state’s waterways. The Environmental Preservation and Conservation Committee OK’d the measure (SB 204) with a unanimous vote. Legislative committees are meeting in the Capitol this week, in advance of the 2018 Legislative Session that starts in January. The bill, by […]

Jim RosicaSeptember 28, 2017

A Tallahassee judge has set a trial week in a lawsuit over the state’s environmental funding under a constitutional amendment passed almost three years ago. Circuit Judge Charles Dodson scheduled a weeklong bench trial for next July 23-27, with a pretrial conference set for June 15, court records show. Discovery in the case was ordered finished […]

Staff ReportsSeptember 5, 2017

The state has inked a $1.67 million deal for just over eight acres known as “Barefoot Palms” as a buffer around Naval Support Activity (NSA) Panama City. The Department of Environmental Protection announced the completed purchase. NSA Panama City sits on 657 acres in the Panhandle. “The acquisition of this property will prevent further incompatible development adjacent to NSA […]

Tag: Department of Environmental Protection

Get outdoors: State parks open for Thanksgiving weekend

State offers $3M to combat red tide following South Florida beach closures

Water Resources Analysis Coalition tries to temper algae bloom fears

Amendment 1 lawsuit still moving toward trial

Budget leaders agree to more than $100M for Florida Forever

DEP head formally opposes offshore drilling in Florida

Business interests lambaste environmental amendment

‘Water bills’ already on the move in the Senate

Environmental lawsuit over ‘Amendment 1’ funding set for trial

State gets land for base buffering