Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Jim RosicaJanuary 23, 2017

The state’s Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has busted its outside legal expenses budget over the ongoing ‘water war’ between Georgia and Florida, legislative records show. It’s asking for an additional $13 million from the Joint Legislative Budget Commission, which meets Tuesday — and even that may not be enough. Gov. Rick Scott‘s office approved the request […]

Jim RosicaJanuary 21, 2017

Jon Steverson, the Secretary of the state’s Department of Environmental Protection under Gov. Rick Scott, has resigned. His departure was confirmed Friday night by McKinley Lewis, Scott’s deputy communications director, who provided a copy of the resignation letter. Steverson is set to join the legal-lobbying firm Foley & Lardner, sources tell FloridaPolitics.com. Herschel Vineyard, who also served as a DEP Secretary, […]

Associated PressDecember 31, 2016

A Florida administrative law judge says a rule requiring companies to notify the public of pollution events within 24 hours is invalid. The new rule was pushed by Gov. Rick Scott after it took weeks for the public to be notified about a giant sinkhole at a fertilizer plant that sent millions of gallons of […]

Jim RosicaDecember 20, 2016

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Lisa Edgar has helped regulate the state’s investor-owned utilities. Now, she’s going to oversee its parks. Edgar was named Director of the Florida Park Service, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) announced Tuesday in a press release. She’ll start next month. “From my time at DEP and as a frequent visitor of our state parks, I’ve seen first-hand the […]

Associated PressNovember 11, 2016

President-elect Donald Trump has not minced words about his approach to environment and energy policy: He loathes regulation and wants to increase the use of coal, offshore drilling and fracking. Trump has said he believes climate change is a hoax and that he would “cancel” U.S. involvement in the landmark Paris Agreement on global warming. […]

Associated PressOctober 10, 2016

When Christa Savva returned to the Sandy Shoes Beach Resort a day after Hurricane Matthew brushed by Melbourne Beach, Florida, she looked at the beach in front of the pink-flamingo-colored hotel and noticed that half the sand dunes had disappeared. Savva guesses three-quarters of the missing dunes washed into the ocean, and the remaining quarter […]

Tamara LushSeptember 29, 2016

Neighbors of a huge sinkhole sending cascades of contaminated water and fertilizer plant waste into Florida’s main drinking-water aquifer are fearful and fuming that it took weeks for them to be notified about the disaster. Many are still waiting anxiously for results from tests for radiation and toxic chemicals in their well water. Meanwhile, the […]

Jenna Buzzacco-FoersterSeptember 22, 2016

Moving residents off septic systems should be included in efforts to clean up the Indian River Lagoon, experts said Thursday. Experts said wastewater run-off and septic systems play a role in the algae blooms that have plagued South Florida in recent years. And while it is just part of the problem, one expert said money […]

Joe HendersonSeptember 22, 2016

St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman is angry — MAD, I tell you! — that Gov. Rick Scott is playing politics just because the city’s streets and waterways were covered in sewage following Hurricane Hermine. Um, Mr. Mayor? I suspect you already know this, but you have a lot bigger problems than the Republican governor of […]

Jenna Buzzacco-FoersterSeptember 21, 2016

Gov. Rick Scott has ordered the Florida Department of Environmental Protection to investigate sewage discharges in St. Petersburg. The Governor’s Office made the announcement Wednesday, just one day after Scott called on the state Department of Health to begin additional testing at the discharge site. While city is responsible for testing in the immediate area, […]

Tag: Department of Environmental Protection

“Water wars” could cost the state another $13M in legal fees

Jon Steverson resigns as DEP secretary

Judge invalidates pollution notification rule

Personnel note: Lisa Edgar named state parks director

Donald Trump likely to try to reverse Barack Obama’s environment initiatives

Storm wipes out Florida sand crucial for protection, tourism

Outcry grows over delay in warning about Mosaic sinkhole, contamination

Water quality challenges focus of AIF Florida Water Forum

Joe Henderson: St. Pete’s stinky mess, sewage and politics

Rick Scott orders DEP investigation in St. Petersburg sewage discharges