Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Bruce RitchieJanuary 7, 2015

Gov. Rick Scott and the Florida Cabinet on Jan. 13 will take up a proposed conservation land purchase with political overtones: 620 acres in Corkscrew Swamp in Collier County for $9.7 million. During a campaign swing in Southwest Florida last August, Scott announced the state would spend $20 million to acquire land in the Corkscrew […]

Phil AmmannJanuary 2, 2015

Florida Department of Environmental Protection Secretary Jon Steverson is appointing Paula Cobb as Deputy Secretary for Regulatory Programs. Cobb, most recently Director of the Division of Air Resource Management, will supervise the regulatory districts of the Divisions of Air, Water and Waste. Her appointment is effective Jan. 5. “Paula’s strong command of business and regulatory […]

Phil AmmannDecember 22, 2014

Supporters of paved bicycling trails have big plans for Florida and are turning them into reality. But they also need some help from Amendment 1. Passed in November by 75 percent of voters statewide, Amendment 1 dedicates one-third of the revenue from a tax on real estate transactions toward land and water conservation projects. The […]

Bruce RitchieDecember 18, 2014

Supporters of paved bicycling trails have big plans for Florida and are turning them into reality. But they also need some help from Amendment 1. Passed in November by 75 percent of voters statewide, Amendment 1 dedicates one-third of the revenue from a tax on real estate transactions toward land and water conservation projects. The […]

Bruce RitchieDecember 12, 2014

Jon Steverson, Gov. Rick Scott’s choice as Department of Environmental Protection secretary, has been an outspoken director of the Northwest Florida Water Management District during his brief tenure there. Whether he will impress environmentalists with his passion and results at DEP is uncertain. Scott named Steverson, 39, on Thursday to replace Herschel T. Vinyard Jr., […]

Shannon NickinsonNovember 30, 2014

When you’ve been waiting as long as these Escambia County residents have been, it stings to be asked for more patience. The people who live near the Rolling Hills and Longleaf construction and demolition debris facilities have waited years for their complaints to be heard. So Monday, when they had an audience with people at […]

Guest AuthorSeptember 1, 2014

We are blessed to live in a state abundant in environmental riches, including more than 600 miles of beautiful beaches, over 900 freshwater springs, more than 11 million acres of wetlands and our own national treasure, the Florida Everglades. Our waterways and natural spaces are not just objects of beauty but foundational to the health […]

Diane RobertsAugust 21, 2014

When he’s not dodging questions about his trip to the King Ranch, Congressman Steve Southerland is touting a bill to help struggling polluters. See, that socialist Clean Water Act messes with his BFFs at Florida Power and Light, the Florida Farm Bureau, and the Homebuilders Association. Dagnabbit, somebody has to stand up for run-off! Southerland’s […]

Diane RobertsAugust 10, 2014

Swanning around on what he calls the “Let’s Keep Florida Beautiful” tour, Gov. Rick Scott promises a second term of spending large to remedy the state’s collapsing ecosystems, fish kills, and algae-choked waters. He says he’ll throw in $1 billion for Everglades restoration, too. After three-plus years of unapologetically raining, er, untreated waste on the […]

Dan GelberAugust 5, 2014

Rick Scott holding a press conference to declare he wants to clean Florida’s water is sort of like Darth Vader declaring he supports intergalactic peace. Irony is aplenty when Scott announces he wants to spend millions to clean Florida’s waterways. Put aside the point that the last time Scott touted his “record funding” for environmental […]

Tag: Department of Environmental Protection

Land deal involving Audubon, Scott campaign goes to Cabinet

Personnel note: Paula Cobb named DEP Deputy Secretary for Regulatory Programs

Bike trail plan moving toward reality, but needs Amendment 1 funds

Bruce Ritchie: Bike trail plan moving toward reality, but needs Amendment 1 funds

On Florida’s newly appointed Department of Environmental Protection director

Shannon Nickinson: Progress, but the waiting goes on for some Escambia County residents who want dumps closed

Steve Crisafulli: Legislature is committed to protecting Florida’s environment

Diane Roberts: Southerland and the Clean Water Act: Somebody has to stand up for run-off

Diane Roberts: Governor wants voters to believe he’s ‘born-again Green’

Dan Gelber: Scott supporting clean water is like Darth Vader supporting peace