Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Drew WilsonMarch 11, 2016

The Everglades Foundation lauded lawmakers Friday for passing a bill that would fund Everglades restoration efforts with up to $200 million a year. HB 989, put forward by incoming Senate President Joe Negron and Republican Rep. Gayle Harrell, would pull the lesser of 25 percent or $200 million from the money collected under the 2014 […]

Diane RobertsFebruary 24, 2016

OCCUPIED TALLAHASSEE — This is what the Florida Constitution says, right up top, Article I, Section 1: All political power is inherent in the people. I’m guessing most Florida legislators have never read it. Either that or they don’t give a good goddamn. For the second year in a row, they are misappropriating — stealing, […]

Guest AuthorFebruary 24, 2016

It’s not surprising that David Guest and his radical Earthjustice group would use a true weather-related crisis – record rain and flooding across Central and South Florida – to level yet another mean-spirited and false assault on local farmers living and working in the Everglades Agricultural Area. Guest’s statement regarding the state and federal government’s […]

Peter SchorschFebruary 15, 2016

With much of the nation embroiled in the 2016 presidential campaign, it’s almost understandable that some things in Florida have escaped widespread notice. For those of paying attention, however, they have no doubt been aware of the release of excess water from Lake Okeechobee, a result of historically high El Niño rainfall in South Florida. […]

Drew WilsonJanuary 28, 2016

A bill that would fund Everglades restoration efforts with up to $200 million a year cleared the House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee Thursday with a unanimous vote. “Today we are making great strides toward finishing a task that is important to all Floridians,” committee chairman and Bartow Republican Rep. Ben Albritton said. “By protecting […]

Jenna Buzzacco-FoersterJanuary 28, 2016

The River of Grass needs a steady flow of funding. That’s the message environmental and conservation activists are hoping to send to lawmakers on Thursday during the annual Everglades Action Day. “The focus this year is a funding mechanism,” said Jason Totoiu, the co-chairman of the Everglades Coalition, which is made up a coalition of […]

Jenna Buzzacco-FoersterJanuary 28, 2016

The River of Grass needs a steady flow of funding. That’s the message environmental and conservation activists are hoping to send to lawmakers on Thursday during the annual Everglades Action Day. “The focus this year is a funding mechanism,” said Jason Totoiu, the co-chairman of the Everglades Coalition, made up of 61 environmental and conservation […]

Guest AuthorJanuary 18, 2016

The assault on Florida’s environment continues as a Senate committee last week approved a bill that would make it easier for petroleum companies to use fracking technology to extract oil and gas in the state. Lest we forget, the administration of Gov. Rick Scott has ordered the words “climate change” scrubbed from official speeches and […]

Phil AmmannJanuary 12, 2016

Brute force is one way things get done in politics. If a party has an overwhelming majority in the legislative and executive branches, it can simply ram everything through. But the Founding Fathers deliberately made it difficult. Therefore, both left and right seek compromise, where possible. In the last session of the Florida Legislature, there […]

Guest AuthorJanuary 3, 2016

As we head into the New Year, the Florida Legislature has a hefty agenda to tackle in 2016. Session begins Jan. 12 and runs for 60 days or nine weeks, until March 11. Committee meetings have been held since last September, bringing the total time for the 2016 session to 15 weeks. As with every session, […]

Tag: Everglades
Image via AP.

Everglades Foundation commends lawmakers for final passage of “Legacy Florida” funding

Diane Roberts: Legislators are stealing the money meant to protect the environment

Phillip Roland: Environmental activist’s claims about Everglades water and farmers don’t square with facts

Beyond the pale: Enviro activist calls for “death of thousands” in Lake O discharge controversy

Everglades restoration bill unanimously passes House committee

On Everglades Action Day, environmental groups to urge lawmakers to set aside money for restoration projects

On Everglades Action Day, environmental groups to urge lawmakers to set aside money for restoration projects

Marc Yacht: State moves fracking regulation bill forward

Lloyd Brown: Special interests balking at a fair compromise on water bill

Matt Caldwell: Legislative Session busy from start