Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Guest AuthorJune 1, 2015

Last month, the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) voted to forgo purchasing U.S. Sugar-owned land to build a vital reservoir south of Lake Okeechobee in the Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA). That decision is a setback to Everglades restoration and to communities enduring damaging discharges of polluted Lake Okeechobee water along Florida’s east and west […]

Guest AuthorMay 31, 2015

Last month, the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) voted to forgo purchasing U.S. Sugar-owned land to build a vital reservoir south of Lake Okeechobee in the Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA). This decision is a setback to Everglades restoration and communities enduring damaging discharges of polluted Lake Okeechobee water along Florida’s east and west coasts. […]

Guest AuthorMay 27, 2015

In the accompanying picture, that’s me on the left. The year is possibly 1994. I’m standing next to the late Congressman William Lehman from Miami-Dade. Bill Lehman died in 2005. Next to Bill is the civil rights activist and Miami path breaker,Thelma Gibson. The sturdy, imposing African-American to the right was the star of the photograph. Arthur E. […]

Diane RobertsMay 20, 2015

It’s tempting to take a break from the 83-car pileup that is Florida government and amuse ourselves with, say, the festival of unseemliness that is former Congressman Alan Grayson who, when he’s not accusing the Tampa Bay Times’s Political Editor of being a robot with bowel issues (I paraphrase, for which you should thank me), […]

Bruce RitchieMay 1, 2015

Another legislative session dubbed the “year of water” failed to deliver in 2015 as the House went home early over a health care spending dispute with the Senate. HB 7003, a water bill that was a legislative priority of House Speaker Steve Crisafulli, passed the House by a 106-9 vote on the second day of […]

Bruce RitchieApril 30, 2015

The Florida office of a national environmental group on Thursday filed a federal lawsuit against federal agencies over protection of an endangered sparrow and Everglades restoration indirectly related to a proposed big land purchase. Environmental groups and some local government officials are pressuring the state to exercise an option to buy 46,800 acres of U.S. Sugar […]

Guest AuthorApril 29, 2015

(Editor’s note: These comments are from a talk by Maggy Hurchalla at the Tropical Audubon Centennial on April 26.) The great thing about being old is that you can tell stories about how things used to be, and, the older you get, the fewer people there are to contradict you. Here at the Doc Thomas […]

Bruce RitchieApril 29, 2015

A House bill establishing comprehensive water policy was amended and passed by the Senate on Wednesday, but was dead because the House had adjourned on Tuesday. House bills dealing with hydraulic fracturing were not voted on in the Senate because their Senate sponsor said they lacked the two-thirds vote needed. The 2015 Legislative Session continued […]

Guest AuthorApril 28, 2015

Last week I had the honor and the privilege to stand with our president on the 45th annual celebration/recognition of Earth Day. When you are with a U.S. president – any president – it’s hard not to stand in awe and to walk away inspired. While there are so many things to share and so […]

Daniel TilsonApril 22, 2015

Gov. Scott finally got busy addressing big issues this week. Not serious, mind you, just busy. Lots of finger-pointing, no problem-solving With President Barack Obama visiting South Florida and using the Everglades as backdrop to observe Earth Day, Scott refused the White House’s invitation to participate. Why risk hearing any inflammatory words or phrases. Climate […]

Tag: Everglades

Eric Eikenberg: Everglades Foundation still eager to work with Legislature on water storage

Eric Eikenberg: Everglades Foundation still eager to work with Legislature on water storage

Alan Farago: A true story about Art Teele, Big Sugar and Miami-Dade political influence

Diane Roberts: Big Shug and Rick Scott's minions poison land deal and Amendment 1

“Year of water” failed along with most environmental bills

Sparrow lawsuit has indirect link to water storage, U.S. Sugar land purchase

Maggy Hurchalla: Keep fighting until Legislature buys land for Everglades restoration

Water, fracking bills die as Senate meets without House

Kristin Jacobs: Heed Obama's hopeful message on climate change

Daniel Tilson: In Rick Scott's Florida, if the flooding doesn't get you, lack of health insurance will