Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Peter SchorschJanuary 25, 2017

This week, the Mosaic Company is asking Manatee County commissioners to approve a zoning change that will allow the Polk County-based firm to expand its Wingate Mine property by more than 3,600 acres. The request by the world’s largest manufacturer of phosphate-based fertilizers is garnering support from several of Mosaic’s residential neighbors, as well as […]

Joe HendersonJanuary 24, 2017

His job as Florida House Speaker requires Richard Corcoran to make some tough calls, but this one had to be easy for a man whose stated mission is to clean up the way Tallahassee operates. While some politicians talk with a swagger (here’s looking at you, Marco Rubio) but don’t want the ball when the […]

Jim RosicaDecember 13, 2016

A South Florida lawmaker is trying again to establish pilot programs in coastal communities to outlaw plastic shopping bags. State Rep. David Richardson, a Miami Beach Democrat, filed his bill (HB 93) on Tuesday. Similar legislation has been filed in recent years. Richardson’s bill would let municipalities with pilot programs “enact an ordinance for the regulation […]

Associated PressDecember 3, 2016

The surface of Orange Lake is often as smooth as a mirror, disrupted only by the occasional boater’s wake or a duck skidding to a watery landing. But the calm is deceptive. The lake is polluted and, despite attempts to fix it, there isn’t much to show for the effort. The popular fishing and recreational […]

Staff ReportsOctober 24, 2016

Florida regulators announced a consent order Monday with Mosaic Fertilizer LLC over a Polk County sinkhole that released 215 million of toxic, radioactive water into groundwater supplies. The deal provides for substantial fines if the company fails to meet its promises of remediation. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection “will hold Mosaic accountable for repairing the […]

Staff ReportsOctober 12, 2016

Sewage systems overflowed across Florida because of Hurricane Matthew, and Gov. Rick Scott has ordered the Department of Environmental Protection to find out how to prevent it from happening again. “Florida is famous for our pristine environment, world-class beaches, and award-winning state parks,” Scott said Wednesday in a press release. “We must do all we […]

A.G. GancarskiOctober 11, 2016

Among the impacts of Hurricane Matthew: beach erosion, an especially acute problem in St. Johns, Flagler, and Volusia counties. Tuesday, State Sen. Travis Hutson, who represents the affected area, called on the Florida Department of Environmental Protection to review the Atlantic coast erosion problem and move toward meaningful redress. “Hurricane Matthew has caused severe beach erosion threatening […]

A.G. GancarskiOctober 4, 2016

On Tuesday morning, one Jacksonville City Council panel issued a rebuke to the Florida Environmental Regulatory Commission fast-tracking a decision to weaken water quality standards, to where increased amounts benzene and other carcinogenic chemicals can be released in Florida waterways. On Tuesday afternoon, the Rules committee unanimously approved Councilman Jim Love‘s resolution asking the EPA to consider Jacksonville, in a […]

A.G. GancarskiOctober 4, 2016

In July, the Florida Environmental Regulatory Commission fast-tracked a decision to weaken water quality standards, allowing more benzene and other wastewater chemicals to be released in Florida waterways. In October, a Jacksonville City Council committee (Public Health and Safety) approved unanimously a resolution to express opposition and urge reconsideration of the recommendations sent to the federal Environmental Protection Agency. In doing […]

Scott PowersSeptember 26, 2016

Democratic Florida Senate candidate Linda Stewart Monday blasted Mosaic and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection for their delayed responses to the massive Polk County sinkhole that drained fertilizer byproduct runoff into the aquifer. Stewart, running against Republican nominee Dean Asher in Florida Senate District 13, based in Orlando, said the company’s and the state’s […]

Tag: Florida Department of Environmental Protection
Crowds gather to see Atlantis at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. (Gabrielle Russon)

Bradenton Herald, neighbors give thumbs up to Mosaic Wingate Mine expansion

Richard Corcoran walks the walk, denies extra $13M for DEP water war

Ban the bag, South Florida lawmaker says

Slow progress despite efforts to fix Orange Lake pollution

State reaches remediation deal with Mosaic over sinkhole spill

Rick Scott orders inquiry into storm-related sewage spills

Travis Hutson calls on FDEP to review ‘severe beach erosion’

Second Jacksonville City Council panel rebukes state for lax surface water standards

Jacksonville council panel pushes back on relaxed state surface water quality standards

Linda Stewart decries state, company response to Mosaic sinkhole