Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Bruce RitchieMarch 4, 2015

Democrats questioned a House water policy bill on the floor Wednesday while environmentalists said they are turning their hopes to the Senate for a stronger bill. Supporters say HB 7003 provides a statewide approach to dealing with water issues while modernizing the water regulatory system. But environmentalists say it weakens Lake Okeechobee protections while failing […]

Bruce RitchieMarch 4, 2015

Associated Industries of Florida announced Wednesday it’s forming a “Florida Mineral Rights Working Group” to focus on oil and gas production — with no mention of the even more controversial idea of offshore drilling. The announcement comes as legislation (SB 166/HB 169) has been filed to ban hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, which is a process […]

Bruce RitchieFebruary 11, 2015

A pair of bills filed this week would wade into what became a stinky issue last year — a deadline to ban the spreading of septic tank waste on land. In 2010, the Legislature voted to ban the land application of septic tank waste beginning on Jan. 1, 2016 as part of a bill that […]

Bruce RitchieJanuary 22, 2015

Leaders of the House and Senate have said they expect water to be a priority in the upcoming legislative session but they’ve been vague at best on what issues should be addressed. On Thursday, Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam weighed in by outlining recommendations for what he said are the “bold” changes needed in state water […]

Bruce RitchieOctober 2, 2014

California became the first state in the nation this week to ban disposable single-use plastic shopping bags. The ban is needed, supporters said, to reduce litter and protect birds and sea life from becoming entangled in bags. The ban also prevents bags from clogging storm drains or winding up in landfills. That new law prompted […]

Mark FerruloSeptember 16, 2014

As the November election fast approaches, Gov. Rick Scott has been barnstorming across the state, touting his environmental record while promising to spend millions on land conservation and crack down on polluters. But when it comes to protecting public health and our state’s natural resources, Scott’s record stands in stark contrast to his rhetoric. Soon […]

Bruce RitchieJuly 31, 2014

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Former Gov. Charlie Crist says if elected governor again in November, he would again issue executive orders dealing with climate change. But we’ve been down that road before — and it didn’t take us very far. If Crist is elected and does what he says, you can expect a battle with industry groups and their […]

Bruce RitchieJuly 10, 2014

Is it time to trash our old-school ideas about recycling? Recycling is important because it saves energy and reduces our need to create new landfills to bury waste for future generations. But some recent news items raise the question of whether the future of recycling is going to be far different than the rinse-and-sort curbside […]

Peter SchorschJuly 26, 2013

Every day, news outlets highlight Florida’s water challenges: Rising sea level, drought, and concerns about water quality. Today, Florida is over-pumping our groundwater aquifer — a finite water source — and consuming water at an unsustainable rate. This is rapidly decreasing our access to fresh water and causing a variety of unintended consequences. Sinkholes, caused […]

Tag: Florida Department of Environmental Protection
State Rep. Angie Nixon (center) leads a protest against immigration policies Saturday outside the Duval County Courthouse in Jacksonville. Image via Drew Dixon of Florida Politics.

House water bill faces questions, is teed up for floor vote

Associated Industries of FL working group to discuss onshore oil and gas production

Bills would lift 2016 ban on spreading septic tank waste

Adam Putnam outlines water policy recommendations, calls for bold action

Bruce Ritchie: Florida won’t follow California on bag ban because of 2008 law requiring study

Mark Ferrulo: You don’t need to be a scientist, Gov. Scott

Bruce Ritchie: If voters want new energy policy, they need to elect new legislators

Bruce Ritchie: Is it time to revisit our approach to recycling?

Colleen Castille: The right path for Florida’s water future