Florida environmental and wildlife news for the week ending 6-26-09

Ed. Note: This post contains material from the past two weeks. We’ll return to our regular posting schedule next week.

FEATURED STORIES

Hometown Democracy Proposal Goes to Voters
By Michael Peltier
The News Service of Florida via FloridaEnvironments.com
Related AP report: Fla. planning amendment makes 2010 ballot
Related story: Fla. Supreme Court grants "Hometown Democracy" motion
Take action: Support Florida Hometown Democracy.
Ballot casters going to the polls in November 2010 will be asked whether changes to local comprehensive plans must be approved by local voters, state election officials announced Monday.

Drilling backers see rare occasion
By Joe Follick
Gainesville Sun
Related Tallahassee Democrat story: Sen. Nelson hints at filibuster over bill on offshore drilling
Take action: Sign on to the Progress Florida letter to Sen. Nelson
Drilling for oil and natural gas within 10 miles of Florida's coast has suddenly become one of the chief objectives for Republican legislative leaders and industry backers, who see a rare convergence of political opportunity and public sentiment.

92-year-old crusader's latest cause is saving the St. Johns River
By Kevin Spear
Orlando Sentinel
Take action: Support St. Johns Riverkeeper.
Take action: Support The Stetson Kennedy Foundation.
Stetson Kennedy, legendary champion of civil rights and cultural preservation, has begun a legal battle at age 92 to keep thirsty Central Florida from draining the St. Johns River.

Officials defend eco-passage
By Bill Cotterell
Tallahassee Democrat
Related: Tax protesters plan 'tea party' over eco-passage
Related Palm Beach Post column: More to Florida turtle crossing than Oklahoma Sen. Coburn claims
Related Pensacola News Journal editorial: Wildlife corridors needed
Laugh if you will, but state transportation officials and wildlife researchers said Wednesday a $3.4 million pair of tunnels under a busy North Florida highway is a serious safety project - for people, too.



Florida manatee: Lessons to be learned from gentle giants
By John Christopher Fine
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
Related: Support Save The Manatee Club.
"They flipped us off and cursed us." The woman was distraught. An injured West Indian manatee was in distress near the Boynton Beach Municipal Boat Ramp.

Panel explores Corps of Engineers, wetlands loss
By Bruce Ritchie
FloridaEnvironments.com
Related reading: Paving Paradise: Florida's Vanishing Wetlands and the Failure of No Net Loss
Enigma. Paralyzed. Decentralized. Schizophrenic.

Frightful Florida global warming forecast for 2099: Will your grandkids be under water?
By Tony Doris
Palm Beach Post
More drought, more flooding.

All eyes are on sweeping water measure in governor's hands
By Kevin Spear
Orlando Sentinel
Environmentalists hold as one of their main strengths the ability to rally grass-roots supporters and raise a formidable protest at public hearings.


Editorial cartoon by Andy Marlette, Pensacola News Journal

MORE GREEN NEWS

Navy training zone expands off coast of Jacksonville
By Timothy J. Gibbons, Steve Patterson
Florida Times-Union
The Navy plans to ramp up training in a 66,000-square-mile swath of ocean off the coast of Jacksonville, bringing in more aircraft and ships to practice things like detecting mines and stopping smugglers.

Group warns it will sue over Panama City airport
By Bruce Ritchie
FloridaEnvironments.com
The Clean Water Network today announced it will sue the Panama City-Bay County Airport Authority for alleged stormwater permit violations in April at its new airport.

State removes falcon from endangered list
Staff report
Gainesville Sun
The world's fastest bird has flown off Florida's list of endangered species.

The South's deepening climate crisis
By Sue Sturgis
Facing South
A new federal report describes the impacts that man-made climate change is already having on the various regions of the United States, and it warns of dramatic disruptions on the way if we fail to reduce carbon pollution significantly and soon.

Crist: No position yet on federal drilling legislation
By Bruce Ritchie
FloridaEnvironments.com
Gov. Charlie Crist said this morning he hasn't taken a position on a federal energy bill that Sen. Bill Nelson says would allow drilling within 10 miles of Florida's Gulf of Mexico coastline.

Bradenton Man Works on Petition to Enable Drilling
By Dale White
Lakeland Ledger
Congressional and Florida legislative action are not the only attempts to open Florida's Gulf coast to oil drilling.

Offshore drilling: A current danger
By William E. Gibson
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
While Congress considers opening the eastern Gulf of Mexico to oil and gas drilling, experts on ocean currents warn of a potential environmental nightmare that could reach the coast of South Florida.

Report: Energy plans won't harm Florida economy
By John Dorschner
Miami Herald
A new economic report, commissioned by the Environmental Defense Fund, says the latest federal proposal to curtail greenhouse gases will have ''very modest or even negligible'' costs for the Florida economy over the next 15 years.

One year later, Everglades land deal shrinks to stay alive
By Andy Reid
South Florida Sun Sentinel
One year ago, Gov. Charlie Crist surprised the state with a blockbuster land deal aimed at restoring the Everglades' "missing link" through sugar cane country.

Federal, Florida dispute holds up Everglades money
By Curtis Morgan
Miami Herald
The Obama administration has pledged to spend nearly half a billion dollars on Everglades restoration over the next two years, a record amount, including $103 million set aside for stimulus projects picked because they are ``shovel-ready.''

Unwise pro-growth laws make Florida Hometown Democracy more likely to pass in 2010
By Howard Troxler
St. Petersburg Times
Our state is divided into two camps.

Growth law is stirring concern
By Dale White
Sarasota Herald Tribune
A new growth management law -- pushed by a Bradenton lawmaker -- is causing "great uncertainty and confusion," the head of Florida's planning agency said Friday.

Growth groups ready for fight
By Jim Saunders
Daytona Beach News-Journal
Gov. Charlie Crist sided with business groups and angered environmentalists when he signed a bill this month to revamp the state's growth management laws.

The unreality of Gary Schraut's push for Senate Bill 360
By Dan DeWitt
St. Petersburg Times
Sometimes, when I talk to Gary Schraut, I wonder if there's some sort of reality-bending tint on the windows of his SUV.

U.S. interior secretary wants to proceed with Everglades restoration
By William E. Gibson
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
After a decade of foot-dragging, it's time to get moving on Everglades restoration, Interior Secretary Ken Salazar said today.

Study: Apalachicola River flow could affect Gulf fisheries
By Bruce Ritchie
FloridaEnvironments.com
Reduced water flowing from Georgia and Alabama in the Apalachicola River in Florida could have wider effects than have been traditionally studied, according to Florida State University researchers.

The Majesty of Corkscrew
YouTube Video
Audubon of Florida blog
If this doesn’t make you want to go to Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary, I don’t know what else would.

Hometown Democracy: The Eve of Destruction?
By Mike Thomas
Orlando Sentinel
St. Pete Beach is a throwback to Florida's pre-Disney beachfront tourism era.

High court goes with voters
Editorial
Palm Beach Post
The Florida Supreme Court ruled in favor of democracy last week by rejecting a state law designed to undercut petition drives for state constitutional amendments.

Drilling redux
Staff Editorial
Gainesville Sun
A Senate committee has approved a plan to open millions of acres of the eastern Gulf of Mexico to oil and gas drilling.

Blowing smoke at Obama plan
Editorial
Daytona Beach News-Journal
It started encouragingly: A federal energy bill that would require 20 percent greenhouse-gas emission reductions from 2005 levels by 2020, and 80 percent by 2050.

Playing The Same Old Tune
Editorial
Lakeland Ledger
It's sad, really. While most Americans are excited by the prospects of renewable energy and better fuel efficiency, many in Congress continue to be drawn to the oil companies' same old tune.

Drilling off Florida is a false promise
Staff Editorial
Tampa Tribune
The "drill, baby drill" crowd is at it again.

Plastic grocery bags get trashed, for good reason
Editorial
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
They're everywhere -- blowing in the wind, floating in the sea, piling up in your kitchen and in landfills.


Snowy egret chicks nesting in Fred George Basin, Leon County, Spring 2009. Photo Courtesy Richard Leighton, Florida Nature Photography.

Wildwood Preservation Society is a non-profit 501(c)(4) project of the Advocacy Consortium for the Common Good. Click here to learn more.

"it's all connected"

Greedy developers seek to weaken endangered wood stork protections

Ed. Note: The efforts described in the articles below by builder groups and deep-pocketed developers to weaken protections for endangered wood storks amount to nothing more than a charade of misinformation based on pure greed, plain and simple. The builders cite 2006 nesting numbers and point to the big rebound in wood stork nesting this year. However, they fail to mention the fact that during 2007 and 2008 South Florida’s Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary, historically the largest wood stork rookery in the U.S., suffered complete nesting failures. Additionally, overdevelopment in South Florida has already driven wood storks into North Florida and beyond. Wildwood Preservation Society has been working for more than three years to protect core foraging habitat for endangered wood storks in Fred George Basin, Leon County. Even with the current protections in place, one must cut through a mountain of red tape in order to prevent reckless developments in and around wood stork habitat. One final point: these builders want to keep paving over our state with new homes while hundreds of thousands of existing residential homes sit vacant due to the housing and economic crisis.

Bird vs. builders: Endangered stork's status called 'an albatross'
By David Fleshler
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
Related AP story: Fla. builders want endangered bird reclassified
Although the recession is the chief obstacle to the construction of new houses in Florida, the building industry has taken aim at a more humble opponent: the endangered wood stork.

Everglades' wood stork enjoys a rebirth
By Curtis Morgan
Miami Herald
Related AP story: Wood stork population flying higher in Everglades
A boom in breeding by the rare wood stork has added fuel to developers' argument that the bird no longer belongs on the endangered list.

Latest scapegoat..er bird in housing slump debate
By Tom Palmer
Lakeland Ledger
A large wading bird appears to have joined impact fees as the prime culprit for lack of recovery of the housing market.

Florida's Growth Machine: blame the birds
By Gimleteye
Eye On Miami
It is sickening to watch the Growth Machine taking advantage of the worst economic crisis since the Depression to gear up new rules and regulations so that when housing markets return, citizens will have even less access to the law to protect their communities and the environment.


Endangered wood storks nesting in Fred George Basin, Spring 2009. Photo courtesy of Richard Leighton, Florida Nature Photography.



Wildwood Preservation Society is a non-profit 501(c)(4) project of the Advocacy Consortium for the Common Good. Click here to learn more.

"it's all connected"

Important news about Florida's turtles

Ed. Note: Below are two important news stories regarding Florida’s turtle population from the past day. Thank you to everyone that sent emails and letters to Gov. Crist and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission urging that the freshwater turtle harvest ban be implemented!

State bans harvesting of most freshwater turtles
By Logan Neill
St. Petersburg Times
Related link: Support the Florida Turtle Conservation Trust

In what one commissioner called "a legacy vote," Florida on Wednesday approved the toughest measures in the United States to protect freshwater turtles.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission voted unanimously to outlaw the commercial taking of the state's freshwater turtles and eggs.

"This decision may be one of Florida's greatest conservation stories," Commissioner Brian Yablonski said. "This is a legacy vote."

The reptiles are popular in China, where they are considered a delicacy and are used in medicine. However, wildlife officials fear that continued capture of the wild creatures from lakes, ponds and other waterways would endanger some turtle species.

Bowing to public outcry over the practice, Gov. Charlie Crist urged the agency last year to move toward a complete ban on the harvesting of wild turtles.

The FWC heard from 24 people Wednesday, including environmental groups and wildlife experts who supported the ban.

"We need to protect the resource before it's too late. Good regulations will help that," said Peter Meylan of Eckerd College.

Douglas Traywick, 51, traveled from Gotha in Orange County to oppose the new rules. A lifelong fisherman, he said he has the required state licenses to fish for and transport turtles, but he worries about his industry's future. "Imperiled species? We're one of them," he told the panel.

"I can't go on unemployment," he said, "I'm the lowest man on the totem pole."

Sharon Groene, whose family owns a business near Eagle Lake in Polk County that deals in everything from farm-raised tilapia to alligator meat, said the new rule unfairly targets people of limited means.

"Nobody gets rich catching turtles," she said. "These are people who need that money so they can feed their kids."

Commissioner Dwight Stephenson addressed the concerns of the fishermen. "I want to say that your voice has been heard, but we're charged with protecting these species and this rule is necessary at this time."

The new rules allow turtle farms to collect turtles to reproduce in captivity and thus become self-sustaining without taking turtles from the wild.

Ron Bergeron of the FWC urged opponents to look at the big picture. "When you're over-fishing, you're not only hurting the species, you're hurting the food chain as well," he said. "Florida needs to be a leader on this."

The new rules ban the taking of turtles that are on the imperiled species list, including alligator snapping turtles, Bar­bour's map turtles and Suwannee cooters. Also, the taking of cooters, Escambia map turtles and snapping turtles is prohibited.

The new rules do allow for limited taking of softshell turtles, one per day for personal use, if taken by hand, baited hook or minnow seine. Fishing for softshells is prohibited during the breeding season, from May 1 to July 31. For more details, see www.MyFWC.com.

According to the FWC, about 50 people are involved in largely unregulated business of catching freshwater turtles around the state. Fishermen are paid between 75 cents and $1.40 per pound for the turtles, which are shipped live overseas, according to an FWC staff report. Exporters can net $30,000 to $60,000 for a single shipment.



Wildlife underpass skewered; Founder fires back
By Bruce Ritchie
FloridaEnvironments.com
Related Palm Beach Post column: More to Florida turtle crossing than Oklahoma Sen. Coburn claims
Related link: Support the Lake Jackson Ecopassage

Supporters of a proposed wildlife underpass along U.S. Highway 27 north of Tallahassee received unwelcome attention in national media to their project on Tuesday when a Republican U.S. senator identified it as wasteful spending.

Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., included the "Lake Jackson Ecopassage" as one the top 10 of 100 examples of wasteful spending that he had identified in the federal stimulus package. The project would include building a 4-1/2 foot retaining wall to direct wildlife to three culverts going under the road, which is on a berm built across an arm of Lake Jackson.

State transportation officials say the project is needed to prevent motorists from running over some of the 100 or more turtles, alligators and other wildlife that attempt to cross the divided four-lane highway on some days. But Coburn's report said existing efforts to protect turtles along U.S. 27 already are working pretty well.

"To borrow money that we don't have to spend on things we don't need in the name of economic stimulus when there are things we could spend it on that we do need," Coburn told ABC News.

ABC opened its report by saying, "Why did the turtle cross the road? Because $3.4 million in stimulus money had not been spent to build him a tunnel. That's about to change. "

But Matt Aresco, a biologist who founded the Lake Jackson Ecopassage effort, said the Coburn report completely misrepresented the project by failing to state that the project is not just one culvert but three culverts. And he said ABC News and other reports just parroted the Coburn report without emphasizing that the project is not new and that the turtles and alligators crossing the highway pose a serious safety threat to motorists.

"Another thing they don't talk about is the highway built across the lake bottom four decades created the problem," Aresco said. "All we are trying to do is fix the problem for a highway that is already built."

The ABC News report and some others mentioned the safety issue, but only after highlighting the project as wasteful spending. They didn't point out that Aresco and his supporters have been working nearly 10 years to get the project built.

In that time, Aresco and supporters say they have saved more than 8,800 turtles by creating a temporary fabric fence and carrying turtles across the road. Hundreds of schoolchildren have taken up the cause of building the Lake Jackson Ecopassage and local officials have supported the project.

But Aresco said the fabric fence is only a temporary solution. The temporary device must be monitored three times a day, alligators and some wildlife still can cross over it and the fence falls down, is knocked down or is chewed up by critters trying to get across the road, Aresco said.

"They're saying the temporary fabric fence and wooden stakes that's working just fine?" Aresco said. "The minute (we) couldn't do it any more those fences would fall down and that would be the end of it."






Wildwood Preservation Society is a non-profit 501(c)(4) project of the Advocacy Consortium for the Common Good. Click here to learn more.

"it's all connected"

Florida environmental and wildlife news for the week ending 6-12-09

FEATURED STORIES

Senate looks to shrink no-drilling zones
By Curtis Morgan
Miami Herald
Offshore oil and gas rigs could move dramatically closer to Florida's coastline -- nearly within sight of pristine Panhandle beaches -- under a provision approved Tuesday by a key Senate panel.

Senate Panel OKs Expanded Oil and Gas Leasing in Eastern Gulf
By Ben Geman and Greenwire
New York Times
The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee approved expanded oil and gas leasing today in the eastern Gulf of Mexico in a bipartisan vote that would upend a 2006 compromise with Florida senators that provided their state at least a 125-mile buffer in most areas until mid-2022.

Offshore-drilling measure could hurt energy bill's chances
By Eun Kyung Kim
Tallahassee Democrat
The latest attempt to open up oil drilling in the eastern Gulf of Mexico -- this time as close as 10 miles from pristine Panhandle beaches -- likely will face tough opposition from Senate leaders anxious to avoid jeopardizing major legislation on climate change and renewable energy.

Conservative activists working to overturn Florida's 20-year ban on offshore drilling
By Jim Ash
Tallahassee Democrat
Claiming that offshore drilling is the answer to the nation's addiction to foreign oil, conservative activists are gearing up a constitutional drive to lift Florida's 20-year-old ban.

New Bay Co. airport faces possible DEP fines
By Bruce Ritchie
FloridaEnvironments.com
The Panama City-Bay County Airport Authority is facing possibly hundreds of thousands of dollars in fines for potential water quality violations caused by erosion at its new airport now under construction.

Keep Water Management Permit Decisions Public!
Action Alert
Save the Manatee Club
Ask Governor Crist to Veto SB 2080.

Anti-development 'Hometown Democracy' amendment has enough signatures for 2010 ballot, supporters say
By Dara Kam
Palm Beach Post
Related: Hometown Democracy’s website
Backers of a proposed state constitutional amendment that would give residents control over changes to local land-use plans believe they have enough signatures to get onto the 2010 ballot.


Click on the graphic above to sign on to the letter thanking Sen. Nelson for opposing efforts to expand offshore oil drilling to within just miles of Florida’s coastline.

MORE GREEN NEWS

More sprawl feared in bid to boost Florida economy
By Brandon Larrabee
Florida Times-Union
With the economy seemingly in a tailspin and the housing market rocked by the subprime mortgage crisis, developers focused during this year's legislative session on easing laws meant to limit sprawl and manage growth in Florida.

State, federal investigators offer reward for Florida panther killed in Hendry County
By Craig Pittman
St. Petersburg Times
For two months, state and federal wildlife investigators have been trying to figure out who shot a Florida panther and left its carcass to rot.

Water managers hand off permitting duties, despite environmental concerns
By Andy Reid
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
Fighting water permits needed for new development and agriculture could soon get harder for South Florida residents worried about strained water supplies.

Controversy catches water bill sponsor by surprise
By Bruce Ritchie
FloridaEnvironments.com
A Senate co-sponsor of a controversial environmental bill says he didn't know it was amended to include a provision that critics say would limit public input on permitting decisions by the state's five water management districts.

Panel offers mixed views on Everglades land buy
By Bruce Ritchie
FloridaEnvironments.com
Representatives of the Everglades Foundation and the Florida Park Service say a revised U.S. Sugar Corp. purchase proposal will help restore the "River of Grass."

Fla. justices agree to expedite initiative ruling
The Associated Press
Tampa Tribune
The Florida Supreme Court has agreed to expedite a decision in a case affecting a petition drive for a ballot proposal that would give voters a say in the development of their communities.

Crist signs invasive species bill
By Bruce Ritchie
FloridaEnvironments.com
Flanked by Agriculture Commissioner Charles Bronson and state Rep. Leonard Bembry, Gov. Charlie Crist this morning signed HB 255 to formalize Florida's participation with other states in battling invasive pests.

Law could damage Crist's environmental reputation
By William March
Tampa Tribune
Gov. Charlie Crist's long-standing reputation as an environmentalist could take a hit because of his signing last week of a controversial bill on growth management.

Drop in state's pollution fines irks group
By William March
Tampa Tribune
An environmental group says that Florida Department of Environmental Protection enforcement actions against polluters have declined.

Beauty Under the Sea
Florida Department of Environmental Protection
Foster Folly News
Worldwide, coral reefs provide habitat for more than one million species of plants and animals and support an estimated 25 percent of all marine life.

Florida's Cabinet OKs $5.1M land acquisition
By Paul Flemming
Tallahassee Democrat
Nearly 1,400 acres in Santa Rosa County is now protected from further development and encroachment on Whiting Field Naval Air Station while providing recreation for off-road vehicles, hikers, canoeists and bicyclists.

Senate Bill 360 a circle of ineptitude
By Ron Rae
Tampa Tribune
My hands are shakin' and my knees are weak. I'm so upset my words are much too black and the mood too bleak.

Dizzying SB 360
Editorial
Daytona Beach News-Journal
Before Charlie Crist flies again, his doctor should check him out.

Again, with feeling: No new drilling
Editorial
St. Petersburg Times
There is a rhythm to summer that has become as predictable in Washington as it is predatory and senseless: Schools let out, vacation season begins, gas prices rise and opportunists in Congress -- encouraged by Big Oil -- cite the pain at the pump to push for expanding offshore drilling, jeopardizing Florida's priceless coastline.

Make it 'Chill, baby, chill!'
Editorial
Palm Beach Post
Last fall, Democrats in Washington tried to turn Florida into Louisiana.

Reject power grab on water
Editorial
St. Petersburg Times
Florida's water resources shouldn't be controlled by just five people across the state.

Oceans in peril
Editorial
Daytona Beach News-Journal
In observance of World Oceans Day, take a quick look at the land around us in the United States.


Imperiled Florida coral reef

Wildwood Preservation Society is a non-profit 501(c)(4) project of the Advocacy Consortium for the Common Good. Click here to learn more.

"it's all connected"

Florida environmental and wildlife news for the week ending 6-5-09

FEATURED STORIES

Crist signs growth bill, sells Florida down the river
By Howard Troxler
St. Petersburg Times
In the defining moment of his career Monday, Gov. Charlie Crist sold the state of Florida right down the river.

Bailing Out the Land Speculators
By Alan Farago
Counterpunch
As Democrats approach a filibuster proof US Senate, every race will be a heated battle. In 2010 one of the key contests will be in Florida where a governor perceived to be moderate, Charlie Crist, is locked in a primary against the former House Speaker in the Florida legislature, Marco Rubio.

Group looks to bring drilling vote to ballot
By Michael Peltier
The News Service of Florida via FloridaEnvironments.com
With efforts stalled over whether to allow drilling off Florida's Gulf Coast, the fight may go directly to Florida voters.

FWC sets June 17-18 meeting in Crystal River
Press Release
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
Take action: Email turtles@myfwc.com and urge support for the freshwater turtle ban.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) will meet at the Plantation Inn in Crystal River June 17-18. FWC meetings are open to public participation.

What next for Florida's springs after bill dies?
By Bruce Ritchie
FloridaEnvironments.com
Former state biologist Jim Stevenson said he recently asked a teenager who had grown up in Tallahassee if he'd ever been to Wakulla Springs.


Editorial cartoon by Andy Marlette, Pensacola News Journal

MORE GREEN NEWS

River pipe postponed until dioxin level drops
By Peter Guinta
St. Augustine Record
Georgia-Pacific's paper plant in Palatka will not be allowed to build its proposed new 40-million-gallons-per-day pipeline into the middle of the St. Johns River until the company lowers its discharge of dioxin, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection said Monday.

New jobs or healthy river: Which is more important?
By Ron Littlepage
Florida Times-Union
I'm fearful that we will soon face a classic confrontation - the health of the St. Johns River vs. jobs.

Crist Environmental Enforcement Initiative Fizzles
Press Release
Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility
The Crist administration's touted 2007 pledge to toughen anti-pollution enforcement in Florida has been a failure, according to an analysis of state enforcement statistics released today by Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER).

Judges: South Florida water managers did not violate Clean Water Act
The Associated Press
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
Related: Earthjustice criticizes Okeechobee reversal
A federal appeals court has reversed a Miami judge's ruling that Florida water managers violated the Clean Water Act by pumping contaminated water from farmland into Lake Okeechobee.

Zoning Commission gives nod to expanding rock mining in Everglades
By Andy Reid
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
Rock mining would claim more former Everglades land under a development plan endorsed by the Palm Beach County Zoning Commission on Thursday.

Progress Energy warms up to solar energy
By Robert Trigaux
St. Petersburg Times
Hard to believe, but the electric company that once routinely panned solar power as too expensive and inefficient is about to introduce a whole bunch of new solar initiatives for its customers and eventually market it all here under a brand name called SunSense.

What we think: Kill destructive water bill
Editorial
Orlando Sentinel
It's a tough slog getting water managers today to meet or even think about meeting their responsibility to safeguard Florida's water supply.

MORE SB 360 NEWS

Taxpayers will feel the cost of sprawl
By Charles Pattison
Tallahassee Democrat
This year's growth management bill, SB 360, was opposed by most of the leading newspapers and conservation, planning and advocacy organizations, including 1000 Friends of Florida, the Florida League of Cities and the Florida Association of Counties. The governor signed the bill Monday afternoon, despite many requests to veto it.

Crist's environmental record hurt by growth legislation, critics say
By William March
Tampa Tribune
Reader poll: Is the governor still green?
Gov. Charlie Crist's long-standing reputation as an environmentalist could take a hit because of his signing this week of a controversial bill on growth management.

Gov. Crist changes his colors
By Mark Lane
Daytona Beach News-Jouranl
Gov. Charlie Crist has worked hard to get out from under his party's image as reflexively anti-environment. Until this week, it kind of worked.

Great news for developers, not so good to everyone else
By Ron Littlepage
Florida Times-Union
Legend has it that Juan Ponce de Leon came to Florida looking for the Fountain of Youth.

Home building and construction is to Florida as opium production is to Afghanistan
By Gimleteye
Eye On Miami
Opium production is 60 percent of the economy of Afghanistan.

Crist's environmental image takes a hit
By Beth Reinhard
Miami Herald
Gov. Charlie Crist waited until 5:05 p.m. tonight to quietly send out a press release saying he had signed a "growth management'' bill that environmentalists say will result in worsening sprawl.

Crist refuels the bulldozers
By Kenric Ward
TC Palm
Gov. Charlie Crist cleared the way for developers by signing Senate Bill 360. Watch out, Treasure Coast.

Governor Gridlock
Editorial
St. Petersburg Times
Gov. Charlie Crist just made it easier to pave over what's left of Florida.

Reckless rollback
Editorial
Florida Today
Brevard County residents, you've just been had. And you can thank Gov. Charlie Crist and Republicans in the state Legislature for guaranteeing that you'll get stuck with the bill for more urban sprawl and traffic gridlock when growth returns to Florida.

Gov. Charlie Crist made a bad call on growth limits
Editorial
Miami Herald
A new growth-management law signed by Gov. Charlie Crist this week broadly redefines ''dense urban land areas'' as land with less than one home per acre.

Wildwood Preservation Society is a non-profit 501(c)(4) project of the Advocacy Consortium for the Common Good. Click here to learn more.

"it's all connected"

Gov. Crist signs SB 360, shows his true colors are anything but "green"

Editorial cartoon by Jim Morin, Miami Herald

Crist signs controversial growth bill
By Jim Ash
Tallahassee Democrat
Gov. Charlie Crist, a U.S. Senate candidate who frequently crosses the state for high-profile bill signing ceremonies, took a far different approach Monday when he signed a controversial growth management bill vehemently opposed by environmental groups.

Crist signs bill loosening controls on growth
By Paul Quinlan
Palm Beach Post
Related editorial: The governor can't hide
Gov. Charlie Crist bucked environmental groups and local governments Monday by signing a bill that development interests say will discourage urban sprawl and jump-start Florida's stalled building industry.

Crist signs growth-management bill (includes audio)
By Mitch E. Perry
WMNF Community Radio Tampa
As we reported last night, without ceremony Gov. Charlie Crist has signed Senate Bill 360, also known as the Community Renewal Act, into law.

Critics decry growth bill
Staff Report
Daytona Beach News-Journal
Gov. Charlie Crist signed a growth management bill Monday supported by business and development interests but opposed by environmentalists and local governments.

Crist's environmental image takes a hit
By Beth Reinhard
Miami Herald
Gov. Charlie Crist waited until 5:05 p.m. tonight to quietly send out a press release saying he had signed a "growth management'' bill that environmentalists say will result in worsening sprawl.

Crist refuels the bulldozers
By Kenric Ward
TC Palm
Gov. Charlie Crist cleared the way for developers by signing Senate Bill 360. Watch out, Treasure Coast.

Governor Gridlock
Editorial
St. Petersburg Times
Gov. Charlie Crist just made it easier to pave over what's left of Florida.

Reckless rollback
Editorial
Florida Today
Brevard County residents, you've just been had. And you can thank Gov. Charlie Crist and Republicans in the state Legislature for guaranteeing that you'll get stuck with the bill for more urban sprawl and traffic gridlock when growth returns to Florida.

Wildwood Preservation Society is a non-profit 501(c)(4) project of the Advocacy Consortium for the Common Good. Click here to learn more.

"it's all connected"