Florida environmental and wildlife news for the week ending 7-31-09

FEATURED STORIES

Report ranks Florida 9th in U.S. beachwater quality
By Kevin Barnard
Tampa Tribune
Click here to see how the NRDC report rates your beach.
Water quality at nine beaches in Hillsborough County failed to meet Florida's daily maximum bacterial standards during sampling in 2008, the Natural Resources Defense Council says in a national report released Wednesday.

Opposition squares off on growth amendment
By Bill Cotterell
Tallahassee Democrat
Click here to visit Florida Hometown Democracy and learn more about Amendment 4.
City and county governments have treated growth-management plan changes "like Halloween candy" for developers and voters need a "veto," the head of a controversial constitutional-amendment campaign said Thursday.

Florida Cabinet thwarts plan to alter Miami-Dade development boundary
By Mary Ellen Klas
Miami Herald/St. Petersburg Times Tallahassee Bureau
Click here for the National Parks Conservation Association/Clean Water Action press release.
Gov. Charlie Crist and Cabinet members sent Miami-Dade and other urban counties a message Tuesday when they rejected the county's attempt to move the development line west to accommodate a Lowe's Superstore.

Pollution still feeding Gulf dead zone
By Kate Spinner
Sarasota Herald Tribune
The vast oxygen-starved dead zone in the northern Gulf of Mexico shrunk by more than half its typical size this year, but scientists see nothing to celebrate.

An Advocate’s Guide to Growth Management Advocacy After SB 360
Audubon of Florida
The Florida Legislature passed SB 360 in 2009, despite objections from environmental and growth management advocates.

An Advocate’s Guide to Navigating Permit Program Changes at Water Management Districts
Audubon of Florida
The Florida Legislature passed SB 2080 in 2009, changing the water management district (WMD) permit approval process, despite objections expressed by Audubon and the conservation community.

DEP requests approval of Levy Co. nuke plan
By Bruce Ritchie
FloridaEnvironments.com
The Florida Department of Environmental Protection is asking the governor and Cabinet to approve Progress Energy's site application to build a nuclear power plant on 3,105 acres in Levy County.

Supporters of drilling eyeing area off coast
By Lesley Clark
Miami Herald
Two senators from oil-producing states have introduced legislation that would bring oil drilling to within 45 miles of Florida's Gulf coast.


Coming to a beach near you? Gooey blobs of oil washed ashore on Texas beaches last week. The source has yet to be identified.

MORE GREEN NEWS

Ala. Governor Warns Utility on 3-State Water Feud
By Ben Evans
The Associated Press
Alabama Gov. Bob Riley is warning utility giant Southern Co. to stay out of the region's tri-state water war.

Postcard from The Everglades
By Tim Padgett
Time Magazine
This is the everglades that they put in brochures.

Study points to carbon-capture benefits of Florida public lands
By Bruce Ritchie
FloridaEnvironments.com
Florida's state parks, forests and other public lands some day could pay millions of dollars to the state annually for the carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases that are captured and stored in plants and soils, according to a recent study.

Powerful sides face off over Florida's power-saving plan
By Steve Patterson
Florida Times-Union
An energy conservation plan affecting millions of Floridians' electric bills is sparking a fight between big power companies and environmental activists.

FPL: State's growth calls for new gas pipeline
By Bill Cotterell
Tallahassee Democrat
Florida's population growth and economic prosperity will require a gas pipeline, angling down the peninsula from near the state line to south of the Space Coast, a Florida Power & Light Co. executive testified Monday.

Would Florida recycling plan raise local trash pickup costs?
By Steve Patterson
Florida Times-Union
For people to buy into recycling, maybe they need meters on their trash cans, a Florida agency says.

Cabinet to consider first "rural lands" purchase
By Bruce Ritchie
FloridaEnvironments.com
Gov. Charlie Crist and the Cabinet on Tuesday will consider approving the purchase of a 690-acre conservation easement in Flagler County, the first purchase under a state program aimed at preserving agricultural lands.

Everglades restoration in danger from inland-port plan, groups say
By Andy Reid
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
The fight over where to build Florida's proposed "inland port" has Palm Beach County considering allowing more industrial development on former Everglades land, even if the coveted distribution center goes elsewhere.

Army Corps begins dumping Lake O water as drought turns to fears of a glut
By Paul Quinlan
Palm Beach Post
The drought just ended last month, and already, fresh water is being emptied to sea.

Navy gets OK for Florida sonar range, but faces obstacles to use it
By Steve Patterson
Florida Times-Union
The Navy is finalizing plans to build a $100 million training range off Jacksonville's coast - but may be years from getting permission to use it.

Saving the sawfish
By Cindy Swirko
Gainesville Sun
George Burgess is so associated with sharks that he often can be seen explaining the beauty of the fearsome creatures during the Discovery Channel's annual Shark Week programming, the summertime favorite that begins Sunday.

At biofuel summit, Bronson says oil drilling is needed
By Keith Laing
News Service of Florida via FloridaEnvironments.com
Drilling for old-fashioned oil in near shore Florida waters should be part of the nation's energy diet, Florida Agriculture Commissioner Charlie Bronson said today at a conference about increasing the use of newer fuel types.

Crist declines to say how close is too close for oil drilling
By Bruce Ritchie
FloridaEnvironments.com
Gov. Charlie Crist this morning declined to say how close is too close for oil drilling off the Florida coastline.

Eric Draper on off-shore drilling (audio story)
By Mitch E. Perry
WMNF Community Radio Tampa
Eric Draper from the Florida Audubon Society is a candidate for the Democratic nomination for Agriculture Secretary next year.

Oil Fight Rages
By Whitney Ray
Capitol News Service
Legislation allowing oil drilling 45 miles off the coast of Florida is making waves in congress.

Area legislators, business owners oppose drilling
By Lee Logan
Bradenton Herald
Local legislators and business owners are worried the latest push to open Florida’s Gulf Coast to oil drilling might harm the environment and tourism industry.

Is the python hunt all hype? Scientists try to squeeze some truth into snake search
By Paul Quinlan
Palm Beach Post
One week after a pet python escaped its terrarium and strangled a 2-year-old girl in Sumter County, U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson unfurled a 16-foot python skin at a congressional hearing and warned, "It's just a matter of time before one of these things gets to a visitor in the Florida Everglades."

Supporter, opponent of growth amendment sling mud in debate
By Bruce Ritchie
FloridaEnvironments.com
A founder of a proposed state constitutional amendment on growth said during a debate today that supporters face "greedy" opponents, while a spokesman for an opposition group said the founder has shown people they can have any opinion "as long as it's her's."

People need veto power of Hometown Democracy
By John Hedrick
Tallahassee Democrat
Architect Steve Jernigan opposes the Hometown Democracy Amendment No. 4 to the Florida constitution, which will be on the Nov. 2, 2010, ballot.

There is no need to drill off Florida's Gulf Coast
Editorial
Pensacola News Journal
Why would senators from Alaska and Louisiana lead the latest congressional effort to end legislative protection for Florida's coastline from offshore drilling?

Time for Obama to squelch offshore drilling
Editorial
Bradenton Herald
Once again, we’re engulfed in a battle over drilling off Florida’s Gulf coast.


Endangered wood storks nesting in Fred George Basin, June 2009.

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 7-17-09

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New Airport Impact: A closer Look Pt. 1 (video)
Reported by Mark Vaughn
WJHG NBC 7
Follow-up report: New Airport Impact: A closer Look Pt. 2
The initial plan, to extend the current airport's runway into North Bay, was shot down for environmental reasons.

Millions in road fixes, once promised by developers, could be jeopardized by new law
By Michael Van Sickler
St. Petersburg Times
Related column: Crist signs bad growth law, is 'punished' with $4.3 million in campaign contributions
As mammoth subdivisions got approved amid worsening traffic congestion during the housing boom, residents were continually assured by local officials that future road improvements were covered by developers.

State of the Everglades Report
Audubon Everglades Team
Audubon of Florida
This report recaps Audubon of Florida's progress on Everglades restoration over the past six months.

Wood storks have their best nesting season since the 1930s
By Eric Staats
Naples Daily News
Related Ft. Myers News-Press story: Wood storks breeding season finally a success
A frenzy of wood stork nesting in the Everglades this year has been one for the books.

NW development moves forward
By Will Brown
Tallahassee Democrat
Leon County commissioners unanimously moved to consider plans for the first phase of the Summerfield property in compliance with the county's comprehensive code Tuesday night.

City, county continue discussion on merging growth departments
By Will Brown
Tallahassee Democrat
The nuances of moving forward with the consolidation of the Growth and Environmental Management Department was the crux of Wednesday's conversation between Tallahassee Mayor John Marks and Leon County Commission chairman Bryan Desloge.


Endangered Florida Panther.

MORE GREEN NEWS

Attack Survivors Stand Up for Saving Shark Species (includes audio)
By Gina Presson
Public News Service of Florida
The shark literally bit the hand that fed it - or at least the leg - but now its victim, Miami Beach dive boat owner Michael Beach, is working to conserve and protect sharks like the one that bit him.

Advocate on challenge to proposed nuclear plant (audio interview)
By Mitch E. Perry
WMNF Community Radio Tampa
Progress Energy’s plans for a nuclear power plant in Levy County became a little bumpier this week.

Power Giants Seek Big Rate Hikes
By Mike Vasilinda
Capitol News Service
Florida’s two biggest power companies want to dig deeper into your pocket.

Hunters get go-ahead to kill pythons in Big Cypress
By Curtis Morgan
Miami Herald
The federal government on Thursday said it would open up Big Cypress National Wildlife Refuge, which borders Everglades National Park, to a pilot program allowing licensed hunters to ''terminate'' any python they encounter.

Humane Society urges state agency to reconsider python decision
Staff Report
Naples Daily News
The Humane Society of the United States is urging the state Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to reconsider its decision to allow python hunting in Florida.

Delays, price hikes make a muck of $800 million Everglades project
By Paul Quinlan
Palm Beach Post
Deep in the cane fields south of Lake Okeechobee, a massive construction site sits abandoned along U.S. 27, its dreams for the Everglades unfulfilled.

Everglades land swap may be key to FPL plans to expand in West Miami-Dade
By Tania Valdemoro and Curtis Morgan
Miami Herald
Florida Power & Light bought a ribbon of Everglades marl prairie 40 years ago, envisioning it as an isolated place to some day run power lines.

Sides argue pros and cons of U.S. Sugar deal
By Andy Reid
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
Opponents to an Everglades land deal have stepped up their attacks on a plan they say costs taxpayers too much and threatens to set back environmental restoration.

Outlaw swimming with manatees, environmental group demands
By Barbara Behrendt
St. Petersburg Times
A national environmental organization has asked the federal government to prohibit all swimming with manatees, citing increasing harassment of the endangered species.

Rare ghost orchid blooms again near Naples
By Penny Carnathan
Tampa Tribune
Corkscrew Swamp is happy to be haunted for an unusual three years in a row: Its rare ghost orchid is in bloom again, and again drawing visitors from around the country to the sanctuary northeast of Naples.

Water managers shaking up staff, reducing number of senior employees
By Paul Quinlan
Palm Beach Post
South Florida's largest and most powerful environmental agency is thinning its management ranks in its largest staff shake-up in years.

Halting wildlife trade
By Jennifer Hobgood
Miami Herald
The 2-year-old Sumter County girl killed last week by an eight-foot pet Burmese python underscores the threat posed when wild animals are kept as pets.

Plan would open Big Cypress to hunting, vehicles
By David Fleshler
South Florida Sun Sentinel
A federal proposal would open up a vast sweep of forest and swamp on both sides of Alligator Alley to hunting and off-road vehicles, ending a 20-year stretch in which the only serious predator on the local deer and hogs was the Florida panther.

Turtle harvest ban takes effect July 20
The Associated Press
Miami Herald
A ban on commercial harvesting of Florida's freshwater turtles takes effect July 20.

FWC Requests Comments on First Draft of Imperiled Species Listing Changes
FWC Press Release
Wakulla.com
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) seeks public input on the first draft of rules to revise Florida’s imperiled species listing process.

Supporters say Amendment 4 won't kill jobs
By Bill Cotterell
Tallahassee Democrat
Letting voters decide on changes in comprehensive land-use plans will not kill jobs or force a referendum on every new growth opportunity, supporters of a "hometown democracy" amendment said Wednesday.

Amendment 4 corrects power failure
By John Hedrick
Daytona Beach News-Journal
The News-Journal editorial Sunday conceded that the Florida Hometown Democracy amendment would give voters direct veto power over every major land use change approved by local governments.

Vote 'yes' on Amendment 4 to improve your community
By Pedro Monteiro
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
Amendment 4, Florida Hometown Democracy, gives the people of a community the right to vote on whether to approve amendments to their local land use plans.

Amendment would please Jefferson
By Rebecca Eagan
Daytona Beach News-Journal
Thomas Jefferson sold me on Florida Hometown Democracy.

SB 360 must be nullified
Editorial
Ft. Myers News-Press
Kudos to Lee County for joining the lawsuit against the state of Florida over a new growth-management law that compromises state and local government's ability to regulate growth and pay for infrastructure.

Move to protect sharks, panthers in South Florida
Editorial
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
Two threatened species of predators, panthers and sharks, deserve an assist from South Floridians.


Endangered whale shark.

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"

Florida environmental and wildlife news for the week ending 5-29-09

FEATURED STORIES

Group wants wood stork's status upgraded to threatened
Staff Report
Ft. Myers News-Press
A California-based watchdog group wants the status of the wood stork to be upgraded from endangered to threatened so that Florida can benefit from more development.

Florida growth-management bill awaits governor's signature
By Mary Ellen Klas
St. Petersburg Times/Miami Herald Tallahassee Bureau
Related Howard Troxler column: Governor Crist should veto bad growth bill
Progress Florida action alert: Tell Gov. Crist: Veto SB 360!
A growth-management bill awaiting Gov. Charlie Crist's signature is being hailed by developers as the coveted key to unlocking hundreds of delayed construction projects across the state.

28 Organizations Call for a Veto on SB 2080
Action Alert
Audubon of Florida
We wrote below on Audubon of Florida calling on Gov. Crist to veto SB 2080 and keep the public’s right to comment on and help influence water resource decisions.

Florida's renewable energy efforts have gone nowhere
By John Dorschner
Miami Herald
For a year, while the green movement was at its height, Florida environmentalists, new solar companies, utility lobbyists and state regulators spent thousands of hours trying to determine how much of the state's power supply should come from renewable energy sources like solar and wind.

Conservationist running for state agriculture commissioner
By Steve Bousquet
Miami Herald/St. Petersburg Times Tallahassee Bureau
Eric Draper, a conservationist and lobbyist for Audubon of Florida, joined the 2010 race for state agriculture commissioner Thursday, saying he wants to be Florida's ''top environmental steward'' in the Cabinet post.


Endangered wood storks nesting in Fred George Basin, Leon County, Florida

MORE GREEN NEWS

Lawsuit filed to reclassify Florida's loggerhead sea turtles as "endangered"
By Ludi Lelis
Orlando Sentinel
Three environmental groups filed a lawsuit today against the federal government, pressing the question of whether Florida’s loggerhead sea turtles should be reclassified as endangered.

Interior secretary promises to revitalize Everglades
By Curtis Morgan
Miami Herald
Related: State wants bounty hunters to control pythons in Everglades
Saying the federal government had ''not kept its end of the bargain,'' the Obama administration on Thursday promised to pay its fair share of an Everglades restoration effort now estimated to reach $22.5 billion and to make long-stalled projects a top priority.

Feds Won't Intervene in Three-State Water Battle
Staff Report
Lakeland Ledger
Interior Secretary Ken Salazar said Wednesday the federal government won't try to broker a solution to a bitter three-state battle over water rights, but he urged Georgia, Alabama and Florida to seek a compromise outside of the courtroom.

Corps may release more water to Florida's Apalachicola River
By Bruce Ritchie
FloridaEnvironments.com
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers says the agency probably will begin releasing more water in June from its dams upstream from Florida along the Chattahoochee River.

Why does Florida Fish and Wildlife refuse to protect eagles and tortoises?
By Chris Hrabovsky
Creative Loafing
Perhaps FFWCC has become another permit dispensing agency, the same way Army Corps of Engineers and Southwest Florida Water Management District have.

Fee increases for parks, fishing in new state budget
By Bruce Ritchie
FloridaEnvironments.com
Some anglers and state park visitors are among those who will pay more to enjoy the outdoors under the 2008-09 state budget signed into law today by Gov. Charlie Crist.

More Florida drivers choosing gas sippers over motorized behemoths
By Angel Streeter
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
In car-obsessed South Florida, size matters. Big SUVs, big pickup trucks, minivans and four-door sedans dominate.

Bad times make state less green
By Mark Lane
Daytona Beach News-Journal
There are only two parts of the business cycle when the Florida environment is in danger -- good times and bad times.

Rains boost water supplies, watering restrictions remain
By Andy Reid
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
What a difference a week of steady rain has made for once-parched South Florida.

Crist's energy goals get a push
By Zac Anderson
Sarasota Herald-Tribune
One of the first things Gov. Charlie Crist did when he moved into the governor's mansion was put solar panels on the roof.

Bill would gut growth management in Florida, hurt recovery
By Ray Judah
Ft. Myers News-Press
In response to Sen. Bennett’s recent commentary concerning Senate Bill 360 (“New bill reforms road mandates, discourages sprawl,” May 22) let us look at the record.

Veto growth bill
Editorial
Bradenton Herald
Just exactly what will state Sen. Mike Bennett’s Community Renewal Act accomplish if signed into law by Gov. Charlie Crist? Several negative impacts trump the positive components.


Atlantic loggerhead sea turtle

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"