Capitol Watch Week 2 By Jay Liles and Preston Robertson
Week of January 16, 2012
Everglades Summit
The Everglades Foundation states its mission succinctly – “Advance an understanding of the greater Everglades ecosystem and its irreplaceable environmental and economic value." During the week of January 17 the Foundation brought that message to Tallahassee, assisted by a host of conservation groups, including the Florida Wildlife Federation. We called for a renewed commitment to restoration of America’s precious River of Grass. By all appearances, we were speaking to a receptive audience, including the political and policy leadership of the state. How the policymakers put their words into action over the next few weeks will show us just how receptive they were to the message.
Dubbed the first Everglades Water Supply Summit, this gathering of some of Florida’s most influential environmental advocates, business and political leaders informed our legislators that the Everglades ecosystem transcends political boundaries. It is the source of fresh water for one out of every three Floridians. It is an economic engine feeding much of the business and agricultural economy of South Florida. And, as one of the world’s most ecologically diverse areas, it holds a status that makes it among the most treasured ecological sites on the planet.
Advocates worked the halls of the State Legislature making sure that each and every member got the message that funding recommended by Governor Scott ($40 million), while appreciated, should be considered the floor and not the ceiling. Historically, restoration efforts have received upwards of $100 million annually. Members were reminded that severe recent cuts to Water Management District budgets have already hampered projects. The result has been the loss of jobs and likely the raising of the cost of future restoration.
Among the many notables who participated in the Everglades Water Supply Summit were U.S. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar, Gov. Rick Scott, Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater, Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam and Senate President Mike Haridopolos.
Former U.S. Senator and Florida Governor Bob Graham, a long-time champion of Everglades’ restoration and water conservation efforts across the state, made a special appeal to policymakers. He cautioned them not to let efforts to restore this great treasure falter, efforts begun under his administration. He reminded them that Everglades restoration had been supported by both Democratic and Republican governors, including Governor Jeb Bush.
FWF was pleased to have Chair Jim Schuette, and board members Martha Musgrove (and her husband John), E.C. Vandagrift, David White and Billy Causey participate in the Summit and in advocacy efforts during the week. It was an “all hands on deck” event that we hope is repeated in years to come. We also appreciated the participation of Sarah Bailey, Claudia Farren and Erin Condon of Florida Defenders of the Environment.
Among the legislative targets for the Foundation and its allies is reversal of 2011 legislation that requires water management district budgets to be approved by the Joint Legislative Budget Commission. Last Session’s SB 2142 also cut water management district property tax revenues by $210 million.
ALERT TO PROTECT PUBLIC LANDSAND WATERS - PLEASE ACT NOW!
Senate Bill 1362, now being discussed in the Florida Legislature, will drastically change who owns lands on our rivers and lakes by redefining where public property ends and private land begins. These bills, if passed, will give these areas (known as sovereignty submerged lands), which the public has owned since statehood in 1845, and now use for boating, fishing, hiking, picnicking, tourism, sightseeing, bird-watching and hunting, to private land owners who will then be able to keep out Florida’spublic and jobs-creating visitors! Note that the House companion to SB 1362, HB1103, passed its first House committee over FWF’s strenuous objection.
Please contact the following Senators (who comprise the Environmental Preservation and Conservation Committee):
Sen. Charlie Dean, dean.charles.web@flsenate.gov,850 487-5017
Sen. Steve Oelrich, oelrich.steve.web@flsenate.gov,850 487-5020
Sen. Nan Rich, rich.nan.web@flsenate.gov, 850 487-5103
Sen. Eleanor Sobel, sobel.eleanor.web@flsenate.gov,850 487-5097
Sen. Dennis Jones, jones.dennis.web@flsenate.gov,850 487-5065
Sen. Nancy Detert, detert.nancy.web@flsenate.gov,850 487- 5081
Sen. Jack Latvala, latvala.jack.web@flsenate.gov,805 487-5075
And tell them to please OPPOSE Senate Bill 1362 and keep our public land open for the public.
**You may also wish to contact the Senate sponsor of SB 1362: Sen. Alan Hays, hays.alan.web@flsenate.gov, 850487-5014 and ask him to please withdraw his support for the bill
Septic Tank Inspections
HB 999 will repeal a statewide requirement for septic tank inspection that passed just two years ago and is yet to be enforced. In 2010, the Legislature passed SB 550 requiring septic tanks to be inspected every five years. Some homeowners raised objection to the cost of inspection 2 times each decade, estimated to average of less than $100 annualized. Florida's springs and waterways have become choked with weeds and algae fed by nitrogen and phosphorus compounds from a variety of sources including fertilizer, stormwater runoff, sewage treatment plants and septic tanks. The economic impact to taxpayers from such uncontrolled sources of pollution is calculated in the millions of dollars.
The bill, with a strike-all amendment, passed the House Economic Affairs Committee by a 14-1 vote. Members of the committee who had voiced concern about the bill as filed stated that they could support the bill for now with the addition of a strike-all amendment that calls for septic tank inspections only in those counties which contain our larger, first magnitude springs. The bill also maintains a ban on the land application of septic tank waste starting in 2016. Similar legislation moving through the House (HB 115) would repeal the land application ban. HB 115 is opposed by FWF and our allies. This measure passed the State Affairs Committee on Thursday and was placed on the calendar on second reading.
We owe a debt of gratitude to the Sierra Club and their chief advocate in Tallahassee, David Cullen, for their hard work on this legislation. David has marshaled opposition, provided key testimony in committees and kept us all informed as this legislation moves through the process. We continue to have concerns including the deletion of language from the bill which would have required a measured separation of septic tank drain fields from groundwater. Many believe separation is needed to keep septic systems functioning properly.
Citizens Insurance Reform - the Movie!
Reforming our state’s property insurance market is one ofthe most important tasks the legislature must tackle this session. The state’s insurance market is currently a “three-legged stool,” comprised of private market insurers, Citizens’ Property Insurance Corporation (Citizens’) and the Florida Hurricane Catastrophe Fund (Cat Fund). Florida’s economic growth is hindered by the imbalance in these three entities. First, the vitality of the private market requires focus on the issues that are driving claims costs and on removing impediments to attracting capital to the state. Second, Citizens’ must be restored to its role as an insurance carrier of last resort. Policymakers must begin to reduce the size and likelihood of post-hurricane assessments that Citizens’ has the power to impose on all Floridians who own auto, commercial or residential insurance. Finally, Florida’s insurance market cannot be restored without including reform of the Cat Fund. Like Citizens’, the Cat Fund has the ability to tax all Floridians to pay for bonds it issues to pay its claims. The Cat Fund was intended to supplement, not replace, private reinsurance. In recent years it has grown unduly large, leaving Florida’s insurance consumers subject to potential assessments – assuming they can even bond in the current sluggish market.
FWF has consistently supported reform of Citizens’ Insurance and the Cat Fund because we believe it unfair to burden all Floridians due to the poor development decision of some who build in low lying coastal zones. That is why we support reforms that remove the incentive for such development, including these insurance programs. Reform would also help protect sensitive environmental area on our coasts.
A video supported by FWF and other consumer, environment and business associations was recently released that will help educate and inform the public about how “hurricane taxes” associated with the Florida Hurricane Catastrophe Fund (Cat Fund) can affect all Floridians following the next major storm to hit the state. It illustrates how and why the Cat Fund was created and describes the current risk all Floridians face because of the fund’s $3.2 billion shortfall. We urge our readers to see this video and call your legislator asking them to support CatFund reform legislation – Senate Bill1372 (Sen. JD Alexander, R-Lake Wales) and House Bill 833 (Rep. Bill Hager, R-Boca Raton).
The video can be viewed by visiting
http://bit.ly/CatFundReform, or just click play below!