You Are Invited!Join FWF and NWF on April 18, 2007 for the first ever Global Warming / Sustainable Energy Day at the Capitol. Click on the image above for details.
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of the Federation
Federal Legislative Informaion from the Library of Congress
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Florida Wildlife Federation's Action Network
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Greetings!
Welcome to Capital Watch, Florida Wildlife Federation's weekly update on legislative activities concerning issues of conservation.
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Capital Watch 2007
Week Five - Ending April 6
Jay Liles, FWF Policy Consultant
It was a truly remarkable occasion as the Florida Cabinet, including Governor Charlie Crist, Attorney General Bill McCollum, Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink and Agriculture Commissioner Charles Bronson sat down for the first of a series of "Conversations on Climate Change." Yet, this was no ordinary conversation in the typical sense of a few friends talking over a cup of coffee. This was an opportunity for these state leaders to hear from esteemed scientists and researchers who have devoted much of their professional careers to the science and impacts of Global Warming. Of significance to those of us lucky enough to bear witness to this, the first of four dialogues planned by the Cabinet, was the time and attention that each of the Cabinet members devoted to the subject of Global Warming and its potential ramifications for Florida. A central theme of the conversation was the generally accepted view that Global Warming is real and that we must begin now to reduce human impacts in order to effectively adapt and mitigate the effects. You can get a first hand look at the results of the first "conversation" and additional information at http://www.floridaclimatechange.com/climatechange.com.
FWF was honored to have joined with National Wildlife Federation and Southern Alliance for Clean Energy in hosting a reception and dinner for the Cabinet and their guest speakers. Among those who joined CFO Sink and Commissioner Bronson and their senior staff for this occasion were Dr. Margaret Lowman, Director of Environmental Initiatives at New College, Dr. Stephen Mulkey, Science Advisor to the Century Commission, Dr. Stephen Leatherman, Director of FIU's Hurricane Research Center, Kenneth Locklin, investment director for the Clean Energy Group, and Keith Allan, British Consulate-General.
Rising sea levels, stronger hurricanes and the need for renewable energy were some of the topics these experts touched on at the Cabinet's first climate change workshop. Despite a recent special session to address insurance woes, Tim Wagner, co-chairman of the Climate Change and Global Warming Task Force for the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, predicted a gloomy future for insurance unless proactive measures are taken. Certainly, not all was gloom and doom in the message delivered at this forum. Kenneth Locklin told the cabinet that Floridians can either make money now by becoming energy efficient and taking advantage of new economic opportunities, such as attracting "green energy" industries to the state, or spend later trying to catch up and react to the effects of climate change. According to Dr. Mulkey, Arizona expects to cut its emissions in half by 2020, resulting in $5.5 billion in net savings to the state's economy.
The Senate celebrated having hit the halfway mark in the 2007 session by taking a well-deserved break this week. Members returned to their home districts to hear from their constituents and prepare for the rush to completion when they reconvene. The House followed suit with the exception of the House Environmental and Natural Resources Council. On Wednesday the Council approved the following bills of interest to the Federation:
- PCB ENRC 07-07 - would increase hunting and fishing license fees and permits. Most of these fees have not been raised in many years and would be used to fund fish and wildlife management at a time when the agency faces diminished financial support. This latest version of the House bill strikes language which would increase permits for snook, turkey and waterfowl. As we reported earlier (see Capital Watch, Week One) SB 1982 is the preferred version of this legislation. FWF will continue to encourage the House to raise permit fees to $10.00 and apply all proceeds to the betterment and protection of the specific resource. We are also seeking to tie the fee and permit costs to the Consumer Price Index and to add an additional dollar to each fee in order to fund youth hunting and fishing education.
- PCB ENRC 07-13 - provides for a new form of coastal armoring called "geo-textiles". These sand filled tubes are promoted by the company that created and markets them as more enviro-friendly than seawalls. However, reports provided to the Department of Environmental Protection show existing tube systems in Gulf and Brevard counties require repeated monitoring and reburying, and in some cases increase nearby erosion as well as posing a threat to sea turtles and other wildlife. In a compromise facilitated by opponents to the bill, amendments were adopted by the Council which will limit installation to areas where oceanfront homes or other structure are in danger, require property owners to post financial bonds, secure permits for incidental taking of endangered sea turtles, and keep the tubes covered beneath a bed of sand. An earlier version of the bill called for a limited 5 year study of the tubes to be conducted in Walton County. FWF offered its tepid endorsement of the proposal and will continue to advocate for a limited test of the process before statewide application.
- HB 57 - dubbed the "Clean Ocean Act" would require gambling boats to pump out sewage at the docking marina and pay for pump-out service, whether or not they make use of the service or dump off shore. The bill's sponsor, Rep. Bob Allen, explained that federal jurisdiction prevents Florida from forcing gaming boat-owners from properly disposing of their sewage. However, under his bill, they would pay for the service and be required to register with the Coast Guard in order to better track spills. FWF is a supporter of Rep. Allen's bill which has been before the legislature for several years. The Senate companion bill calls for a study of the already well documented problem.
House and Senate committees have approved creating a mining task force with marching orders to promote more rock quarries statewide. The rich limestone reserves under farmland bordering the Everglades in western Palm Beach and south Miami-Dade counties rank among top targets. The House Bill (PCB ENRC 07-12) goes further, blocking counties or municipalities from enacting or enforcing any rule that ''prohibits or prevents'' operation or construction of quarries on land zoned or designated for mining -- an area that covers the 700,000-acre Everglades Agricultural Area, heart of the sugar industry. The Senate version (SB 2804) would require local boards to consult with FDOT and address how land-use or permit decisions on mining proposals would impact the rock supply. Both proposals also would cap any local moratorium on mining at 12 months.
Proponents of the bill include the Florida Department of Transportation, road contractors, development interests, mining companies and some sugar growers. Sugar Growers Cooperative has made no bones about the growers' goal -- to bypass the Palm Beach County Commission and overturn a moratorium on new mines the county imposed last year until a study of environmental impacts is completed.
Environmentalists and county governments worry the end result could gut local regulation at the same time quarries are embroiled in legal and political disputes in Miami-Dade, Palm Beach, Lee, Collier, Citrus, Sumter and Levy counties. Our concern is that the House bill could undermine county land-use decisions, roll back existing local noise, traffic and other restrictions and eliminate protection for springs and wetlands. FWF opposes both the House and Senate bills.
The Florida and National Wildlife Federations will host the first Global Warming Lobby Day in Tallahassee on Wednesday, April 18, 2007, and YOU'RE INVITED! We chose this date because it is also Oceans Day at the Capitol, a day to remind our legislators of the importance our oceans play in Florida's climate and economy. We hope you will join us to tell your legislator how important it is for Florida to begin to address Global Warming or we may all find too much ocean in our own backyard! We have a full day of fun, education and important advocacy planned. For your invitation and more information, click the globe at top left.
FWF Policy Consultant
We have created a list of the priority issues the Florida Wildlife Federation is determined to have heard this year. Many of these issues are, or will be, addressed in one or more bills. Some have no bills filed as of yet but may appear in the form of spending bills (appropriations) or amendments.
UPDATED! Under the heading "Bills to Watch" we have included a list of bills already filed. It is this section that will undergo the most change as we proceed through the legislative session. Please click on this link each week to see the update list.
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