SCCF provides legislative update on Week 4
It is close to the half-way point for this legislative session and the House and Senate budgets are quickly taking shape. Agency budgets were reviewed in the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Environment and General Government on March 24. The Department of Environmental Protection budget includes a disappointing allocation of $50 million for Florida Forever but there is still time to advocate for a higher, more appropriate level of land acquisition funding during the remaining four weeks of session. For reference, former Florida Forever budgets range from $100 million to $300 million annually.
Bills of interest that advanced last week:
– RESILIENCY/CLIMATE CHANGE/SEA LEVEL RISE: HB 539 — RENEWABLE ENERGY
One contentious bill that was heard in the House Environment, Agriculture & Flooding subcommittee last week was HB 539. This bill defines methane gas from biological waste products as a renewable resource and would enable gas public utilities to approve cost recovery by a gas public utility for contracts for the purchase of renewable natural gas in which the pricing provisions exceed the current market price of natural gas, but which are otherwise deemed “reasonable and prudent” by the Public Service Commission (PSC). Supporters of the bill argue that this would be environmentally beneficial because it would capture methane gas that would otherwise be released into the atmosphere — where it is a far more harmful greenhouse gas than CO2 — and convert it to the less harmful CO2. On the other hand, a representative from the Florida Sierra Club who spoke in opposition to the bill argued that it could incentivize the creation of greater amounts of methane, and since the biogas conversion technologies are new and imperfect, more methane could leak out during this process. He also noted that Florida natural gas consumers could be paying more — potentially more than double — for this renewable natural gas given the cost recovery provision included in the bill, which gives the PSC a lot of leeway in deciding which natural gas contracts to enter into. This bill cleared its second of three house committees and was voted through by a vote of 17-1. Its Senate Companion, SB 896, will be heard in its second committee this week. Renewable energy legislation is front and center this session as our state is addressing the causes and remedies of a sustainable future.
– EVERGLADES: HB 333 — EVERGLADES PROTECTION AREA
A bill beneficial to the Everglades, HB 333, was unanimously voted through the House Environment, Agriculture & Flooding subcommittee last week. This bill prevents the Department of Environmental Protection from granting any authorization to drill in the Everglades Protection Area. The identical Senate companion, SB 722, has not yet been heard in the first of its three referenced committees.
– TRANSPORTATION/MULTI-USE CORRIDORS OF REGIONAL ECONOMIC SIGNIFICANCE (MCORES): SB 100 — HIGHWAY PROJECTS
The twice amended and fast moving MCORES partial repeal bill was approved by the full Senate last week. While the bill eliminates some of the proposed toll road corridors, including the Southwest connector that impacts Polk County south to Collier, the bill retains funding to expand tollways through the Northern Turnpike connector which would have potential impacts to water and wildlife in that region. The amendments to the bill addressed the goal of economic prosperity and preserving the character of the impacted rural communities and declared that the any future roadway construction shall take into consideration the guidance and recommendations of previous studies such as the MCORES Task Force reports. These assurances cleared the way for a positive vote by all but one member of the Senate. This bill is now “in messages” to the House for their consideration.
Visit SCCF’s Legislative Tracker at www.sccf.org/our-work/environmental-policy for your guide to relevant legislation that impacts our community.
Holly Schwartz is environmental policy assistant for the Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation. Founded in 1967, the SCCF is dedicated to the conservation of coastal habitats and aquatic resources on Sanibel and Captiva and in the surrounding watershed. For more information, visit www.sccf.org.