Guest commentary: Governor signs budget — the good and the bad
Florida’s $116.5 billion 2023-24 budget was signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis two weeks prior to the beginning of the state fiscal year, which starts July 1.
THE GOOD NEWS
The budget includes a record $1.6 billion for the environment, including $356.5 million for the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP), $850 million for lands within the Florida Wildlife Corridor and $100 million for the Florida Forever land acquisition program.
THE BAD NEWS
Unfortunately, some of the budget’s environmental gains will be offset by an effort from the fertilizer industry to prevent cities and counties from enacting their own environmental protections. Included in the budget is an appropriation to study seasonal fertilizer bans, while also prohibiting local governments from passing any new fertilizer bans or amending any existing ones after July 1. This language to limit fertilizer bans was added outside of the normal committee process, preventing any public input.
“Regulating fertilizer application during the rainy season has been widely studied and proven effective,” Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation Environmental Policy Associate Holly Schwartz said. “Fertilizer regulation should remain an important tool for local governments to protect water quality.”
Founded in 1967, the Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation’s mission is to protect and care for Southwest Florida’s coastal ecosystems. For more information, visit www.sccf.org.
To reach SANIBEL-CAPTIVA CONSERVATION FOUNDATION, please email