SCCF provides Legislative update on Week 1 session
Legislators met in Tallahassee the first week of March for the first full week of the 2021 Legislative Session. The Covid-19 pandemic looms large over the proceedings with budget impacts and public access restrictions. Gov. Ron DeSantis addressed both chambers on March 2, the first formal day of session, with words of support for Florida’s environment. The governor’s environmental priorities this year focus on addressing sea level rise by providing funding to local governments to address flooding infrastructure needs and has pledged continued support for the Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA) Reservoir to aid Everglades restoration.
During the first week of session, two bills were heard in committee that the Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation is closely tracking:
– WATER STORAGE NORTH OF LAKE OKEECHOBEE — SB 94
The Senate Environment and Natural Resources Committee heard a presentation on the Aquifer Storage and Recovery (ASR) Science Plan for water storage north of Lake Okeechobee from Drew Bartlett, the executive director of the South Florida Water Management District. The Senate also voted 5-0 to approve Senate Bill 94, which proposes to expedite the construction of ASR wells north of the lake. The SCCF is taking a neutral position on the bill as long as it does not detract from the funding or construction schedule of the EAA Reservoir.
– HIGHWAY PROJECTS (REPEALS ELEMENTS OF MCORES) — SB 100
The Senate Transportation Committee voted 5-3 to approve one of the three MCORES repealer bills currently being considered by the legislature this year. As a reminder, the SCCF and its statewide partners in the “No Roads to Ruin Coalition” have been strongly opposing the Multi-Use Corridors of Regional Economic Significance (MCORES) since the legislature approved the plan for the toll road system in 2019. SB 100 recognizes the fiscal infeasibility and environmental damage that would be caused by the toll roads as proposed and recommends repeal with conditions to fund retrofitting of some existing roadways from Tampa to I-10 in north Florida. While this is a strong step in the right direction, there are other bills that propose a total MCORES repeal.
The legislature is strictly adhering to Covid-19 protocols and with public input to be provided via closed circuit video from an off-site location at the Leon County Civic Center. Because of the public access limits to our elected officials this year, it is even more important that we contact them on bills and issues that are important to us. Each Monday we will post the week’s committee hearings on our updated SCCF Legislative Tracker at www.sccf.org/our-work/environmental-policy, and each Friday we will provide a recap of the status of the bills and actions taken.
For those signed up, we will send out Action Alerts as needed to inform you of legislation that impacts our policy priorities so that you may engage in the process. Your input is critical and really does make a difference — as we recall one legislator’s comments last year after being bombarded with emails to fund the Florida Forever land acquisition program. During a budget committee meeting she said, “You can stop the emails now — we’re funding the program!” We look forward to working together again this year on the issues that matter.
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.