Florida’s 20 day special legislative session began June 1st and while much of lawmakers’ focus will be on healthcare spending and negotiating a balanced budget, environmental advocates also see opportunities for increased spending on land and water conservation efforts. Last fall, nearly 75% of Florida voters approved Amendment One, which allocates 33% of documentary stamp fees to a land acquisition trust fund to be used for land and water conservation.
Over a 20 year period, that’s expected to generate an estimated $22 billion for conservation. Amendment One is aimed at reviving the Florida Forever conservation land-buying program that faced steep cuts during the recession. We’ll explore how lawmakers are looking to allocate Amendment One dollars and what environmental advocates say they’re goals are for the session. Plus, the Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers recently finalized their Waters of the United States rule which clarifies the EPA’s power to enforce the Clean Water Act. We’ll explore the future impact of the federal rule in Florida.
Guests:
Eric Draper, Audubon Florida, Executive Director
Manley Fuller, Florida Wildlife Federation, President
Rae Ann Wessel, Sanibel Captiva Conservation Foundation, Natural Resource Policy Director
