Wetlands

Pointing to what it called “irreparable injuries,” Florida has asked a federal appeals court to put on hold a district judge’s ruling as a legal battle continues to play out about permitting authority for projects that affect wetlands.Attorneys for the state filed a motion late Thursday at the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia seeking a stay of ruling by U.S. District Judge Randolph Moss. Moss’ ruling rejected a 2020 decision by the federal government to shift permitting authority to the state.

Governor DeSantis has directed $750 million a year to the state’s environmental needs; critics say his is misspending — but supporters say it's money well spent

Florida has quickly launched an appeal after a U.S. district judge rejected a 2020 decision by the federal government to shift permitting authority to the state for projects that affect wetlands.Attorneys for the state filed a notice Monday that is a first step in challenging the decision by U.S. District Judge Randolph Moss at the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia.

In a case closely watched by business and environmental groups, a U.S. district judge Friday finalized his rejection of a 2020 move by the federal government to shift permitting authority to Florida for projects that affect wetlands.Judge Randolph Moss issued a 27-page opinion that, as he acknowledged, likely will set the stage for the case to go to an appeals court. The opinion came after a Feb. 15 ruling in which Moss vacated the transfer of permitting authority because he said federal officials had not followed required steps before making the 2020 decision.

As court battles continue, supporters of Florida keeping permitting authority for projects that affect wetlands are trying a different tack: Put it in federal law.U.S. Rep. Aaron Bean, R-Fla., this week added an amendment to a bill to try to codify a 2020 decision by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency that shifted permitting authority from the federal government to Florida.

Pointing to permits in “regulatory limbo,” the Florida Department of Environmental Protection on Monday asked a judge for a partial stay of a ruling in a legal battle about a 2020 decision that shifted permitting authority from the federal government to the state for projects that affect wetlands.U.S. District Judge Randolph Moss on Feb. 15 ruled that federal officials did not follow required steps before transferring the authority to the state. Moss issued an order vacating the approval of the shift.

More than 50 nonprofits formed the Everglades Coalition whose goal, simply put, is to ensure the health and recovery of the Everglades

A special Family Wet Walk has been added to the 2023 schedule at the Six Mile Cypress Slough.The walk is free for children ages 8 to 11 and offers unique outdoor activities for kids.

Environmental groups working to restore the Florida Everglades were elated to learn Wednesday that $1.1 billion from the federal infrastructure package has been earmarked to help pay for the massive, multi-decade restoration. The money will be used to hasten the efforts to undo the extensive environmental damage the Everglades suffered in the early 1900s, when the Army Corps built canals, locks and levees in a massive water management and flood control plan before the damaging environmental impacts of such efforts were fully known. Improving water quality and quantity is the Everglades is a top priority.

Conservationists have a 5-amendment rights of nature ballot drive going on right now. This is the third in a series looking at each of the rights of nature amendments. Today's story is about the Florida Wetlands Protection Amendment.