Category Environmental Issues
What we are reading: Trump’s new Gulf of Mexico oil and gas drilling proposal looks a lot like Obama’s
Donald Trump’s drilling proposal in the Gulf of Mexico is bad news for Florida. The Washington Post sees similarities between it and President Obama’s policies. Floridians shouldn’t care whether it is Obama or Trump making the proposal. Heck, Jeb Bush even opposed his brother’s Gulf drilling proposal in 2001 because he knew it wasn’t beneficial […]
What we are reading: Is Florida moving too slow to save the Everglades?
From Florida Trend comes a summary of a national report. The report makes it clear that impediments have placed on restoration efforts. Quoting from the report: Timely authorization, adequate funding levels, and creative policy and implementation strategies are needed to achieve restoration benefits and to expedite implementation of the Central Everglades Planning Project. Climate change and […]
Rick Scott’s kleptocracy is coming for our springs (again) — this time we’re fighting back in court
As a kid growing up in Leesburg I spent more time at Silver Springs than any other Florida attraction. My mother loved going out in the glass-bottom boat to the spring. I loved seeing the monkeys which were said to be fugitives from an earlier “jungle cruise” attraction gone wrong. An erstwhile Florida attraction investor […]
Holiday idea: Reading about the politics of the Everglades
The Everglades get more tourist visits during this time of year than any other. That makes it a great time to also read about the history of the ecosystem and some of the political battles that have shaped it. Then Time Magazine National Editor (current Politico writer) Michael Grunwald’s The Swamp: The Everglades, Florida, and […]
NPR: Rising seas push too much salt into the Florida Everglades
Rising seas are pushing too much salt into the Everglades, NPR reports. No doubt Governor Rick Scott will either ignore this increased threat to Florida’s clean drinking water supply and the ecosystem in general or label it a “hoax” prohibiting state officials both elected and unelected whose job it is to safeguard this state from doing […]
TC Palm: FPL Killing Sea Turtles
It’s difficult to do worse in terms of public relations and environmental stewardship than FPL has the last few months. Less than two months ago, The Miami Herald revealed that FPL’s operation of Turkey Point was polluting the Biscayne Aquifer. Now TC Palm reveals that FPL is killing endangered sea turtles. The full report can be […]
Indian River Lagoon being destroyed (perhaps intentionally?) in Rick Scott’s Florida
Last week we discussed the continued struggles for the Caloosahatchee River and the lagoon area in Lee County that is part of the river. This week it’s the Indian River Lagoon which has been endangered for years but has been far from a priority of state government. WMFE has an outstanding feature on the current crisis […]
Rick Scott and his pals are turning Florida into a killing ground
Diane Roberts, who has written one of the best books ever about the Sunshine State today penned a great piece over at Florida Politics about Governor Scott’s willingness to allow the death of Florida’s environment. We have a strongly worded editorial on this subject coming in the next few days, but Roberts’ piece is a must-read as […]
Progressive Activism’s Growth in Florida via Ditch of Dreams: The Cross Florida Barge Canal and the Struggle for Florida’s Future
Book Review of Ditch of Dreams Ditch of Dreams: The Cross Florida Barge Canal and the Struggle for Florida’s Future (Florida History and Culture) is one of many Florida related books that have peaked my curiosity when I’ve seen them on Amazon. This book written by David Tegeder and Steven Noll is one of the best. The […]
Saving the Caloosahatchee River
This weekend I stumbled upon this gem of a PBS Earth Edition by WGCU the PBS station in the Fort Myers-Naples media market. The Caloosahatchee is one of the most endangered rivers in the country and the mixing of freshwater thanks to channelization of the river with salt water in the river’s estuary has worsened […]
The Florida Squeeze 