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Debate on House water bill moves to Senate

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Environmental groups continued Wednesday to criticize a House water bill in advance of a Senate committee workshop while an industry group said the legislation offers a statewide approach to Florida’s water needs. HB 7003 recognizes the Central Florida Water Initiative in state law while eliminating a South Florida Water Management District farm permitting program for Lake Okeechobee in favor of agricultural “best management practices.” It requires the setting of minimum flows for springs simultaneously with setting recovery goals, which environmentalists…

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House water bill passes as critics hope for better Senate legislation

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House Republican leaders praised a water policy bill that they passed on Thursday as a good start while the chamber’s Democratic leader called it bad legislation and joined environmentalists in hoping for better legislation from the Senate. HB 7003 passed the House 106-9 on the third day of the legislative session after about 45 minutes of debate. Nearly 30 Democrats joined House Republicans in voting for the legislation. “This is a good bill,” state Rep. Matt Caldwell, R-Lehigh Acres and…

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House water bill faces questions, teed up for floor vote

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Democrats questioned a House water policy bill on the floor Wednesday while environmentalists said they are turning their hopes to the Senate for a stronger bill. Supporters say HB 7003 provides a statewide approach to dealing with water issues while modernizing the water regulatory system. But environmentalists say it weakens Lake Okeechobee protections while failing to set deadlines for cleaning up springs and restoring flows. Rep. Matt Caldwell, R-Lehigh Acres and chairman of the House State Affairs Committee, was questioned…

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Session openers: Rick Scott touts enviro spending, Steve Crisafulli warns against land-buying

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House and Senate leaders touted water policy during opening speeches of the legislative session while Gov. Rick Scott again said he’s proposing more than required under Amendment 1. And House Speaker Steve Crisafulli warned that he’s reluctant to support an increase in land-buying despite Amendment 1, the water and land conservation funding initiative approved by 75 percent of voters. The 2015 legislative session began with the usual pomp and glad-handing but somewhat quieter than in recent years in the social…

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With environmental issues looming, Alan Hays won’t haggle over Amendment 1 spending

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With industry and environmental groups sparring over what qualifies for spending under Amendment 1, the chairman of the Senate subcommittee that oversees environmental spending says he won’t haggle over the issue. Amendment 1, the water and land conservation funding initiative approved by voters in November, will be a focus of the 2015 legislative session starting Tuesday. The initiative will provide an estimated $757 million toward eligible programs in fiscal year 2015-16. It’s just one issue in what is shaping up…

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