The 2022 Legislative Session is now half over and FWF continues to fight for conservation, sustainability, water, and wildlife.
Bills of special interest that are still in play include Senate Bill 198, the seagrass mitigation bill, which would spur even more destruction of our rapidly dwindling seagrasses.
We support cleaning of our waterways of pollution and support Senate Bill 832, which would place some of the recommendations from the Blue-Green Algae Task Force into law.
Other legislation we are keeping an eye on include Senate Bill 1816, which would devote $100 million per year to the Florida Forever land conservation program. This is a worthy effort, but far from the $300 million that was allocated for many years under both Republican and Democratic leadership.
The Senate Appropriations Committee has proposed Senate Bill 2508, Environmental Resources; FWF opposes this bill as harmful to the Everglades. The bill prioritizes the use of Lake Okeechobee water, a public resource, by commercial interests. Moreover, the bill restricts the implementation of much-needed restoration work on this ecological jewel.
Lastly, we strongly support the removal of the unnecessary Rodman Dam on the fabled Ocklawaha River to restore water quality, upland habitats, and aid manatees.
