SB 1576: Springs on Appropriations Committee agenda for Earth Day

[tflaris]

Dear Florida Springs Lovers,

Senator Dean’s “Florida Springs and Aquifer Protection Act”, Senate Bill 1576, will have its third Senate hearing before the Appropriations (AP) Committee tomorrow morning at 9:00 am.*
Florida Legislators proclaimed last year that the month of April in Florida is “Springs Protection Awareness Month,” so let’s ask the Senate AP members to please keep the discussion on “Springs Protection Awareness” going strong in the Senate by voting favorably on SB 1576.

Senate Appropriations emails: negron.joe.web@flsenate.gov, benacquisto.lizbeth.web@flsenate.gov, bean.aaron.web@flsenate.gov, bradley.rob.web@flsenate.gov, galvano.bill.web@flsenate.gov, gardiner.andy.web@flsenate.gov, grimsley.denise.web@flsenate.gov, hays.alan.web@flsenate.gov, hukill.dorothy.web@flsenate.gov, joyner.arthenia.web@flsenate.gov, latvala.jack.web@flsenate.gov, lee.tom.web@flsenate.gov, margolis.gwen.web@flsenate.gov, montford.bill.web@flsenate.gov, richter.garrett.web@flsenate.gov, ring.jeremy.web@flsenate.gov, smith.chris.web@flsenate.gov, sobel.eleanor.web@flsenate.gov, thrasher.john.web@flsenate.gov

Use this link Senate Appropriations to access AP members office phone numbers and leave a message with their staff expressing your strong support for the Springs Protection Act.
19 Senators on AP:
- Negron (R) - Chair
- Benacquisto (R) - Vice Chair and Majority Leader
- Bean (R) - Supported River-Keeper SB
- Gardiner – Senate Prez Designate; EP member; loves the Springs
- Grimsley - EP/AG/AP member
- Latvala - EP member
- Hays - SB1576 writer; AP member
- Montford - SB1576 writer; AG/AP member
- Bradley (R) - my senator
- Hukill (R) – Has springs photos on office walls; Springs in district.
- Joyner (D)
- Margolis (D)
- Ring (D)
- Smith (D)
- Sobel (D)
- Galvano (R) - AG/AP member; sponsored Sen Dean's amendments for AG hearing.
- Tom Lee - (R) from Tampa. Wonder if Guv Bob Martinez –who cleaned up Tampa Bay and carried on FL’s environment protection baton—supports SB 1576.
- Richter (R) - Prez pro tempore
- Thrasher - (R) Was a big pusher for the River-Keeper SB

How that looks to me:
Negron & Benaquisto from S FL = lots of voters and lots of $; focused on Lake Okeechobee problems**
AP Ayes for sure: Gardiner; Grimsley; Latvala; Hays; Montford = 5
If we get all the other Dems: Joyner; Margolis; Ring; Smith; Sobel = 5
If we get Senator Bradley, who loves camping and outdoors activities with his family = 1
We've got 11 votes on AP. That would be awesome!
There are 84 known 1st magnitude springs in the world, 33 are in Florida. That's more than one-third first magnitude springs in the world in our backyard! More than half of Florida counties, 39 of 67, have springs or spring sheds in them.

So, please, send your e-mails, phone calls, thoughts, meditations, prayers to the Appropriations Committee members and ask them to give the appropriate gift of appreciation for Mother Earth on Earth Day, the “Florida Springs and Aquifer Protection Act,” SB 1576.


* SB 1576 is agenda Item #57. You can access video live or archived later on AP page: http://www.flsenate.gov/Committees/Show/AP -or FL Senate homepage: http://www.flsenate.gov/ -or http://thefloridachannel.org/
**I understand their perspective, having to deal with Lake Okeechobee being flushed into the rivers and estuaries, but they need to understand how important the springs of North Florida are. (It is ironic that large amounts of rainfall aggravates S FL water-body’s pollution problems and dilutes the springs.) Last year’s last day on the Rainbow River for me was the Winter Solstice. First day back this year was April 04. I thought “all this rain we’ve been having. I’m going to see some cleaner springs,” but there was noticeably more algae that had grown in those past three months in and around the springs areas…












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[tflaris]

I received this in an email:


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Dear FCC Members,

Senate Bill 1576, the Springs and Aquifer Protection Act, will come up for a vote on the Senate Floor this Wednesday, April 30. In its final committee stop last week some provisions were stripped from the bill – including nearly $380 million in recurring funding, protective actions for springs trending towards nutrient impairment and requirements that wastewater treatment facilities in spring zones reduce nutrient discharges and agricultural producers implement more effective best management practices – in order to make it more acceptable to special interest lobbyists and House leadership. The House has until Friday to take up the Springs Bill if it is going to be passed into law this year.

Watch this excellent short video by John Moran and the Springs Eternal Project to see his perspective on why taking strong action to protect springs is critical to Florida’s future.

In other news on environmental legislation of interest, although nothing is certain until the Legislature adjourns the 2014 session, it appears that House Bill 703, Representative Jimmy Patronis’ bad environmental regulation bill, and Senate Bill 372, damaging growth management legislation, are dead for this session. The FCC will be on the look-out for Floor amendments that tack elements of these bills onto other legislation moving through the House and Senate. Thank you to everyone who took action to help stop these bad bills and protect Florida’s environment.

Best,

Ryan Smart

FCC


Founder and Chairman, Bob Graham; Vice-Chairmen, Nathaniel Pryor Reed & Lee Constantine



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