Remove DeSantis' Green Concrete Veneer And There's Nothing There For America's Most Vulnerable State

[hatrack]

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DeSantis signed a bill to require state financed buildings to consider sea level rise that was introduced by former state Sen. José Javier Rodríguez, a Democrat from Miami. But Rodríguez is nevertheless critical of the governor, saying DeSantis is only tackling the climate change problem everyone can see and cannot deny: flooding. “We are a fossil fuel state,” he said. “There is so much more he could be doing, and he’s not.” DeSantis ordered his environmental regulators to oppose fracking, but he has failed to get his Republican colleagues in the Legislature to pass a statewide fracking ban, something he advocated for during his campaign. The state’s oil and gas industry does not currently use fracking as a drilling method, but environmentalists are worried it might start doing so, resulting in water pollution.

Environmental groups praised DeSantis in 2020 when the governor announced the state was backing a plan to buy 20,000 acres of the Everglades to prevent oil development there. And they did the same when DeSantis backed spending $166 million in settlement money Florida received from Volkswagen on electric vehicle charging stations and cleaner electric buses. The money, part of a $14.7 billion settlement, came after the German automaker was caught lying about its cars’ diesel emissions. But he also signed legislation approving three new toll roads through sensitive wildlife habitat.

When DeSantis had a chance to appoint someone to the state’s powerful Florida Public Service Commission, a regulatory body with a big say in state energy policy, he chose a state lawmaker, Michael La Rosa, who was Florida chairman of the American Legislative Exchange Council, with its reputation as a “bill mill” for conservative and deregulatory model legislation, and support for fossil fuels. DeSantis picked him over another lawmaker, Rep. Holly M. Raschein, who was seen by environmental advocates as being more sympathetic to clean energy and climate change.

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But even with the governor’s focus on adaptation, some experts are concerned the state is not on the right track under DeSantis’ leadership. There’s too much emphasis on sea walls, which can cause beach erosion and destroy tidal zones vital to marine life, including crabs and turtles, said marine and climate scientist Jeff Chanton, a professor at Florida State University. “An ideal governor would try to lessen the impacts of growth in this state, especially along our coastlines,” he said.

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https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/environment/article251693268.html

[jimfields33]

1. Growth is an understatement

The growth in central Florida is going gangbuster. They are building housing developments all over. Our farm land is being converted to housing community HOAs. I wonder whose going to grow our food in 30 years with no land left.

[4Q2u2]

2. Those Evil

West Coast Californian's will happily supply Florida with food, for a hefty price.