PRESS RELEASE: Environmental Groups Call ... - Audubon of Florida

1000 Friends of Florida, Audubon of Florida, The Sierra Club, Florida Wildlife Federation, The Nature Conservancy, National Parks Conservation Association

PRESS RELEASE: For Immediate Release: April 28, 2011 Contacts: David Cullen, Sierra Club Florida [email protected] 941-323-240 Eric Draper, Audubon of Florida, [email protected], 850-251-1301 Charles Pattison, 1000 Friends of Florida, [email protected], 850-222-6277 Debbie Harrison, National Parks Conservation Association, [email protected], 850-570-0289 Janet Bowman, The Nature Conservancy, [email protected], 850-251-9406 Preston Robertson, Florida Wildlife Federation, [email protected], 850-656-7113

Environmental Groups Call on Legislators to Stop Monster Bill Tallahassee, FL – A late arriving bill in the Florida House of Representatives includes changes to 34 different environmental laws and undermines the rights of citizens to protect themselves from polluting industries according to environmental groups opposing the legislation. HB 991 by Rep. Jimmy Patronis is comprised of scores of special interest changes to long-standing environmental policies. The bill limits local regulation of mining, affirms that groundwater can be contaminated by landfills, allows increased development in wetlands, and excuses some owners of underground tanks from protecting groundwater from leaking fuel, while greatly diminishing the rights of citizens to challenge environmentally harmful projects. In a sudden move on Thursday House leaders removed the bill’s last two committee stops creating a smooth path to passage in the House. Although the bill’s sponsor had several stakeholder meetings to listen to objections to the bill, more offending changes were added at the last committee stop. The bill’s Senate companion SB 1404 did not make it out of its first committee but environmental advocates fear that once passed HB 991 may be added to another unrelated Senate bill. “Most bothersome is that HB 991 undermines people’s rights to challenge bad environmental permits,” said Eric Draper, Director of Audubon of Florida. “The bill shifts the burden of proof from polluters to the people who are harmed by the pollution.” “The bill undermines city and county regulation of mining and water pollution,” said Charles Pattison, Executive Director of 1000 Friends of Florida. “HB 991 increases the risk to our water supply from mining operations,” said David Cullen of the Sierra Club. “Two sections of the bill prevent local governments from protecting neighborhoods and water resources.” Environmental groups pointed out that the bill has so many bad provisions that the House leaders should send the bill back to committee to remove offending sections and Senate leaders should resist special interest attempts to amend the bill’s bad provisions to unrelated legislation. “This is a big and bad bill that poses a monstrous threat to Florida’s environment,” Audubon’s Draper concluded. ###