Bill could open up state parks to cattle grazing, timbering, hunting or worse.
Photo: Murray Grey cows and calves, Walcha, NSW |
We urgently need you to call your state Senator. A bill is headed to the Senate floor that would remove key environmental protections for Florida State Parks and threaten the use and enjoyment for all Floridians.
SB 1290 passed out of its last committee last Thursday and could be brought to the floor of the Senate on Monday. March 7. Please call your Senator and urge him or her to vote 'No' unless SB 1290 is amended to:
• Exclude our state parks and preserves from the land exchange provision. These important lands must not be given up to private use in exchange for conservation easements that could well eliminate public access
• Require land management plans to remain consistent with the purposes for which they were acquired. DEP's goal of requiring land management plans to be compatible with conservation or recreation purposes or both potentially opens our parks and other conservation lands to inappropriate uses like hunting, logging, grazing, and off road vehicles. 'Conservation' and 'recreation' are broad categories and the purposes the lands were acquired for may be much narrower. The bill's language grants DEP too much discretion.
This is the last real chance to impact this bill. The House and Senate versions are the same and could be sent to the Governor next week. Please call your Senator now, tell them where you live and that you vote.
Call your Senator now:
Sen. Joseph Abruzzo
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Consists of part of Palm Beach county
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Sen. Thad Altman
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Consists of parts of Brevard, Indian River counties
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Sen. Aaron Bean
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Consists of Nassau county and part of Duval county
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Sen. Lizbeth Benacquisto
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Consists of parts of Charlotte, Lee counties
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Sen. Rob Bradley
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Consists of Alachua, Bradford, Clay counties
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Sen. Jeff Brandes
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Consists of parts of Hillsborough, Pinellas counties
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Sen. Oscar Braynon
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Consists of parts of Broward, Miami-Dade counties
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Sen. Dwight Bullard
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Consists of Hendry, Monroe counties and parts of Collier, Miami-Dade counties
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Sen. Jeff Clemens
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Consists of part of Palm Beach county
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Sen. Charles Dean
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Consists of Baker, Citrus, Columbia, Dixie, Gilchrist, Lafayette, Levy, Suwannee, Union counties and part of Marion county
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Sen. Nancy Detert
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Consists of Sarasota county and part of Charlotte county
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Sen. Miguel Diaz de la Portilla
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Consists of part of Miami-Dade county
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Sen. Greg Evers
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Consists of Escambia, Santa Rosa counties and part of Okaloosa county
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Sen. Anitere Flores
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Consists of part of Miami-Dade county
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Sen. Don Gaetz
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Consists of Bay, Holmes, Jackson, Walton, Washington counties and part of Okaloosa county
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Sen. Bill Galvano
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Consists of DeSoto, Glades, Hardee counties and parts of Charlotte, Highlands, Hillsborough, Manatee counties
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Sen. Rene Garcia
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Consists of part of Miami-Dade county
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Sen. Andy Gardiner
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Consists of parts of Brevard, Orange counties
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Sen. Audrey Gibson
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Consists of part of Duval county
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Sen. Denise Grimsley
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Consists of Okeechobee county and parts of Highlands, Martin, Osceola, Polk, St. Lucie counties
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Sen. Alan Hays
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Consists of parts of Lake, Marion, Orange, Sumter counties
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Sen. Dorothy Hukill
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Consists of parts of Lake, Marion, Volusia counties
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Sen. Travis Hutson
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Consists of Flagler, Putnam, St. Johns counties and part of Volusia county
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Sen. Arthenia Joyner
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Consists of parts of Hillsborough, Manatee, Pinellas counties
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Sen. Jack Latvala
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Consists of part of Pinellas county
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Sen. Tom Lee
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Consists of part of Hillsborough county
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Sen. John Legg
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Consists of parts of Hillsborough, Pasco counties
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Sen. Gwen Margolis
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Consists of part of Miami-Dade county
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Sen. Bill Montford
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Consists of Calhoun, Franklin, Gadsden, Gulf, Hamilton, Jefferson, Leon, Liberty, Madison, Taylor, Wakulla counties
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Sen. Joe Negron
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Consists of parts of Indian River, Martin, Palm Beach, St. Lucie counties
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Sen. Garrett Richter
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Consists of parts of Collier, Lee counties
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Sen. Jeremy Ring
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Consists of part of Broward county
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Sen. Maria Sachs
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Consists of parts of Broward, Palm Beach counties
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Sen. David Simmons
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Consists of Seminole county and part of Volusia county
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Sen. Wilton Simpson
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Consists of Hernando county and parts of Pasco, Sumter counties
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Sen. Christopher Smith
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Consists of part of Broward county
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Sen. Eleanor Sobel
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Consists of part of Broward county
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Sen. Darren Soto
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Consists of parts of Orange, Osceola, Polk counties
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Sen. Kelli Stargel
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Consists of parts of Orange, Osceola, Polk counties
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Sen. Geraldine Thompson
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Consists of part of Orange county
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Thank you for taking action and for all you do for Florida's environment!
Dave Cullen
Lobbyist
Sierra Club Florida
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