For Immediate Release
March 1, 2021
Contact:
Deborah Foote, 850-727-4039,
deborah.foote@sierraclub.org
**PRESS RELEASE**
SIERRA CLUB RELEASES GOVERNOR AND COMMISSIONER OF
AGRICULTURE & CONSUMER SERVICES REPORT CARDS
Governor DeSantis receives a
“D-”
Commissioner Fried receives a
“C-“
TALLAHASSEE, FL.
(March 1, 2021) – Today Sierra Club Florida released its 2020 report cards for
the Governor and the Commissioner of Agriculture & Consumer Services via
video press conference. The Report Cards are designed to give a snapshot of the
performances of the Governor and the Commissioner on issues of significant
importance to the Sierra Club.
According to Acting
Chapter Director Deborah Foote, “Governor DeSantis continues to avoid the
important issues of addressing climate change by ending our dependence on dirty
fuels and transitioning Florida to 100% clean energy. There isn’t enough money
in all of Florida to raise our roads, elevate buildings, or create higher
seawalls to avoid the impact of sea level rise.”
Last year, the
Governor received a “D” for his efforts, slipping this year to a D-. He
received a failing grade in 16 of 25 categories; including continued support
for three new toll roads in rural Florida, signing legislation that further
weakens growth management, raiding the Land Acquisition Trust Fund for purposes
other than land acquisition, signing legislation that makes it harder for
citizens to put initiatives on the ballot, and promoting anti-mob legislation
designed to intimidate people protesting government actions.
This is the
first report card for Commissioner Fried and she receives a “C-“ for her
efforts. She received a failing grade in 3 of 8 categories; including her
failure to address the problem of pre-harvest sugar field burning that is
impacting the health and property of communities in western Palm Beach County,
allowing the use of antibiotics pesticides to combat citrus greening despite
known environmental and health concerns, and no effort to reduce single use
plastics and polystyrene in the entities FDACS licenses.
“Commissioner Fried
continues to ignore the needs of some of our most vulnerable citizens by
supporting agricultural practices that impact public health. Her calls for
racial equity ring hollow when citrus trees are more important than farmworker
health and the primarily black communities in western Palm Beach County are not
afforded the same protections from sugar burning as the wealthier communities
in eastern Palm Beach County,” said Organizing Representative Diana Umpierre.
Political Chair,
David Harbeitner noted that the Report Card outlines what the Sierra Club
believes Florida needs to move forward- “we don’t simply criticize; we lay out
solutions that will lead to a better future for all of Florida’s
citizens.”
The Report Cards may be viewed at https://www.sierraclub.org/florida/legislative-lobbying .
A chapter of the national Sierra Club, Sierra Club
Florida is made up of volunteer leaders and civic activists representing over
230,000 members and supporters from all over the state.
###
