Bill Would Limit State's Ability to Stop Wetlands Destruction

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The bill, HB 1349, says that anyone who wants to destroy a wetland simply needs to turn in an application that's been "prepared and signed by … scientists, engineers, geologists, architects or other licensed professionals." As long as the application is filled out properly and signed by a licensed professional, who certifies the wetland destruction won't lead to water pollution problems, the law must be approved. The House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee approved the bill Thursday. If state regulators decide to deny the permit anyway, the bill says, then the developer can challenge it in court — and the burden of proof will be on regulators to show why the wetland was worth saving.

What do you think of this proposed wetlands bill? Will it spur needed growth or just destroy land worth saving?

Click "Post reply" above to comment.

This bill will GUT laws designed to PROTECT Florida's wetlands...our HERITAGE, and OUR WATER SUPPLY!!

Approvals can be signed by a "LICENSED PROFESSIONAL"???? Well, Realtors are licensed professionals, and so are BEAUTICIANS!!!

A real checks and balances....NOT.

And they paved paradise and put up a parking lot.
I am for development as it brings jobs and keeps the economy going. However, the wetlands are important for biodiversity- including our own. For every socially and economically conscious developer out there, there is another whose only concern is what s/he gets out of it and who will be long gone as the quality of life gets worse.
Because of the unscrupulous and uncaring few- you have to put in controls that while jacking up the price by increasing the costs associated with any project- will prevent vital wetlands from being drained and destroyed. It is cheaper to slow it down to give time to study than it is to try and repair or redo the damage once done.

The future of our state depends on affordable and available water. We nearly killed off our native Ibis, Egrets and Herons for their plumage. Then we drained and channeled the Everglades, as well as the lakes and rivers that feed it. We have dedicated billions of dollars to fixing our attempts to manage nature. This new attempt to artificially and temporarily pump up our economy through easier development and growth fails to consider our historically bad judgment. HB 1349 also promotes growth as the cure for Florida's economy. Businesses considering Florida as their home-state balance a high quality of life and good education opportunities for their employees with product or service delivery. More people without good jobs might temporally add to balance sheets in Tallahassee. However, long term, low paying service jobs joined with mediocre education will lead to a failed future for Floridians. It's time for Tallahassee to create a long-term vision for Florida that truly deals with our out-of-whack property tax and insurance schemes.

We have been led to believe by developers that wetlands are a hinderance to progross. We now know based on research that wetlands are assets to be preserved. If you have a wetland on your property you should protect it and preserve your asset. Since wetlands are so important to water qantity and quality, and biodiversity, maybe owners of them can get payments from water utilities, such are carbon trading now being proposed for greenhouse gas reductions.

The environmental groups pressing for wetlands protection have been out of control for over a decade. When a drainage ditch or ground depresion in the middle of a field grows over from a lack of maintenance and suddenly becomes an endangered resource "to protect water clarity", something is out of whack.

The wetlands regulations were originally designed to protect waterways and streams leading to waterways from siltation and protect water clarity. The key is, they are CONNECTED to the waterways. When the interpretation is streched to declare every isolated hole, pit, ditch or yard depression is now an endangered wetland, there are huge abuses and taking of property which were not intended in the original legislation.

Bravo to the House for trying to bring some fairness and sanity back to the interpretations of wetlands regulations.

Our legislators' remind me of the 'wallstreet' group...they just don't get it! and they use their own business interests to overreach common sense. Florida is unique in the sense that its natural lay of the land has a purpose. The continued changes to the natural lay-of-the-land by Development continues to degrade our natural environment, reduce our fresh water resources and cause flooding in areas that have never flooded before. We need redevelopment of abandoned and degraded 'old developments', not anymore development of wetlands or natural habitats.

this is foolish, as a republican state we are definitely in the toilet. WE already have water problems. We are fighting with Georgia,Alabama,South Carolina and some other states about blocking the rivers that empty into Florida and then we pass this stupid law. When are the people of Florida going to stop sending these imbeciles to the state and federal goverment. They are only interested in special interest groups, who pay them to get elected to rape our natural resources for profit only. No WATER, NO FLORIDA STUPID.

Here is yet another example of business interests taking advantage of a budget crisis to eliminate regulation of their activities. That's just what we really need - less regulation! They don't like interference while they are stealing our heritage. And our intellectually bankrupt politicians go right along. We deserve exactly what we get. Too bad our children will have to live with the consequences of our excesses.

This bill will ruin our way of life. We do not need anymore new developments or new buildings! in Florida

This is not a bill that our legisltors should have allowed to even come out of committee. It is a reversion to what was happening before the requirements of getting the State's approval on infringements into the wetlands. I believe we can have meaningful growth and still protect the wetlands. Many of the group that they have designated as licensed professionals that can approve the encroachment into wetlands do not have the training or knowledge to accurately assess whether the encroachment would or would not affect the quality of the wetlands. I am sure there have been some inappropriate decisions by the State agency however that is not cause enough to scuttle the system of approvals that are currently in place.

This bill will not spur growth and investment. It may allow development on the cheapest land and it may increase the sprawling development patterns that exist in Florida. Todays laws already allow the destruction of wetlands, but at least today, the mitigation process funds the conservation of other wetland areas. The best way to conserve and protect Florida's natural environment is to remove it from the private market. Otherwise, land companies will find some way of getting the cheapest taxes on agriculture land and then develop some suburban sprawl subdivision that increases the costs to local governments.

One thing we don't need is a law that weakens the state's oversite on environmental issues. Just look at the Everglades. There is all kinds of dry lands in SE Fl that could be developed, if we need futher develolpment. Just gussing, it seems like this bill was written to aid SE Florida' uncontrolled development. To see what they have done to the Everglades you need to take a short flight over that area and see nothing but dry land.

This bill that was recently passed is an important one and glad that it did pass. Many lands
are designated wetlands and they really are not. My husband, a GC, had a confrontation with the Army Corp. of Engineers years ago and he finally won and built beautiful townhomes on what was designated as wetlands.

We don't have enough water for the people that are here NOW
STOP taking any more

This is ridiculous. Florida already has a water shortage due to overdevelopment and recent drought conditions. We already know the current fresh water supplies cannot sustainably support the current population. I live in a county seriously exploring the process necessary to build a desalination plant due to the fact the current water supply is expected by local government to be inadequate for the current population in the next 3 - 4 years. Why would we jeopardize the ability to continue living in our homes and communities by selling off the right to reduce what freah water supplies we have? The shortsightedness of this legislature continues to astound me.

OH, NO. Say it ain't so!

I review plans every day stamped by registered engineers and will verify that even though many are responsible and design with the fire and life safety code in mind, there are also many that know nothing about the codes and standards for fire safety. NOW, some dumb-**s politician wants to give them free-reign with our future water supply!!!???!!! We need to throw all of the bums in Tallahasse out!!!! People - RISE UP AND TAKE YOUR PROPER PLACE - THIS is supposed to be a government OF the people, BY the people and FOR the people. The people have been asleep TOO LONG!!!! WAKE UP AND TAKE BACK YOUR POWER!!! Karen M

It's already too easy to destroy wetlands in this state. What is this guy thinking?

It will finally put the resident on equal footing with the DEP.

Of why we FHD!

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