The following letter was distributed by Sierra Club Cris Costello for environmental groups to sign on to.
The encroachment into lands traditionally protected from commercialization is just one of many cock-eyed plans of our lame duck governor who has little regard for our environment.
To his surprise, Mr. DeSantis was the object of enormous pushback from Florida citizens who want to preserve their parks.
If you feel strongly about this issue, you may also write these legislators with your comments.
Comments by OSFR historian Jim Tatum.
jim.tatum@oursantaferiver.org
– A river is like a life: once taken,
it cannot be brought back © Jim Tatum
February 10, 2025
The Honorable Gayle Harrell
Florida State Senator
404 Senate Building
404 South Monroe Street
Tallahassee, FL 32399-1100
The Honorable Jennifer Bradley
Florida State Senator
406 Senate Building
404 South Monroe St
Tallahassee, FL 32399-1100
The Honorable John Snyder
Florida State Representative
303 House Office Building
402 South Monroe Street
Tallahassee, FL 32399-1300
Dear Senator Harrell, Senator Bradley, and Representative Snyder,
Thank you for addressing the concerns of millions of Floridians who opposed recent proposals to develop state parks with golf courses, recreational courts and lodges by putting forth SB 80 and its companion, HB 209.
We, the below-signed seventy (70) organizations and businesses, applaud your effort to foster
public awareness and engagement by proposing changes that would require 30-day advance
notice for public hearings related to land management plans, among other provisions in Section 2 of the bills. We also agree that an inventory of deferred maintenance projects is prudent, as
described in Section 6 of the bills.
However, the organizations identified below are concerned that the proposed language fails to
prevent future proposals from being eligible for consideration. As such, we request the following
changes:
● Within Section 1, include language that further defines the legislative intent to conserve
lands within state parks and promote nature-based recreation, rather than activities that
require alteration of the natural landscape. Also, include management directives to ensure
implementation of the State Park Preservation Act.
● Remove references that encourage developing disturbed areas. Such areas often have the
potential to provide important wildlife habitat and other ecosystem services when appropriately restored and many land management plans include restoration of the areas
in their management goals. Specifically, remove the phrase “and using disturbed upland
regions to the maximum extent practicable.”
● Include language that clarifies what types of “unsolicited proposals” will be considered,
or direct FDEP to create policies to address Ch. 255.065 FS.
● Remove terms such as “to the maximum extent practicable,” “significant harm,” and
“avoid” which can be construed to allow the activities the legislation is intended to
prevent.
● Add a section that includes explicit prohibitions, as well as definitions of specific terms
in order to remove ambiguity in interpretation.
● Include state forests and state wildlife management areas to the types of public land
addressed in the bills. In addition to state parks, the state’s Acquisition and Restoration
Council (ARC) also approves the management plans for these lands.
This legislative session presents an opportunity to close the gaps in Florida’s law that allowed for development proposals that would have irreparably harmed our state parks in the first place. The massive, bipartisan outcry from Floridians to stop the plans is a clear indicator that citizens will passionately protect our public lands. Please consider our recommendations. We look forward to working with you and putting the full support of our organizations behind these good bills.
Sincerely,
1000 Friends of Florida
Kim Dinkins, Policy and Planning Director
Apalachicola Riverkeeper
Cameron Baxley, Riverkeeper
Artisan of Seagrove Beach, Inc.
Peter M. Horn III., Chief Operating Officer
Bay and Reef of the Florida Keys
Captain Xavier Figueredo, Captain Elizabeth Jolin
Bear Warriors United
Katrina Shadix, Executive Director
Calusa Waterkeeper
Connie Ramos-Williams, Executive Director
Center for Biological Diversity
Ragan Whitlock, Staff Attorney
City of Seminole Community Garden
Mary Ann Kirk, Coordinator
Clean Water Coalition of Indian River County
Judy Orcutt, President
Conservation Science, Inc.
Reed Noss, Chief Scientist
Democratic Environmental Caucus of Florida
Judy Freiberg, Vice President
“Ding” Darling Wildlife Society
Ann-Marie Wildman, Executive Director
Environment Florida
Mia McCormick, State Advocate
Environmental Confederation of Southwest Florida
Becky Ayech, President
Florida League of Women Voters
Cecile Scoon, ESQ., President
Florida Native Plant Society
Eugene Kelly, President
Florida Springs Council
Ryan Smart, Executive Director
Florida Voices for Animals
Myriam Parham, President
Friends of Biscayne Bay
Scott Pollowitz, Executive Coordinator
Friends of Split Oak Forest
Gretchen Robinson, Communications Secretary
Friends of St. Sebastian River
Tim Glover, President
Friends of the Everglades
Eve Samples, Executive Director
Friends of Wakulla Springs State Park
Julie Harrington, President
Gopher Tortoise Council
Kim Sash, Senior Co-Chair
Hold The Line Coalition
Laura Reynolds, Science Director
Humane Society of the United States
Kate MacFall, FL State Director
Indian Riverkeeper
Jim Moir, Riverkeeper and Executive Director
Indivisible FL13 Pinellas County
Cynthia Lippert, Organizer
Indivisible Mandarin
Gloria Einstein, Lead Coordinator
Ixia Chapter, Florida Native Plant Society
Jody Willis, President
Keep the Country, Inc.
Susan Schoettle-Gumm, President
Kissimmee Waterkeeper
John Capece, Waterkeeper
Lastra Life LLC
Randy Horton, Co-Owner
League of Humane Voters-FL
Marilyn Weaver, Executive Director
League of Women Voters of Alachua County
Janice Garry, President
Leon County Democratic Environmental Caucus
Claudia Sperbe, President
Lobby For Animals
Thomas Ponce, Founder/President
Matanzas Riverkeeper
Jen Lomberk, Esq., Executive Director and Riverkeeper
Miami Waterkeeper
Amanda Prieto, Chief Operating Officer
Mignot & Co.
Wendy Mignot, President
National Wildlife Federation
Joe Murphy, Wildlife Policy Specialist
Our Santa Fe River, Inc.
Joanne Tremblay, President
Physicians for Social Responsibility Florida
Pam McVety, Board Member
Progress Florida
Mark Ferrulo, Executive Director
Putnam Land Conservancy, Inc.
Willy the Losen, Chief Executive Officer/Conservation Director
Rainbow River Conservation
Gerald Rodgers, President
Raw and Juicy LLC
Jenifer Kuntz, Owner
Residents United for Rural Levy (RURL)
Laura Catlow
Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation
Matt DePaolis, Environmental Policy Director
Savage Bell Productions
Savage Bell, Owner/Chief Executive Officer
Save the Manatee Club
Beth Brady, PhD, Senior Science and Conservation Associate
Sea Turtle Conservancy
Stacey Gallagher, Policy Coordinator
Seminole United Methodist Church Community Garden
Robert T. Huttick, Coordinator
Sierra Club Florida
Susannah Randolph, Chapter Director
Southeastern Center for Conservation
Jeff Talbert, Program Manager
Speak Up Wekiva, Inc.
Chuck O’Neal, President
St. Johns Riverkeeper
Lisa Rinaman, Riverkeeper
St. Mary’s Riverkeeper
Emily Floore, Executive Director and Riverkeeper
START (Solutions To Avoid Red Tide)
Sandy Gilbert, Chairman/CEO
Stone Crab Alliance
Karen Dwyer, Ph.D., Co-founder
Suncoast Waterkeeper
Abbey Tyrna, Ph. D, Waterkeeper and Executive Director
Surfrider Foundation
Katie Bauman, Florida Policy Manager
The Downriver Project
Gil Damon, Director
The Environmental Conservancy of North Port, Inc.
Barbara Lockhart, President
The Guardians of Martin County
F. Anthony Zunino, President
The Paper Bear Inc.
Sean Couch, Co-Founder
Tropical Audubon Society
Lauren Jonaitis, Senior Conservation Director
Turtle Safe Products
Arix Zalace, Owner
VoteWater
Gil Smart, Executive Director
WIN with Integrity Coalition
Rob Piper, Chief Content Officer
