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Each month, the UF Thompson Earth Systems Institute team curates Florida's environmental news and puts it into context by explaining what’s going on, why it matters and what we can do about it.
This month we are bringing you a special edition focused on the 2021 Florida Legislative Session! We will return to our regularly scheduled programming next month.
If you know someone interested in subscribing, they can do so at: http://bit.ly/EarthtoFL
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The Florida State Legislative Session is an action-packed 60 days. This year’s session begins on March 2 and ends on April 30.
Our student-led team has sifted through thousands of bills to find those that pertain to our state’s environment. For some, we have talked to policy experts and scientists to provide context about how the proposed legislation might impact our state.
It is important to note that only a fraction of the thousands of bills that have been introduced will be actively debated on the chamber floor. The only bill that absolutely must be passed is the state’s budget, which faces a $2.4 billion shortfall this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the Florida Legislature’s chief economist Amy Baker. Read more about Gov. Ron DeSantis’ proposed budget in this press release.
Our coverage is by no means exhaustive, but we hope it will orient you to the hot topics that are on lawmakers’ minds this session — climate change and energy, water quality/quantity and agriculture, just to name a few. Additionally, since the issue is going out before the start of the session, our coverage only includes bills introduced before Feb. 17, 2021.
Use the links below to learn more about some of this year’s proposed legislation. Learn how to track these bills in our Action of the Month.
Have questions about any of the proposed legislation? Email earthsystems@floridamuseum.ufl.edu, and we may be able to connect you to an appropriate expert on the subject.
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As continuing research reveals oftentimes harrowing projections for the future of Florida, the state is attempting to catch up with climate change – and its impacts – through proposed legislation.
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As more people pour into Florida, policymakers must plan how to balance this growth with the health of our state’s natural resources and landscapes. This legislative session, several bills have been introduced to help plan for the future.
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Agriculture is inextricably linked with Florida’s natural resources and balancing production with environmental conservation isn't always an easy task. While one new bill touches on agriculture and water pollution, others deal with regulation, taxation and rights for Florida farmers.
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The energy consumed in the Sunshine State varies in source from nonrenewable resources, like coal, to renewable resources, like solar. Energy production using renewable sources instead of nonrenewable can decrease the amount of greenhouse gas emissions that drive climate change. Several proposed bills look to plan for Florida's energy in the next couple of decades.
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Floridians currently use about 6.4 billion gallons of water per day, but that demand is expected to grow to 7.4 billion gallons by 2040. This growing water demand, along with other threats like saltwater intrusion and nutrient pollution pose a threat to Florida’s water supply. Legislation introduced this session aims to address the quality and quantity of Florida’s water resources.
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With thousands of unique species of flora and fauna and 114 federally endangered or threatened organisms, Florida faces distinctive conservation challenges. Proposed legislation includes prohibiting oil and gas drilling in the Everglades, addressing wildlife racketeering and reversing a 2020 rights of nature preemption.
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Each time single-use plastic items like bags, straws or cups are incorrectly discarded, it contributes to the widespread plastic pollution that countries are scrambling to remedy. An existing statewide preemption prohibits cities from enforcing single-use plastic bans. This session legislators are looking to reverse it.
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It can be challenging to keep up with the issues you value and the legislators who represent you. Fortunately, both the Florida House of Representatives and Florida Senate have online tools that can make it easier for you to stay informed.
Learn more about how to use web-based online trackers to keep up with legislative activities in our Action of the Month.
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- Since its 2005 arrival in Florida, greening, a disease spread by insects that compromises the root systems of trees, has killed about 130,000 crops. Now, UF/IFAS researchers may have found a solution. By isolating genes that are resistant to greening, new trees that can survive the disease may be planted.
- The position of deputy assistant secretary overseeing the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and National Park Service has been filled by Shannon Estenoz, a longtime Everglades advocate. Estenoz has worked on Everglades conservation efforts for nearly three decades. She directed the U.S. Department of Interior’s Everglades restoration work during the Obama administration and was the chief operating officer for the Everglades Foundation.
- Only two years ago, the Florida grasshopper sparrow seemed doomed to extinction. In 2013 with only 200 of the sparrows left, federal officials launched a captive breeding program that was riddled with challenges. Despite their efforts, in 2018 the population plunged again due to the spread of an internal parasite. With only 20 breeding pairs left, captive-bred birds began to be released. Today, the wild population has increased to 100. Though the population is still far from stable, researchers are now optimistic about their future as the program continues.
- It has been confirmed that an invasive species of mosquito that is native to South America and the Caribbean has been found in South Florida. The Aedes scapularis is an aggressive biter but may pose less disease risk to humans than the Zika and Dengue carrying Aedes aegypti. So far, no cases of disease transmission have been reported in either animals or humans in Florida.
- According to the University of Florida’s annual Shark Attack File, 2020 brought an increase of shark attack fatalities. Despite this, researchers say that there is no cause for alarm as it does not signify a trend, and overall shark bites have declined since 2019.
- Good news for the critically endangered North Atlantic right whale — Florida wildlife officials have reported an “encouraging” number of the species, with 65 winter sightings, including at least 14 new calves. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration also reported a sighting of a whale and its newborn calf off of Amelia Island. However, the advocacy group Defenders of Wildlife reminds readers that North Atlantic right whales continue to be threatened, with an increase in deaths reported since 2017.
- A rare whale once thought to be the Gulf of Mexico Byrde’s whale, may actually be an entirely new species. Though it was suspected that the whale could be a new species before, researchers needed to examine the skull of one of the whales to be sure. In 2019, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration was finally able to examine the skeleton of one of these elusive creatures. It is now believed that a group of Byrde’s whales may have broken away from the rest and evolved separately in the Gulf of Mexico.
- A giant invasive fish has been found along the Caloosahatchee River in Cape Coral, Florida. Measuring up to 10-feet long and weighing over 500 pounds, the massive arapaima is the world's largest predatory freshwater fish. If there are more of the fish, which are native to South America, it could be devastating to the local ecosystem. The arapaima is an indiscriminate predator and can lay hundreds of thousands of eggs throughout their lifetime.
- Over the last few months, several sinkholes have opened up across the state. In Panama City, a small sinkhole caused damage to a street and interrupted traffic flow. In Alachua County, a sinkhole measuring 35 by 50 feet around and about 10 feet deep opened in a stormwater retention area of a residential neighborhood. In Leon County, multiple small sinkholes were found not far from Woodville School, though officials say that they are not a threat to the building. Meanwhile, Pasco County is still dealing with the ramifications of a sinkhole that opened in October. Until it is fixed, the fencing and traffic control required will cost taxpayers $300 a day.
- Nestlé was given the green light to bottle up to 984,000 gallons of water a day from the aquifer at Ginnie Springs in Gilchrist county, despite criticism from district officials and environmental groups. Previously, Nestle pumped 265,900 gallons a day from the well. Though Nestlé has stated that the increase will not have an adverse effect on the springs, district officials were unconvinced that this exhibited a beneficial use of Florida water.
- In the two decades since Congress approved the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP) to help heal the Everglades, schedules have been delayed and projects have surpassed their original budget. What will become of what’s been described as the world’s largest restoration project? Florida Trend examines. Meanwhile, the Everglades Coalition has asked President Joe Biden to increase federal spending on Everglades restoration by nearly fourfold.
- Red tide has returned in southwest Florida, and this time earlier than usual. To keep up with current red tide reports, visit: FWC Current Red Tide Status
- In the November 2020 election, Orange County became the most populous jurisdiction to recognize legal rights of nature when its residents voted to amend the county charter to grant rights to the Econlockhatchee and Wekiva Rivers. But, the amendment remains in question since the Florida legislature passed a bill in 2020 that included an amendment “prohibiting local governments from recognizing or granting certain legal rights to the natural environment.”
- For the first time, the South Florida Water Management District is conducting a study to investigate how climate change is causing landscape shifts, exacerbating flooding and threatening drinking water. The move comes as President Joe Biden issued an executive order that aims to reduce the rate of climate change and as Gov. Ron DeSantis unveiled a 2021-2022 state budget that includes $1 billion over the next four years to tackle sea level rise.
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What We're Reading
Environmental protection and social justice are deeply intertwined, and we cannot accurately communicate the environmental issues facing our state without acknowledging this relationship. In this monthly Earth to Florida segment, we will share articles, videos and events that help explain these connections.
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This month, we invite you to join us join us for a free virtual event titled, "Sustainability Into Practice: Climate Change, Health & Equity," hosted by UF's Office of Sustainability and the Bob Graham Center for Public Service, in partnership with the Florida Climate Institute and UF Thompson Earth Systems Institute.
Join us on Thursday, March 4 at 6 p.m. to hear from experts on the ways that climate change and health issues, as well as potential solutions, are interconnected. Attendees will learn ways they can take action in their studies, careers and everyday lives to affect larger change.
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Want to impress your friends with all you know about our beautiful state? Follow us on Instagram @KnowYourFlorida and get to know your state, your nature, your history — your Florida. See below for some fun facts from this month.
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At the University of Florida main campus in Gainesville, Florida, you can visit the world’s largest occupied bat houses. It’s estimated that the colony includes 450,000 - 500,000 bats, which depart the houses at dusk to feed on around 2.5 billion insects each night. That’s more than 2,500 lbs of insects! The colony is mostly made up of Brazilian free-tailed bats, but the southeastern bat and evening bat also make use of the bat houses. Visiting the bat houses to observe the bats’ evening departure is a popular activity for both students and visitors. Info from the Florida Museum.
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This stocky heron can be observed in Florida year-round. Appearing dark from a distance, the green heron’s namesake deep green back and reddish neck and chest are best visible up-close and in full light. Unlike larger herons which are often seen hunting in open spaces, the green heron prefers to hunt along the water’s edge, often concealed in vegetation. Uniquely, the green heron is one of the few birds known to use tools! The bird will drop small items like twigs or insects in the water to entice fish over before snatching them up with its pointy beak. Keep an eye out for these striking herons along the edges of swamps, creeks, marshes, ditches, and ponds!
Info from the Cornell Ornithology Lab.
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The Florida mouse can be found only in Florida. According to UF/IFAS, its range is from “north central Florida south to Highland and Sarasota counties, and along the Atlantic coast from St. John’s County down to Miami-Dade County.” This small mouse eats insects and seeds and is nocturnal. It lives in upland sandy scrub habitats that must be maintained by fire. If vegetation is not controlled by these burns, the habitat becomes too shady and wet for the Florida mouse to survive. The mouse usually resides in holes undergound but does not dig its own. Instead, it often takes shelter in gopher tortoise burrows.
Info from UF/IFAS EDIS, image from iNaturalist user cpgibson (CC-BY-NC 4.0).
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TESI Events & Learning Opportunities
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To keep up with our upcoming events, visit our Upcoming Events calendar.
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Started in 2018, the mission of the UF Thompson Earth Systems Institute is to advance communication and education about Earth systems science in a way that inspires Floridians to be effective stewards of our planet.
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Like the work we do? Consider supporting our communication, public outreach, and science curriculum development initiatives by making a gift using our secure giving site.
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