Florida Chamber Capitol Update: Water Solutions

The Florida Legislature gathered for its first week of committee meetings in the New Year this week, and several important conversations on water occurred.

The Florida Chamber continues to advocate for Florida’s water future by supporting science-based infrastructure investments and initiatives that allow Florida to grow while protecting our precious natural resources. We will continue to fight against unneeded, government-mandated regulations that place undue burdens on Florida’s businesses.

Below is a summary of water conversations the Florida Chamber monitored this week. To learn more about any of these, please contact me at cemmanuel@flchamber.com.

• The Senate Environmental Preservation and Conservation Committee heard several presentations, including a presentation from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) regarding the implementation of the comprehensive water reform bill that passed last session with the Chamber’s support,
• The House Natural Resources & Public Lands Subcommittee also received an update from FDEP regarding the implementation of last year’s water bill,
• The Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on the Environment and Natural Resources hosted a workshop on Everglades restoration and options to reduce Lake Okeechobee discharges. Presenters included the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, FDEP and  a representative from the University of Florida, who discussed various water quality and storage measures, in addition to other subjects, and
• Senator Wilton Simpson (R-Spring Hill) briefed Florida Chamber Board members in town for the Leadership Fly-In on his perspectives on Florida’s long term water quantity needs, including potential reclaimed water legislation he is drafting.

The Florida Chamber will continue to provide you with regular updates on what is sure to be a very busy 2017 Florida Legislative Session on water issues.

Learn More

This week, the Florida Chamber released its 2017 Competitiveness Agenda, which outlines our specific policy positions on water and more.