Environment

For much of the past year, state transportation officials heard strong opposition to plans for three major new toll roads in Florida. But the controversial projects aren’t dead. They were back before the Legislature just last week.

A coalition of environmental groups Thursday filed a federal lawsuit challenging a potentially far-reaching move by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to shift permitting authority to Florida for projects that affect wetlands.

An effort is back in the Senate to permanently set up a statewide office to consider climate change impacts, as environmentalists wait for a new chief resiliency officer to be appointed.

Within the next few years hemp farming in Florida is projected to grow to about half the size of the state's citrus industry. Much of that growth is driven by CBD production.

Sen. Jeff Brandes (R-St. Petersburg) is eyeing clean energy. He’s filed several proposals aimed at Energy innovation.

After an uptick in manatee deaths last year, wildlife activists are pushing for a change in Florida's boating safety rules. Sarah Gledhill works for the Center for Biological Diversity. She says the center wants all boaters to take a safety course that she says will inherently help manatees.

After years of battling between Florida and Georgia, the U.S. Supreme Court next month will again take up a dispute about water in a river system that links the two states.

Diamondback Terrapins are edging their way toward the endangered species list. The International Union for Conservation of Nature lists the turtle as vulnerable to extinction due to its declining population.

Florida is trying to prevent Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) from entering the state. It’s considering further restrictions on deer carcasses and other parts harvested outside of Florida.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has approved a plan to suspend wild oyster harvesting in the Apalachicola Bay until December 2025. It's a last-ditch effort to restore the bay's oyster population, which has dramatically declined thanks to water flow issues and overharvesting.