As the first day of the 2023 Legislative Session kicks off, the Conservancy of Southwest Florida is immensely concerned with a number of proposed bills designed to:
- significantly undermine what remains of State land use planning law,
- severely limit the types of challenges to development orders,
- further intimidate citizens’ efforts to participate in the planning process, and
- preempt local governments from establishing policies and rules to protect and improve our local water quality, including common sense measures like fertilizer ordinances.
These are all contrary to the intentions laid out in the Governor’s Executive Order 23-06, which seeks to strengthen water quality, coastal resilience, and conservation efforts.
As our region experiences pace-setting growth, loss of natural lands, and a sustained set of water quality challenges illustrated by the most recent red tide outbreak which is worsened by land-based pollution sources, we encourage all of our supporters and friends to sign up (if you have not already done so) for our e-advocacy alerts. These will keep you posted when there is the opportunity to join with others in opposing this rash of negative bills serving special interests, and support those bills that advance positive policy solutions.