Conservation groups press delegation to repeal parts of SB 180 and boost springs and Florida Forever funding

Multiple conservation organizations urged the delegation to defend local home rule and increase funding for springs restoration and land-acquisition programs.

Kim Dinkins of 1000 Friends of Florida thanked the representative for holding a state agency accountable and asked the legislature to "repeal sections 18 and 28 of Senate Bill 180," which speakers said constrains local governments from adopting more restrictive land-use rules and invites litigation by broad standing and attorney-fee provisions. "Counties like Citrus need to be able to respond to growth pressures, environmental issues, and resilience improvements in real time," Dinkins said.

Devon Quirolo of Sierra Club Adventure Coast asked the delegation to strengthen springs-protection zones and to fully fund Florida Forever, noting that roughly 132 vetted projects are awaiting purchase and that advocates estimate $20.5 billion is needed to complete qualified projects statewide. He said SB 180's vague "more restrictive or burdensome" language would chill local planning and impede storm-readiness and resilience measures.

Maxine Connor of the Florida Springs Council urged increasing springs restoration funding from the statutory minimum to approximately $150,000,000 annually, arguing that nearly 90% of Florida springs are impaired by nitrogen pollution and that current annual funding is inadequate to reverse declines.

Speakers also asked the delegation to resist state efforts that preempt local ordinances on plastics and reusable-container rules and to preserve local authority to regulate land use and environmental protections.