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Florida Water Quality Alert

HB 457– Fertilizer

Please call members of the House State Affairs Committee before 5 p.m. on Wednesday (4/6) and urge them to vote against this bad preemption bill. 

HB 457 will be heard in the House State Affairs Committee this Thursday at 8 a.m.

There will be a new amended bill (one was released today but was almost immediately pulled back) but it will not be released until 6 p.m. on Wednesday!  That means we will not have a chance to respond to it before the committee meeting on Thursday.  We expect some kind of grandfathering in the amended bill.

Here are some new talking points (more talking points at end of email):

1. A grandfather clause to protect existing ordinances:

1. Does not help Manatee, Martin, Brevard, Collier and other counties/municipalities, including Punta Gorda and Marco Island, that have nutrient impaired waters and are currently drafting ordnances that are in line with the other regional (stronger) ordinances;
2. Is contrary to the Consumer Fertilizer Task Force recommendations;
3. Is contrary to the Mote Marine Policy Institute recommendations (2007 Red Tide Assessment); and
4. Leaves the majority of the state, including those communities with nutrient impaired waters, with less than protective standards.
5. For Representative Trudi Williams:  Williams made it clear she is against preemption in her published guest editorial last weekend – the arguments she made in that opinion would also pertain to preemption for those communities that have yet to adopt an ordinance.

Remember to mention imperiled water bodies found in members’ districts (and how fertilizer management is the cheapest way to restore/protect them) – that would be very helpful.