National Audubon Society

Florida Legislative Session and Policy Update

Audubon staff had a busy week in the Florida Capitol as they worked with elected officials to improve bills and testified during critical committee meetings.

Highlights:

- Bill would gut local authority to protect agricultural lands from urban sprawl.

- Take Action: How-to Webinar for Floridians on fighting sprawl and flooding at city and county levels, April 2

- Bill could exacerbate urban flooding by permitting development of small conservation areas.

- Proposed changes to wetland mitigation rules could worsen flooding and harmful algal blooms in Florida’s most developed watersheds.

- Bill would privilege new wastewater technology with general permit with little monitoring of effectiveness.

Northern Mockingbird standing on a branch

Bill Threatens Urban Sprawl Across Florida

As filed, SB 1118, sponsored by Sen. McClain (R-Ocala), would further weaken growth management protections in favor of more rapid development approvals. Fortunately, advocacy from smart growth supporters resulted in major modifications improving the bill this week in the Senate Community Affairs Committee (Chair, Sen. McClain).

Audubon was glad that McClain’s amendment included the removal of a provision that would have reduced the opportunity for practical citizen input early in the zoning review process. It also removed provisions on “infill” developments that would receive automatic “administrative approval.”

Committee members expressed significant concern about the bill in its original form, including former Senate president Kathleen Passidomo (R-Naples), who said that she is averse to “seeing pavement from Ft. Myers to Ft. Lauderdale.” Other members who spoke up included Sen. Pizzo (D-Sunny Isles Beach) and Sen. Sharief (D-Miramar).

Audubon Senior Policy Director Beth Alvi testified in committee on the concerning provisions still in the bill after it was amended. “Agricultural enclave” provisions could destroy rural area protections, such as Marion County’s Farmland Preservation Area and Seminole County’s charter protections for its eastern rural lands. The bill also would eliminate the ability of local communities to protect rural areas by referendum—and would invalidate referendum recently passed by voters in Orange County to protect agricultural land and critical wetlands.

We will continue to work to reduce the harmful effects of this ill-advised legislation. Click here to read more about the bill.

Northern Mockingbird. Photo: Nancy Malecki/Audubon Photography Awards

You're Invited! Flood Webinar on April 2

As sprawl impacts Florida’s wetlands, more communities are finding themselves flooding with regularity during everyday thunderstorms and hurricanes alike.

Join us for a free webinar introducing From Risk to Resilience: An Advocate's Guide to Smarter Flood Protection in Florida—a practical resource designed to help everyday Floridians push for common-sense, science-backed flood solutions in their neighborhoods.

In this session, we’ll break down key takeaways from the guide, share simple steps you can take to work with local officials, and provide helpful tools to make your voice heard. Whether you're concerned about flooding in your neighborhood, worried about the impact on Florida’s natural ecosystems, or simply want to protect our state’s future, this webinar will show you how local governments can make smarter decisions to reduce flood risks—with the right push from engaged community members like you.

Register today.

Bill Targets Small Urban Conservation Areas for Development

SB 1142 by Sen. Ana Maria Rodriguez (R-Doral), Release of Conservation Easements, would allow landowners to remove conservation protections from small properties (under 15 acres) that are mostly surrounded by development, provided they offset the loss of wetlands through mitigation credits. If approved, this change would allow the land to be taxed at its full value and open it up for new development.

While the bill aims to balance conservation and growth, Audubon is concerned that removing these protections could weaken efforts to manage stormwater, prevent flooding, and protect habitats, especially in areas already facing intense development pressure. Thoughtful growth management is essential to ensure wetland losses do not increase flood risks or degrade water quality, which are crucial for both wildlife and communities.

The bill passed unanimously in the Senate Environment and Natural Resources Committee on Monday. The House companion bill, HB 1175, Mitigation Banks, sponsored by Rep. Duggan (R-Jacksonville), is also moving through the House.

Great Egret. Photo: Robert Amoruso/Audubon Photography Awards.

Belted Kingfisher in flight with a yellow background

Wetland Mitigation Bill Could Lead to Flooding, Harmful Algal Blooms

HB 1175, Mitigation Banks, passed the House Natural Resources and Disasters Subcommittee (Chair, Rep. Botana (R-Bonita Springs)) on Tuesday. Like its Senate companion, SB 492 (Sen. McClain (R-Ocala)), the bill would allow impacted wetlands to be replaced far away and years after the impacts are approved.

The bill allows project applicants to use mitigation credits from outside a mitigation service area when an insufficient number or type of credits are available within the impacted area. It would also allow up to 60% of credits to be issued within the first two years—before a bank meets interim success criteria, i.e. before restoration is completed.

We understand that this bill is intended to alleviate the hardship of watersheds with insufficient mitigation remaining—unfortunately, as written, this language will harm wetland functions in those already highly developed watersheds—which are essential to community health and welfare. Wetlands absorb floodwater in storms, protect us from wildfires, and clean nutrients from runoff before it can cause algae blooms.

Audubon continues to work with both sponsors and have provided some language we believe can avoid these unintended consequences.

Belted Kingfisher. Photo: Steve Jessmore/Audubon Photography Awards

A Yellow-throated Warbler in a pine branch, with pollen in the air

Wastewater Bill Moves through House Natural Resources and Disasters Subcommittee

HB 645, Distributed Wastewater Treatment System Permits, sponsored by Rep. Conerly (R-Lakewood Ranch), passed the House Natural Resources and Disasters Subcommittee this week.

There is a great need for an alternative to conventional septic systems that would remove nitrogen from wastewater more effectively, especially in impaired watersheds.

Distributed Wastewater Treatment Systems (DWTS) may have promise, but are a relatively new technology that have not been used or tested extensively yet.

This bill, however, would grant a general permit, issued by the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), for DWTS—a general permit is a much lower level of oversight that is usually made available to technologies whose performance is well understood in all the scenarios it could potentially be applied and has a high level of confidence of meeting success criteria.

Accordingly, Audubon believes the issuance of a general permit may be premature. Pilot studies to date have not demonstrated that this technology can perform consistently at its stated treatment efficiency of 80% nitrogen removal.

Audubon staff are engaging with DEP and the House and Senate sponsors to better understand the issuance of a general permit for this technology. The Senate companion, SB 796, is sponsored by Sen. Bradley (R-Flemming Island).

Yellow-throated Warbler. Photo: William Lutin/Audubon Photography Awards

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