A roundup of news items related to climate change and other environmental issues in Florida:
Duke Energy Florida reaches milestone; One gigawatt of energy thanks to High Springs solar facility | WUFT
HIGH SPRINGS — Thanks to a renewable energy center in High Springs, one Florida energy company reached a big clean energy milestone.
Duke Energy Florida surpassed one gigawatt of renewable energy, or over 1,000 megawatts. To put that into perspective, that amount can power around 350,000 households, according to Duke Energy senior communications consultant Audrey Stasko. “These sites can power roughly twice as many homes [than are] in Alachua County,” said Stasko. “And that’s with carbon-free energy.”
The 700-acre facility holds 220,000 solar panels.
Gov. DeSantis signs pro-growth law, angering environmentalists | WGCU
Florida’s environment will suffer ‘irreparable damage” under a new law Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed on Wednesday that opponents say will financially discourage regular folks from challenging proposals to change local rules that limit the size and scope of new developments.
That’s according to a vocal coalition of environmental groups who opposed Senate Bill 540 from the start, saying the Republican-backed legislation will quash any desire by ordinary citizens to challenge land-use change requests.
It “will pave the way for urban sprawl and do irreparable damage to Florida’s environment and quality of life,” said 1000 Friends of Florida, a sustainable growth nonprofit, in an angry statement released Wednesday. The law “will threaten ordinary Floridians with financial ruin for exercising their right to legally challenge amendments that conflict with their communities’ comprehensive plans — their blueprints for environmentally and fiscally sustainable growth.”
Restoring a barrier island forest may be key to protecting Miami from storm surge | Miami Herald
After months of using weed-killers, saws, shovels and hand-yanking invasive latherleaf fern out of a tropical forest on Virginia Key Beach Park, City of Miami parks naturalist Gloria Alejandra Antia was finally able to begin the process of rebuilding.
Antia dug a hole and planted a small native tree just steps from the shoreline.
“The health of this island, the health of this ecosystem is crucial for our homes, it protects the mainland,” Antia said.
If you have any news items of note that you think we should include in our next roundup, please email The Invading Sea Editor Nathan Crabbe at ncrabbe@fau.edu. Sign up for The Invading Sea newsletter by visiting here.
