land. water. wildlife.

SCCF's Environmental Policy team recaps Florida's 2026 legislative session, while chatting about what's in store for the multiple upcoming special sessions in Tallahassee.

They explain the positive and negative impacts of recently passed legislation on Southwest Florida's environment, while detailing unpassed bills SCCF will continue to monitor in future years.

Plus, stay tuned until the end of the episode for a new segment of Land. Water. Wildlife. where the team responds to comments from a recent social media post.

Send your comments and/or questions to [email protected] to be answered in a future episode.

SCCF Marine Lab Director Eric Milbrandt, Ph.D., joins Environmental Policy Director Matt DePaolis to discuss the ongoing lack of sufficient fresh water flows to the Caloosahatchee Estuary.

Freshwater flows have been below the optimal ecological envelope since mid-October, with lasting impacts on habitats, species, and communities within and around the estuary. They talk about these impacts, the influence of water management decisions, and provide a forward-thinking look at how we can avoid similar dry season situations in the future. 

Take Action by asking the SFWMD to increase flows.

Environmental Policy Director Matt DePaolis provides updates on budget negotiations and the potential for a prolonged legislative session. He also discusses bills related to land use, agriculture, energy policy, and more.

Environmental Policy Director Matt DePaolis provides updates on bills moving through the legislative session, highlighting the widely publicized "Farm Bill" amendment, the Blue Ribbon Projects Bill, Nature-Based Solutions, and several other bills impacting Florida's land, water, and wildlife.

In this episode, SCCF Environmental Policy Director Matt DePaolis breaks down key developments from Week 4 of Florida’s legislative session. Matt walks through updates on major bills moving through the Capitol, including the Florida Farm Bill, proposed legislation affecting data centers, conservation lands, and other environmental priorities. Tune in for a clear, timely overview of what’s happening in Tallahassee and what it could mean for Florida’s natural resources.

In this episode, SCCF Environmental Policy Director Matt DePaolis breaks down the latest bills moving through Florida’s 2026 legislative session that could impact Southwest Florida’s land, water, and wildlife. Topics covered include community resilience, water quality, energy, and wetlands — with several bills continuing the concerning trend of statewide preemption that limits local decision-making.

Stay informed with our Legislative Tracker and sign up for SCCF Action Alerts to take action on issues that matter to Florida’s environment.

Florida’s environment is on the line this legislative session, from water quality and resilience to single-use plastics and local governance. In this episode, SCCF Environmental Policy Director Matt DePaolis breaks down the kickoff of Florida's 2026 session, highlights key bills the policy team is tracking, and explores how they could shape the future of our state's natural world.

Stay informed with our Legislative Tracker: https://sccf.org/legislativetracker/
Sign up for SCCF Action Alerts: https://sccf.org/take-action/

In this episode, the SCCF policy team discusses a vast marine environment often observed from the surface but lesser known in its offshore reaches by many: the Gulf waters surrounding the state of Florida.

They explore the Gulf’s wide range of ecosystems, its impressive biodiversity from shallow coastal waters to the deepest reaches, and the fascinating, quirky, and awe-inspiring elements that inspire advocacy to protect these waters from ongoing threats.

Take action to protect the Gulf by submitting comments against the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management's plan to expand drilling in these waters by 11:59 p.m. on Jan. 23, 2026: https://www.regulations.gov/commenton/BOEM-2025-0483-0001

Learn more: https://sccf.org/2025/11/17/oppose-new-plan-to-allow-oil-drilling-in-florida-waters/https://sccf.org/2025/11/17/oppose-new-plan-to-allow-oil-drilling-in-florida-waters/

In this episode, the SCCF Environmental Policy team explores why the holiday season, with all its joy, can also have unintended environmental impacts. They present simple tips to combat waste in terms of energy, travel, food choices, gift-giving, and more to have a more sustainable holiday season and New Year.

SCCF Environmental Policy Director Matt DePaolis and Policy Associate Allie Pecenka discuss Senate Bill (SB) 180, a bill recently signed into law with harmful implications for local planning and resilience-building for communities in Florida.

They talk about the origins of the bill and its predecessor, SB 250, the dangerous tone SB 180 sets for communities planning to increase their resilience, and what can be done to amend this restrictive legislation.