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This week, the DEP and SWFWMD gave presentations to committees in both the House and the Senate to discuss Florida Forever, Conservation Land Swaps, The Everglades, Forever Chemicals, and much more.

This episode is a new format for a shorter, more nimble podcast that can get information out before it becomes outdated in the fast-paced legislative environment.   

Email us on the show with questions, suggestions, and comments at: [email protected]

Become a Florida Springs Council Informed Member - https://www.floridaspringscouncil.org/informed-membership

Text ‘FSC’ to 844-722-3080 to sign up for FSC Action Alerts for the 2025 Legislative Session

Ryan Worthington can be found exploring Florida at: https://www.instagram.com/the_fl_excursionist/

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This week Ryan and Ryan discuss the presentations by FWC, DEP, SWFWMD, and other agencies of the health of areas that they are monitoring.  Also discussed are two pro development bills and one bill that would help control Florida's trash problem.

HB 105: Local Government Enforcement Actions (Brackett)
SB 208: Land Use and Development Regulations (McClain)SB 240: Auxiliary Containers (Garcia)

Upcoming Legislative Committee Weeks

Read more about the lawsuits over SB 180 here & here

Find your local delegation meeting 

Delegation Meeting Talking Points

Sign the It's About Dam Time Pledge

Email us on the show with questions, suggestions, and comments at: [email protected]

Become a Florida Springs Council Informed Member - https://www.floridaspringscouncil.org/informed-membership

Text ‘FSC’ to 844-722-3080 to sign up for FSC Action Alerts for the 2025 Legislative Session

Ryan Worthington can be found exploring Florida at: https://www.instagram.com/the_fl_excursionist/

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This week, Ryan and Ryan discuss the Florida Black Bear hunt and the number of applicants for the bear tag lottery, many purchased by those who do not want to hunt bears in an effort to limit the bears killed during the season.  

In Destin, a 4-acre sand dune is up for sale for 83.3 million dollars (when it was purchased in 2017 for 8 million), and can be bought with Florida Wildlife Corridor Funds, despite not being in the Wildlife Corridor or on any priority list for conservation lands.  It has the appearance of a developer bailout.

Finally, the cabinet is going to vote on an exception where someone who has a conservation easement on their property also wants to use it to sell wetland mitigation bank credits.  Nothing like being paid not to develop your property and then using it to allow the development of wetlands in other areas.

Florida got 160,000 requests to hunt bears, but many applicants plan to sit out

Florida wants to buy 4 acres in the Panhandle. The price tag? $83M (Tampa Bay Times)

September 30, 2025, Florida Cabinet Agenda (See items 3b and 4f)

2025 Florida Forever Priority Projects

Find your local delegation meeting 

Delegation Meeting Talking Points

Email us on the show with questions, suggestions, and comments at: [email protected]

Become a Florida Springs Council Informed Member - https://www.floridaspringscouncil.org/informed-membership

Text ‘FSC’ to 844-722-3080 to sign up for FSC Action Alerts for the 2025 Legislative Session

Ryan Worthington can be found exploring Florida at: https://www.instagram.com/the_fl_excursionist/

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This week Ryan & Ryan discuss the proposed Springs National Park, developers using SB 180 to avoid regulations, and how you can share the issues that you care about with your state elected officials.

For a list of upcoming delegation meetings:

https://1000fof.org/upcoming-events/

Email us on the show with questions, suggestions, and comments at: [email protected]

Become a Florida Springs Council Informed Member - https://www.floridaspringscouncil.org/informed-membership

Text ‘FSC’ to 844-722-3080 to sign up for FSC Action Alerts for the 2025 Legislative Session

Ryan Worthington can be found exploring Florida at: https://www.instagram.com/the_fl_excursionist/

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In this episode, Ryan and Ryan discuss the possible sale of the Chassowitzka River Campground and the role that the Southwest Florida Water Management District has taken in the process.

Also our special guest is Hunter from Old Florida Vibes, who describes his conservation journey and the Old Florida Vibes brand.

Show notes:

Check out Old Florida Vibes and Join the OFV Sticker Club

Why could Florida sell the Chassahowitzka River Campground? by Max Chesnes (Tampa Bay Times)

Fighting to keep the Chass campground open by Michael D. Bates (Citrus County Chronicle)

Enhance your social media advocacy by joining FAFO - https://www.fafoutdoors.com/

Watch Florida Springs Council's BMAPs 101 Webinar starting at 6:30 pm on Wednesday, 8/27

Check out 1000 Friends of Florida's list of upcoming Legislative Delegation Meetings

Email us on the show with questions, suggestions, and comments at: [email protected]

Become a Florida Springs Council Informed Member - https://www.floridaspringscouncil.org/informed-membership

Text ‘FSC’ to 844-722-3080 to sign up for FSC Action Alerts for the 2025 Legislative Session

Ryan Worthington can be found exploring Florida at: https://www.instagram.com/the_fl_excursionist/

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In the first segment, Ryan and Ryan discuss grassroots advocacy and social media to defend Florida's natural areas, including the advocacy Group Floridian's Advancing Florida's Outdoors .

In the second segment, the Ryans discuss the "Big Ass Pipe" a proposed project that would provide much-needed water to the Santa Fe River and Springs IF completed.   The water management district wants to approve consumptive use permits as if the project was already completed, even though it is just an unfunded concept at this point. 

Crystal River Fishing & Scalloping Charter - https://www.highoctanefishing.com/crystal-river-fishing-charters

Florida Springs Council Comment Letter on Santa Fe & Ichetucknee MFL Recovery Strategy 

Enhance your social media advocacy by joining FAFO - https://www.fafoutdoors.com/

Watch Florida Springs Council's Springs 101 webinar: "Players and Policies"

Email us on the show with questions, suggestions, and comments at: [email protected]

Become a Florida Springs Council Informed Member - https://www.floridaspringscouncil.org/informed-membership

Text ‘FSC’ to 844-722-3080 to sign up for FSC Action Alerts for the 2025 Legislative Session

Ryan Worthington can be found exploring Florida at: https://www.instagram.com/the_fl_excursionist/

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This week Ryan and Ryan discuss an article by the legendary Craig Pittman about the price hikes to some of the springs' entry fees in Ocala National Forest.  The second segment brings a detailed discussion of DEP's near-complete abandonment of its responsibility to ensure water quality around the state and the coalition of groups attempting to hold them accountable.

Weekly Action Items - 

• Attend the Florida Springs Council's Springs 101: Policy & Players Webinar
•  Host a local environmental event with Ryan & Ryan
• Send us an email - Talk about what’s to come with podcast [email protected]

Show notes:
Private Company Controls Access to Public Land at Florida National Park

2025 Florida Basin Management Action Plans (Water Quality Restoration Plans)

Despite Threats, Orange County to Keep Rural Boundary

Email us on the show with questions, suggestions, and comments at: [email protected]

Become a Florida Springs Council Informed Member - https://www.floridaspringscouncil.org/informed-membership

Text ‘FSC’ to 844-722-3080 to sign up for FSC Action Alerts for the 2025 Legislative Session

Ryan Worthington can be found exploring Florida at: https://www.instagram.com/the_fl_excursionist/

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In this episode, Ryan & Ryan discuss the state budget to see if our elected officials put their money where their mouth is as far as water quality and conservation funding.  SPOILER ALERT, they don't.  Between vetos, defunding conservation land buying programs, and questionable land purchases, serious questions are being raised regarding the future of land conservation in Florida.

Weekly Action Items - 

• Contact Governor DeSantis to oppose Alligator Alcatraz.
• Sign Vote Water’s Petition to “Rescue the River of Grass.”
• Send us an email - Talk about what’s to come with podcast [email protected]

Show notes:

Governor DeSantis 2025 Line-Item Vetoes: https://flgov.com/eog/sites/default/files/shared/2025/06/2025%20Final%20Veto%20List.pdf

Email us on the show with questions, suggestions, and comments at: [email protected]

Become a Florida Springs Council Informed Member - https://www.floridaspringscouncil.org/informed-membership

Text ‘FSC’ to 844-722-3080 to sign up for FSC Action Alerts for the 2025 Legislative Session

Ryan Worthington can be found exploring Florida at: https://www.instagram.com/the_fl_excursionist/

Send us a text

This week Ryan and Ryan discuss the details of the budget before it gets sent to the governor for signature.  Cuts to conservation funding and a perversion of the implementation bill to deal a blow to the regulation of water withdrawals for agriculture.  Also, special guest Michael McGrath discusses urban fertilizer ordinances and how they help protect our water quality.  

Action Items

• Call Gov. DeSantis at 850-488-7146 and ask him to stand with the local citizens of Apalachicola by allowing HB 1143 (Oil Drilling Ban) to become law.
• Use Waterkeepers Florida Action Alert to ask Gov. DeSantis to veto SB 492, wetlands mitigation banking.
• Tell a friend us, leave a review, or send Ryan and Ryan an email at [email protected]om

2025 Florida Budget and Implementing bill (as they will be voted on by the House and Senate on 6/16)

Want more information on urban fertilizer impacts and ordinances? Check out SlimeStoppers.org and If you are interested in advocating for a strong urban fertilizer ordinance contact Sierra Club Lead Organizer Michael McGrath at [email protected]

Email us on the show with questions, suggestions, and comments at: [email protected]

Become a Florida Springs Council Informed Member - https://www.floridaspringscouncil.org/informed-membership

Text ‘FSC’ to 844-722-3080 to sign up for FSC Action Alerts for the 2025 Legislative Session

Ryan Worthington can be found exploring Florida at: https://www.instagram.com/the_fl_excursionist/

Send us a text

Action Items

• Sign Vote Water’s Petition to “Rescue the River of Grass.”
• Use Waterkeepers Florida Action Alert to ask Gov. DeSantis to veto SB 492, wetlands mitigation banking.
• Send us an email at [email protected]

EAA Rock Mine Reading

Good overview from Sanibel Captiva Conservation Foundation:

https://sccf.org/blog/2025/04/23/southland-rock-mine-unanswered-questions/

VoteWater concerns:

https://votewater.org/deep-dive-could-the-eaa-rock-mine-trigger-toxic-trouble/

Everglades Law Center letter to Palm Beach County:

https://www.everglades.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/FoE-to-PBC-re-Southland.pdf 

Email us on the show with questions, suggestions, and comments at: [email protected]

Become a Florida Springs Council Informed Member - https://www.floridaspringscouncil.org/informed-membership

Text ‘FSC’ to 844-722-3080 to sign up for FSC Action Alerts for the 2025 Legislative Session

Ryan Worthington can be found exploring Florida at: https://www.instagram.com/the_fl_excursionist/