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NOAA meteorologists predict 2024 hurricane season will have ‘highest-ever’ number of named storms
NOAA predicts 17 to 25 named storms, and of those, eight to 13 are expected to become hurricanes
Environment
Information and analysis on climate change, water pollution, drought, endangered animals, development on protected lands, and anything else to do with Florida flora and fauna.
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Florida officials remove 10-foot alligator from homeowner’s pool
Finding a scaly intruder in the pool isn’t that uncommon, especially this time of year
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Florida official pushes new state bird, wants to drop mockingbird
Texas, Tennessee, Mississippi and Arkansas also have the northern mockingbird as their state birds
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Threatened eastern indigo snakes released in Florida preserve in effort to restore state ecosystem
The release, a longtime goal of federal and state officials, is part of an effort to restore some balance to Florida’s ecosystem lost in the 1980s
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Florida officials report more than 33% spike in wildlife calls as state population expands
The discussion comes as legislation awaits action by DeSantis that would bolster self-defense arguments for people who kill bears on their property
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DeSantis approves $1.5 billion from Florida budget for Everglades restoration
The funding is separate from a bill DeSantis signed that designates money from the Seminole Tribe of Florida into buying and maintaining land in a state wildlife corridor
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Florida lobbyists leaned on pols to get ban on local heat safety and wage laws across the finish line, records show
As an added ‘incentive,’ the Chamber noted that lawmakers’ votes would be double-weighted on their upcoming legislative report cards.
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Group seeking to make clean water a constitutional right in Florida restarts ballot measure efforts
The Florida Right to Clean Water committee now aims to get its proposal before voters in 2026.
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Florida can expect ‘very, very busy hurricane season’ in 2024, experts say
The university projected 23 named storms and 11 hurricanes, with five reaching major hurricanes status
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Gov. DeSantis signs bill to use gambling money for Florida’s environmental projects
Much of the money will come from a 2021 gambling deal that the state reached with the Seminole Tribe of Florida
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Wildlife advocates threaten lawsuit to get Florida manatees reclassified as an endangered species
At least part of the spike in deaths in 2021 and 2022 was related to a lack of seagrass in areas such as the Indian River Lagoon
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Florida urges federal judge to speed up ruling in high-stakes wetlands case
In February a judge found that actions by the EPA and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service violated the Endangered Species Act
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Florida bill allowing gambling money to be used for environmental projects heads to DeSantis
The bill would provide at least $450 million a year for issues such as buying and maintaining land in a state wildlife corridor
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Orlando officials confirm Lake Eola Swans are dying from bird flu
Four swans have been found dead in the past two weeks
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Florida Senate approves bill that allows shooting bears in self defense
Critics contend passing the bill will result in increased deaths of the once-threatened species
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‘It’s been a rough couple of years’: Death of beloved Florida manatee, Asha, highlights ongoing threats, risks
So far this year, state wildlife officials have recorded 83 deaths across the state through Feb. 9
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Florida is one step closer to making it easier to kill bears
People would not be allowed to possess or sell bear carcasses after the killings
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Florida environmental groups target EPA over phosphate regulations
The issue drew heavy attention in 2021 when massive amounts of wastewater were discharged into Tampa Bay
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Community activists Save Orange County share lessons from the latest war with developers over the Econlockhatchee River
To beat powerful and well-funded opponents, they had to be persistent
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Bear ‘self-defense’ bill moves ahead in Florida House
The proposal, aimed at allowing people to kill bears in self-defense, heads to the House floor