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By Bobby Caina Calvan<\/div><\/div>\n

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency granted Fla.\u2019s request for greater authority over development of the state\u2019s wetlands. Supporters say it should streamline permitting if property owners want to develop wetlands, but environmentalists oppose the change.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) \u2013 The federal government granted Florida\u2019s request for wider authority over wetland development, a move announced Thursday that came under immediate fire by environmentalists who worry that the country\u2019s largest network of wetlands could be at risk of being further destroyed.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The announcement by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Andrew Wheeler was long sought by developers and Republican allies, who argued that the layers of regulatory scrutiny were cumbersome, expensive and unnecessary. Supporters touted the move as a step that would streamline the permitting process when property owners seek to develop wetlands.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

During a news conference in Washington, Wheeler said the state had met the high bar necessary to assume the role of handling the permitting process.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThis action allows Florida to effectively evaluate and issue permits under the Clean Water Act to support the health of Florida\u2019s waters, residents and economy,\u201d he said. \u201cBy taking over this permit program, Florida will be able to integrate its dredging and fill permitting with their traditional water quality and monitoring programs.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

At around statehood in 1845, Florida had about 20 million acres (8 million hectares) of wetlands. By 1996, Florida has lost nearly half of that because of dredging, draining and filling. The state\u2019s population growth has spawned a boom in development, which has prompted much of that destruction.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Florida accounts for about a fifth of the country\u2019s wetlands and includes the Everglades, among the state\u2019s most important environmental jewels. A massive restoration project costing billions of dollars is currently underway to repair the damage to the Everglades, including the draining of huge swaths of its marshes.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Wetlands serve a key role in the ecosystem, including in helping maintain water quality and absorbing flood waters.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe are passionate about our resources in the State of Florida. Whenever we can have our team of scientists and permitters issue the permits that allows us to be in the driver\u2019s seat, that\u2019s what we want to do,\u201d said Florida\u2019s secretary of environmental protection, Noah Valenstein, who traveled to Washington for Thursday\u2019s announcement.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Valenstein said the state would respect the \u201cthe underpinnings and protections of law and the Clean Water Act\u201d but sought to use his department\u2019s local expertise to drive development decisions.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

But that worries environmental groups who say they may have fewer venues \u2013 possibly including federal courts \u2013 to challenge projects that could undermine sensitive ecosystems.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThis is a parting gift to developers from the outgoing administration in Washington in coordination with the sitting administration in Florida,\u201d said Tania Galloni, the managing attorney in Florida for Earthjustice. \u201cThe fact is that Florida\u2019s proposed program to take over wetlands permitting doesn\u2019t comply with federal environmental laws,\u201d she said. \u201cIt\u2019s about destroying wetlands faster and cheaper at a time when we need more protection, not less.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Florida officials pushed through the request ahead of the inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden. Permitting oversight of wetlands would shift to the state\u2019s Department of Environmental Protection just weeks before Biden\u2019s inauguration next month.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Environmentalists had hoped to delay the decision to allow the Biden administration to weigh in. Environmental groups have vowed legal challenges, arguing that the application was rushed and failed to take into account a host of issues, including the state\u2019s ability to adequately perform the environmental analysis that the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers and other federal agencies had performed.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThose concerned with Florida\u2019s environment have no reason to believe the State of Florida is prepared to manage critical wetlands permitting in a transparent, apolitical manner,\u201d Agricultural Commissioner Nikki Fried said in a statement.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Florida becomes the third state to gain broader permitting authority of wetlands under the federal Clean Water Act. Michigan and New Jersey had been granted similar authority decades ago.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Florida\u2019s request to gain sole permitting authority was launched under the administration of Gov. Rick Scott, now a U.S. senator, who said the EPA\u2019s action does away with \u201cduplicative rules on the state and federal levels were a waste of taxpayer dollars, and created confusion for everyone involved, which is why I fought to streamline this process.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Current Gov. Ron DeSantis, also a Republican, took on that mantle and earlier this year formally petitioned the federal government to transfer that authority.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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\nAuthor: kerrys<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"