VoteWater and 37 other Florida conservation organizations are calling on the state Legislature to repeal key portions of Senate Bill 180, legislation signed into law earlier this year that effectively prohibits local governments from adopting measures to sensibly guide growth, address resiliency issues and protect the environment — including clean water.

The groups ask the legislature to revisit provisions in the law “which freeze cities and counties from adopting land-use regulations deemed ‘more restrictive or burdensome’ than those in place before recent or future hurricanes — even if the changes are unrelated to disaster recovery.”

“These provisions threaten the constitutionally guaranteed role of local governments to plan for growth to protect natural resources, water quality and public safety,” the joint letter asserts. “Contrary to the stated goal of disaster recovery, tying the hands of local communities striving to address urgent growth and resiliency challenges puts Floridians at even greater risk from flooding, pollution and unchecked sprawl that erodes both the environment and quality of life.”

“Local communities know best when it comes to the needs of their communities, and where those communities want smarter growth and better protection for the environment and clean water, they ought to be able to adopt those measures,” said Gil Smart, VoteWater Executive Director. “Senate Bill 180 prohibits that — and that has to change.”

Numerous cities and counties opposed to the law have joined a pending lawsuit to challenge it, saying the legislation may be unconstitutional.

Click here to read the letter from the conservation organizations.

VoteWater thanks 1000 Friends of Florida for spearheading the repeal effort!