June Sierra Club Growth Management Committee Meeting

6/12/2013

The Sierra Growth Management Committee will meet Wednesday June 12 and Wednesday at 5:30 pm in the front dining room of the Hilton Garden Inn 1700 East 9th Ave in Ybor City, just prior to the regular Sierra Club meeting. Make your voice heard as a part of Tampa Bay Sierra. Become involved, get active.

During this Florida legislative session, we worked hard to stop several bad bills, especially HB 33 that would have put a cap on ELAPP holdings. Environmentalists from across the state spoke out and HB 33 died in committee. A compromise bill to continue the $25/acre tax to fund Everglades restoration passed. We saw some funding for Florida Forever restored. Perhaps the worse bill to pass was HB 999, even though language related to wetlands and fertilizer restrictions was removed.

The Corps of Engineers has denied the Sun West channel dredging permit in Fillman's Bayou of Pasco County, saying it was “not in the public interest”. Literally, tens of thousands of emails, phone calls and letters from Sierra and other environmental groups overcame extreme political pressure to approve. Your voices made the difference, once again.

Although the Race Trac rezoning in Brandon was approved by the Hillsborough County Commission in April, legal challenges have been filed. Sierra is a “party of record” opposing this rezoning. If allowed to go forward, it will provide a blueprint for “destruction thru mitigation” of virtually any wetlands tract in the county. Final word on this from the Environmental Protection Commission is yet to be heard.

By celebrating the natural wonders of our environment, Sierra inspires both the appreciation and protection of our unique and irreplaceable ecology. The Growth Management Committee is on the front lines fighting to preserve our grandchildren's natural heritage. Won't you join us?

Thanks,

Kent Bailey
Growth Management Committee Chair
kent.bailey@florida.sierraclub.org
Tampa Bay Group, Sierra Club