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Currents
August 2019
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Friday, August 2, 2019
iac University poll, is likely because of his stance on
the environment, an issue “on which Republicans
often don’t focus,” Brown said in a statement.
Surprisingly, even the influential Florida Farm
Bureau, the state’s largest farm advocacy group, isn’t
vocally opposed to DeSantis’ environmental plans.
Charles Shinn, director of government and commu-
nity affairs at the organization, tells Mother Jones the
sugar industry alone is not at fault for the algal
blooms, and that DeSantis is “uninformed” about the
issue. But he says he is “optimistic” about the gover-
nor’s environmental plan: “The goals that he set out
basically, from day two of his administration, are our
goals that we as agriculturalists in the state of Florida
are also trying to achieve.” (While many researchers
say agricultural runoff contributes to the intensity of
red tide, there isn’t a scientific consensus on whether
there is a direct cause-and-effect relationship
between farming activity and the toxic algal blooms.)
While they are hopeful, both Jackalone and Jenne
say “the jury is still out” on their new governor. [I]t’s
unclear if all of DeSantis’ Everglades funding will
come, what specific projects will get the money they
need, if he’ll directly tackle the causes of climate
change, and what his final environmental legacy will
be. His willingness to sign on to progressive envi-
ronmental legislation will be a real test for DeSantis,
Jenne says. “I’ve heard plenty of words from plenty
of politicians in this state. But right now, that’s all they
are,” he says. “As we move through our legislative
process, we’re going to see what type of governor he
actually is.”
Gene Suppell
Editor & Publisher
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