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Florida's new law, House Bill 433, preempts

Friday, September 20, 2024

New OSHA rule aims to protect Florida workers from deadly heat

A new federal proposal to protect workers from extreme heat is being hailed as a potential lifesaver by labor advocates, even as Florida faces …

According to the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice, fewer than 5% of youths arrested have any gang alert on their record. However, those with gang alerts are more likely to have been first arrested at age 12 or younger, and more likely to be serious, violent and chronic offenders. (athree23/Pixabay)

Report highlights decline in youth incarceration but challenges remain

A new report revealed while the United States has made significant progress in reducing youth incarceration rates, troubling disparities still exist…

When it comes to managing the summer heat, health experts suggest for every 15 minutes of outdoor activity, people should drink about four ounces of water, which is about four sizable gulps. (stevepb/Pixabay)

Essential summer safety tips for staying healthy in Florida heat

As the summer sun blazes, especially in the Sunshine State, it is easy to get caught up in the fun and excitement of the season. But according to …

Salt marshes are composed of a variety of rushes, sedges and grasses. Florida's dominant salt marsh species include black needle rush (Juncus roemerianus). (Florida DEP)

Conservation groups tout natural defenses against hurricanes

With the start of hurricane season, salt marshes are among the natural features playing a critical role in protecting coastal communities by …

The Gulf Coast Resilience Network spans Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee and Texas. (preschoolinhsrlayout/Pixabay)

FL child care centers brace for above average hurricane season

The nonprofit organization Save the Children is collaborating with child care providers in Florida ahead of the upcoming hurricane season. The group …

In Sept. 2022, Hurricane Ian made landfall near Cayo Costa, Fla., as a Category 4 hurricane with sustained winds of 150 mph. (NOAA)

FL expert stresses vigilance, compassion this hurricane season

As experts predict one of the busiest Atlantic hurricane seasons on record, they also recommended Florida residents and visitors prepare, so they …

From Alabama to the Everglades, the Florida Wildlife Corridor is a superhighway of interconnected acres of wildlands, working lands and waters. (FAU/FWC aerial view)

FL Wildlife Corridor study reveals role in climate resilience, population growth

As the Sunshine State grapples with rising temperatures and escalating weather events such as hurricanes, a new study sheds light on the pivotal role …

In 2022, about 29% of the people in Florida's prison system were age 50 or older, which is one reason their advocates are urging state lawmakers to ensure prison housing units are climate-controlled. (geralt/Pixabay)

Heat crisis in FL prisons: Lawmakers urged to add air conditioning

Florida lawmakers are being asked to use the winter months to swiftly install air conditioning in prison housing units before the return of scorching …

Climate change with rising seas is making it more dangerous, and much more expensive, to live on the subtropical islands at the southern tip of Florida. (Stingrea1/Pixabay)

In face of rising seas, Monroe County adapts, innovates

By Steve MacLaughlin for NBC Miami.Broadcast version by Trimmel Gomes for Florida News Connection reporting for the Solutions Journalism Network-Publi…

Florida Power & Light, a subsidiary of NextEra, continues to receive a high grade when it comes to its plans to transition to clean energy, according to the Sierra Club's 2023 Dirty Truth Report. (Ulleo/Pixabay)

Report: Florida Power & Light scores high in transition to clean energy

In its latest report rating the progress of utility companies transitioning from fossil fuels such as coal into clean energy like wind and solar…

An aerial view shows the salt marsh adjacent to the runway at Naval Station Mayport in Jacksonville, Florida. (Mark Bias)

How Salt Marshes Are Preserving Life Along FL Coast

Florida's nearly 500,000 acres of salt marshes are under threat from rising seas, polluted runoff, and an abundance of urban development that's been …

In March 2023, thousands lined the streets of Adjuntas for Casa Pueblo's second annual rally for solar energy. (Photo courtesy od Katherine Rapin)

Puerto Rico's Solar Microgrids Illuminate Path to Energy Security

By Katherine Rapin for Next City.Broadcast version by Trimmel Gomes for Florida News Connection reporting for the Solutions Journalism Network-Public …

American children spend a total of 3 billion hours on school buses each year. (Adobe Stock)

Advocates: State Must Do More on School Bus Electrification

With the Inflation Reduction Act supporting the beginning of a transition to clean school buses, elected officials in Florida are calling for quicker …

Florida Forage Fish Research program fellow Kira Allen, from the University of Central Florida, explains her ecosystem model that explores the effects of climate change on Apalachicola Bay food webs. (Justin Grubich)

FL Research Tracks Impact of Drought, Sea-Level Rise on Forage Fish

Preliminary research shows less fresh water and higher sea levels could be changing the forage fish in Florida's famed Apalachicola Bay and the fisher…

According to Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Office of Insurance Regulation, the Florida insurance industry has seen two straight years of net underwriting losses exceeding $1 billion each year. (Pixabay)

FL Lawmakers Miss Climate Change in Fixes to Property-Insurance Crisis

Florida lawmakers have signed off on quick fixes to the state's property insurance crisis - but critics say the plan pays little attention to the grow…

The Sentinel Landscape proposed in the Florida panhandle is one of the largest in the country and the second in Florida. (Sentinellandscapes.org)

Conservation, Military Join Forces to Preserve FL Panhandle

A new project in the Florida panhandle is ensuring military readiness while conserving one of the most biodiverse regions in the country. Federal …

Numerous studies including from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency shows disproportionate impacts of climate change on socially vulnerable populations in the United States. (Pixabay)

Advocates Call Build Back Better Essential For Environmental Justice

ORLANDO, Fla. - Advocates are calling on Florida's leaders to keep the momentum going after the U.N. Climate Change Summit by thinking of ways to …

Numerosos estudios, incluidos los de la Agencia de Protecci�n Ambiental de EE. UU., Muestran impactos desproporcionados del cambio clim�tico en las poblaciones socialmente vulnerables en los Estados Unidos. (Pixabay)

Defensores dicen que Build Back Better es esencial para la justicia ambiental

ORLANDO, Fla.-- Defensores están pidiendo a los líderes de Florida que mantengan el impulso después de la Cumbre del Cambio Climá…

The Florida Public Service Commission (PSC) decided not to act to change the state's net-metering rule at its Sept. 17, 2020, workshop on Customer-Owned Renewable Generation. (mrganso/Pixabay)

Report: Power Companies Block Rooftop Solar Growth in FL, US

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - A new report shows an effort by investor-owned utilities in the Sunshine State to block the growth of rooftop solar. The …

Florida mangroves' natural ability to curb flooding protected over 626,000 people during Hurricane Irma in 2017, according to a University of California Santa Cruz report. (Adobe Stock)

Groups Say FL Coasts Need Federal Dollars to Mitigate Storm Impacts

TAMPA, Fla. -- Environmental groups are urging federal lawmakers to allocate $10 billion in the upcoming infrastructure package for coastal …

According to Advanced Energy Economy, each dollar of public investment into electric vehicles generates $2.60 of direct private investment. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Electric Transportation Investment Would Boost FL Economy

MIAMI - Florida would benefit from the federal government's proposed $274 billion investment in electric vehicles and infrastructure, according to a …

Forage fish are small, nutrient-rich species that serve as food for predators like saltwater fish, sharks, coastal birds and marine mammals. (Pexels/Milada Vigerova)

FL Researchers Study Links Between Prey Fish, Predators and Algal Blooms

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- For the most part, if you're a fish, you're either prey or predator, but Florida research is finding the symbiotic relationship …

A study by the National Academy of Sciences reveals salt marsh provides an average of $695,000 per square mile a year in protective value to Southeast communities and military installations from storm-surge flooding. (Adobe Stock)

Million-Acre Southeast Salt Marsh Conservation Plan Gets Green Light

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- An initiative to conserve a million acres of salt marsh from Northeast Florida to North Carolina is in motion, following …

According to the International Energy Agency, electricity generation from renewables will increase by 50% in the next five years. Student leaders in Florida hope their universities will commit to using them in the next two decades. (Adobe Stock)

More Students at FL Universities Seek Clean Energy for Campus

TAMPA, Fla. -- Student-government leaders from several Florida universities want their schools to commit to using 100% renewable energy. This week…

Florida's coastlines have been hit hard in recent years by sea-level rise and the increased intensity and frequency of tropical storms. (Selcuk/Adobe Stock)

From FL to Central America, Climate Change Forces Migration

MIAMI -- As Florida faces the consequences of climate change -- from rising sea levels to more frequent and more severe hurricanes -- experts predict …

Sea-level rise has been the main focus of Florida policymakers when it comes to climate change, but environmental groups are calling for a deeper analysis of wide-ranging impacts. (Pixabay)

Group Urges Creation of FL Legislative Committee on Climate Change

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- For the second year in a row, the group Florida Conservation Voters is calling on Florida's incoming legislative leaders to …

Pensacola's Project Greenshores at sunset. (Photo: � Erika Nortemann/The Nature Conservancy)

Living Shorelines: Natural Defense to Storms

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- Back in September, as Hurricane Sally battered Florida's panhandle with a deluge of rain and high winds, some locals said their …

The Okefenokee Wildlife Refuge is the largest blackwater swamp in North America, and one of the

Conservationists: Proposed Mining Project Threatens Wildlife Refuge

LAKE CITY, Fla. -- Conservationists say a proposed mining project near the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge poses a real risk for the more than 400…

Florida's climate is changing, as the peninsula has warmed more than one degree (Fahrenheit) during the last century. The sea is rising about one inch every decade, and heavy rainstorms are becoming more severe. (Pixabay)

FL Health-Care Workers Urge Action on Climate Change

Dr. Ankush Bansal is an internal medicine physician. An earlier version of this article incorrectly said Dr. Bansal is an anethesiologist and pain …

A National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration study examined every storm from 1980 to 2018 and found that the buildup of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, along with changes in other human pollution, has changed how often they form in certain locations. (Pixabay)

Pressure Mounts for Climate Question During Presidential Debates

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- As the nation grapples with massive wildfires, a hurricane season already on its second alphabet and intensifying drought…

Mitigating flood risk is just one aspect of a bold new plan in Congress to tackle climate change. <br />(Florida Fish and Wildlife/Stan Kirckland/Flickr)

A "Transformative Roadmap" to Address Climate Change

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- Some congressional Democrats have released a blueprint for how the country can hit net-zero emissions by 2050. The House Select …

The Roseate Spoonbill (pictured) is among the species listed as endangered. (via flickr/MyFWCmedia)

Study: Endangered Species Sensitive to Climate Change Lack Protection

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — A new study shows the federal government charged with protecting endangered species doesn't have enough protections in …

The Florida Public Service Commission voted 4-1 to maintain the current energy-savings goals established for public utilities in 2014 through 2025. (Pixabay)

Florida Groups Urge Utility Regulators to Boost Energy Efficiency

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Conservation groups say Florida's newly updated energy-saving goals are still too low and should be raised. The Florida …

Florida is in the crosshairs of climate change, putting real estate and people at risk from storm surges aggravated by sea-level rise. (Adobe Stock)

Women of Color Lead "Fighter League" to Combat Climate Change in the South

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — A pilot project called "Fighter League" is arming women of color with the tools they need to fight climate change. Two …

The Thompson Institute for Earth Systems was started in 2018 to advance communication and public understanding of current research discoveries about Earth's natural systems in Florida and beyond. (Joakant/Pixabay)

Florida’s Environmental Concerns Prompt New Institute to Inform Public

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Florida's environment has been a topic that looms large for the state's residents and politicians this election cycle. Now…

NOAA scientists say the number of cases where red-tide blooms and hurricanes have occurred simultaneously is small. (Pixabay)

How Will Hurricane Michael Affect Florida's Red Tide Outbreak?

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Florida's red-tide bloom continues to be a drag on tourism, causing fish kills and inducing respiratory problems for …

Florida utilities are expanding their solar inventory as they meet goals for lowering emissions. (Pixabay)

FL Environmental Groups: More Solar, Not Offshore Drilling

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — The American Petroleum Institute is trying to convince coastal states, including Florida, to "Explore Offshore." But …

Many of the EPA regulations that Scott Pruitt scrapped or delayed as EPA administrator had not yet taken effect before his resignation. (Wikimedia Commons)

Government Watchdog Groups: Pruitt's EPA Exit "Long Overdue"

WASHINGTON – After allegedly overspending on everything from pens to lavish trips and accepting questionable deals from lobbyists, government …

According to hurricane experts, the slightest fluctuation in water temperature can make a significant difference in the development of a hurricane. (Pixabay)

Experts: Be Prepared for Hurricane Season Regardless of Prediction

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — While hurricane experts predict a slightly less active Atlantic hurricane season this year, they maintain it's …

Eight youths are suing the state of Florida and Gov. Rick Scott over climate change. They would like to see a

Increased Youth Activism May Not Correspond to Voter Turnout

TALLAHASSEE, Fla – The eight young Floridians suing Gov. Rick Scott and Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam are riding the wave of youth …

An aerial view of the solar farm during construction of Babcock Ranch, Fla. (Babcock Ranch)

FL Community Set to Become Nation's First Solar-Powered Town

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – One brand-new Florida town has taken its first steps toward becoming completely solar powered. Babcock Ranch, just north of …

The League of Women Voters of Florida and Solar United Neighbors of Florida say they're working to make the state number one in solar power. (Michael Coghlan/Flickr)

Report: Solar Permits Surge in Florida

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- Florida is starting to experience its own solar boom, and it's the result of a growing grassroots movement teaching people how …

Even before the hurricanes, hard and soft corals have been bleaching in the Florida Keys due to this summer's unusually warm ocean temperatures. (U.S. Geological Survey/Flickr)

Climate Change: Is Florida a "State of Denial?"

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- As Florida cities wrestle with how to haul out millions of tons of post-hurricane debris and where to put it, the environmental …

Nutrients in crops grown around the world are diminishing because of climate change. (usda.gov)

Report: More Will Go Hungry Due to Climate Change

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – A report that looks in depth at how climate change is robbing crops of nutrition says there will be more hungry people and …

Eight Florida counties report an average of one or more unhealthy smog days each year. (dmv.org)

Allergies and Asthma in Florida Worsened by Bad Air Days

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Are your allergies acting up this summer? A new report says almost a quarter of Floridians live in counties plagued by a …

Rising sea levels along Florida coastlines have been one topic at the U.S. Conference of Mayors, held in Miami Beach this weekend. (David Parsons/iStockphoto)

FL Leaders Push for Climate Action at Mayors' Conference in Miami Beach

MIAMI BEACH, Fla. – If the federal government won't take the lead on climate change - local cities will. That's the message from the U.S…

The Sunshine State ranks third in the nation for rooftop solar potential, but 12th for how much solar is installed. (epa.gov)

Will Wind, Solar Growth Continue in Sunshine State?

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Despite the fact that President Trump has pulled out of the Paris Climate Accord, Americans continue to embrace the idea of …

Jamaica caper trees are among those being planted as part of an urban canopy to birds, wildlife and people in Broward County. (NatureScape Broward)

A Wildlife Makeover for Broward County School

LAUDERDALE LAKES, Fla. – Class is for the birds today at Lauderdale Middle School, where students, staff and volunteers will be planting dozens …

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PNS Daily Newscast: Afternoon Update - September 20, 2024

2024Talks - September 20, 2024

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FL: Climate Change