Merrillee Malwitz-Jipson, policy director for Our Sana Fe River, Inc., was quoted in the Suwannee Democrat on Sept. 24, 2015, when she addressed the Legislative Delegation in Mayo on the issue of fracking and sustainable energy. The original article by Paula Thompson can be seen at this link.
Sen. Dean, Rep. Beshears visit Lafayette County as part of legislative delegation
– Photo: Paula Thompson
Representative Halsey Beshears, left, and Senator Charlie Dean, right, chat with residents and local officials Tuesday.
Posted: Thursday, September 24, 2015 4:15 pm
By Paula Thompson paula.thompson@gaflnews.com
District 5 Senator Charlie Dean and District 7 Representative Halsey Beshears held their annual Lafayette County Legislative Delegation meeting Tuesday, Sept. 22, with elected officials, constitutional officers, council members and citizens present.
The 2016 Legislative Session will begin Jan 12, 2016, and this meeting was an opportunity for citizens and elected officials to pose their requests to both Dean and Beshears.
This meeting may be Dean’s last Lafayette County Legislative Delegation meeting for the county due to the redrawing of congressional district lines.
Senator Dean stated to the public, “It’s a pleasure to be back in the county. It was a pleasure being your senator.”
Fracking
The policy director of the non-profit Our Santa Fe River Inc. and Floridians Against Fracking, Merrillee Malwitz-Jipson was the first to speak about banning fracking in Florida.
“We feel there is too much risk in Florida becoming a fracking state,” she stated.
Malwitz-Jipson advised the senator and representative of the harmful effects fracking could create on our waterways and aquifer system. A “regulation” bill being proposed would strip local government and citizens of control and protect the fracking industry instead, said Malwitz-Jipson.
“So far 35 percent of the constituents in Florida by way of city and county have resolutions banning fracking and that number grows every day,” said Malwitz-Jipson.
She suggested the use of solar panels, since we are the Sunshine State, if sources of energy are being needed instead of fracking.
