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Travesty in Tally

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Merrillee Speaking tally tues.
President Malwitz-Jipson Addresses Lawmakers

Following is an email by Merrillee Malwitz-Jipson, president of OSFR and Save our Suwannee, recounting the travesty in Tallahassee last Tuesday, April 21.  This information has been scattered about the Internet for some time, but it is well to keep it in mind and should not be forgotten.  We want to make this post also to present the excellent photos taken by Lynne Buchanan, whose  comments were posted earlier before we had photos.

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Yesterday, at 6 pm in Tallahassee, FL, I left a Senate Government Appropriations committee hearing on regulating fracking SB 1468 in Florida.

I sat patiently, in the meeting that began at 10 am, to participate for this agenda item representing Our Santa Fe River and Save Our Suwannee.

The powers that be, Chair Senator Tom Lee and Vice Chair Lizbeth Benacquisto, put our item, about fracking, as the last to be heard in this committee. We had 20 minutes to speak, TOTAL, they, us and the other side. We had more appearance cards filled out than any of the other agenda items.

They gave us each one minute to say something. We had the most active constituent- based phone call, email and contact advocacy against this destructive fossil fuel business that is trying to root itself in Florida’s soils and consequently our fresh, clean water. We were the last to be heard and no debate among the 19 Senators that voted. They voted 2/3 majority in favor of regulating fracking in Florida.

Hear the meeting at time stamp 0:46:58 link

Roll Call on the Florida Senator VOTE:  YES: want the regulations for fracking , NO: do not want fracking

YES: Senator Tom Lee (R) (850) 487-5024 lee.tom.web@flsenate.gov

YES: Senator Lizbeth Benacquisto (850) 487-5030 benacquisto.lizbeth.web@flsenate.gov

YES: Senator Thad Altman (R), (850) 487-5016 altman.thad.web@flsenate.gov
NO: Senator Anitere Flores (R), (850) 487-5037 flores.anitere.web@flsenate.gov
YES: Senator Don Gaetz (R), (850) 487-5001 gaetz.don.web@flsenate.gov
YES: Senator Bill Galvano (R), (850) 487-5026 galvano.bill.web@flsenate.gov
NO: Senator Rene Garcia (R), (850) 487-5038 garcia.rene.web@flsenate.gov
YES: Senator Denise Grimsley (R), (850) 487-5021 grimsley.denise.web@flsenate.gov
YES: Senator Alan Hays (R), (850)487-5011 hays.alan.web@flsenate.gov
NO: Senator Dorothy L. Hukill (R), (850)487-5008 hukill.dorothy.web@flsenate.gov
NO: Senator Arthenia L. Joyner (D), (850) 487-5019 joyner.arthenia.web@flsenate.gov
YES: Senator Jack Latvala (R), (850) 487-5020 latvala.jack.web@flsenate.gov
YES: Senator Gwen Margolis (D), (850) 487-5035 margolis.gwen.web@flsenate.gov
NO:Senator Bill Montford (D), (850) 487-5003 montford.bill.web@flsenate.gov
YES: Senator Joe Negron (R), (850) 487-5032 negron.joe.web@flsenate.gov
YES: Senator Garrett Richter (R), (850) 487- 5023 richter.garrett.web@flsenate.gov
YES: Senator Jeremy Ring (D), (850) 487-5029 ring.jeremy.web@flsenate.gov
YES: Senator David Simmons (R), (850) 487-5010 simmons.david.web@flsenate.gov
NO: Senator Christopher L. Smith (D), (850) 487-5031 smith.chris.web@flsenate.gov

Last stop for all the regulating fracking bills (SB 1468, SB 1582, HB 1205, HB 1209) is the House and Senate Floor for an entire vote by all Representatives and Senators.

Merrillee Malwitz-Jipson

President Malwitz-Jipson is a Relentless Driving Force
President Malwitz-Jipson is a Relentless Driving Force

Gale Dickert is a Tireless Worker
Gale Dickert is a Tireless Worker

Dave Cullen - Sierra Club
Dave Cullen – Sierra Club

Dr. Ray Bellamy Spoke on the Health Issues of Fracking
Dr. Ray Bellamy Spoke on the Health Issues of Fracking

Dr. Ronald Saff Spoke on the Health Issues of Fracking
Dr. Ronald Saff Spoke on the Health Issues of Fracking

Kim Ross with ReThink Energy
Kim Ross with ReThink Energy

John Dickert
John Dickert

 

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3 Comments

  1. ps, when you’re done making these calls north Florida…go to your counties such as Columbia County, Gilchrist County, Bradford County, Baker County, Levy County and Suwannee County and tell your commissioners that you want a County Resolution to Support a Statewide Ban on Hydraulic Fracking, Acid Fracking and Well Stimulation for Fracking.

  2. Terry Phelan, this is a committee hearing, not the vote on the Floor. Sen. Dean presented an amendment during the previous committee hearing resulting in a moratorium until a study on fracking is finished. Another lousy part of the senate bills. Thing is the DEP is in charge of the study and they already have said several times, fracking is safe. It is sheer lunacy up there in Tally. Call Sen. Dean and Sen. Bradley and ask them to vote “no” despite the Dean amendment. Dean is not proud of this amendment as he told us several times he is against fracking in Florida and he hasn’t even told his constituents, in his weekly newsletter update, that he even has a play in this fracking debacle, on the side of favoring fracking regulations by his moratorium/study amendment. Call tell him to say “no” to SB 1468 and SB 1582 Senator Dean: 850-487-5005 and Senator Bradley: 850-487-5007

  3. I did not see Columbia County Sen Charlie Dean nor Alachua County Sen. Rob Bradley on the list of voters. Where were our senators? I counted FL has 40 senators. Only 19 voted. That’s not even half. Isn’t there some sort of quorum rules before they can put something to a vote? Just wondering.

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