Florida Chamber Urges House Subcommittee to Support Proposed Committee Bill 2

Download Letter   Regulatory Reform

To: House Natural Resources & Public Lands Committee

The Florida Chamber of Commerce urges you to support Proposed Committee Bill 2, related to Federal 404 Delegation. This bill, sponsored by the Natural Resources & Public Lands Subcommittee will be heard on Wednesday, January 17th, in the House Natural Resources & Public Lands Subcommittee.

The Florida Chamber believes that certainty is a hallmark of a safe and just regulatory structure. Proposed Committee Bill 2 has the potential to drastically reduce confusion and time delays in the wetland permitting process while maintaining the exact same environmental protections. This legislation follows similar successful state efforts to assume federal permitting responsibilities for wastewater discharges and air emissions. Florida’s business community supports the bill because it:

• Allows the Florida Department of Environmental Protection to step into the shoes of the Army Corps of Engineers to issue Federal 404 wetlands permits under the existing federal regulations using the best science available; and
• Reduces uncertainty and the significant wait time for permit decisions, while maintaining necessary environmental resource protections.

  The Florida Chamber urges you to support PCB 2, and will consider votes on this legislation, and any substantive amendments to it in committee or on the floor, in our annual How They Voted report card. The grade that you earn will be based on your voting record on the issues, such as this one, that are outlined in Where We Stand, a guide to Florida’s 2018 Business Agenda. We will make every effort to notify you prior to a vote that may be included in our annual legislative report card. If you have any questions about this or other issues on the 2018 Business Agenda, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Regards,

Frank C. Walker, III
Vice President of Government Affairs