Fears of “chemtrails,” a long-disproven idea that condensation trails — or contrails — from planes contain weather-controlling chemicals and sicken people on the ground, have been at the forefront of misinformation, and it’s caught the attention of Florida lawmakers.
UF researchers are looking for sustainable methods for semiconductor manufacturing as the United States works to become self-reliant on its production.
Following the completion of the county vulnerability assessment in July, the event offered a first look into the county’s climate action plan. The plan, which has been in development since 2020, is split into three themes: resilience, mitigation and quality of life.
In light of habitat loss and population decline, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service may give monarch butterflies a slot under the Endangered Species Act by December. The species, which was once exceedingly more common than some other pollinators, has dwindled in the last two decades.
As coastal residents flee the threat of storms and rising seas, inland areas like North Central Florida prepare for a possible influx of these environmental refugees, otherwise known as climate migrants.
The short-lived reprieve from Hurricane Helene came to a sudden stop when Milton swept through Alachua County. The hurricane ended hopes for a return to normalcy, forcing students and locals into a second scramble before the approaching storm.
Despite the fervent pleas of springs advocates, Tatum said he knew the state still wasn’t listening.
The draft would improve a wide range of city functions under the separate tracks of climate mitigation and adaptation. Its 10 chapters included existing issues of transportation, energy, waste and water in addition to the future threat of extreme heat, food insecurity and limited resources.
The county began negotiations with Jacksonville-based Sunshine Organics & Compost June 11 to lay the groundwork for a local compost program, a pointed effort toward the joint city and county Zero Waste Strategic Plan. While the project could solve the county’s organic waste problem, the company and its co-owner come attached to a checkered past of inspection violations, debt and theft.
Following the Aug. 20 primary, local candidates headed to the November general election campaign with a focus on environmental policy. Meanwhile, the City of Gainesville and Alachua County work to develop climate action initiatives.
The RTS system was established in 1974, and much of its history has been entwined with UF. For the 2024 fiscal year, UF contributed $13.7 million out of the total $28.5 million in RTS funding — making up about half of the program’s total revenue. Under the newly proposed plan, UF would switch to a contract of monthly payments and reduce its total funding to $6.8 million annually. This reduction of more than 50% would be detrimental to the RTS system, the city said.
In communities around Gainesville, the idea of “creation care,” or a religious responsibility to the environment, is becoming increasingly common. As the threat of climate change persists, people are using faith as a launching point for environmental action.
The state is home to roughly 500 non-native species, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Florida’s subtropical climate, multiple ports of entry and rampant animal trade makes the state a global hotspot for invasives, the FWC reports. UF researchers are monitoring some of the most high-profile non-natives, especially those that could be harmful to Florida. However, some Floridians find benefits in their new neighbors, and have advocated for certain species to stay.
Since the 1990s, the companies responsible for the Cabbot Koppers Superfund site cleanup have been working to remove contaminants from the site and the surrounding Stephen Foster neighborhood. The hazardous chemicals from the site have raised concerns for Pearce and other residents, who worry about potential risks to human and environmental health. The future of the site is also in question, as remedial efforts are extending years longer than originally planned. The superfund site contains two properties: a charcoal and pine tar plant previously owned by Cabot Carbon, and a wood treatment facility operated by Koppers Inc. Activity at the site began in the early 1900s and lasted almost a century, with Koppers being the last to end operation in 2010.
In Alachua County, more than 30,000 acres have been protected under similar land agreements. In January, the trust facilitated an agreement with a 550-acre dairy farm in Gilchrist County. The farm has been owned for multiple generations by the Watson family, who will receive $1.54 million through the easement.
In Alachua County, 11.1% of the population is food insecure, according to the Florida Department of Health. In the last decade, several urban farms have sprouted in an effort to combat local food insecurity. These community gardens also tackle other issues stemming from food insecurity, including educating citizens and addressing systemic inequality.
In 2021, Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a gaming compact with the Seminole Tribe of Florida. The compact provided the Seminole Tribe exclusive rights in running gambling activities on tribal lands. In exchange, the tribe agreed to give $2.5 billion of its revenue to the state for the first five years the compact is in place. Under SB 1638, 96% of these annual funds would go to Florida’s environmental resources.
Florida’s manatee population has struggled over the past few years, leading many petitioners to call for its re-entry to the endangered species list. In 2017, the manatee was reclassified from “endangered” to “threatened” by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Save the Manatee Club filed a joint petition in 2022 to put the Florida manatee back on the endangered species list.
Huanglongbing, or citrus greening disease, has ravaged the citrus industry in Florida over the past two decades. Since the disease was first detected in 2005, it has reduced citrus production by over 75% and cost the industry billions of dollars in lost revenue. Researchers have studied the disease for decades but have yet to find a lasting solution to citrus greening.
A UF student filed a lawsuit with Bryon White, Bear Warriors United and The Sweetwater Coalition of Volusia County April 18. The case was filed against the Florida Department of Transportation and the St. Johns River Water Management District, with the primary concern an I-95 interchange will cause excess environmental harm.
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