>>THIS WEEK ON NEWSNIGHT, FLORIDA WORKS ON RULES TO CLEAN UP SITES CONTAMINATED WITH FOREVER CHEMICALS AMID NEW WARNINGS FROM THE EPA.

A JUDGE RULES ORANGE COUNTY'S RIGHT TO CLEAN WATER CHARTER AMENDMENT IS PREEMPTED BY STATE LAW.

AND, CAN FLORIDA'S UTILITIES ACTUALLY MEET THEIR CLEAN ENERGY GOALS?

NEWSNIGHT STARTS NOW.

♪ MUSIC ♪ >>HELLO, I'M STEVE MORT.

WELCOME TO NEWSNIGHT, WHERE WE TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT THE BIG STORIES IMPACTING CENTRAL FLORIDA AND HOW THEY AFFECT YOU.

JOINING US THIS WEEK, STEVE HUDAK, WHO COVERS LOCAL GOVERNMENT FOR THE ORLANDO SENTINEL.

THANKS FOR COMING IN, STEVE.

APPRECIATE IT.

AND, AMY GREEN FROM 90.7 WMFE NEWS, COVERS THE ENVIRONMENT FOR WMFE.

THANK YOU FOR COMING IN AMY.

APPRECIATE IT.

WELL, PRESIDENT BIDEN THIS WEEK TOOK SOME EXECUTIVE ACTIONS TO TACKLE CLIMATE CHANGE AS CONGRESS ARGUES OVER A CLIMATE BILL, SO WE WANTED TO FOCUS ON SOME ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES IN OUR REGION.

FIRST, ENVIRONMENTALISTS SAY THEY'LL APPEAL A JUDGE'S RULING THAT TAKES AIM AT ORANGE COUNTY'S RIGHT TO CLEAN WATER CHARTER AMENDMENT, PASSED OVERWHELMINGLY BY VOTERS IN 2020.

THE RULING CAME IN A LAWSUIT SEEKING TO STOP PLANS TO DREDGE AND FILL 115 ACRES OF WETLANDS TO MAKE WAY FOR A MIXED USE DEVELOPMENT.

THE PLAINTIFFS IN THE CASE INCLUDE TWO LAKES, WHICH ACCORDING TO GROUPS SEEKING TO HALT THE PLANS, ARE PROTECTED BY THE VOTER APPROVED AMENDMENT WHICH SAYS BODIES OF WATER IN ORANGE COUNTY, "HAVE A RIGHT TO EXIST, TO FLOW, TO BE PROTECTED AGAINST POLLUTION."

THE JUDGE SAYS THE COUNTY CHARTER IS PREEMPTED BY A STATE STATUTE THAT BANS LOCAL GOVERNMENTS FROM PROVIDING LEGAL RIGHTS TO PARTS OF THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT.

BUT STEVEN MEYERS, AN ATTORNEY REPRESENTING SPEAK UP WEKIVA, ONE OF THE PLAINTIFFS IN THE CASE, SAYS THAT STATUTE ACTUALLY VIOLATES THE STATE CONSTITUTION, WHICH HE SAYS REQUIRES LOCAL GOVERNMENTS TO MAKE ADEQUATE PROVISIONS TO PROTECT NATURAL RESOURCES.

I MET UP WITH MEYERS AND A LOT OF CICADAS AT LAKE MARY JANE, ONE OF THE BODIES OF WATER IN THE LAWSUIT.

>>IT'S UNRELENTING POPULATION GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT.

THE ORANGE COUNTY CHARTER REVIEW COMMISSION BACK IN 2020 PASSED THE CLEAN WATER INITIATIVE, WHICH SUBSEQUENTLY WAS APPROVED BY 89.2% OF ORANGE COUNTY VOTERS, THAT THE LAKE HAS A RIGHT TO EXIST AND BE SOMETHING OTHER THAN JUST PROPERTY FOR HUMAN BEINGS TO USE AND EXPLOIT.

BUT, THE OTHER HALF OF THE CHARTER PROVISION IS THAT ORANGE COUNTY CITIZENS THEMSELVES HAVE THE RIGHT TO CLEAN WATER.

THE FUNDAMENTAL PART OF OUR ARGUMENT IS THAT THE FLORIDA CONSTITUTION ARTICLE II SECTION 7 SAYS THAT, "ADEQUATE PROVISION SHALL BE MADE BY LAW TO ABATE WATER POLLUTION."

SO WE DECIDED TO USE THE CLEAN WATER CHARTER PROVISION TO CHALLENGE THIS DEVELOPMENT OUT HERE, WHICH WOULD PAVE OVER ABOUT 115 ACRES OF PRISTINE WETLANDS.

I AM PASSIONATE ABOUT IT.

I THINK THIS IS WHERE GOOD MEETS EVIL.

THE FLORIDA LEGISLATURE, AFTER THE ORANGE COUNTY CHARTER REVIEW COMMISSION PASSED THE CLEAN WATER INITIATIVE, BEFORE ORANGE COUNTY CITIZENS COULD EVEN VOTE ON IT, THEY ENACTED THIS SO-CALLED PREEMPTION STATUTE.

WHICH MEANS, THEY INSERTED ONE SENTENCE IN THE MIDDLE OF A 112 PAGE BILL THAT VERY VAGUELY SAYS THAT LOCAL GOVERNMENTS CAN'T DO WHAT WE DID.

IT ALSO SAYS A LOT OF OTHER THINGS WHICH WE THINK ARE UNCONSTITUTIONAL.

WE THINK IN ORDER FOR A PREEMPTION STATUTE LIKE THIS TO BE VALID, IT ACTUALLY HAS TO DO SOMETHING.

IT HAS ACTUALLY HAS TO LEGISLATE MEANINGFULLY IN WHATEVER SUBJECT AREA IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE ADDRESSING.

THIS PREEMPTION STATUTE SIMPLY SAYS YOU CAN'T DO SOMETHING AND WE DON'T THINK THAT'S CONSTITUTIONAL.

I DON'T THINK THERE'S A MORE IMPORTANT CAUSE IN THE ENTIRE WORLD.

WE LOST AT THE TRIAL LEVEL.

THE JUDGE RULED THAT OUR COMPLAINT WAS TO BE DISMISSED WITH PREJUDICE.

THAT WAS DISMISSED WITH PREJUDICE, AND WE'RE ABOUT TO FILE A NOTICE OF APPEAL AND TAKE AN APPEAL TO THE FIFTH DISTRICT COURT OF APPEAL.

I GREW UP HERE.

I'VE SEEN WHAT'S HAPPENED TO CENTRAL FLORIDA WITH THE SPRAWL, AND WHEN YOU JUST LOOK AROUND A PLACE LIKE THIS, IT'S JUST ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL AND HOW LUCKY WE ARE TO HAVE IT.

>>STEVE MEYERS THERE.

STEVE, LET'S START WITH YOU ON THIS ONE.

LET'S TALK MORE ABOUT WHY THE JUDGE DECIDED TO THROW OUT THIS LAWSUIT.

>>WELL, I THINK HE SUMMED IT UP PRETTY WELL THERE.

WHAT THE JUDGE SAID BASICALLY WAS THE LEGISLATURE TOOK ACTION TO PREEMPT IT.

IN OTHER WORDS, SAY THAT LOCAL GOVERNMENTS CAN'T CREATE SPECIAL LAWS.

THEY TOOK THIS ACTION BEFORE WE WENT TO THE BALLOT BOX TO VOTE ON IT.

WHEN I SAY WE, I'M TALKING ABOUT ORANGE COUNTY VOTERS, BECAUSE THE CHARTER REVIEW COMMISSION HAD BEEN WORKING ON IT FOR MONTHS AND MONTHS AND MONTHS.

FAMOUSLY, THE FLORIDA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE GOT WIND OF IT, THESE RIGHTS OF NATURE AND SAID, "NOT ON OUR WATCH.

NO.

IT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN."

THEIR LOBBYISTS DID GO TO WORK, AND I THINK STEVE MEYERS IS CORRECT.

HE POINTED OUT THE LEGISLATURE INSERTED ONE SENTENCE IN A VERY- >>MUCH BIGGER BILL.

>>YES, AN OMNIBUS BILL HANDLING ALL SORTS OF THINGS.

THAT IT BASICALLY SAID, LOCAL GOVERNMENTS CAN'T DO THIS AND THE JUDGE SAID WHAT THEY DID, AS ONEROUS AS WE THINK IT MAY BE, "IS LEGAL AND I HAVE TO OBSERVE IT, AND SO YOU CAN'T DO THIS."

IF I MAY JUST WANT ADD ONE THING, THE COUNCIL FOR THE CHARTER REVIEW COMMISSION, CLIFF SHEPARD, HAD TOLD THE CHARTER REVIEW COMMISSION, "LOOK, WHAT THEY JUST DID IS PROBABLY GOING TO NULLIFY WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO, " AND HE WAS VERY SUPPORTIVE OF THE RULE.

HE WAS JUST TELLING THEM IT'S PROBABLY GOING TO FAIL.

>>THIS REALLY CAME INTO SORT OF PUBLIC CONSCIOUSNESS WITH A NEW YORKER PIECE.

IN THAT THE AUTHOR WROTE, "NEVER BEFORE HAS AN INANIMATE SLICE OF NATURE TRIED TO DEFEND ITS RIGHTS IN AN AMERICAN COURTROOM."

DEPENDING ON YOUR PERSPECTIVE, THE LAKE'S CASE IS EITHER BORDERLINE DELUSIONAL OR WAY OVERDUE.

THIS IS, NO MATTER WHICH WAY YOU SLICE IT, A PRETTY NOVEL CASE.

RIGHT?

>>THIS IS AN INTERESTING STORY.

AS STEVE SAID, NOT ONLY HAS THIS JUDGE THROWN OUT THIS CHARTER AMENDMENT THAT WAS SUPPORTED BY SOME 90% OF VOTERS IN ORANGE COUNTY, AND OF COURSE THE JUDGE RECOGNIZED THAT THE CHARTER AMENDMENT WAS PREEMPTED BY STATE LAW.

BUT, WHAT CHUCK O'NEAL IS TRYING TO DO HERE, AND STEVE AND I KNOW CHUCK O'NEAL VERY WELL, HE'S A LOCAL- >>HE'S CAMPAIGNER FROM SPEAK UP WEKIVA.

>>HE'S A LOCAL ENVIRONMENTAL ACTIVIST AND HE'S THE ONE WHO'S REALLY PUSHING THIS RIGHTS OF NATURE CAMPAIGN IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA.

WHAT HE'S TRYING TO DO IS TURN THE ENVIRONMENTAL DEBATE IN FLORIDA ON ITS HEAD, BASICALLY.

HE'S SAYING, "LOOK, THE SYSTEM THAT WE HAVE IS A SERIES OF ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATIONS THAT LIMIT POLLUTION TO A POINT, BUT THEY STILL ALLOW POLLUTION."

HE'S SAYING, "WHY DON'T WE STOP POLLUTION TOGETHER AND SAVE OURSELVES THESE VERY COSTLY RESTORATION EFFORTS THAT WE HAVE TO PUT OURSELVES THROUGH?

WHY DON'T WE GIVE NATURAL RESOURCES RIGHTS?

NOT THE SAME RIGHTS AS PEOPLE, BUT RIGHTS TO FLOW FREELY, FREE OF POLLUTION AND GIVE CITIZENS LEGAL RIGHTS TO PROTECT THAT."

>>YOU KIND OF TOUCHED ON THIS A LITTLE BIT, STEVEN.

THAT'S THE OTHER SIDE IN THIS DEBATE, THE FLORIDA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

THEY BACKED THE LEGISLATURE'S PREEMPTION MOVE.

THEY'VE WELCOMED THIS JUDGE'S RULING, RIGHT?

HOW DID THEY VIEW THESE RIGHTS OF NATURE LAWS KIND OF WRIT LARGE AND WHAT ARE THEY CONCERNED ABOUT WITH THEM?

>>WELL, THEY THOUGHT THAT IT WOULD LIMIT DEVELOPMENT, THAT IT WOULD INTERFERE WITH BUSINESS.

IT WOULD INTERFERE WITH COMMERCE.

IT WOULD INTERFERE WITH BUILDING NEW HOMES.

WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF A HOUSING CRISIS HERE AND THEY POINT TO THOSE KIND OF THINGS.

THE CRITICS OF RIGHTS OF NATURE OFTEN SAY, "WELL, THESE ARE INANIMATE OBJECTS."

WELL, SO IS A CORPORATION, SO IS A UNIVERSITY, AND THEY'RE TREATED LIKE PEOPLE IN COURT.

OF COURSE, WE HAVE TO HAVE SOMEONE SPEAK UP FOR THEM AND IN THIS CASE, IT'S STEVE MEYERS OR CHUCK O'NEAL.

HE WAS FAMOUSLY THE GUY WHO FOUGHT, REMEMBER, TO SUSPEND THE FLORIDA BEAR HUNT.

>>FINALLY ON THIS ISSUE, AMY.

WE'RE SEEING A LOT OF THESE CONFLICTS WITH THE ENVIRONMENT AND BUSINESS.

WE'RE SEEING IT PLAY OUT IN SPLIT OAK FOREST AS WELL.

IS THIS KIND OF A NATURAL PART OF THE RAPID DEVELOPMENT THAT WE'RE HAVING IN OUR REGION, DO YOU THINK?

>>ABSOLUTELY.

THIS IS A THEME THAT I SEE THROUGHOUT MY REPORTING ON THE FLORIDA ENVIRONMENT, WHICH IS THIS CONSTANT TENSION BETWEEN THIS EXPLOSIVE POPULATION GROWTH THAT WE HAVE IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA AND THIS STRAIN THAT PUTS ON OUR NATURAL RESOURCES.

YOU HAVE TO WONDER, ARE WE GETTING CLOSE TO A BREAKING POINT?

WE'RE SEEING A LOT OF NATURAL RESOURCES THAT SEEM TO BE REACHING A BREAKING POINT.

WE'VE SEEN THIS HORRIBLE DIE OFF OF MANATEES IN THE INDIAN RIVER LAGOON.

>>INDIAN RIVER LAGOON.

STEVE MEYERS ACTUALLY MENTIONED THAT TO ME AS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HE WAS LOOKING AT AS WELL.

>>RIGHT.

EVEN BEYOND THE ENVIRONMENT, WE'RE SEEING SKYROCKETING HOUSING PRICES, AND THE REASON THE PRICES ARE DOING WHAT THEY'RE DOING IS BECAUSE PEOPLE CONTINUE TO COME HERE AND PAY THOSE PRICES.

I HAVE TO WONDER WHETHER ONE OF THOSE LIMITING FACTORS MIGHT BE CLIMATE CHANGE AS HOTTER TEMPERATURES MAKE FLORIDA MAYBE MORE UNPALATABLE FOR PEOPLE TO CONTINUE TO MOVE HERE.

COASTAL COMMUNITIES, OF COURSE, WILL FACE MORE CHALLENGES WHEN IT COMES TO INFRASTRUCTURE.

>>WELL, WE'LL DEFINITELY BE KEEPING AN EYE ON THAT CASE AS IT MOVES FORWARD IN THE APPEAL.

YOU CAN JOIN THE CONVERSATION ON SOCIAL MEDIA, WE'RE AT WUCF TV ON FACEBOOK, TWITTER, AND ALSO ON INSTAGRAM.

OKAY.

NEXT TONIGHT, ELECTRIC UTILITIES IN THE SOUTHEASTERN UNITED STATES ARE FALLING SHORT IN EFFORTS TO MEET THEIR CLEAN ENERGY GOALS.

THAT'S ACCORDING TO A REPORT FROM THE SOUTHERN ALLIANCE FOR CLEAN ENERGY.

I SPOKE WITH MAGGIE SHOBER FROM THE ALLIANCE.

>>EVEN IN PLACES WHERE UTILITIES DO HAVE ZERO OR NET ZERO GOALS, MOST OF THEM ARE BY 2050, WE DON'T SEE THOSE UTILITIES NECESSARILY BEING IN LINE WITH THOSE GOALS.

THEY EVEN TELL THEIR REGULATORS, THEY DON'T NEED TO PLAN THEIR SYSTEM AROUND THOSE CORPORATE LEVEL GOALS.

ONE EXCEPTION TO THIS IS FAIRLY RECENT, WHICH IS NEXTERA'S FLORIDA POWER AND LIGHT, AND THEY HAVE SET A GOAL TO GET TO ZERO BY 2045.

THEY SAY THAT THEIR 10 YEAR SITE PLAN IS IN LINE WITH THAT.

EVERY YEAR IN FLORIDA, THE MAJOR UTILITIES PUT FORWARD A 10 YEAR SITE PLAN ON APRIL 1ST.

IT'S NOT AN APRIL FOOL'S JOKE.

BUT THEY DO TELL THE FLORIDA PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION, WHO IS THEIR REGULATOR, "ALL RIGHT.

THESE ARE THE POWER PLANTS WE'RE GOING TO RELY ON OVER THE NEXT 10 YEARS."

SO, FPLS GOES OUT TO 2031 AND THEY'RE SAYING THAT WHAT THEY'RE DOING BETWEEN NOW AND 2031 IS IN LINE WITH THEIR GOALS TO GET TO ZERO BY 2045.

THERE'S A LOT OF FUZZINESS IN THERE BETWEEN 2031 AND 2045, SO IT'S HARD TO TELL.

BUT AT THIS POINT, THE TRACK OF THEIR TRAJECTORY, FROM OUR ANALYSIS, DOES NOT HAVE THEM ACHIEVING THAT 2045 ZERO TARGET.

>>MAGGIE SHOBER THERE.

AMY, LET ME START WITH YOU ON THIS ONE.

THE WHITE HOUSE AND CLIMATE SCIENTISTS BASICALLY WON A 50% CUT IN GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS BY 2030.

NET ZERO CARBON EMISSIONS BY 2050.

HOW FAR OFF ARE FLORIDA UTILITIES FROM ACHIEVING THOSE GOALS?

>>YEAH.

THE REASON WE'RE TALKING ABOUT CLEAN ENERGY BY MID CENTURY IS BECAUSE THAT'S A BENCHMARK THAT SCIENTISTS SAY IS NECESSARY TO AVOID THE WORST CONSEQUENCES OF CLIMATE CHANGE.

IN FLORIDA, ALL OF THE LEADING UTILITIES, FLORIDA POWER AND LIGHT, DUKE ENERGY, AND TAMPA ELECTRIC HAVE MADE STRIDES TOWARD CLEAN ENERGY AND ESPECIALLY SOLAR ENERGY IN RECENT YEARS.

SHE MENTIONED THE NEW GOAL FROM FLORIDA POWER AND LIGHT IN THE PIECE, WHICH FLORIDA POWER AND LIGHT IS TOUTING AS REAL ZERO, WHICH IS A REFERENCE TO OTHER GOALS THAT ARE BASED ON NET ZERO EMISSIONS.

FLORIDA POWER AND LIGHT SAYS THEY WANT TO ELIMINATE ALL EMISSIONS FROM ALL THEIR OPERATIONS BY 2045.

>>SOME CLEAN ENERGY ADVOCATES, LIKE THE SOUTHERN ALLIANCE FOR CLEAN ENERGY ARE CHEERING THE PLAN AND THEY'RE CALLING IT A GAME CHANGER.

BECAUSE AS ONE PERSON WITH THE SOUTHERN ALLIANCE FOR CLEAN ENERGY PUT IT, IT'S THE FIRST TIME, HE SAID, THAT THEY'VE REALLY LISTENED TO US WHEN IT COMES TO WHAT SCIENCE SAYS IS NECESSARY.

THEY SAY THAT IT'S ALSO THE FIRST TIME A MAJOR UTILITY HAS SET AN AMBITIOUS GOAL LIKE THIS, DEMONSTRATING THAT GOALS LIKE THIS ARE POSSIBLE AND SETS AN EXAMPLE FOR OTHER UTILITIES.

I WOULDN'T BE BALANCED ON MY REPORTING, THOUGH, IF I DIDN'T POINT OUT THAT FLORIDA POWER AND LIGHT PUSHED THIS NET METERING LEGISLATION DURING THE SPRING SESSION THAT WIDELY WAS SEEN AS AN ANTI-SOLAR PIECE OF LEGISLATION.

OF COURSE, GOVERNOR RON DESANTIS VETOED THAT BILL.

>>WELL, WHY ARE THESE COMPANIES STRUGGLING TO GET THERE?

AS YOU MENTIONED, NEXTERA'S GOALS ARE SORT OF FIVE YEARS MORE AMBITIOUS THAN WHAT ENVIRONMENTALISTS ARE KIND OF CALLING FOR, CERTAIN ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENTISTS.

WHY ARE THEY STRUGGLING TO GET THERE?

>>I THINK THAT'S A COMPLEX QUESTION IN FLORIDA.

I THINK THAT'S A COMPLEX QUESTION WITH A COMPLEX ANSWER.

I THINK THE BASIC BOTTOM LINE IS THAT I THINK WHAT THE CLEAN ENERGY ADVOCATES WOULD SAY IS THAT UTILITIES COULD USE MORE ACCOUNTABILITY AND MORE ENFORCEMENT FROM STATE LEADERS ON THIS ISSUE.

WE DON'T REALLY HAVE ANYTHING IN THE CODES REQUIRING UTILITIES TO SET CLEAN ENERGY GOALS, AND THAT'S BEEN A BIG POINT OF CONTENTION FOR THE DEMOCRATS AND THE DESANTIS ADMINISTRATION.

WE JUST HAD AGRICULTURE COMMISSIONER NIKKI FRIED COME OUT WITH PROPOSED RENEWABLE ENERGY GOALS.

HER DEPARTMENT LACKS THE AUTHORITY TO ENFORCE THEM, AND AS THE GOALS ARE FINALIZED, THAT WOULD FALL UNDER THE PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION AND SOME WONDER HOW ACCOUNTABLE THE PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION WOULD HOLD THE UTILITIES.

>>MAGGIE SHOBER TOLD ME THAT SHE THOUGHT PART OF THE ISSUE MIGHT BE THAT THEY'RE KIND OF BAKING IN SOME ASSUMED TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCES THAT MIGHT OCCUR BEFORE THAT DAY.

SORT OF SAY, "WELL, WE WILL HAVE THAT TECHNOLOGY BY THAT POINT, SO EVEN THOUGH OUR TRAJECTORY DOESN'T LOOK LIKE WE'RE ON COURSE, WE PROBABLY WILL GET THERE BECAUSE OUR TECHNOLOGY WILL GET BETTER BY THE TIME WE REACH 2050."

STEVE, WHAT OF ENVIRONMENTAL GROUPS SORT OF SAY THE STAKES ARE FOR FAILING TO REACH THESE GOALS?

WE HEAR THAT 2050 DATE A LOT.

>>WELL, RIGHT NOW WE'RE IN A SITUATION WHERE WE CAN ACTUALLY DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.

WE CAN HELP KEEP THE AVERAGE TEMPERATURE FROM RISING, WHAT?

ONE AND A HALF DEGREES CELSIUS, RIGHT?

THAT DOESN'T SOUND LIKE MUCH, BUT HOW IT TRANSLATES IS THAT WE'RE GOING TO SEE MORE EXTREME WEATHER, LIKE MORE DROUGHTS, MORE WESTERN FIRES.

HERE IN THE SOUTHEAST, WE SHOULD BE CONCERNED.

WE HAVE COASTAL FLOODING.

WE HAVE HURRICANES.

I THINK OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS, WE'VE AVERAGED AS A NATION $145 BILLION IN DAMAGE CAUSED BY EXTREME WEATHER CONDITIONS.

NOW PEOPLE MIGHT SAY, "WELL, THOSE HAPPEN ANYWAY."

I'M NOT A SCIENTIST, BUT THE SCIENTISTS SAY IF WE DON'T DO SOMETHING NOW IT MIGHT GET BEYOND OUR CONTROL AND THEN WE CAN'T DO IT.

SO, BABIES THAT ARE BEING BORN NOW, THEY'LL GROW OLD IN A MUCH HOTTER WORLD.

>>WELL, TO THAT.

JUST BRIEFLY IF WE CAN, AMY.

PRESIDENT BIDEN STOPPED SHORT OF DECLARING A CLIMATE EMERGENCY THIS WEEK, BUT THERE HAVE BEEN CALLS THIS WEEK IN ORLANDO TOO FOR THE GOVERNOR TO DO THE SAME HERE IN FLORIDA.

WHY ARE ENVIRONMENTAL ACTIVISTS PUSHING FOR THAT IN OUR STATE?

>>YEAH.

I THINK THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS BEING LED BY CENTRAL FLORIDA REPRESENTATIVE ANNA ESKAMANI, AND BACK ON EARTH DAY, SHE AND OTHER DEMOCRATIC LEGISLATURES SENT A LETTER TO GOVERNOR RON DESANTIS, CALLING FOR THIS DECLARATION OF A CLIMATE EMERGENCY.

I THINK THE GOAL THERE IS TO GET THE STATE'S LEADERSHIP TO ACKNOWLEDGE THIS EXISTENTIAL THREAT THAT FLORIDA FACES WHEN IT COMES TO CLIMATE CHANGE AND PUT THE STATE ON A PATH TOWARD RENEWABLE ENERGY.

GOVERNOR RON DESANTIS INSTEAD HAS FOCUSED MORE ON LIKE, RESILIENCE PROJECTS, AND HE'S DESCRIBED HIMSELF AS "NOT A GLOBAL WARMING PERSON," IN HIS WORDS.

>>NO, NOT A GLOBAL WARMING PERSON.

WELL, IT'S A VERY INTERESTING STORY FOR SURE AND WE'LL KEEP ACROSS IT HERE ON NEWSNIGHT.

YOU CAN SEE THE SOUTHERN ALLIANCE FOR CLEAN ENERGY'S DECARBONIZATION REPORT ON OUR WEBSITE AT WUCF.ORG/NEWSNIGHT.

OKAY.

NEXT TONIGHT, FLORIDA'S EFFORTS TO CLEAN UP FOREVER CHEMICALS.

PFAS OR POLYFLUOROALKYL SUBSTANCES DO NOT DEGRADE AND ACCORDING TO THE EPA ARE MORE DANGEROUS THAN PREVIOUSLY THOUGHT.

TWO SPECIFIC TYPES OF FOREVER CHEMICALS WERE USED IN CONSUMER PRODUCTS, FIRE FIGHTING FOAM AND SEVERAL INDUSTRIES INCLUDING AEROSPACE SINCE THE 1940S, BUT HAVE BEEN GRADUALLY PHASED OUT BY US MANUFACTURERS.

GOVERNOR DESANTIS RECENTLY SIGNED LEGISLATION TO DEVELOP RULES TO CLEAN UP PFAS SUBSTANCES.

AS KRYSTEL KNOWLES REPORTS, SCIENTISTS, INCLUDING THE NON-PROFIT ENVIRONMENTAL WORKING GROUP FIND FLORIDA HAS SOME OF THE MOST CONTAMINATED SITES IN THE NATION.

>>THEY FOUND THAT MOST OF THE FEDERAL FACILITIES AND DOD SITES HAD THESE FOREVER CHEMICALS.

NOW, PLACES LIKE KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, PATRICK AIR FORCE BASE ARE ALSO FOUND TO HAVE THESE FOREVER CHEMICALS.

STEL BAILEY GREW UP IN BREVARD COUNTY, SURFING ON THE WEEKENDS, PLAYING WITH FRIENDS, AND WATCHING SHUTTLE LAUNCHES.

SHE SAYS SHE WAS ALWAYS A DADDY'S GIRL.

>>THIS IS MY DAD WITH US KIDS.

>>BUT AT THE TIME, SHE DIDN'T KNOW THE WATER SHE WAS DRINKING MIGHT BE POISONOUS.

>>I WAS DIAGNOSED WITH HODGKIN'S LYMPHOMA.

IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE A RARE BLOOD CANCER.

MY LITTLE BROTHER, AT THE AGE OF 21, WAS DIAGNOSED WITH THE SAME EXACT CANCER, HODGKIN'S LYMPHOMA ABOUT THREE MONTHS BEFORE I WAS.

MY FATHER WAS DIAGNOSED WITH MULTIPLE MYELOMA.

THEY ARE ALL CONSIDERED BLOOD CANCERS.

>>YET BAILEY SAYS, DOCTORS TOLD HER THAT THESE TYPE OF CANCERS ARE NOT PASSED ALONG GENETICALLY.

THE AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY SAYS 30% OF BLOOD CANCER PATIENTS DIE WITHIN FIVE YEARS.

SADLY, BAILEY'S FATHER WAS AMONG THOSE TO LOSE THE FIGHT.

>>SPECIALISTS AND DOCTORS, ONCOLOGISTS, NURSES STARTED ASKING ME, "WHERE DID YOU GROW UP?"

THEY THOUGHT THAT MY CASE WAS EXTREMELY UNIQUE AND RARE BECAUSE I WASN'T THE ONLY ONE DIAGNOSED IN MY FAMILY WITH CANCER WITHIN THE SAME YEAR.

>>ONCE IN REMISSION, BAILEY DECIDED TO FIND OUT IF ANYONE ELSE IN HER AREA HAD DEALT WITH A SIMILAR SITUATION.

TURNING TO SOCIAL MEDIA, SHE DISCOVERED HUNDREDS OF OTHERS.

AFTER RESEARCHING THE LOCATIONS OF THE CASES, SHE SUSPECTED SOME MIGHT BE LINKED TO SO-CALLED FOREVER CHEMICALS OR PFAS.

>>IN OUR AREA, MOST OF THE CHEMICALS ARE COMING FROM FIREFIGHTING FOAM, KNOWN AS AFFF.

IT WAS USED AT THE KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, CAPE CANAVERAL SPACE FORCE STATION, AND PATRICK SPACE FORCE BASE.

>>HER SUSPICION LED TO HER FORMING THE GROUP FIGHT 4 ZERO, WHICH CAMPAIGNS FOR CLEANUP OF PFAS CHEMICALS.

THE GROUP HAS PARTNERED WITH DR. KATHERINE DELIZ, AN ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEER AT THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA WHO IS RESEARCHING COASTAL RESILIENCY AND FOREVER CHEMICALS.

>>THEY ASSIST US WITH SAMPLE COLLECTION.

THEY'VE BEEN COLLECTING SAMPLES FOR A FULL YEAR NOW, AND THESE SAMPLE COLLECTION WILL ALLOW US TO ESTABLISH A BASELINE.

>>DELIZ HAS A GRANT FROM THE EPA TO LOOK INTO HOW FLOODING, RAIN, AND HURRICANES DISPERSE FOREVER CHEMICALS AND HOW FAR.

SHE SAYS SOME OF THE HIGHEST CONCENTRATIONS CAN BE FOUND NEAR DOD SITES, KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, AND IN SEA GRASS IN THE BANANA RIVER.

>>DIFFERENT STATES HAVE INITIATED EFFORTS, LIKE THEIR OWN EFFORTS, TO DEVELOP ENFORCEABLE VALUES FOR PFAS IN DRINKING WATER OR IN SOIL OR IN FOOD.

THEN, THEY HAVE THEIR OWN STANDARDS THAT HAVE TO BE EITHER SAME OR MORE STRINGENT THAN WHAT EPA ESTABLISHED.

FLORIDA DOESN'T HAVE THESE.

WE DON'T HAVE IN FLORIDA.

BUT, WHAT THE FDP HAS BEEN WORKING ON IS PRELIMINARY CLEANUP TARGET LEVELS.

>>THE PROJECT IS IN THE DATA COLLECTION PHASE UNTIL THE END OF HURRICANE SEASON, THEN IT WILL BEGIN ANALYZING ITS SAMPLES.

THAT PROCESS COULD TAKE YEARS.

PRESIDENT BIDEN RECENTLY SIGNED INTO LAW A $1 BILLION GRANT THAT WILL EVENTUALLY BE A $5 BILLION GRANT THAT STATE AGENCIES CAN APPLY FOR, THAT WAY THEY CAN START THE EFFORTS OF CLEANING UP THESE FOREVER CHEMICALS.

>>KRYSTEL KNOWLES THERE.

AMY, JUST KIND OF BROADLY SPEAKING, WHAT DOES THE EPA'S FOREVER CHEMICALS ADVISORY SAY?

>>RIGHT.

THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION RELEASED A NEW ADVISORY THAT KIND OF ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THESE CHEMICALS MAY ACTUALLY BE MORE DANGEROUS THAN WE PREVIOUSLY UNDERSTOOD.

THE ADVISORY SET SOME STRICTER HEALTH GUIDANCE ON THEM.

>>WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT THOSE SITES IN FLORIDA THAT ARE SORT OF BELIEVED TO BE CONTAMINATED WITH THESE PFAS CHEMICALS?

>>YEAH, WE KNOW THERE ARE SITES THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF FLORIDA.

A LOT OF THEM ARE FIREFIGHTING TRAINING FACILITIES, DRY CLEANING SITES, AND FEDERAL SITES.

AS SHE MENTIONED IN THE PIECE, LIKE MILITARY INSTALLATIONS, INCLUDING PATRICK AIR FORCE BASE.

>>STEVE, THERE AREN'T ANY FEDERAL RULES, WE TALKED ABOUT THIS BRIEFLY BEFORE WE CAME ON SET, REGARDING PFAS COMPOUNDS.

BUT, FLORIDA HAS ACTED ON THIS ISSUE JUST RECENTLY.

WHAT DOES THE RECENT LEGISLATION SIGNED BY THE GOVERNOR DO?

>>WELL, IT REQUIRES THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION, THE STATE'S SECTION, TO DEVELOP RULES FOR TESTING AND TO SORT OF SET LEVELS FOR THE PRESENCE IN GROUNDWATER AND SOIL BY 2025.

FOR THE WAY GOVERNMENT MOVES, THAT'S AN ACCELERATED TIMETABLE.

>>LIGHTNING FAST.

YOU CAN FIND A LINK TO THE EPA'S INFORMATION ON FOREVER CHEMICALS AND THE ENVIRONMENTAL WORKING GROUPS INTERACTIVE MAP ON CONTAMINATED SITES ON OUR WEBSITE, WUCF.ORG/NEWSNIGHT.

STEVE, BEFORE WE GO ON, I WANTED TO ASK YOU ABOUT A STORY THAT YOU COVERED THIS MONTH ON AN ORANGE COUNTY UTILITIES PROGRAM THAT MONITORS SORT OF POLLUTED WASTE WATER FROM COMMERCIAL CUSTOMERS.

FIRST OF ALL, WHAT IS THAT PROGRAM AND WHAT IS THE ISSUE WITH IT?

>>WELL, THE PROGRAM IS, CERTAIN INDUSTRIES, THEIR WASTE STREAMS ARE MORE, I DON'T WANT TO SAY TOXIC THAN OTHERS, BUT THEY HAVE MORE CHEMICALS IN THEM AND THEY HAVE MORE THINGS THAT HAVE TO BE TREATED AND REMOVED.

WHAT HAPPENED WAS, THERE WAS AN AUDIT DONE BY PHIL DIAMOND'S OFFICE.

HE'S THE COMPTROLLER.

THEIR EXAMINERS WENT IN AND THEY WERE EXAMINING RECORDS.

THEY FOUND THAT THEY WERE MONITORING LIKE, 400 COMPANIES OR CUSTOMERS, INCLUDING ORANGE COUNTY SOLID WASTE, WHICH HAD ONE OF THE MOST EXPENSIVE STREAMS TO TREAT.

BUT, THAT THEY PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE BEEN REVIEWING MANY MORE.

>>WHAT HAPPENED WAS THE UTILITIES DEPARTMENT SAYS, "LOOK, A LOT OF THESE WASTE STREAMS THAT THEY'RE SAYING THAT WE SHOULD BE MONITORING ARE ACTUALLY RESIDENTIAL IN NATURE.

THEY MIGHT BE FROM LARGE APARTMENT COMPLEXES.

THERE MIGHT BE A LOT OF EFFLUENT COMING FROM THAT PARTICULAR BUSINESS, BUT IT'S HOUSEHOLD STUFF."

BUT, THERE ARE OTHER THINGS IN THERE THAT...

SOME HOSPITALS WEREN'T BEING MONITORED, SOME CAR WASHES, WHICH OF COURSE USE CHEMICALS.

SO, THOSE KIND OF THINGS.

I THINK THE TWO BIGGEST POLLUTERS... NOT POLLUTERS, THE TWO COMPANIES WITH THE BIGGEST BILL WERE ORANGE COUNTY SOLID WASTE AND PEPSI.

>>CERTAINLY ENVIRONMENTAL AND FINANCIAL CONSEQUENCES THERE TO THAT STORY, AND PEOPLE CAN FIND YOUR REPORTING ON IT AT THE ORLANDO SENTINEL WEBSITE.

BUT, THAT IS ALL THE TIME WE HAVE FOR THIS WEEK HERE ON THE SHOW.

MY THANKS TO STEVE HUDAK AND AMY GREEN.

THANKS FOR COMING IN, GUYS.

APPRECIATE IT.

WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT FRIDAY NIGHT AT 8:30 HERE ON WUCF.

FROM ALL OF US HERE AT NEWSNIGHT, TAKE CARE AND HAVE A GREAT WEEK.