>>This week on NewsNight, Florida add hundreds of millions of dollars for water quality project around the state, including for the Indian Rive Lagoon.

Plus, the predictions are in for another busy Atlanti hurricane season.

NewsNight starts now.

[MUSIC] Hello, I'm Steve Mort, welcome to NewsNight where we take an in-depth look at the top storie and issues in Central Florida and how they shap our community.

We start tonight with one of our region's most pressing environmental challenges the Indian River Lagoon.

Governor DeSantis in March announced millions in new funding for water quality improvements in the lagoon, as part of a larger tranche of grant money for projects throughout the state.

NewsNight' Krystel Knowles has the details.

>>The 156 mile stretch of the Indian River Lagoon is North America's largest and most diverse estuary.

The lagoon is so large it covers one third of Florida's east coast.

In March, the governor announced $100 million for 25 water quality projects through the Indian River Lagoon Protection Program.

Terri Breeden is from Brevard County's natural resources management department.

>>The partnership of these stat grant funds, city funds, and Save Our Indian River Lagoo funds allow us to leverage more funding to complete these projects in a more timely manner.

>>The new lagoo funding is part of $389 million in new grants from the state, designed to improve both the supply and quality of water throughout Florida.

With the Save Our Indian Rive Lagoon Fund, we have been able to use that to leverage more state funding and grant funding from different agencies to complete these projects.

Otherwise, these are all very expensive construction projects that would not be able to be done in the timeframe that's reasonable to clean u the lagoon in a timely manner.

>>Breeden says most of the Brevard projects receiving money in the latest round of funds are stor water, sewer and septic related.

>>A lot of these projects and this particular grant funding, is for septi to sewer projects and wastewater treatment plant facility upgrades for reclaimed water and stormwater treatment projects.

A lot of these projects take time to permit, engineer and then construct, so it takes time for seagrass to recover.

That's our main goa is to get seagrass to recover.

So each project cleans the lagoon u a little bit more, a little bit more and allows that seagrass to come back.

>>Krystel Knowles reporting.

Let's bring in our panel now to break it all down.

Joining us in the studio this week, Molly Duerig from Central Florida Public Media.

You cover the environment so you're the right person to bring in today.

Good to see you today Molly.

>>Great to be here.

>>Thanks for coming in.

Asher Wildman also covers a bit of the environment for Spectrum News 13.

Good to see you today Asher.

>>Thank you Steve.

>>Thanks for coming in.

And Amy Green from Inside Climate News, the environment is all you cover.

So really appreciate you being here today Amy.

Molly, let me start with you and the kinds of projects that this new lagoon funding is going to fund.

What do we know?

>>Yeah.

So this is a $100 million for 25 different projects impacting the lagoon.

And as we just heard, it's part of a bigger, more than $389 million tranch of funding from the state.

Most of the project for the lagoon are going to be focuse on septic to sewer conversions.

So basically, getting folks on septic systems off of those system and onto a centralized sewer-- >>So those nutrients don't run into the lagoon.

>>Correct.

Yeah.

And that's really important because septic systems aren't subjec to kind of the same regulations and ongoing maintenance requirements as our centralized sewer systems, which are subject to more monitoring and inspections.

So that'll be that should be a good thing for the lagoon for sure.

>>Let' just back up a minute if I can.

Amy you've covered the lagoon extensively.

Can you just give us the the 101 of why this is important?

The the lagoon restoration efforts that are ongoing.

>>Well the problems that are happening in the lagoon, you know the lagoon is a place in Florida where they've, you know, kind of particularly had, you know, these problems And we've covered that.

You know, we've talked a lot about the manatee die of in the Indian River Lagoon.

But what's happening in the lagoon is similar to what's happening in waterway all across the state of Florida, which are these ongoing water quality problems and seagrass losses and nutrient pollution, which is a proble in waterways across the state, and that's related to, stormwater runoff and pollution from urban areas and fertilizers and farming.

>>Well, let's talk about manatee, shall we?

Because that's one of the side effects, as you mentioned, of the lagoon pollution.

What's the the status of the manatee population at this point in time?

>>Well, you remember that manatees in Florida went through this horrible die off in 2021 and 2022, where some 2,000 manatees died in this state.

And it was this terrible situation.

At this point, the U.S.

Fish and Wildlife Service says the manatee population in Florida has stabilized, and the federal agency has proposed that the Florida manatee retain its status under the Endangered Species Act as threatened.

And you'll remember that when they down-listed the manatee from endangered in 2017, this caused widespread outcry from conservationists and people who thought this down listing was premature, and the problems in the Indian River Lagoon and the die off there has only heightened those concerns.

>>You've been covering this as well, Molly.

I mean, are there people still around that want that endangered status back in place?

>>Absolutely.

I mean, we are not in as dir of a situation with the manatees as we were back in 2021 and 2022, but it's still not a great situation.

Manatees are still very vulnerable.

And I really want to point out, like the seagrass coverage especially, we just heard about, and that of course, the lack of seagrass coverage is the big factor that prompte the die off, those years back.

And now there is some good news.

A couple of basins in the Indian River lagoon.

There are five basins.

And the Mosquito Basin in th North Indian River Lagoon basins saw better seagrass coverage last year, 2024, compared to the year before.

That is according to the Marine Resources Council.

But those are the only two basins that have that indicator.

The better seagrass coverage.

So the other three basins, we're not seeing that that much improve as much improvement.

And so yeah, there's certain parts of the Indian River lagoon that are doing a lot better, but there are other parts that are still very much struggling.

>>Well talking about those nutrient release as a part of what happens in the lagoon and other coastal waterways, of course, is dependent upon those nutrient releases from Lake Okeechobee.

And then that, of course, goes to your reporting on the Everglades.

You recently reported on concerns over the effect of the planned DOGE cuts on Everglades restoration, which of course, could hav knock on effects for waterways.

What are you learning there?

>>Yeah, well the Everglades is so important because it encompasses much of our peninsula, including here in central Florida with the headwaters of the Kissimmee River.

So, Elon Musk's DOGE efforts, which is his effort to cut federal spending and dismantle federal departments, has affected Everglades restoration.

And one example of that is the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which is the federal partner agency overseeing Everglades restoration.

The Trump administration had planned to terminate the lease for the Army Corps headquarters building in Jacksonville.

Some 800 employees worked in that building.

And of course, Everglades restoration is one of the most ambitious attempts at ecological restoration in human history-- >>We've ever seen.

>>Right.

And so and so this really threw a lot of people in limbo.

A few weeks later, the Trump administration appeared to walk back this plan to terminate the leas on that Jacksonville building.

And when I checked the DOGE website yesterday, a I was preparing for this program today, that lease termination had been removed from the DOGE website.

So a lot of uncertainty there.

>>What about the state DOGE work?

Asher, the governor has made it made a lot about the state DOGE effort.

Could scrutiny of Florida agencies make a difference do we think?

>>So here's what's interesting.

You know, obviously coverin Central Florida when I speak to whether it's contractors, environmentalists, homeowners, they always sa they're waiting on Saint Johns.

That is what I always hear Saint Johns is taking forever.

Saint Johns is the delay.

I also hear commonly Saint Johns is understaffed and underfunded already as it is-- >>The water management district.

>>The Saint Johns Water Management District.

So if that continues to happen, I don't know what better expectations you can put on anything because there's already frustration amongst people trying to get what they need from Saint Johns.

>>What are you hearing on the state efforts and it coul it make any difference?

>>Right.

I think a lot of people are just waiting to see what happens with that.

DeSantis has initiated a state DOGE effort similar to Elon Musk's efforts in the federal government.

DeSantis said that 70 boards and commissions would be abolished as part of this effort.

I requested a lis of those boards and commissions, but I haven't received a response from the DeSantis administration, so we just don't have a lot of information at this point.

And I think a lot of people are just waiting to see how that plays out.

>>Uncertainty does certainly seem to be somethin that we're experiencing a lot of these days.

Meanwhile, be sure to check out more NewsNight content on our website, including past episodes of the program.

It's all at wucf.org/newsnight.

>>Okay, next tonight, the first hurricane season projection for 202 are in for the Atlantic Basin.

It follows a devastating 2024 season for Florida as Hurricanes Helene and Milton pounded the state.

>>In September 2024, Hurricane Helene slammed into Florida's Big Bend, followed less than two weeks later by Hurricane Milton, which made landfall near Sarasota as a major category three storm before moving over Central Florida.

This year, forecaster from Colorado State University predict another busy season, albeit with slightly fewer storms than last year.

Colorado State's tropica weather teams calling for nine hurricanes in the Atlantic basin.

Of those it predicts four will be major hurricanes of category three or higher.

>>All right.

Well, let's talk about this then.

And Asher you were recently part of a team looking at how Florida is recovering from those 2024 hurricanes.

What did you and your colleagues find?

>>Well, so here's the thing.

You see a lot of municipalities currently really investin in infrastructure underground.

We're talking drainage storm drains.

We're talking pipes.

You know, City of Longwood, for instance, did three major projects, all of which received either federal or state funding to help get these project over the finish line.

But more importantly, you're also seeing a lot of mitigation projects of trying to figure out how to get more water from one spot to get it to where it's supposed to go, or get it to a new location because of the rising waters we're seeing.

And then if you're a homeowner, you don't have a lot of options.

You either sell your land or you demo your house to rebuild it or you elevate it, which is now very common.

The problem with elevating-- >>Very expensive.

>>Very expensive.

You're looking 50 grand, minimum entry level, but you're also talking about six months of permitting process.

You got to come up with engineering plans.

So a homeowner has to kno they're in it for the long haul because between permitting costs and executing it, elevating a home is not as simple as it sounds.

>>There is some concern right over what FEMA's freeze on federal grants, Molly, might mean for for those recovery efforts as well.

Are there worrie that the agency's grant reviews might impact curren and also future recovery work?

>>Absolutely There's a lot of concern there.

And at least where we are right now, because things are changing very quickly.

The federal judge, who issued an order to, to to block that freezing of federal funds, says that twice now that order has been violated.

So even though there has been action to try and stop the freezing of federal funds in this, in this context, it there's still report that many states cannot access the fund that they should have access to.

Now, FEMA pays, the vast majority of rebuilding costs for states following disasters and is still actually reimbursing states for disasters that happened 20 years ago.

It takes a long time to rebuild after a disaster, as we know.

And there's individual payments as well that we've heard from the Trump administration will not be affected.

But that is a much smaller.

The individual payments that FEMA makes directly to households is a lot smaller and really focused on immediate short term needs, like getting through this moment.

The state funding is really where we see the vast majority of the resources to rebuild communities.

And, there's this one really other key point is that a lot of FEMA regulations set during the Biden administration focus on prioritizing disadvantaged communities, and this is based on demographics and environmental and health conditions.

And of course, we know the Trump administration is is cracking down on DEI initiatives.

And so there is a lot of fear that perhaps that could impact the the communities that migh need these, the funds the most.

>>Of course, applying for grant funding, Asher, and the kinds of assistance that you can get is confusing in the first place, right?

When there are changes, that's going to make things even tougher for homeowners.

>>For homeowners it's interesting because you're you're first at the mercy of your homeowner's insurance policy and your insurance agent is trying to tell you what you can do.

But there are avenue homeowners can take on their own to try to figure out.

But it's lengthy.

There's application process.

Nothing's easy.

Nothing's going to take a couple weeks or a couple months.

You're looking at six months short term, trying to get grant money to again elevate your home.

Trying to get maybe some, some extra resources to put extra drainage in there, like with retention ponds.

There's a perfect example of something out in New Smyrna Beach, where a woman has had this property in her family for about 50 years.

And the reality is they were the high spot 50 years ago.

Now they're the low spot.

What does that mean?

All the water is dumping them.

But more importantly, there' no outflow for this water to go.

So they've tried reaching out to municipality.

They're trying to figure out a plan.

She's reached out to elevate Florida.

But consider this.

Here's a homeowner who's had their home for 50 years.

She has about 8 or 9 homes behind her.

She' willing to sacrifice her home, tear down her hom so that a retention pond can go where her home is, and she still would be on the hook 25% of that cost to save her neighbors while losing her home.

And of course, the circumstances have just changed around her.

If she's owned her property for that long.

Of course, this really shows the interconnectedness of our environment Molly.

And this kind of goes back to what we were talking about before those wetlands that we discussed earlier.

They play an important role in mitigating the effects of these storms.

>>Yep, absolutely.

According to, NOAA and the EPA, one acre of wetland can hold a million and a half gallons of water.

I know just one example o our many lakes here in Florida, Lake Jesup and Seminole County actually changes in size from between 8 to 16,000 acres, depending on water elevation.

So sometimes I had the opportunity to go out there in Lake Jesup following, Hurricane Milton and just really incredible, to see how flooded the area is and to see if this is what it's supposed to do.

So to imagine homes built in this area, sometimes that area is perfectly dry.

But in the weeks following Hurricane Milton, it's, you know, several a few feet of water.

And that's what it's supposed to do.

Wetlands are critical for flood, to absorb flood floodwater and also to filter, pollutants from water as well.

>>An of course, Florida is not alone when it comes to developing in wetlands and flood zones.

A new report from the nonprofit Climate Central organization, Amy, predicts that most of Florida's coast at least, will experienc severe coastal flooding by 2050.

This was a report out, I think, last week.

Does that track wit the reporting that you've done, on the impact of climate on our state?

>>Yes, I did a story last year looking at research that shows that sea level rise in the American South is accelerating at rates that are among the most extreme on Earth.

And this is poised to amplif impacts, including hurricanes, storm surges.

One report from the Union for Concerned Scientists said that in Florida, some $26 billion in residential real estate property is at risk for chronic flooding in Florida by 2045.

With Miami-Dade and the Florida Keys and the Tampa Saint Pete area most at risk.

And of course, our coasts are really the engine of our economy.

>>Well, it's funn you say that because, you know, when we're following up on Estero Island, after what happened a few years ago, you know, it's completely lik 90% of the homes are now gone.

They're being rebuilt.

And when you ask the homeowners or the builders out there, you know, are you okay and comfortable after you saw what happened with that surge because that was unprecedente surge, you know, 16, 18, 20ft.

And they said, well, we know we just got to rebuild.

And I said, okay, but what happens if it happens again?

Well, you find the next perso who wants to come in and build.

So, you know, money can solve a lot of problems.

The question is, how much money do people want to put in to solv those problems moving forward?

But I think if they know it, and as long as people are willing to put in money, good luck to you.

>>I think it also just begs the question, as our coasts become mor compromised by sea level rise, where are those folk living on the coast going to go if they're going to move further inland?

And so this impacts everyone.

It doesn't just impact coastal communities.

>>And I think there's a big difference.

There's people who want to come in and there's people who already been there, and it's the people that want to come in.

I think are willing to put up that kind of equity and capital, whereas if you've been there, you don't have many options.

>>Yeah.

The governor, the president signed a number of executive orders, right, on issues that that affect, the environment.

You've reported a bit on that.

What are the main ones that have an impact there?

And how do environmental groups view those?

>>Yes.

So the so president Trump has signed dozens of executive orders.

And this is a complex and fas changing situation.

But the bottom line here, Steve is that what we're seeing is an unprecedented and really a breathtaking rollback of environmental regulations in our country and a rollback of attempt to modernize our energy system and move our country country to clean energy.

And so, just for example, the Trump administration has withdrawn the U.S. from the Paris Agreement, which is a global, a joint global effort of more than 100 countries to move the planet toward cleaner energy and address greenhouse gas emissions.

Elon Musk and his DOGE effort has, cut, really gutted environmental departments and and programs at the federal level.

And so what all this means to us as Floridians is that it leaves us in a vulnerable place in a state that already i vulnerable, uniquely vulnerable to impacts, you know, climate impacts like sea level rise and hotter temperatures.

And and so just for example, with hurricane season approaching, it'll start June 1st.

I'm getting ready to start working on a story about how these widespread changes at NOAA and FEMA might affect hurricane forecasting and hurricane response in our state.

>>Well, it's all interesting stuff, and we'll keep an eye on it here on the program.

Be sure to join the conversation on social media.

We're at WUCF TV on Facebook and Instagram.

You'll also find us on X @NewsNightWUCF.

Okay, finally tonight, rural boundaries and efforts in the legislature to restrict the power of local governments to control development.

Florida lawmakers are considering a bill that would deal a blow to locally imposed rural boundaries, where development and urban sprawl are restricted.

Orange County voters just las year passed a charter amendment establishing a rural boundary with 73% of the vote.

Here' a portion of a recent committee hearing on the bill, starting with its Senate sponsor, Republica Stan McClain of Marion County.

>>One of the things that we have to always grapple with is, is, how do we how do we supply enough homes for the people that are moving here?

And certainly then we get into, back and forth between the communities that we live in and how much growth is taking place.

And, and but it doesn't change the fact that we have to find ways to make sure that, housing is available for those people that are moving here.

>>We have substantial concerns regarding specific provision in Senate Bill 1118, particularly those preemptin local government authority, overriding comprehensive planning and altering current land development regulations.

Those provisions could endanger agricultural lands, intensify urban sprawl, straining public resources, and severely limit opportunities for meaningful local citizen participation.

>>This bill severely undermines local government abilit to properly manage growth.

I would love to wal through some of the provisions that are concerning, but I would suffice it to say that citie are not opposed to development.

They are, however, advocating for responsible, well thought out, well planned, growth that protects the existing homeowners and the community and that ensures that we have adequate infrastructure in place to support that.

>>All right.

This is an important issue, especially for our community.

And Asher let me start with you.

News 13 has been covering the rural boundary story pretty extensively.

Just remind us to start with, what this charter amendment that was passed by Orange County voters last year actually does.

>>So ideally they're trying to slow the growth, slow the development, and around areas that do not have a lot of growth and development already.

Like in other words, they want towns that are smaller less condensed to stay that way.

And, you know, thi is kind of a two fold situation because one, we're constantl hearing how the state's growing and how we want to get or how the state is trying to accommodate more people moving into the state.

And then I'm actually going to bring in the wildlife a little bit to this, because one of the big thing that's currently going on with the FWC is discuss a- >>Fish and Wildlife Commission.

>>Florida.

Yeah.

Thank you.

Is the potential bear hunt that they would like to do at the end of the year.

And part of the reason they want to bring up the bea hunt is because they saying that they're a nuisanc in neighborhoods.

Well, the reason why the bears are allegedly a nuisance in neighborhoods is because people have moved in to their neighborhood.

>>You're building right on the-- >>Right on their boundaries there.

So that so eventually the bear have, you know, nowhere to go.

And I know that's not exactl where we went with the question, but the point is, wildlife is impacted.

Nature is impacted, the trees are impacted.

And that's essentially what they're trying to do is protect all those things.

>>But it's a really important point, though.

I'm glad you made it.

Let's talk about that effor in the legislature then, Molly, to preempt those rural boundaries, just outline where things stand right now.

You reported on the hearing tha we we just heard on that bill.

What's it going to mean for the rural boundaries, both in orange but also in Seminole County, which has been there for a while longer.

>>Right.

So assuming this bill moves forward, which as of today, it has not advanced past that committee hearing that we just heard-- >>We're recording the show on Thursday morning, by the way.

So things-- >>Does not mean that it won't.

But that day it passed tha committee by a vote of 5 to 3.

And what I thought was very interesting was that former Senate president, Passidomo a Republican, did vote for the bill, but with a lot of hesitancy.

She was very upfron about her reservations about the bill saying that it quote, this bill goes too far in restricting citizens ability to weigh in on how their local communities should look.

She said she was voting yes on the bill because she would have an opportunity to intervene on i and make changes in the future.

So long story short, this bill blocks any local referendums related to land development and it would apply.

So that's moving forward from when it would pass if it passes, but then would also apply retroactively to any such referendums enacted after June 1st, 2011.

Now, because Seminole County's boundary was enacted in 2004, it is safe.

But recently, in November, Seminole County voters strengthened the rural boundary by adding a requirement to hold public hearing before developing an agricultural enclave that would go that would get rid of that, since that is after the 2011 as far as Orange County's, that goes away-- >>Bu that boundary itself would stay.

>>In Seminole County.

Yes, because 2004 is when they voted that one in, which is before the 2011 date that was chosen.

And I think there was a question in that committee hearing about why that date was chosen.

And if there wasn't really a clear answer.

But so that's where it stands right now.

Right now, it hasn't advanced past that committee.

It's obviousl starting a lot of conversation.

I know that folks with the Florida Association of Counties and Florida League of Cities who spoke at the hearing are still very concerned about it, but it said that it had improved.

They were hopeful at least.

Maybe they'd be able to wor with the legislators to make it, less extreme.

But yeah, it takes away local control of, land development effectively.

>>Well, Ashe referred to this a little bit, and this is the development question of the balancing act that needs to be done.

What do supporters of this bill say and why it's necessary?

Is it just we heard Stan McLain there talking about the sheer volume of people coming into the state.

>>You want to bring up Split Oak Forest?

>>Yeah.

That's also a very a very good question.

Yeah.

Great.

Great tie in there because, you know, Split Oak Fores obviously is a protected area.

But last, last yea we saw, the regulating agencies vote to remove those protections for a certain part of the forests that can build a highway through it.

Now, most forest is still protected, but the fact that any sliver of it could be removed from those protections is sort of the point.

Like the question-- >>This is how it begins.

>>How protected are the natural lands, in Florida.

So but yes, very good point, Asher.

The supporters of this bill, which that's a very good question.

Yeah, it is about making sur that we can develop right now.

The senator behind the bill says that there that our enforcement of development regulations is not standardized across the board, but sometimes we're saying yes, sometimes they're saying no.

So he says that's the goal of the bill.

And he made a point during that hearing, as a Marion County resident and as a, effectivel a pioneer Florida family, they his family's been in the state for generations.

He's not trying to destroy natural Florida.

What he wants is to make sure that it stays in the urban growth area, I believe.

And but but that's.

Yeah.

So that's that's interesting.

But, the idea would be to not stymie development.

And we do have a lot of people moving in here to make sure that we can develop enough to, you know, put them somewhere.

>>It' like it's always down to money.

It's the million dollar question, are you going to promote growth and development in the state of Florida, or are you going to lock of certain areas you can't touch?

And and we have this debate, it seems like every five ten years about a certain area.

But then we start inching our inching a piece here, inching a piece there, inching a piece here.

And yet the trend still continues.

There's still parts of the state that get developed that we say or thought would never be developed.

And yet here we are.

>>Just an example of that pressure that we have to deal with i a fast growing region like ours.

You can find a link to the bill that would restrict rural boundaries on our websit wucf.org/newsnight.

Meanwhile, a reminder to join u next week here on the program for a conversation at the Orlando Science Center with leaders from Central Florida's arts and cultural organizations to discuss the state budget following governor DeSantis veto of arts grants last year.

That's a special editio of NewsNight Conversations next Friday night at 8:30 here on WUCF.

Well, my thanks to our panel for joining us here in the studio today, Molly Duerig from Central Florida Public Media, Ashe Wildman from Spectrum News 13, Amy Green from Inside Climate News.

Thank you guys so much for coming in.

Really appreciate your time today.

We'll see you next Friday night at 8:30 here on WUCF.

And all of us here at NewsNight, take care and have a great week.