Join SCCF in asking Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis to veto two environmentally harmful bills — Senate Bill 492 (Mitigation Banks) and Senate Bill 180 (Emergencies). Both of these bills have not yet been presented to the Governor’s office for his signature, but it could happen anytime, as the deadline is June 30. The Governor only has seven days to sign, veto, or ignore (in which it still becomes law) a bill once it is presented.

SENATE BILL 492

SB 492 – Mitigation Banks, which passed this session, changes the current wetland mitigation banking system. Currently, mitigation banks are required to restore habitat and sell credits within a specific watershed, at minimum, for flood protection, water retention, filtration, and habitat benefits. 

SB 492 upends those minimal benefits and allows for the sale of credits before the habitat in a mitigation bank has even been restored, as well as allows credits to be bought and sold at far distances from the watersheds that are being impacted. This leaves certain areas overdeveloped and without all of the protections provided by wetlands. 

SB 492 also creates an uneven balance of destroying wetlands before the ecosystem function of the mitigation bank has been completed. Communities will be left with increased traffic, further lack of green space, and an increased risk of flooding.

This bill is an undisguised subsidy and incentive for developers without the consideration for sustainability or balance in our already over-developed communities. Please join SCCF in asking Governor DeSantis to VETO this very harmful bill.

SENATE BILL 180

Senate Bill 180 – Emergencies was passed this session to improve emergency management and disaster recovery efforts following the three hurricanes that impacted Florida in 2024. While this bill contains some helpful storm recovery benefits, it also contains very damaging policies that prohibit local governments from adopting new plans or codes that could be considered “more restrictive or burdensome” unless developers agree to the change. This bill would be retroactive to Aug. 1, 2024 and would end in Oct. 2027, with possible extensions. 

This bill has not yet been signed by the Governor, but if it does become law, it could effectively end resiliency planning and water quality protections in Florida for the next three years. 

One example of a conflict created by this bill is the Manatee County Commission’s proposal to restore increased wetland buffer requirements to their building code. This bill would prohibit the county from including added wetland buffers that would assist in the prevention of flooding, protect property from storm surge, and contribute to water quality improvements. 

It is more than troublesome that a bill designed to assist communities after a hurricane would prevent sustainability-related improvements that could improve local resilience to future storm events and mitigate the damage associated with them.

Please join SCCF in asking the Governor to VETO SB 180 and to encourage our elected leaders to bring back the good elements of this bill without the very damaging provision to limit local governments from addressing the resiliency needs of their communities.