TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Glorioso Plows Over Public In Bid To Weaken Wetlands Rule

ADVERTISEMENT

The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 7, 2007

Hillsborough County commissioners found themselves neck deep in political muck when they abruptly voted to get rid of the county's wetlands protections last summer.

Citizens quickly let commissioners know they were outraged by the effort to jettison regulations that have provided Hillsborough resources extra protections for 22 years. And the commissioners acted at the behest of developers and growers and didn't bother consulting with the public at-large.

After several volatile hearings and much heated community discussion, the commissioners backed down, approving instead a plan to preserve the Environmental Protection Commission's wetlands but streamline its permitting process by developing a new "hybrid" system.

But now Rep. Rich Glorioso of Plant City has teamed with local growers to ignore the public and bulldoze county wetlands protections anyway. He would have everyone forget about the commission's decision. Forget about the public hearings. Forget about citizens' voice.

Glorioso would make the decision for everyone.

It is a presumptuous act illustrating why so many citizens have lost faith in a government they feel will follow the dictates of powerful special interests, regardless of what the public does.

Glorioso is sponsoring legislation that would end EPC's oversight of farms and nurseries. The authority over agricultural land would go solely to the Southwest Florida Water Management District.

This is significant because the EPC wetlands rules are tougher than the water district's. The county protects wetlands of less than a half-acre, which the state does not. The EPC also applies a slightly tougher standard for the destruction of larger wetlands.

Glorioso says he agreed to sponsor the bill requested by the Tampa Bay Wholesale Growers Association because the EPC, despite promises, still isn't working with farmers. His deadline to file bills was last Friday and the presentation of EPC's agricultural plan to the commission is not until Nov. 15. He wanted to be sure he would have an opportunity to help growers if they found the EPC's proposal objectionable. Glorioso should have trusted the local process to address all concerns.

EPC may not be giving growers everything they want, but its proposed changes would dramatically weaken wetland protections on agricultural land.

The plan to be presented to Hillsborough County commissioners next week would allow farmers to fill in wetlands up to a quarter acre without having to justify the destruction or create a wetland elsewhere.

Glorioso's concern for agriculture, a key part of Hillsborough's economy, is appropriate. But his tactics here are lamentable. Glorioso didn't consult with EPC, whose officials were stunned by the legislation, or the citizens who fought for wetlands protections this summer.

Glorioso's fellow legislators should turn their back on this high-handed attempt to bypass county regulators and mow down local control.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT