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CCA
GRASSROOTS
ALERT! CALLS,
LETTERS & E-MAILS NEEDED TO URGE GOVERNOR
BUSH TO SUPPORT SENATE
BILL 540 FOR
SCIENCE
BASED MANATEE
MANAGEMENT PLANS WHAT TO DO: All CCA Florida Chapters and other Grassroots contacts should activate their alert networks ASAP and get members to e-mail, write or call GOVERNOR JEB BUSH AND URGE HIM TO SUPPORT AND SIGN SB 540. ISSUE: SB 540 sponsored by Senator Mike Bennett (R-Bradenton) and Representative Lindsay Harrington (R-Punta Gorda) has been approved by the Legislature and is awaiting action by Governor Bush. CCA Florida supported SB 540 throughout the session because it contains new measures to implement the “measurable biological goals” for manatee recovery. SB 540 states that in regions where the biological goals are being achieved the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is to consider whether existing regulations are sufficient before they adopt additional regulations. The FWC worked with the bill sponsors and does not oppose this legislation. However, as expected, manatee and other animal rights groups are claiming that SB 540 does all sorts of bad things to manatees and they want the Governor to veto the bill. The best way to counter the opponent’s misrepresentations is to simply show you exactly what that section of SB 540 says. It states as follows: (u)1.
Existing state manatee protection rules shall be given great
weight in determining whether additional rules are necessary
in a region where the measurable goals developed pursuant
to s. 372.072 have been achieved. However, the commission
may amend existing rules or adopt new rules to address
risks or circumstances in a particular area or waterbody to
protect manatees. Another section of the bill allows people to go faster in a slow speed zone if their life or property is in immediate danger. It reads as follows: 3.
A person may engage in any activity otherwise prohibited by
this subsection or any rule or ordinance adopted pursuant to
this subsection if the activity is reasonably necessary in order
to prevent the loss of human life or a vessel in distress due
to weather conditions or other reasonably unforeseen circumstances,
or in order to render emergency assistance to persons
or a vessel in distress. In other
words, if you suddenly find yourself in the middle of a slow speed zone and
about to be hit by lightning, you can get up on plane and move out of danger. CCA
SB
540 IS A GOOD BILL WHICH CONTINUES THE MOVE TOWARD SCIENCE BASED MANAGEMENT. URGE
GOVERNOR BUSH TO SUPPORT AND SIGN SB 540! Email:
jeb.bush@myflorida.com Write:
PL 05 The Capitol
Phone:
850/488-4441 Fax:
850/487-0801 This
Alert Prepared by: Ted
Forsgren
Executive Director
CCA
(850) 224-3474 |
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