FLORIDA S. Energy, Water, Environment & Climate. Paid for by Andrew Gillum, Democrat, for Governor

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1 FLORIDA S Energy, Water, Environment & Climate Paid for by Andrew Gillum, Democrat, for Governor

2 SUMMARY As a native Floridian, born and raised in Miami-Dade and educated in Gainesville and Tallahassee, Mayor Andrew Gillum holds a deep love and respect for our state s environment and natural treasures. As Governor, Gillum will reverse the environmental damage wrought under Rick Scott, and will commit to environmental policies that are based on science, in consultation with experts, and are forward-looking to preserve our lands, waterways, and air not only for today s Floridians, but for future generations. With Florida surrounded by rising seas on three sides, he believes we can t delay action any longer. Our past choices have created our present situation. Protecting our environment is a challenge we must face together, with every Floridian taking responsibility for their impacts to our water sources. THE GILLUM AGENDA Establish a renewable energy portfolio standard Reinvest in the solar energy rebate program Prioritize the creation of clean energy jobs that can t be outsourced Fully fund Florida Forever and Amendment 1 as voters intended Properly administer the Everglades Agricultural Area reservoir Reinstate funding for the Red Tide Control and Mitigation Grants program eliminated during the recession, and the Harmful Algal Bloom Task Force defunded since 2001 Prevent pollution at the source by upgrading wastewater treatment systems, wastewater infrastructure, and converting septic to sewer where needed Enforce protective nutrient standards and hold corporate polluters accountable Restore the integrity of water management districts and the Department of Environmental Protection by appointing scientists and experts Review and improve how the state discharges stormwater and strictly limit sources of nutrient runoff Re-establish growth management policies that promote smart growth rather than unchecked development Reconvene the annual climate change summit Study harmful effects of fracking and establish a rule banning the practice Support a permanent ban on offshore oil drilling Direct state agencies to plan for sea-level rise mitigation and adaptation Meanwhile, Ron DeSantis is an election-year environmentalist who will exacerbate the environmental crisis Rick Scott has overseen, promising to build on the legacy that Rick Scott has built for eight years in Florida. DeSantis, who is marching in lockstep with Donald Trump, has scores of 5, 3, and 0 percent from leading environmental groups and would be another anti-environment Governor.

3 RENEWABLE ENERGY Florida is the Sunshine State that means we should be the world leader in solar energy production. Unfortunately, while our state ranks third among U.S. states for rooftop solar potential, we re only 12th for cumulative installed solar capacity. As Governor, Mayor Gillum will establish a renewable energy portfolio standard that harnesses all of our potential energy sources, including solar, wave/tidal, and other technologies. He ll reinvest in the solar energy rebate program that incentivized residential solar installation, and he ll prioritize the creation of good, clean energy jobs that can t be outsourced. As Florida looks to transition towards 21st century clean energy production, as Governor, Gillum will direct the Department of Environmental Protection to study the harmful effects of hydraulic fracturing and establish a rule banning the practice. Gillum will also sign a permanent statewide ban on offshore oil drilling. Gillum s record as Mayor of Florida s Capital City shows he s committed to this forwardthinking agenda. In the same week that Donald Trump pulled the U.S. out of the Paris Agreement, Gillum broke ground on a 28-megawatt, 120-acre solar farm that tripled his city s solar energy production, and Tallahassee has earned national recognition for low-interest loans on energy-saving appliances and solar efforts. Gillum is proud to have earned the endorsement of 350 Action and NextGen America for opposition to Keystone XL, for banning fracking in his city, and for his commitment to Florida s fossil fuel-free future.

4 MITIGATING AND RELIEVING RED TIDE AND TOXIC ALGAE Decades of mismanagement, underfunding, and ignoring science has lead to catastrophic results for our coastal communities, lakes, and rivers. Florida s tourism industry on both coasts is suffering terribly from the environmental, public health, and economic impacts of harmful algal blooms. As of early October, red tide is impacting nearly the entire southwest coast of Florida, some coasts along the Panhandle, and is now even closing beaches on the southeast coast. Mayor Gillum believes that the best solution for water pollution is prevention, but there are also steps we can take now. As Governor, Gillum will take a multifaceted approach to providing relief for Floridians, tourists, businesses, and our environment from red tide and toxic algae, including: Upgrading Wastewater Systems: Gillum will seek funding to assist local and regional governments in at-risk areas, such as sensitive watersheds, with upgrading their wastewater treatment systems and infrastructure. Converting Septic to Sewer: Gillum will seek additional funding for conversion of septic tanks to municipal central sewer systems in at-risk areas, where feasible and where septic leaks are significant sources of nitrogen pollution that promote algae blooms. Funding Mitigation and Prediction Programs: Gillum will reinstate and seek funding for the Red Tide Control and Mitigation Grants Program that was last funded in 2009, but eliminated due to the economic downturn, and the Harmful Algal Bloom Task Force, last funded in These programs funded numerous projects aimed at mitigating the harmful effects of red tide, including asthma and breathing concerns, as well as physical, biological, and chemical methods of controlling red tide, and monitoring and predicting increasingly frequent red tide events. Expanding Emergency Loans: Gillum will seek to expand Florida Small Business Emergency Bridge Loan Program eligibility to allow single employee businesses, such as charter boats, to qualify for the bridge loan program. Currently, businesses must have at least two employees to qualify. Gillum will also direct the program to consider reducing the eventual 18 percent interest rate, so that our coastal businesses can focus on getting back on their feet not on paying back high interest loans.

5 EVERGLADES, SPRINGS, AND WATERWAYS RESTORATION The plight of the Florida Everglades is the environmental challenge of a lifetime, affecting fully a third of the state. Our water supplies are in danger, our habitats that are home to some of the world s most precious species are at risk, and now, toxic algae ruins the present and threatens the future of our most environmentally valuable ecosystems. Florida s unique waterways are just too important to allow both pollution and inaction to run rampant. For too long, nutrient runoff has decimated our springs, lakes, and rivers, and Lake Okeechobee s historic water flow has been interrupted all while politicians siphon off the Everglades restoration funding the people of Florida demanded. As Governor, Gillum will ensure that Florida Forever is properly funded at its original levels. Lawmakers won t be able to kick the can down the road on Amendment 1 any longer. Reducing damaging discharges coming from Lake Okeechobee to the Caloosahatchee and St. Lucie Rivers and sending clean, fresh water into the Everglades are both incredibly important. He ll also ensure that the Everglades Agricultural Area reservoir, filtration marshes, and water restoration projects are done right. Furthermore, Mayor Gillum will work with Florida s Congressional delegation to make sure both state and federal portions of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan are fully funded. And Gillum will make sure that our nutrient standards are strictly enforced, so that our bays, beaches, and waterways stop harboring toxic algae and red tides from point and non-point pollution that harm our public health, our tourism economy, and our quality of life. Gillum has toured sensitive ecological areas and tourism-driven waterfronts with environmental leaders, and has seen first-hand the damage that unchecked pollution and development have wrought on Florida s waters and coasts.

6 CLIMATE CHANGE AND SEA LEVEL RISE Sea level rise poses a catastrophic threat to our state and one we re wholly unprepared to face. As Governor, Gillum would reconvene the annual climate change summits initiated under Governor Charlie Crist, bringing together the nation s foremost experts on sea level rise. He would also direct all relevant state agencies to begin planning for sea level rise mitigation and adaptation, and to prevent further salt water intrusion. For climate change mitigation, Florida should do its part towards eliminating carbon emissions that are driving sea level rise; we must transition our energy production towards clean, renewable sources like solar and wave/tidal. More immediately, Gillum believes we have to make sure communities in danger can invest in infrastructure, like improved drainage and backflow preventers, to deal with stormwater, tidal, and nonstorm flooding. Ultimately, Gillum believes our state should be coordinating with governments at the local, regional, and federal level on multifaceted solutions instead of denying that we have a problem. The Southeast Florida Regional Climate Change Compact is a good model for intergovernmental collaboration.

7 SCIENTISTS IN CHARGE OF SCIENCE Rick Scott has been a disaster for Florida s environment. Scott slashed funding for our water management districts and the DEP. He laid off scientists, let industry lobbyists write science policy, and slashed environmental regulations. As Governor, Mayor Gillum will put science experts back in charge of DEP and our water districts, and set our best minds to work on climate change adaptation, sea level rise mitigation, water and air pollution elimination, and Florida s environmental future. Industrial Polluters and Growth Management Mayor Gillum believes we need to start holding corporate polluters accountable for waste byproducts at their source, and that we need to review the ways our state discharges excess water and strictly limit sources of nutrient runoff. Gillum says we need to have a serious conversation about ensuring Florida s business interests are the kind of responsible corporate citizens we need them to be, through whichever means are necessary. He also believes we need to re-establish growth management policies that promote smart growth, not just unchecked development, and acquire land where needed to support water quality, habitat restoration, reconnect wildlife corridors, and people s enjoyment of our natural resources. Gillum will also work in consultation with our next Commissioner of Agriculture to review policies that impact the health and safety of Floridians.

8 THE DESANTIS ENVIRONMENTAL RECORD Ron DeSantis is an election-year environmentalist who can t be trusted to protect our clean air and water. Ron DeSantis wholeheartedly supports Donald Trump s environmental platform, as evidenced by DeSantis 5 percent score from Clean Water Action, 3 percent score from the League of Conservation Voters, and 0 percent score from the Environmental Working Group. In Congress, DeSantis voted to: Weaken clean water laws 33 times Expand oil drilling in national wildlife refuges Weaken protections for national forests Slash funding for clean energy and energy efficiency Stop implementation of the National Ocean Policy Block studying the costs associated with climate change impacts Make it easier to build new, dirty oil pipelines Weaken the Environmental Protection Agency Threaten drinking water and public health in favor of the coal industry Block the Department of Defense from preparing for climate change, when national security experts, including the Secretary of Defense, say climate change threatens our military readiness As recently as July 2018, DeSantis voted in favor of fossil fuel companies and against climate change solutions. As noted in media reports, DeSantis election-year environmental proposals are incomplete, would do nothing to address pollution at its source, inadequate in terms of cleaning dirty water, and doesn t line up with his track record. The Tampa Bay Times noted the difference between Gillum s and DeSantis records on environmental issues: In contrast, Democratic nominee Andrew Gillum has said that climate change is a real and urgent threat and that as mayor of Tallahassee, he led an initiative to reduce carbon emissions in the city by 40 percent. (9/12/18)