The Free State of Florida is in the hands of lunatics who are determined to pretend changes to the environment are not happening. In 2022, a group of young Floridians, all under the age of 25, called on the state to move toward 100 percent clean energy by 2050, a benchmark scientists say is necessary to avoid the worst consequences of climate change. Snarlin’ Ron DeSantis, the state’s alleged governor, was having none of such woke, liberal claptrap. He directed his minions in the state legislature to cobble together a new law that required the words “climate change” be deleted from all Florida laws and policies. Instead, the new official policy of the Free State of Florida placed greater emphasis on burning fossil fuels to generate electricity and sought to strengthen its energy infrastructure against “natural and man-made threats.” The measure also nullified goals aimed at enhancing renewable energy use. You might think that would be enough of a sop to fossil fuel interests, but this year, at the behest of the governor, the legislature passed a new law that prohibits Florida counties and municipalities from pursuing net zero policies. Florida Is A Haven For Fascists DeSantis — always eager to present himself as slightly to the right of Atilla the Hun — made it a point to sign the legislation on Earth Day. It goes into effect on July 1, 2026. Known as HB 1217, the new law limits efforts by Florida communities to offset greenhouse gas emissions that are warming the global climate and intensifying disasters such as hurricanes. It says “net zero policies, carbon taxes and assessments, and emission trading programs are detrimental to this state’s energy security and economic interests and inconsistent with the energy policy and the environmental policy of this state.” State representative Berny Jacques, a Repugnican from Clearwater, puffed out his chest and crowed to the press, “I proudly sponsored HB 1217 to fight for jobs and affordability in Florida. This bill protects our residents and businesses from additional costs by ridding our state of Green New Deal policies. Carbon taxes and fees are not welcome in the Free State of Florida.” But hurricanes are, apparently. This is complete insanity. Hurricanes in Florida have grown more powerful in recent years, particularly along the Gulf Coast, where water temperatures have increased markedly in recent years. They have caused massive devastation, which in turn has made much of Florida uninsurable. But Governor Insane-tis cares not one whit for the people of the state. His only concern is appearing to be even more rabid that his mentor and nemesis, the current president. According to Inside Climate News, at least 10 cities and counties have implemented such policies, including Fort Lauderdale, Miami, Orlando, and Leon County, which is home to Tallahassee and the state capitol. Boca Raton, Fort Lauderdale, along with Broward and Miami-Dade counties also have been pursuing goals of net-zero emissions by 2050. Miami, Miramar, Pinellas County, and Sarasota have similar goals. The new law will not necessarily upend these policies, said Bradley Marshall, senior attorney at Earthjustice. “It’s certainly meant to scare municipalities and local governments from trying to do things to further net-zero policies,” he noted. “Now, its exact impact and what it exactly prohibits is probably up for some debate. Things that are adjacent to it — emissions reductions and even climate change reduction policies — on their face will not run afoul at all of a ban on adopting a net zero policy.” Fossil Fools Laura Peterson, senior analyst at the Union for Concerned Scientists said, “This bill is definitely part of a larger coordinated push by the political enablers of the fossil fuel industry to obstruct any tools — legal or legislative tools — to hold the industry accountable for its contributions to climate change. Florida is really on the front lines, so I imagine the governor is taking this step because he sees what’s coming down the pike. It’s not getting better. So I can only assume that this is an effort to satisfy some of the pressures that he’s getting from donors and from his party to protect the industry. And he’s doing it at the expense of his constituents.” HB 1217 also prevents local governments from purchasing items such as vehicles or appliances based on the fuels they use or production of the items. Local governments may not participate in carbon-trading programs or use public funds to support other organizations with net-zero policies. Cities and counties also may not charge a tax or fee tied with carbon emissions. When the Orlando Utilities Commission announced in 2020 that it was committed to net zero emissions by 2050, the municipal utility and city were recognized as leaders in a state where most local governments at the time were more focused on climate impacts such as sea level rise and flooding. OUC is the second largest municipal utility in the state, serving more than 288,000 customers in Orange and Osceola counties. “We are aware of the legislation regarding net-zero emissions policies,” the utility said in a statement to Inside Climate News. “Our focus remains on delivering reliable, affordable energy while continuing to reduce our carbon dioxide emissions in a responsible and balanced way. Since 2020, we have made meaningful progress in lowering CO2 emissions and remain committed to further reductions including a 50 percent reduction by 2030 and 75 percent by 2040.” In Leon County, home to Tallahassee, leaders have taken several steps back in response to HB 1217. They rescinded a 2023 resolution declaring a climate emergency. They also rolled back plans to phase out fossil fuel powered vehicles and amended a policy to remove a mandate for recycled paper. The Paul Russell Road facility, which the county bills as the nation’s first government retrofit building to achieve net-zero certification, will lose that certification, although the building’s solar and energy efficiency systems will continue operating unchanged. A Chilling Effect Susan Glickman, vice president for policy and partnerships at The CLEO Institute, worried the law could have a chilling effect on other local policies aimed at moving Florida to cleaner energy. “It means that everyone is going to pay more money on their power bills, and there are plenty of people who can absorb a higher energy bill. But there are a lot of people who cannot, and this is coming at a time when housing prices are up, groceries are up, and insurance prices are high. And so there are people who are suffering out there.” Apparently, the “free” in the Free State of Florida motto refers to an absence of critical thinking skills, a lack of understanding of basic science, or any semblance of common sense. Rabid Ron is the epitome of a MAGA Moron. Thankfully, his term is nearly up and he cannot run for reelection. Its hard to imagine anyone being a worse steward of the state, but then again, Florida has ex-governor Rick Scott doing as much damage in the Senate as possible, so anything is possible.
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