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Legislature Will Leave Conservation Programs Unfunded

Leon County Judge John Cooper on June 30, 2022, in a screen grab from The Florida Channel.
The Florida Channel
Leon County Judge John Cooper on June 30, 2022, in a screen grab from The Florida Channel.

Florida lawmakers have tentatively agreed to pull funding from the state's top land conservation programs.

State Sen. Rob Bradley, chairman of the budget conference subcommittee on environmental spending, said Friday that giving no additional money in the coming year to Florida Forever Program and Florida Communities Trust was a "tough decision" but necessary to meet a targeted $130 million in cuts.

The programs go toward purchasing land and waterways and creating parks, and last year's budget gave them a combined $25 million.

Bradley said the funding was still up for negotiation, but lawmakers from both the state House and Senate have tentatively agreed to zero for that allocation.

The environmental group Florida Conservation Voters expressed disappointment, saying Floridians support conservation measures and "have every right to be outraged."