Sunday, April 02, 2017

FPL Transmission Lines and the Florida Legislature: Speak Now Or Never ... by gimleteye

Law to enable FPL transmission lines on US-1 and Everglades up for vote in Tallahassee this Tuesday, April 4th.
Please write legislators to oppose Senate Bill SB1048 and House Bill HB1055 "Linear Facilities"


FPL’s plans for giant transmission lines through South Miami and the Everglades were blocked by the 3rd District Court of Appeals.  Florida’s Supreme Court refused to hear the case.  

Now FPL is asking the State Legislature to change the laws so (1) FPL won’t have to follow local regulations on land use and Everglades protection, and (2) the Governor and Cabinet cannot order FPL to underground the lines.

So far, our own State Senator, Jose Javier Rodriguez, has been the only one to oppose this law in committee.  FPL is fast-tracking approval.  It comes up for a floor vote in the Senate on Tuesday, thus the urgency to contact local legislators.

Talking points  – The entire Miami-Dade Delegation should oppose this law, because:

  1. Hurricane safety hazard

    Tall transmission towers and lines are a hurricane hazard, as proven during Hurricane Andrew.  They do not belong near residential apartments, above our Metrorail, or above the Underline.  This change in law will make it easier for FPL to endanger public safety and private property.  The lines should be underground.

  2. Ruins the coming Underline Trail

    The Legislature has already apportioned millions of dollars to create the Underline Trail, which is undergoing development, starting at Brickell.  Shade trees cannot be planted near transmission lines.  Why should Legislators turn around and let FPL ruin the Underline with giant overhead transmission lines? 

  3. Harms the County's tax base

    Transmission lines anywhere in the County depress local land values and hurt the entire County’s tax base.  Only 10-20% of local property taxes go to the municipality, the remaining 80-90% go to the County and the School District.

  4. A taking of private property value

    Lowering private property values by transmission lines is an uncompensated “taking” of private property by FPL to benefit its shareholders.

  5. Harms the Everglades


    Paves too much Everglades land and endangers fledging wading birds.  We all value the Everglades, and FPL should not be allowed to ignore the County’s environmental regulations protecting them.

     

CALL – EMAIL – TWITTER
Sunday or Monday, reach out to the top 7 on the list to affect the Senate’s floor vote on Tuesday.  Then go for the rest:



Representative Jose Felix Diaz, 116th District
Chair of the Miami-Dade Delegation

Jose.Diaz@myfloridahouse.gov
(850) 717-5116
Twitter: @JoseFelixDiaz

Sen. Anitere Flores, 39th District
Senate President Pro Tempore

Flores.Anitere@flsenate.gov
 (850) 487-5039
Twitter: @Senator_Flores

Sen. Oscar Braynon, II, 35th District
Braynon.Oscar@flsenate.gov

(850) 487-5035
Twitter: @oscarjb2

Sen. Daphne Campbell, 38th District 
Campbell.Daphne@flsenate.gov
(850) 487-5038
Twitter: @FLSenate38

Sen. Rene Garcia, 36th District 
Garcia.Rene@flsenate.gov
(850) 487-5036
Twitter: @SenReneGarcia

Sen. Jose Javier Rodriguez, 37th District 
Rodriguez.Jose@flsenate.gov
(850) 487-5037
Twitter: @JoseJavierJJR

Rep. Jeanette Nunez, 119th District
Speaker Pro Tempore

Jeanette.Nunez@myfloridahouse.gov
(850) 717-5119
Twitter: @RepJNunez


Rep. Joseph Geller, 100th District 
Joseph.Geller@myfloridahouse.gov
(850) 717-5100
Twitter: @RepJosephGeller

Rep. Sharon Pritchett, 102nd District 
Sharon.Pritchett@myfloridahouse.gov
(850) 717-5102

Rep. Manny Diaz, Jr., 103rd District 
Manny.Diaz@myfloridahouse.gov
(850) 717-5103
Twitter: @RepMannyDiazJr

Rep. Carlos Trujillo, 105th District 
Carlos.Trujillo@myfloridahouse.gov
(850) 717-5105
Twitter: @RepCTrujillo

Rep. Barbara Watson, 107th District 
Barbara.Watson@myfloridahouse.gov
(850) 717-5107

Rep. Roy Hardemon, 108th District 
Roy.Hardemon@myfloridahouse.gov
(850) 717-5108

Rep. Cynthia Stafford, 109th District 
Cynthia.Stafford@myfloridahouse.gov
(850) 717-5109

Rep. Jose Oliva, 110th District 
Jose.Oliva@myfloridahouse.gov
(850) 717-5110
Twitter: @RepJoseOliva

Rep. Bryan Avila, 111th District 
Bryan.Avila@myfloridahouse.gov
(850) 717-5111
Twitter: @BryanAvilaFL

Rep. Nicholas Duran, 112nd District 
Nicholas.Duran@myfloridahouse.gov
(850) 717-5112
Twitter: @DuranForFlorida

Rep. David Richardson, 113rd District 
David.Richardson@myfloridahouse.gov
(850) 717-5113
Twitter: @David4Florida

Rep. Daisy Baez, 114th District 
Daisy.Baez@myfloridahouse.gov
(850) 717-5114
Twitter: @DaisyJBaez

Rep. Michael Bileca, 115th District 
Michael.Bileca@myfloridahouse.gov
(850) 717-5115
Twitter: @mbileca

Rep. Kionne McGhee, 117th District
Kionne.McGhee@myfloridahouse.gov 
(850) 717-5117
Twitter: @KionneMcGhee

Rep. Robert Asencio, 118th District 
Robert.Asencio@myfloridahouse.gov
(850) 717-5118
Twitter: @Asencio2016

Rep. Holly Merrill Raschein, 120th District
Holly.Raschein@myfloridahouse.gov
(850) 717-5120


Or here they are in a single email block if you prefer:

Jose.Diaz@myfloridahouse.gov
Flores.Anitere@flsenate.gov
Jeanette.Nunez@myfloridahouse.gov
Braynon.Oscar@flsenate.gov
Campbell.Daphne@flsenate.gov
Garcia.Rene@flsenate.gov
Rodriguez.Jose@flsenate.gov
 
Joseph.Geller@myfloridahouse.gov
Sharon.Pritchett@myfloridahouse.gov
Manny.Diaz@myfloridahouse.gov
Carlos.Trujillo@myfloridahouse.gov
Barbara.Watson@myfloridahouse.gov
Roy.Hardemon@myfloridahouse.gov
Cynthia.Stafford@myfloridahouse.gov
Jose.Oliva@myfloridahouse.gov
Bryan.Avila@myfloridahouse.gov
Nicholas.Duran@myfloridahouse.gov
David.Richardson@myfloridahouse.gov
Daisy.Baez@myfloridahouse.gov
Michael.Bileca@myfloridahouse.gov
Kionne.McGhee@myfloridahouse.gov
Robert.Asencio@myfloridahouse.gov
Holly.Raschein@myfloridahouse.gov


I don't have every resident's email address so please share this note with your neighbors and friends elsewhere in the County.
Regards,
Philip

1 comment:

Hank Resnik said...

Grateful you made me aware of this. I emailed all the legislators on the list.--Hank Sanchez-Resnik, Coconut Grove