To the Editor:
Isn’t it curious how political ambition can cause someone to lose his common sense? Gov. Ron DeSantis is hopeful for nomination to the highest office in the land, yet continues to promote small-minded policy. The latest is his rejection of $360 million of Federal funding which would have helped reduce our climate problem. This in a state where climate is not only a major threat to people and property, but this funding might have also helped protect the most important element of a successful tourist industry, Florida’s environment.
Our state has suffered huge losses from more frequent and more devastating storms, in which the Miami area alone has the highest real estate value in the world at risk of sea level surge and rise. Hurricane Ian cost $100 billion in damages. Homeowner insurance rates are triple the national average. Yet only 6 percent of our energy is produced from renewable sources, while we burn billions of dollars worth of fossil fuels imported from outside the “Sunshine State.”
This federal money would have funded a number of projects aimed at green energy production and electrification. Was there a reason for the rejection? Did our governor say the money had too many strings attached? No. Did he say it was too much spending? No. Did he fear the encroachment of “woke” policies. No, none of these familiar DeSantis rants were evident. The only conclusion one can draw is that the rejection was due to the association of “green” with Democrats.
A truly conservative candidate will see that even Republican voters support green policies. They want leaders to join the effort and to reverse this decision so that Florida can take part in conservation actions and benefit from the jobs that it will bring to the state. The federal money will go somewhere; why not Florida? To contact the governor, go to: https://www.flgov.com/contact-governor-2/
Hank Farrell
Village of Buttonwood