Bill Would Protect South Florida Coral Reef, But Would It Spark Action?

A bill that would create a 'Southeast Florida Coral Reef Ecosystem Protection Area' unanimously passed the House Natural Resources and Public Lands Subcommittee Monday. However, it is questionable whether the bill would cause any protective measures to be taken. 

The bill, created by state Rep. Kristin Jacobs, had originally mandated that the state Department of Environmental Protection and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission had to devise a plan to help the Florida Reef, but it doesn't actually require anything to be done about the area. The two agencies also disagree on how to come up with a protection plan. 

The reef, which lies mainly off the coast of the Florida Keys, is the third largest barrier reef in the world. 

A second bill will be proposed Tuesday that would give the Department of Environmental Protection $2.15 million to fund a study on the reef.

South Florida’s reef has been increasingly dying due to warming ocean temperatures and waters growing more acidic by carbon dioxide.


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