Florida Senate President Bill Galvano, R-Bradenton, announced Friday the appointment of Sen. Ben Albritton, R-Wauchula, chair of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, as a Florida member of the Southern States Energy Board. Galvano appointed Sen. Debbie Mayfield, R-Melbourne, chair of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, the Environment, and General Government as an alternate Florida member.
“Senator Albritton has a great deal of both private- and public-sector experience in the areas of energy and environmental policy,” Galvano said in a written statement. “During his service in both the House and Senate, as well as his experience running a family business, he has demonstrated a keen interest in innovations that will help Florida become more energy efficient, while increasing protections for our natural resources and environment.”
The Southern States Energy Board (SSEB) is a non-profit interstate compact organization created in 1960 and established under Public Laws 87-563 and 92-440. The Board’s mission is to enhance economic development and the quality of life in the South through innovations in energy and environmental policies, programs, and technologies.
Sixteen southern states and two territories comprise the membership of SSEB: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, U.S. Virgin Islands, Virginia, and West Virginia. Each jurisdiction is represented by the governor and a legislator from the House and Senate. A governor serves as the chair and legislators serve as vice-chair and treasurer. Ex-officio non-voting Board members include a federal representative appointed by the president of the United States, the Southern Legislative Conference Energy and Environment Committee chair, and SSEB’s executive director, who serves as secretary.
SSEB was created by state law and consented to by Congress with a broad mandate to contribute to the economic and community well-being of the southern region. The Board exercises this mandate through the creation of programs in the fields of energy and environmental policy research, development and implementation, science and technology exploration, and related areas of concern.
Galvano's statement explained that SSEB serves its members directly by providing timely assistance designed to develop effective energy and environmental policies and programs and represents its members before governmental agencies at all levels.
For more information, visit the Florida Senate website.
