Enviromental Activists Set to Cheer Special Session Tuesday

A coalition of environmental groups will be rallying at the Capitol in Tallahassee at 11:30 on Tuesday morning, minutes before the special session of the Legislature opens.

In a media event on Friday morning, leaders of 14 groups announced that they will hold Hands at the Capitol on Tuesday before heading inside to lobby members of the Legislature.

We are pleased the Legislature has been called into special session, said Kim Ross of Crude Awakening Tallahassee, one of the groups holding the event. The coalition is hoping the Legislature forwards a proposed constitutional amendment to the November ballot banning oil drilling in state waters.

Disagreeing with critics of the session being called, the environmental leaders insisted that the amendment was needed as the Legislature could overturn current statutes prohibiting drilling in Florida waters.

I ask the legislators to allow us to vote, said Preston Robertson of the Florida Wildlife Federation. It is as simple as that.

The coalition expressed concern that the measure would die in the House.

We expect leadership from our legislators, said Ross. Our money is being sent to bring them up here. So, they need to take the session and the purpose of the call seriously.