This past Saturday, January 26th, Congressman Darren Soto and Florida Conservation Voters hosted an Environmental Town Hall at the Valencia College Kissimmee Campus. Our Executive Director, Aliki Moncrief, Local Soil and Water member, Eric Rollings, and the Congressman fielded questions from the audience on a host of topics. They discussed septic conversion, the new toll roadway in Osceola County, red/brown algae, and tourism in Florida.
This diverse panel brought a local, statewide, and federal perspective to the issues facing our great state – this made for robust conversations. A common theme was the importance of strengthening our current protections for Florida’s public lands and renewing others; most notably reauthorization of the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF). Congressman Soto also unveiled some members of his Environmental Advisory Board, on which I and Eric Rollings have been asked to serve. I’m honored to represent FCV on this Board.
Not only did we have 3 great environmental champions on the panel but we also had great constituents who are involved and care enough to show up on a saturday to ask questions and support their land. Aliki and I were also happy to be interviewed by the Valencia Voice and answer some questions about the current state of environmental politics in Florida. This was a great event, not only for FCV but for Central Floridians.
Congressman Darren Soto is a true environmental champion and we are honored to have him as an ally and friend.
Watch our video featuring the congressman discuss the important of the LWCF.