Audubon of Florida's Director of Advocacy, Charles Lee, reports from the first Cabinet meeting of the new administration:

Our new Florida Cabinet met for the first time yesterday - our first entirely new Cabinet in over 100 years. The 3 new members, Commissioner of Agriculture Adam Putnam, Attorney General Pam Bondi, Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater met with Governor Scott to discuss their first business of the new administration. With the Governor a newcomer to state government, it is unknown how he will handle his role in working with the Cabinet.

The first vote was to acquire 85 acres of Rural and Family Lands Protection Act easement land in Gilchrist County - a land easement program that Audubon of Florida advocated on behalf of in 2001.

Later on the Board of Trustees’ agenda, two sovereignty submerged lands leases for marinas, in Volusia and Okaloosa counties, were withdrawn without comment. Audubon learned this was a result of the Governor and Attorney General Bondi raising concerns about the financial solvency of the applicants, and their ability to meet the environmental and financial obligation under their leases.

This is a good indication that the Governor and Attorney General are willing to exercise their important role as the trustees of our state lands, setting an encouraging tone for this new Board of Trustees.

As Director of Advocacy of Audubon of Florida, I am hoping to see more positive indicators that the Cabinet will be taking their role seriously as guardians of state sovereign lands.

The marina applicants were removed from the agenda and must now prove finances before leases are granted.

For more information on the Cabinet and Governor, be sure to check back to this website often.