Did Florida ban environmental workers from talking about climate change?

2015-03-10T14:44:00-04:00

Florida is largely seen as the U.S. state that is most vulnerable to the effects of global warming. But even uttering the term global warming in official communications can get employees at the state’s Department of Environmental Protection in trouble...“We were told not to use the terms climate change, global warming, or sustainability,” said Christopher Byrd, who worked at the DEP from 2008 to 2013.

On Tuesday, Gov. Rick Scott, an open skeptic of climate change (who is also openly, "not a scientist") denied the allegations. "Well, first off, that's not true," Scott told reporters. "At our Department of Environmental Protection, there's lots of conversation about this issue. From my standpoint, like every issue, my goal is: Instead of talking about it, let's do something about it."

Environmental workers in the state re-asserted that while the ban may not have been official, it was heavily implied. Byrd is quoted saying, "We decided it was important for us to maintain jobs and continue projects and just keep our head down and stay out of the attention of the governor's office." He continued with an ironically appropriate choice of language: "We didn't want to do anything to create waves."

We've noted before on Archinect the particular vulnerability of Florida to rising sea levels generated by a warming planet. While the Governor may be sticking his head in the sand, there are many...

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Did Florida ban environmental workers from talking about climate change?