A bill advancing in the Florida Legislature would prohibit local governments from setting limits on energy sources powering homes and businesses within their jurisdictions.
The measure comes as a growing number of cities set goals for powering homes and businesses with clean energy, including Orlando.
Eleven cities in Florida have set 100% clean energy goals, in keeping with what scientists say is necessary to avoid the worst consequences of climate change.
Jonathan Webber of Florida Conservation Voters says the bill advancing in the Legislature would void these local resolutions, including one in Orlando.
“I think that there’s a lot of interest in helping utilities maintain their control over all energy policy in the state of Florida, and I think they just don’t want to go down that road,” he said.
The Legislature earlier signed off on a sweeping measure aimed at protecting the coasts from sea level rise. Another bill establishing a statewide clean energy goal has seen little action.
