DeSantis Signs Law Blocking Treasure Coast Carbon-Reduction Policies

A bill signed Thursday by Gov. Ron DeSantis that prohibits local governments from adopting carbon-reduction policies was co-sponsored by Rep. John Snyder of Palm City, bringing the statewide preemption fight directly to the Treasure Coast's doorstep.

The law, which takes effect July 1, bars cities and counties across Florida — including Martin, St. Lucie and Indian River — from implementing net-zero targets, carbon taxes or cap-and-trade programs. Local governments will be required to sign annual affidavits under penalty of perjury affirming compliance, and they will be prohibited from entering agreements with organizations that promote net-zero or carbon trading policies.

"It's like, 'We're just going to stop the madness here,' and that's what this bill does," DeSantis said at a signing ceremony in Jacksonville on Earth Day. "It safeguards Floridians by prohibiting all levels of government from adopting or enforcing these radical climate policies."

The bill passed 80-29 in the House and 24-12 in the Senate, almost entirely along party lines. Only two legislators broke ranks: Rep. Alexis Calatayud, a Miami Republican who voted against it, and Sen. Kimberly Daniels, a Jacksonville Democrat who voted in favor.

Snyder, the Palm City Republican, co-sponsored the House version alongside Rep. Berny Jacques of Clearwater. Republican backers argued the law creates uniform energy policy statewide rather than a patchwork of local mandates they say burden taxpayers and businesses.

Opponents warn the law's sweeping language could chill far more than carbon targets. Katie Bauman, Florida policy manager with the Surfrider Foundation, said the broad prohibitions raise questions about what coastal communities can still do to prepare for rising seas and intensifying storms — a pressing concern along the Treasure Coast's 70-plus miles of Atlantic shoreline.

"We are one of the most vulnerable states to changing climates and sea level rise, and that really needs to be where our lawmakers are focused," Bauman said.

The law is the latest in a series of state preemptions that have stripped authority from local governments on issues ranging from rent control to outdoor worker protections to plastic bag regulation. Two years ago, DeSantis signed legislation removing references to "climate" from state statutes and repealing grant programs that encouraged energy conservation.

Dawn Shirreffs, Florida director of the Environmental Defense Fund, said the law could discourage communities from pursuing methane mitigation services or other emissions-reduction programs, even where private businesses already operate to provide them. Rep. Anna Eskamani, an Orlando Democrat, said the language is broad enough to call into question tree-planting efforts and energy-efficient building upgrades.

For Treasure Coast municipalities weighing infrastructure investments, sustainability planning or grant applications tied to emissions reduction, the annual affidavit requirement creates a new legal tripwire. The law takes effect July 1, giving local governments roughly two months to review existing programs for compliance.

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