Marco Rubio on Environment Republican Florida Senator

Property rights are a basic right; eminent domain attacks it

Kelo case was egregiously flawed; limit eminent domain

After being founded, in part, to protect these rights, our government has strayed far from this purpose. Compromise after compromise from elected officials in both parties has resulted in a government that believes it has the power to seize your property and sell it to rent-seeking private interests. When I am president, through the justices I nominate to the Supreme Court and the legislation I sign into law, I will stand firmly against the abuse of eminent domain.

Co-sponsored bill to prevent "soring" of show horses

Fix environment with free market, not government mandates

State-run insurance carriers mean more taxpayer subsidies.

We tried to modify the bill with some small successes. We limited the public carrier's ability to expand, and got everyone to agree that the measure would be temporary.

Partner with private companies for transportation system

Keep Florida Moving...Forward
• Improving Florida's Roadways through Private Sector Involvement
• Partner with private companies to build a model transportation system.
• Lease existing toll roads to private companies.
• Privatize the Division of Drivers' Licenses
• Allow private companies to operate the Division of Drivers' Licenses
• Offer multiple-year vehicle registrations

Hurricane Savings Accounts for homeowners' insurance

Affordable Homeowners' Insurance for Florida
• Increase funding of home inspections and grants to upgrade homes to better withstand hurricanes by creating a recurring source of funding
• Ensure all insurance companies provide discounts to homeowner engaging in hurricane mitigation
• Adopt a uniform statewide building code
• Allow the Florida Hurricane Catastrophe Fund to give companies the option to buy more reinsurance and charge near-market rates
• Allow homeowners policies with higher hurricane deductibles
• Permit policyholders to reduce their hurricane deductible if they implement verifiable mitigation measures
• Ensure that insurance companies expedite payments for damages and consider expanding the short-term, no-interest bridge loan program
• Advocate for the federal government to establish a Federal Natural Catastrophe Reinsurance Fund, allow insurers to accumulate tax-deferred reserves for catastrophes, and create "Hurricane Savings Accounts"

Utilize toll revenues to widen & improve expressways

Florida has numerous un-leveraged toll facilities that currently have comparatively low toll rates. These include Sunshine Skyway and Alligator Alley, both part of the interstate system. Florida should examine its existing toll practices and policies and explore opportunities for privatizing roads to help fund needed transportation improvements.

Increase funding for making homes hurricane-resistant

Rated 20% by HSLF, indicating an anti-animal welfare voting record.

112th Mid-Term Humane Scorecard: The Humane Society Legislative Fund has posted the final version of the 2011 Humane Scorecard, where you can track the performance of your federal lawmakers on key animal protection issues during last year. We rated legislators based on their voting behavior on measures such as agribusiness subsidies, lethal predator control, and the Endangered Species Act; their cosponsorship of priority bills on puppy mills, horse slaughter, animal fighting, and chimps in research; their support for funding the enforcement of animal welfare laws; and their leadership on animal protection. All of the priority bills whose cosponsorships we`re counting enjoy strong bipartisan support; in the House, each of the four now has more than 150 cosponsors.

The Humane Scorecard is not a perfect measuring tool, but creating some reasonable yardstick and allowing citizens to hold lawmakers accountable is central to our work. When the Humane Scorecard comes out each year, it helps clarify how the animal protection movement is doing geographically, by party affiliation, and in other categories. It helps us chart our course for animals by seeing where we have been effective, and where we need to improve.

No EPA permits required for forest road runoff.

Congressional Summary:Amends the Clean Water Act to prohibit the EPA from requiring permits for a discharge of stormwater runoff resulting from silviculture activities.

Opponent`s argument against bill: (Evergreen Magazine and Washington Forest Law Center): In Aug. 2010, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled unanimously that polluted stormwater generated by logging roads is subject to regulation under the Clean Water Act. [The ruling meant] that rain runoff from forest roads constituted an industrial (not forestry) activity, which should be considered a `point source` discharge under the CWA. The lawsuit was brought because forest roads have been dumping sediment into rivers that support myriad species of salmon and resident trout, all of which are at risk from the pollution. The ruling will require State agencies to issue permits and ensure that road construction and maintenance practices limit or eliminate such discharges.

In March 2013, the US Supreme Court reversed the Ninth Circuit: permits are not required for stormwater discharges from pipes, ditches and channels along logging roads. [This legislation supports the Supreme Court ruling, against the Ninth Circuit conclusion].

Proponent`s argument for bill: (Press release by sponsors):

Sen. WYDEN (D-OR): `We need a healthy timber industry to provide timber jobs and to do the restoration work that ensures healthy forests. The way to do that is to stop litigating questions that have already been answered.`

Sen. CRAPO (R-ID): `The jobs and economic activities relating to the forest products industry are critical to the Pacific Northwest. The Clean Water Act was not intended to regulate stormwater runoff on forest roads.`

Rep. HERRERA BEUTLER (R-WA): `At the heart of our efforts are the moms and dads employed by healthy, working forests--and passing this law will help make sure they have jobs, and will help make our forests healthy.`

Loosen restrictions on predator control in Alaska.

Library of Congress Summary: This joint resolution nullifies the rule finalized by the Department of the Interior on Aug. 5, 2016, relating to non-subsistence takings of wildlife and public participation and closure procedures on National Wildlife Refuges in Alaska.

Case for voting YES by House Republican Policy Committee: The Fish and Wildlife Service rule--which lays claim to more than 20% of Alaska--violates ANILCA (Alaska National Interest Land Conservation Act) and the Alaska Statehood Compact. Not only does [the existing 2016 rule] undermine Alaska`s ability to manage fish and wildlife upon refuge lands, it fundamentally destroys a cooperative relationship between Alaska and the federal government.

Case for voting NO by the Sierra Club (April 6, 2017):

• President Trump signed H.J. Res. 69, overturning the rule that banned `predator control` on federal wildlife refuges in Alaska unless `based on sound science in response to a conservation concern.`
• Any rule mentioning `sound science` is in trouble under a Trump administration.
• So what kinds of practices will the Trump administration now allow on our federal wildlife refuges? Activities that include shooting or trapping wolves while in their dens with pups, or hunting for grizzly bears from airplanes.
• It`s all about ensuring a maximum yield of prey species like elk, moose, and caribou for the real apex predator: humans. So if having more elk requires killing wolf pups in their dens, then so be it.
• The Obama administration`s rule (which Trump revoked) never tried to stop all hunting. Subsistence hunting was still allowed. What`s changed is that the predators on federal wildlife refuges are now under the control of the state of Alaska. And that makes them prey.