Sen. Bennett boosts bill that eliminates environmental permit requirements for smaller construction projects

Rick Tschantz, staff attorney for Hillsborough County's Environmental Protection Commission, calls the bill "Terrible."

One provision in the bill says any project involving up to 40 acres would no longer need any local or state environmental permits, so long as the plans were signed and sealed by a professional engineer.

"A lot of subdivisions and strip shopping centers would fall under that" 40-acre limit, Tschantz said. But bill supporter Sen. Thad Altman, R-Viera, a contractor, said it just means ``the governmental entities are honoring the professionalism of those who submit the plans.''

"What we're trying to do is speed up the process so we can get people back to work,'' said Bennett, an electrical contractor.

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