Florida Legislature lets local governments make their own fertilizer rules, bans again

Florida cities and counties once again may pass new fertilizer ordinances and strengthen existing ones, including summer rainy season bans, since the Legislature did not extend a one-year moratorium on such home rule.

Lawmakers took no action on the moratorium during the 2024 January-March legislation session, after enacting the controversial moratorium in what critics called a "sneak attack" during the 2023 March-May legislative session.

In February, a coalition of 57 elected officials from municipalities that already had enacted local fertilizer ordinances urged lawmakers to let the moratorium expire, according to a letter they sent to Gov. Ron DeSantis, Senate President Kathleen Passidomo and House Speaker Paul Renner.

"As leaders charged with protecting our constituents, keeping Florida’s waterways clean is a top priority," the letter reads. "Water quality is of utmost importance to our health, our environment and our economy. From the beaches to the bays, Florida’s tourism industry and local businesses require clean water."