August, the official start of this Section’s new year, is also becoming a month that is all too frequently associated with nature’s fury. Andrew, Charley and now Katrina. Who would have imagined that the small hurricane that was threatening to come ashore in Miami during the Section’s Annual Update would grow into a monster causing so much devastation. The aftermath of this storm truly underscores the sometimes fickle power of the environment over the use of land.

     It is my sincere hope, and I am sure my fellow Executive Council members agree, that by the time this article is published, some sense of normalcy or at least a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel will be available to the residents of the storm ravaged Gulf Coast. I would encourage each section member to consider how you might be able to help, and to do so.

     Your Executive Council also considered how it might be able to provide help that might not otherwise be available. A veritable torrent of e-mails, culminated in a special meeting on Tuesday, September 6th, at which meeting your Council decided to focus its efforts on providing assistance to the New Orleans area law students and law faculty who will have to relocate to other law schools until such time as their schools can resume classes. An ad hoc committee, chaired by Mary Hansen, was created to act as a clearinghouse to connect the needs identified by the Florida law school deans with suitable offers of assistance. With at least 150 students expected to relocate to Florida law schools, these students will most assuredly have basic needs that will need to be attended to such as housing, transportation, clothing, school supplies and living expenses. The Council also voted unanimously to establish a $5,000.00 discretionary fund that can be used to provide direct assistance to law school students in need when it appears that all other forms of assistance have been exhausted. In addition, the Council voted to make a direct contribution by the Section to the American Red Cross.

     This year also promises to be one of transition for the Section’s Treatise on Florida Environmental and Land Use Law. The current three-volume set encompasses an up-to-date overview of virtually every facet of environmental and land use law of interest to a Florida practitioner. Preparation, review, proofreading and updating has involved countless volunteer hours by the authors, virtually all of whom are members of this Section, and Section member editors. Nevertheless, it has remained a very much under-utilized resource. All of this should change with the plan to make the treatise available on the Internet for Section members and to non-Section members on a fee basis. Like the old green books which it replaced, I am sure that once its readership increase, it too will be recognized as the single authoritative source on Florida environmental and land use law.

     For those of you who may have an interest in certification, I am pleased to report that the Florida Bar’s Board of Legal Specialization and Education approved the certification program in “State, Federal and Administrative Law”. Keith Rizzardi, who has worked tirelessly on this matter as a member of the Government Lawyer Section, also serves on our Executive Council. Our Section offered its support to this endeavor by establishing a committee, chaired by Past Chair Bob Fingar, to offer comments and assist Keith and his committee with their proposal. The Florida Bar encourages members of the Bar to seek certification, and I would encourage our many members who practice in these areas to consider seeking certification under this program once it is implemented fully.

     The Section has always taken pride in its CLE programs and this year is no exception. One program, currently in the works, that warrants some advance notice is a proposed one-day program in Washington, D.C. in April of next year. The current proposal is a half-day session at the Environmental Protection Agency and a half-day session at the Department of the Interior. The Capitol is always at its nicest, at that time of year, and I suspect that if the cherry trees aren’t in bloom, the tulips will be. Since out-of-state travel often requires advance calendar arrangements and travel plans, I would encourage all of our Section members to keep an eye out for more information on this program as it is finalized.

     We are also most fortunate to be served by an energetic and enthusiastic group of affiliate members. The chairman of our affiliates, Neil Hancock, will continue the active involvement of our affiliate members with Section activities. The attorney/affiliate mixers which have been held throughout the State have been especially successful. More of these are promised for the coming year and announcements about them will be forthcoming.

     I am sure that during the course of the year that there will be many opportunities for those of you to become more involved with the Section. Not only does the Section have standing committees that are always in need of help, but ad hoc committees that arise on an as-needed basis. The Section is always glad to have new faces on board. If serving the Section interests you, please feel free to call me or send me an e-mail. The coming year will most assuredly be an interesting one and I look forward to serving you.