The Amelia Island Ritz Carlton provided a pleasant beach side backdrop to the Section's Annual Update. The day and a half program was punctuated by presentations spanning the gamut of environmental and land use practice. Evenings were devoted to entertainment highlighted by the performance of John Hankinson, EPA Region IV Administrator, and his band from EPA known as "The Non-Essentials." John also presented his usually entertaining luncheon address. Another highlight of the luncheon was the presentation of the Bill Sadowski Outstanding Service Award by outgoing Section Chair, Ralph DeMeo, to Mrs. Lawton Chiles in recognition of the late Governor's lifetime of devoted service to the quality of life in this state.

     The program was kicked off by incoming Section Chair, Larry Sellers, and Terrell Arline who provided a synopsis of the last legislative session and their prognostications of things to come. From there the program moved on and touched upon virtually every other topic likely to be encountered by an environmental or land use practitioner, including administrative law, criminal enforcement, environmental justice, UPL & environmental consultants, permitting agencies and programs from water, air, hazardous waste, land use, alternative dispute resolution, state land acquisition and private property rights. New directions for several state agencies reflecting the last election were also discussed by Kirby Green, DEP Deputy Secretary, James Robinson, DCA Assistant Secretary, Teresa Tinker, of the Office of the Governor, and James Antista, General Counsel of the newly created Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. If you were not able to attend this year's Annual Update, the audiotapes of the meeting are the next best thing to being there. For information on how to obtain them, contact the CLE registration department at The Florida Bar.

     The Update was followed by a CLE Committee meeting where plans were made for the following year. Membership on the committee is open to any Section member. Any Section member who would like to participate is encouraged to attend the next CLE committee meeting at the Marriott Westshore in Tampa from 1:30 to 2:00 P.M. on November 4.