Less than four months after Florida’s state lands director abruptly resigned amid a controversy about the state trading away a wildlife preserve, her replacement is also stepping down.
Andrew Fleener, the interim director of state lands within the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, submitted his resignation letter Tuesday.
In it, he said the decision to leave wasn’t made lightly, but it was time to “pursue different endeavors that align with my evolving aspirations.”
The department did not announce a permanent replacement yet for Fleener. Bryan Bradner, a deputy secretary for the agency, told staff in an email that two staffers would help fill the gap until officials name a new director.
Fleener’s departure comes as this year’s state budget, signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis, directed the environmental agency to prioritize the purchase of a waterfront property of less than five acres in Destin for up to tens of millions of dollars, Politico Florida reported. That property was added into the budget on the last day of negotiations at the request of Sen. Jay Trumbull, R-Panama City, according to Politico.
In May, the longtime state lands director, Callie DeHaven, abruptly resigned in a handwritten note as a different contentious land deal drew national attention. State officials proposed trading away 600 acres of the Guana River Wildlife Management Area in northeast Florida to a recently formed private company.
After public outcry, the company scrapped the plans. But DeSantis and state environmental officials have still declined to reveal the identity of the landowner behind the deal.
Person posed as ‘60 Minutes’ producer to hunt for info on Florida land deal
Fleener’s resignation is another sign of upheaval in the Florida Department of Environmental Protection after a year of tumult. Last summer, the Tampa Bay Times revealed secret plans for the state to add golf courses, 350-room hotels and pickleball courts to nine state parks, prompting widespread protests. The state was also considering trading part of a state forest to a luxury golf developer.
In November, the leader of the environmental agency, Shawn Hamilton,announced his departure for a job in the private sector.
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