Before Marco Island.
Before the summer sun.
Before the “Summer School” nickname ever stuck…
The Environmental Permitting Short Course began in January 1985 at the Florida State Conference Center in Tallahassee. Billed as an intensive training event for attorneys, engineers, consultants, developers, and agency staff, the program was designed to help professionals navigate Florida’s increasingly complex web of environmental laws and permitting procedures.
And the timing couldn’t have been more significant.
In 1985, Florida passed its landmark Growth Management Act, ushering in a new era of state and local planning coordination. With environmental permitting expanding rapidly across stormwater, water use, hazardous waste, and wetlands regulation, Chuck Littlejohn and the Florida Chamber brought together the state’s top experts to help translate policy into practice.
1985: The First Environmental Permitting Short-Course
Held January 16–17, 1985
Location: Florida State Conference Center, Tallahassee
Participants selected from 16 technical sessions, including:
- Development of Regional Impact Review Process
- Groundwater Discharge Permits
- Stormwater Permits
- Consumptive Use Permits
- Solid and Hazardous Waste Regulations
- Case Studies of Major Residential Development and Major Industrial Expansion
- 1985 Legislative Forecast Panel – with Vicki Tschinkel, Wade Hopping, Bob Rhodes and Charles Lee
Moderator and Featured Speakers:
Wade Hopping, Moderator for general sessions and evening presentations
Victoria Tschinkel, Secretary of the Florida Department of Environmental Regulation
John DeGrove, Secretary of the Florida Department of Community Affairs and architect of Florida’s Growth Management framework
1986: Environmental Permitting Short-Course
Held January 15–17, 1986
Location: Center for Professional Development, Florida State University
The course expanded to 22 sessions covering newly emerging permitting issues like:
- 1986 Legislative Forecast Pane Discussion – with Steve Metz, Vicki Tschinkel, Elton Gissendanner, Tom Lewis, Charles Lee, Jim Wolf, Senator George Stuart, and Representative James Ward
- Coastal Construction Permits
- Local Comprehensive Planning
- Public Drinking Water System Permits
- Regulation of Farming & Forestry
- State Sovereign Lands and Aquatic Preserves
- Two New Case Studies (Major Coastal Development + Regional Shopping Center)
Moderator and Featured Speaker:
- Jay Landers – Moderator
- Representative Jon Mills, Luncheon Speaker
- Then-Majority Leader of the Florida House of Representatives and incoming House Speaker (1987–88). Mills had recently played a leading role in passing major water quality and growth legislation.
We’re collecting stories, quotes, and photos to spotlight in future weekly posts
and on-site at the 2026 event.