In this episode of theFlorida Specifier Podcast, Brett Cyphers is joined by editor-in-chief Patrick Gillespie and editorial board member Jeff Littlejohn for a lively conversation that dives into Florida’s finalized state budget, line-item vetoes, and what it all means for environmental funding—particularly water quality grants and Everglades restoration. Special guest Jamie Sheehan, Conference Director of the Environmental Permitting Summer School (EPSS), joins the crew to give a behind-the-scen...
Jul 09, 2025•21 min
In this episode of the Florida Specifier Podcast , hosts Brett Cyphers and Ryan Matthews are joined by editorial board members Jeff Littlejohn and Patrick Gillespie for a dynamic roundtable conversation that blends policy insight with candid storytelling. As Florida approaches a new fiscal year, the team tackles the looming uncertainty surrounding the state budget. With the House and Senate still at odds—particularly over proposed tax cuts—the possibility of a special session and even a budget v...
May 28, 2025•36 min
In this episode of the Florida Specifier Podcast , hosts Brett Cyphers and Ryan Matthews are joined by fellow members of the Florida Specifier editorial board: Jeff Littlejohn and Patrick Gillespie. Together, they dive into the fast-moving first week of Florida’s legislative session, analyzing the impact of delayed committee meetings, the challenges of processing nearly 1,800 filed bills, and the likelihood of fewer than 225 bills making it to the governor’s desk. The discussion highlights key e...
Mar 12, 2025•26 min
In this episode, Ryan and Brett get to catch up with 5th generation Floridian, former President of the Florida Senate, and Florida’s 13th Commissioner of Agriculture – Wilton Simpson. They discuss the state of agriculture in Florida today; the massive reach of the Department’s responsibilities; the tremendous work of Department staff in helping hurricane preparedness and recovery, as well as wildfire prevention and firefighting; and the importance of the Rural and Family Lands Protection program...
Feb 26, 2025•24 min
In this episode of the Florida Specifier Podcast, Ryan and Brett speak with Brewster Bevis, CEO of AIF, from the AIF Water Forum. This event, held annually for the past six years, brings together legislators and environmental leaders to discuss Florida's most pressing water issues. Brewster shares the origins of the Water Forum and its evolution into a key platform for addressing water challenges faced by businesses, agriculture, and citizens in Florida. They also discuss the importance of educa...
Feb 19, 2025•8 min
In this episode, Patrick, Ryan, and Brett get together to discuss the January/February issue of the Specifier. They talk about the upcoming legislative session; their favorite articles; Upcoming environmental events around the state; and some upcoming Specifier and Water for Fighting podcast episodes, including one featuring a Ryan and Brett interview with Florida’s Agriculture Commissioner, Wilton Simpson. To read the Specifier online (where we hope you’ll subscribe if you haven’t already), go ...
Jan 15, 2025•24 min
In this episode, Brett takes the show on the road without Ryan to moderate a discussion at the One Water Summit in Winter Haven. His conversation partners included Lynn Spivey, the City of Plant City Utilities Director; David MacIntyre, the President of AquaSciTech Consulting; and Frank Bernardino, Partner Ameritus with Anfield Consulting. They discuss the definition of One Water; how the regulatory structure of water in Florida may be exacerbating its resource issues; what’s missing in how envi...
Dec 18, 2024•1 hr 23 min
Ryan and Brett continue their look back at the Environmental Permitting Summer School through the eyes of its founders and supporters – both past and present – to provide a snapshot of who they are; what they do; why they’ve continued their support over the years; and what the conference means to them. This volume begins with Fred Aschauer and Robert Williams from Lewis, Longman, and Walker. They talk about the difference between attending the conference from within government and from the priva...
Dec 11, 2024•24 min
In this special episode, released under the Water for Fighting as well as the Florida Specifier banner, Brett gets to sit down with Bartow’s favorite son, Adam Putnam. At the time he served, Punam was the youngest person ever to be elected to the Florida House of Representatives at barely twenty-two years old. He would go on to serve as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives for five terms, becoming the 3rd ranking member of that body, and he was elected statewide as Florida’s 11th Commis...
Dec 04, 2024•1 hr 15 min
In this episode, a Patrick-less Florida Specifier editorial board is back in the lead up to the holiday season to discuss the November/December issue of the Specifier. They provide a rundown on the post-election leadership changes at the state level and what that may mean for the upcoming legislative session; give their best predictions on the fate of 404 wetland permitting assumption and Waters of the U.S. policy and legal wrangling under a new federal administration; celebrate the 75th anniver...
Nov 27, 2024•20 min
Ryan and Brett continue their look back at the Environmental Permitting Summer School through the eyes of its founders and supporters – both past and present – to provide a snapshot of who they are, what they do, why they’ve continued their support over the years; and what the conference means to them. This episode begins with Mark Thomasson from National Stormwater Trust. He discusses the difference between attending the conference from within government and from the private sector; the panel p...
Nov 20, 2024•20 min
In this first of five special editions of the Florida Specifier Podcast, Ryan and Brett take a look back at the Environmental Permitting Summer School through the eyes of its founders and supporters – both past and present – to provide a snapshot of who they are; what they do; why they’ve continued their support over the years; and what the conference means to them. This volume begins with the Florida Chamber of Commerce’s Frank Walker, whose organization is a founding and continuing sponsor of ...
Oct 23, 2024•32 min
In this episode, the Florida Specifier’s editorial board is back during the “quiet season” to discuss the September/October issue of the Specifier. Ryan gives the rundown on the Legislative Budget Request (LBR) and grants processes; Jeff gives an update on Florida’s legal wrangling with the federal government regarding Ch. 404 assumption; Brett directs readers’ attention to the federally mandated triennial water quality standards review and rulemaking at the Florida Department of Environmental P...
Sep 11, 2024•19 min
In this episode, Ryan and Brett sit down with Spencer Tuell of Gulf Coast Underground to discuss his work in the Gulf Coast, see what he did there, on municipal infrastructure and the work that GCU does to improve aging wastewater pipelines. Spencer and GCU have worked extensively in Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana, and now Florida. Spencer discusses the updated technology that will allow communities to improve lateral lines, mains, and other pipes without significant digging or disruption to ro...
Sep 04, 2024•21 min
In this episode, Ryan and Brett host David Rathke and Pepper Uchino to talk about their work and the upcoming 3rd Annual Florida Resilience Conference, taking place from September 11-13. David is the Executive Director of Resiliency Florida, and Pepper is the Executive Director of the Florida Shore and Beach Preservation Association. Together, their organizations have teamed up to put on one of the most interesting and impactful conferences in the state. They discuss the growing scope of the res...
Aug 21, 2024•24 min
In this episode, Ryan and Brett sit down at the Environmental Permitting Summer School to record with one of Florida’s premier experts in bioremediation, Nick Albergo, P.E., DEE, WRE, FASCE, FEWRI. Nick is a Professional Engineer who serves as a Senior Advisor to GHD Services, and also serves on the engineering faculty at the University of South Florida. He has been a pioneer in his field, including holding patents in the area of bioremediation and authoring or co-authoring over 185 publications...
Aug 14, 2024•36 min
In this episode, Ryan, Brett, Jeff, and Pat get together and talk about the Environmental Permitting Summer School in Marco Island, now in its 38th year. They talk tips for a better time while you’re there, such as some breakout sessions that are anticipated to be particularly interesting, and some nearby restaurants worth checking out. They also discuss Florida’s budget; the statewide stormwater rule ratification; and legal wrangling around ‘waters of the United States.’ To read the Specifier o...
Jul 15, 2024•29 min
In this episode, Ryan and Brett take a trip down Memory Lane and wind up sitting down with water quality innovators, Mark Merkelbach and Vince Seibold with Sustainable Water Infrastructure Group (SWIG) to take a glimpse back on the original Florida Specifier article from 2020; how they got their start; the risk and reward of getting paid for performance, not by the project; and some other projects besides that famous one on Doctor’s Lake. We even get a preview of how they’re expanding their reac...
Jun 12, 2024•30 min
In this episode, the Florida Specifier’s prodigal son, Ryan, is back with editorial board to discuss the May/June issue of the Specifier; the recent wild weather in north Florida; how the state anxiously awaits Governor DeSantis’ action on the budget; the Specifier’s evolving role in bringing breaking news and analysis as events happen; Jeff’s much-anticipated picks of the issue; and of course, how you can support and get involved and support the Specifier at the upcoming Environmental Permittin...
May 22, 2024•35 min
In this episode, a Ryan-less Specifier editorial board discusses Florida’s recently passed budget and its increased focus on water and environmental programs; the ratification of the statewide stormwater rule; the opening of Florida rules regarding Water Quality Credit Trading (WQCT) and Water Quality Enhancement Areas (WQEA); what the latest legal wrangling around 404 wetlands permitting means for the future; and of course, a sneak peek of the upcoming Environmental Permitting Summer School in ...
Apr 17, 2024•28 min
In this episode, Ryan and Brett get together to talk the 2024 Legislative Session now that it’s just over halfway over. They discuss some environmental bills making their way through the process including the ratification of the Statewide Stormwater Rule (HB 7053/SB 7040); a mitigation and water quality improvement bill (HB 1073/SB 1532, by Truenow/Brodeur); and of course, the budget. If you’re curious about the budget process and why your favorite project is successful, or doomed to failure, yo...
Feb 14, 2024•24 min
In this episode, the Florida Specifier’s Editorial Board gets together to talk about the January/February issue of the paper. Patrick, Ryan, Jeff, and Brett cover a range of topics including the ongoing legislative session; the brewing state budget negotiations; the status of statewide stormwater rule ratification; their picks for favorite articles; and Jeff’s favorite topic – the Rice’s Whale. To read the Specifier online (where we hope you’ll subscribe if you haven’t already), go here: https:/...
Jan 24, 2024•20 min
In this episode, Ryan and Brett complete the third in a series of conversations with the experts from Dewberry; this time discussing what happens before, during, and after large storm events and how to be prepared for the worst. To talk them through the complicated maze of emergency preparation and response, they welcomed Stephanie Marsh and Trevor Noble to the show. Trevor brought his real-life experience working in government Public Works and Utilities Departments to talk about how Dewberry wo...
Jan 10, 2024•29 min
In this episode, Ryan and Brett take a trip down memory lane to a conversation they had with Representative Bobby Payne back in July. They discuss how the Representative got into state politics; what his philosophy of playing as a team has brought to his time in the Legislature so far; and how he became the “Water Guy” in the House of Representatives. Payne even discussed how a good idea can get submarined by a lack of information. Ryan gets the Representative to take a look forward at the futur...
Dec 20, 2023•17 min
In this episode, Ryan and Brett recorded their second conversation with a friend from Dewberry at the AIF Water Forum in Tampa where they get into the subject of working with smaller communities to meet the physical and regulatory demands of the present and future. Their old friend, and Dewberry’s own, Lisa Kelley shares some of her time and expertise to talk through her approach to the challenges of the day, and the days to come. She discusses her approach to problem solving; how she brings her...
Dec 13, 2023•17 min
