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Posted: 2024-05-22T17:40:14Z | Updated: 2024-05-22T17:40:14Z

A TV meteorologist in Miami slammed a climate-denying bill signed by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) last week, urging viewers to vote for political candidates who believe that the environment is in peril. (Watch the video below.)

While not mentioning DeSantis by name in a viral clip from Saturdays broadcast, Steve MacLaughlin of NBCs WTVJ noted that the state government was rolling back important climate change legislation ... in spite of the fact that the state of Florida over the last couple of years has seen record heat, record flooding, record rain, record insurance rates, and the corals are dying all around the state.

The entire world is looking to Florida to lead in climate change, the Emmy-winning weather forecaster said. And our government is saying that climate change is no longer the priority it once was. Please keep in mind, the most powerful climate change solution is the one you already have in the palm of your hands the right to vote. And we will never tell you who to vote for, but we will tell you this: We implore you to please do your research and know that there are candidates that believe in climate change and that there are solutions, and there are candidates that dont.

Dont Say Climate Change! As Florida is on fire, under water and unaffordable, our state government is rolling back climate change legislation and language. #nbc6 #climateincrisis @nbc6 @CLEOInstitute @ClimateCentral pic.twitter.com/HDMBhylVFE

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Dont Say Climate Change! As Florida is on fire, under water and unaffordable, our state government is rolling back climate change legislation and language. #nbc6 #climateincrisis @nbc6 @CLEOInstitute @ClimateCentral pic.twitter.com/HDMBhylVFE

Steve MacLaughlin (@SteveMacNBC6) May 19, 2024

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At least one fellow forecaster praised MacLaughlins stance.

This is not an easy statement for a meteorologist to make, as there is a lot of pressure to not wade into these climate waters, Jeff Berardelli , the chief meteorologist at NBC affiliate WFLA in Tampa Bay, wrote on X , formerly Twitter. Big kudos to Steve for being bold and honest.

On May 15, DeSantis signed legislation to deprioritize climate change initiatives while deleting various mentions of climate change in state law. The legislation, which takes effect July 1, also bans offshore wind turbines and loosens regulations on natural gas pipelines.

Were restoring sanity in our approach to energy and rejecting the agenda of the radical green zealots, said DeSantis, a former Republican presidential hopeful.

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