Read Time to end the corporate giveaway of Florida’s water - “Nestlé wants a permit to drain about a million gallons of water a day from the aquifer in North Florida. The company will use it to bottle and sell water under brand names like Deer Park and Zephyrhills. This is an opportune time to remind everyone that Nestlé Waters North America will pay nothing for that water. Zero. The same goes for water bottlers in other parts of the state, including Niagara Bottling. It got a permit back in 2014 to withdraw about 900,000 gallons a day of free groundwater in Lake County, which it also uses to bottle and sell. The request was spectacularly unpopular with the public, but regional water manager approved it anyway. What does Florida gain from this? Local governments collect property taxes and the bottling companies provide some jobs. That’s about all. This state-sanctioned corporate freebie is distinct from other profit-making operations that extract Florida’s other natural resources, like oil, natural gas, sand, gravel and phosphate. They pay a tax for the privilege of using what Florida has. Water producers don’t. The Nestlé permit shows two wells not far from Ginnie Springs, a lovely camping, swimming and diving spot north of Gainesville that flows into the Santa Fe River. But all is not well with Ginnie, or the Santa Fe… If the state insists on allowing out-of-state companies to bottle our water and sell it for a profit across state lines, we ought to at least get paid for it. In 2009, former Gov. Charlie Crist proposed a 6-cent severance tax on each gallon of water the bottling companies take from the ground. That perfectly reasonable idea went nowhere. Neither did a proposal to eliminate the sales tax exemption for bottled water. To summarize, Florida doesn’t tax the producer for taking the water and doesn’t tax the consumer for buying it. It’s as if the state has an unlimited supply of water (it doesn’t). Bottlers argue that water is necessary for life, therefore it should be treated differently. Water from a plastic bottle isn’t the only way to stay alive. The tap works just fine for most people in most circumstances. It’s also much cheaper to buy and it doesn’t produce an empty plastic bottle that — more often than not these days — will end up in a landfill, where it’ll take 400 to 500 years to break down. Florida is willfully allowing itself to get taken to the cleaners…” From the Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board.
Read Spend VW’s diesel money on green technology in Florida - “Imagine getting a $166 million gift to clean up Florida’s vehicle emissions. Well, Florida got its $166 million gift when all 50 states received funds from Volkswagen’s $3 billion settlement with federal authorities over violations of emissions standards in diesel cars. We can’t undo the damage caused by Volkswagen’s illegal polluting, but we have been given the chance to put a down payment on a cleaner transportation system. Last month, Florida finally released its draft spending plan for the $166 million. The release of this plan, drawn up by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), was long overdue. In fact, Florida was the last state to release its spending plan. The public has a 30-day window in which to comment, concluding on Aug. 16. As it stands, the plan leaves much to be desired. The good news? Fifteen percent of the $166 million is going toward electric vehicle charging stations, as announced by Gov. Ron DeSantis, to be installed at Florida’s Turnpike toll plazas. This is a good, commonsense idea that we should be accelerating. But the bad news is that with the rest of the money, we are poised to replace diesel vehicles with more diesel vehicles. A survey indicated that most Floridians want the money spent on school, transit and shuttle buses. The DEP responded by dedicating about 70 percent of funding in the draft plan to bus replacements, but expressed a very clear preference for buying new diesel buses instead of electric ones…” Lori Berman writes Special to the Tampa Bay Times.
Read Florida wants to buy Irma-flooded homes. Is it the start of a retreat from sea rise? - “When Hurricane Irma swept through the Keys, it took Kathy Reitzel’s home and livelihood with it. Nearly six feet of ocean water flooded her concrete slab two-story home. The storm wiped Fishermen’s Community Hospital, where she worked, off the map. It wasn’t Reitzel’s first flood, but if a state program for hurricane relief works out, it’ll hopefully be her last. “I just feel like it’s just a matter of time before something like that happens,” she said. “I don’t want to go through something like this again.” Reitzel wants Florida to buy her flooded house on Big Pine Key and never build another structure there again. Some communities — North Miami, for instance — have bought out flood-prone properties in the past, but this is the first time the state has managed a program of this size that removes once-valuable real estate from the market. Permanently. The threat of rising seas in the most vulnerable state in the nation is only going to increase demand for government buyouts — currently a last-resort option that climate adaption managers, mindful of political push back, call “relocation.” Many activists put it more plainly. They call it retreat from land not worth the cost of saving, or simply beyond saving…” Alex Harris reports for the Tampa Bay Times.
Read Toll road discussion about to get serious - “The question of how or whether a trio of legislative-mandated toll roads will be built is about to be discussed in earnest. That discussion will occur among members of task forces, composed of between 39 and 45 members, who have been appointed for each of the three routes and are scheduled to begin meeting this month. But that’s not the only discussion that needs to occur. Local officials along the roads’ potential routes need to begin now to review their local growth plans and development regulations to make sure they’re prepared for the projects’ impacts. One of the key issues will involve devising ways to make sure adequate safeguards are in place to control the potential for urban sprawl into now rural and sometimes environmentally important conservation lands near whatever interchanges are proposed for the road project in Polk County. This may require coordinating with officials in the nearest cities because officials there could end up by default footing the bill for providing services for new development outside their current service areas. In addition, planners need to work with scientists and representatives of wildlife agencies and environmental organizations to make sure there are provisions in the local growth plan calling for the preservation of any identified wildlife corridors so that the road’s construction does not create barriers that block or fragment key habitat areas. This is particularly important in Polk County because of the existence of a large number of rare and endangered species and its location as a statewide hub for wildlife movement...The projects have been controversial because if the roads are built they have the potential to affect large swaths of remaining rural lands and wildlife corridors in Florida…” Tom Palmer writes for The Ledger.
Read Turnpike task force raises confusion in Marion - “There may be something lost in translation when it comes to Marion County’s desire to have a seat at the table on the state’s Northern Turnpike Connector task force. County officials say they simply wanted a voice in decisions that could affect Marion County. The state, however, now considers Marion County part of the study area for the extension of the turnpike from its northern terminus in Wildwood. In late June, the Florida Department of Transportation unveiled its latest plan to create new state toll roads to accommodate growth and serve as additional evacuation routes in emergencies. Marion County, which last year ardently stood firm against any plan to route a Suncoast Parkway extension through the county and even changed its comprehensive plan to try and avoid similar roads in the future, was off the study-area list for any of the three toll road projects. Now a recently revised state map of the study area includes Marion County among the areas under review for the turnpike extension. Previously, only Levy, Citrus and Sumter counties were on that list. Ann Howard, a spokeswoman with the FDOT, said Marion County is, indeed, now officially part of the study area for the turnpike extension. “By their request, we included them on the Northern Turnpike Connector task force. The County Commission sent a letter to the secretary asking to be included,” Howard said. While Stone was out of the country and not available for comment, Bryant said the purpose of the letter was not for the county to be considered part of the study area. “If we were going to be considered in any way, we wanted to make sure that Marion County had a seat at the table. That’s all there is to it,” she said during Tuesday’s regular commission meeting. She expanded on her comments after the meeting. “We were under the impression we were just on the task force. We wanted to make sure that we were there and apprised of everything that was going on. We wanted to be a watchdog for our community,” Bryant said during an interview. “We did not want to be considered part of the study area…” Carlos E. Medina reports for the Ocala Star Banner.
Read Why Brevard’s proposed moratorium on sewage sludge isn’t enough - “Central Florida has become a dumping ground for South Florida's sewage sludge known as biosolids. Local bans and stricter regulations around Lake Okeechobee have forced much of that sludge to be sent up north, where it is spread as fertilizer on rural lands around the St. Johns River. Brevard County is considering a biosolids moratorium until the Florida Department of Environmental Protection finishes drafting new rules on where and how they can be used. A moratorium is the best we can do locally to address a state issue. But it is a stopgap solution that only pushes the problem elsewhere...Florida will continue to welcome more residents, people will continue to flush their toilets and the byproduct of that will have to go somewhere. There's indication it has been going to the wrong places. Water managers believe biosolids could be behind algae blooms in Lake Washington, the main source of drinking water for Melbourne and other Brevard communities that buy water from the city. Researchers also suspect biosolids are causing higher levels of phosphorus in the lake and Taylor Creek Reservoir in Osceola County, where Cocoa pulls about 30% of its drinking supply...Both Class B and Class AA contain about 5.5% nitrogen and 2.2% phosphorus. Combined, the two produce about 4 million pounds of nitrogen and about 1.5 million pounds of phosphorus. Roderick said Florida's soil already has an overload of phosphorus. "There is no good place in Florida where that's a good place to push (biosolids) to," said Roderick, a former director of Florida Institute of Technology's seawater analysis lab...With the new DEP rules still in the works, it's unclear how much they will help the St. Johns basin, which includes Lake Washington and Taylor Creek. Agency rules that have an economic impact greater than $1 million statewide must be ratified by the Legislature, which will likely be the case with these, Mayfield said. She expects that to happen in the 2020 session starting in January. She has been communicating with the DEP to strengthen what she has seen in early drafts. Among her suggestions is that the St. Johns River Upper Basin be added to the list of prohibited zones for application of biosolids if the agency cannot ensure that can be done in a manner that protects the environment. Mayfield is up against an army of agriculture and industry lobbyists whose job is to make environmental regulations as loose as possible. She and the rest of the Brevard delegation must hold the line and protect the interests of their constituents…” Isadora S Rangel writes Opinion for Florida Today.
Read $2 million water monitoring expansion aims to help pinpoint sources of Florida algae blooms - “For its first three meetings, Florida’s new blue-green algae task force — a team of scientists with a big mission to figure out how to fix the state’s slimy waters — focused on one question: What’s feeding the green, stinky stuff that has repeatedly tainted Lake Okeechobee and rivers on both sides of the state? The experts were concerned that there wasn’t enough water quality data available to tell. Is it fertilizer runoff from the agriculture industry? Leaky septic tanks? A bit of both? How much pollution are we talking about, anyway? On Thursday, state water managers took a major step toward answering those questions, agreeing to significantly expand water quality monitoring and testing in Lake Okeechobee and in the Northern Everglades and its coastal estuaries, including a new network in the Caloosahatchee River, which flows to the Southwest coast. The South Florida Water Management District said it will spend $2 million this year to add testing stations and boost water sampling to provide the task force with better quality data and support the state’s algae-fighting battle. The district said it will increase the number of monitoring stations to 243 from 161 sites, to test water quality across nearly 5.5 million acres, or approximately 8,600 square miles, of Lake Okeechobee and the three watersheds in the northern Everglades. Managers will also sample water twice a month, from just once a month previously, and will test the water for more elements than they did before, including tracking nitrogen at sites where that type of analysis was never conducted…” Adriana Brasileiro reports for
Read Changing climate imperils global food and water supplies, new U.N. study finds - “The world cannot avoid the worst impacts of climate change without making serious changes to the ways humans grow food, raise livestock and manage forests, according to a landmark study Thursday from an international group of scientists. The sprawling report from the U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) examines how land use around the world contributes to the warming of Earth’s atmosphere. But the report also details how climate change is already threatening food and water supplies for humans: turning arable land to desert; degrading soil; and increasing the threat of droughts, floods and other extreme weather that can wreak havoc on crops. It makes clear that although fossil fuel-burning power plants and automobile tailpipes are the largest drivers of climate change, activities such as agriculture and forestry account for an estimated 23 percent of total human-caused greenhouse gas emissions. Four years ago in Paris, world leaders agreed to take aggressive action to keep global warming to “well below” 2 degree Celsius, compared with preindustrial levels. Their aspiration was to limit warming to no more than 1.5 degrees Celsius (the world has already warmed 1 degree). But Thursday’s report, which includes the work of 107 experts from 52 countries, underscores that meeting those goals will require fundamental changes not only to the transportation and energy sectors, but also by cutting emissions from agriculture and deforestation — all while feeding growing populations…” Brady Dennis reports for the Washington Post.
From Our Readers
The information in this section is forwarded to you at the request of some of our readers. Inclusion in this section does not necessarily constitute endorsement by the FCC.
Job Openings:
Director of Conservation - Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary- Audubon Florida
Associate Director - Blair Audubon Visitor Center
Land Stewardship Associate - Indian River Land Trust
Executive Director - Choctawhatchee Bay Estuary Program
Land Management Specialist - Alachua Conservation Trust
Organizing Representative, Red Tide & Wildlands Campaign - Gainesville - Sierra Club
Organizing Representative, Red Tide & Wildlands Campaign - Ft. Myers/Naples - Sierra Club
Staff Attorney - Everglades Law Center
Upcoming Environmental Events:
August 12th - 6:00pm-7:30pm - Escambia-Santa Rosa Solar & Storage Co-op - (Pensacola) - Join us for our August Earth Ethics Environmental Education Series as we welcome Julia Herbst with Florida Solar United Neighbors who will discuss and answer any questions with regards to the Escambia and Santa Rosa Counties Solar & Storage Co-op. Learn more about the co-op by visiting https://www.solarunitedneighbors.org/co-ops/florida/escambia-santa-rosa-county-solar-co-op-2019/. Follow the Facebook event here.
August 13th - 6:00pm-7:30pm - Escambia-Santa Rosa Solar & Storage Info Session - (Gulf Breeze) - Live in Escambia or Santa Rosa County and want to go solar? Now's your chance! Neighbors across the area have formed the Escambia-Santa Rosa Solar + Storage Co-op with the help of Solar United Neighbors to make it easier to save money on the purchase of solar panels and storage solutions, while building a community of local solar supporters. Join for a free information session to learn about solar energy, battery back-up, as well as how the co-op simplifies the process of going solar while providing a discount through its bulk purchasing power. More information and registration here. Address: Tiger Point Park, 1370 Tiger Park Ln, Gulf Breeze, FL 32563.
August 19th - 2:00pm-6:00pm - Orange County Legislative Delegation meeting - (Orlando) - Attend the Orange County Delegation meeting at the Orange County Administration Center, Commission Chambers, 201 South Rosalind Avenue, Orlando, FL 32801. You are encouraged to speak on behalf of Florida’s land, wildlife and water resources! To participate in the delegation meeting, email LD@ocfl.net for an appearance form. Appearance form can also be accessed here. Anyone wishing to speak before the Delegation must fill out a participation form and return it to the office no later than 5:00pm on August 9, 2019. Speakers will also be able to sign up at the Delegation meeting.
August 19th - 7:30pm-8:30pm - Agriculture & Conservation Easements workshop - (Callahan) - Conservation easements can be a profitable way of preserving farms and forestlands, while keeping them in production and in the family. However, there are dozens of easement programs out there, with difficult enrollment procedures and confusing rules for property owners. The UF/IFAS Nassau County Extension office has partnered with the North Florida Land Trust (NFLT) to offer a workshop on understanding how conservation easements work. NFLT's Land Protection Director, Marc Hudson will present their pros and cons, how they preserve agriculture and natural resources and how your property might qualify for one. We'll also give an overview of the various financial incentive programs available. For further questions, please call the Nassau County Extension office at 904-530-6353 or email jdacey@ufl.edu. Refreshments and snacks will be provided. To register (free) click here. UF/IFAS Nassau County Extension, 543350 US Highway 1, Callahan, FL 32011.
August 20th - 5:30pm-7:30pm - Santa Rosa County Legislative Delegation meeting - (Milton) - Attend the Santa Rosa County Delegation meeting at the Santa Rosa County Board of County Commission Chambers, 6495 Caroline St, Milton, FL. To be placed on the agenda for the Santa Rosa County Legislative Delegation meeting please contact Delegation Chairman Jayer Williamson’s Legislative Aide, Sydney Fowler at Sydney.Fowler@myfloridahouse.gov or (850) 995-3698 no later than 5:00 p.m. on August 16.
August 27th - 9:00am-5:00pm - M-CORES Task Force public meeting - (Tampa) - Attend the Multi-Use Corridors of Regional Economic Significance (M-CORES) first public meeting at the Tampa Convention Center Public, 333 S Franklin St, Tampa, FL 33602. Public participation is vital to the M-CORES process, and there are many ways to share your comments or ideas. All three task forces will hold public meetings in their respective corridors. FDOT will also hold community open houses to share progress and gather input. Staff will be available at each open house to answer questions and receive comments. Check the Calendar of Events for upcoming meetings in your area. Sign up today to receive news, notices of upcoming M-CORES meetings and more.
August 27th-28th -Florida Panhandle Forests & Drinking Water Workshop - (Apalachicola) - Join the Florida Forest Service & Workshop Planning Team for a tour and workshop of the Apalachicola Estuary and Tate’s Hell State Forest to learn about the connection between healthy forests and clean water. The tours begin at 1pm on the 27th, starting at Tate’s Hell State Forest, and ending with a boat tour of the Apalachicola Estuary. The workshop begins Wednesday August 28th at 8:00am at the Apalachicola National Estuarine Research Reserve Nature Center in Eastpoint. The workshop agenda includes both presentations and group discussion sessions. The primary goal is for participants to leave the meeting with tangible “next steps” to accelerate community-based watershed stewardship and protection throughout the Florida Panhandle. Lunch will be included at the August 28th Workshop. For additional information and registration, visit the Eventbrite site here.
August 29 - 5:30pm-7:30pm - Okaloosa County Legislative Delegation meeting - (Shalimar) - Attend the Okaloosa County Delegation meeting at the Okaloosa County Commission Chambers, Suite 100 1250 N Eglin Parkway Shalimar, FL 32579. You are encouraged to speak on behalf of Florida’s land, wildlife and water resources! Stay tuned for contact information and speaker request forms.
September 5th - 9:00am - Sumter County Legislative Delegation meeting - (Wildwood) - Attend the Sumter County Delegation meeting at The Villages Sumter County Service Center, Room 102, 7375 Powell Road, Wildwood, FL 34785. You are encouraged to speak on behalf of Florida’s land, wildlife and water resources! To be placed on the agenda, or to submit information on local bill requirements, please call State Representative Brett T. Hage's office at (352)-315-4445. Please do so by Tuesday, September 3rd, 2019 by 4:00pm. This is an open public meeting.
September 9th - 9:00am - Sarasota County Legislative Delegation meeting - (Sarasota) - Attend the Sarasota County Delegation meeting at the Sarasota County Administration Building, First Floor/Commission Chambers, 1660 Ringling Blvd, Sarasota FL 34236. You are encouraged to speak on behalf of Florida’s land, wildlife and water resources! Interested parties wishing to be placed on the agenda should contact GeeDee Kerr in Senator Gruters’ office at kerr.geedee@flsenate.gov as soon as possible but no later than 5:00pm on September 3, 2019 2019. Written presentations will be limited to 3 pages (can be 2-sided) per organization. All materials must be submitted electronically and in Word format.
September 12th - 10:00am- Martin County Legislative Delegation meeting - (Stuart) - Attend the Martin County Delegation meeting at the Indian River State College Chastain Campus, Wolf Technology Center, 2400 SE Salerno Road, Stuart, FL 34997. You are encouraged to speak on behalf of Florida’s land, wildlife and water resources! To participate in the delegation meeting, email Joey Planz at Joey.Planz@MyFloridaHouse.gov for an appearance form. Participation form can also be accessed here. Anyone wishing to speak before the Delegation must fill out a participation form and return it to the office no later than noon on September 2, 2019.
September 15th - 2:00pm-4:30pm - Sustainable Banking/Investing 101 - (St. Petersburg) - Most large banks and many investment funds profit off of fossil fuel expansion. But it doesn't have to be that way! Come learn how to green up your finances with the Suncoast Sierra Club. 2pm-3pm: Sustainable Banking/Q&A 3pm-4pm+: Sustainable Investing/Q&A*Snacks provided*. Visit the Facebook event page here for more information.
September 23rd - 2:00pm-3:30pm - Union County Legislative Delegation meeting - (Lake Butler) - Attend the Union County Delegation meeting at the Lake Butler City Commission Chamber, 200 SW 1st St., Lake Butler, FL 32054. You are encouraged to speak on behalf of Florida’s land, wildlife and water resources! To participate in the delegation meeting, email Rep. Payne’s office at Tammy.Still@myfloridahouse.gov before 3:00pm September 19.
September 23 - 4:30pm-6:30pm - Bradford County Legislative Delegation meeting - (Starke) - Attend the Bradford County Delegation meeting at the Bradford County Commission Chamber, County Courthouse, 945 N Temple Ave, Starke, FL 32091. You are encouraged to speak on behalf of Florida’s land, wildlife and water resources! To participate in the delegation meeting, email contact Rep. Payne’s office at Tammy.Still@myfloridahouse.gov before 3:00pm September 19th.
September 23 - 2:00pm-4:00pm - Citrus County Legislative Delegation meeting - (Inverness) - Attend the Citrus County Delegation meeting at the Citrus Board of County Commissioners’ Chamber Room, Citrus County Court House, 110 N. Apopka Avenue, Inverness, FL. You are encouraged to speak on behalf of Florida’s land, wildlife and water resources! To participate in the delegation meeting, email Adele Hembree at Adele.Hembree@myfloridahouse.gov before September 2nd to request an appearance form.
September 23 - 1:30pm - Desoto County Legislative Delegation meeting - (Arcadia) - Attend the Desoto County Delegation meeting at the DeSoto County Commission Board Room, 201 East Oak Street, Arcadia, FL 34266. You are encouraged to speak on behalf of Florida’s land, wildlife and water resources! Email Anne Bell for additional information Anne.Bell@myfloridahouse.gov.
September 25 - 2:00pm-6:00pm - Brevard County Legislative Delegation meeting - (Cape Canaveral) - Attend the Brevard County Delegation meeting at the Canaveral Port Authority Commission Room, 445 Challenger Road, Cape Canaveral FL 32920. You are encouraged to speak on behalf of Florida’s land, wildlife and water resources! To participate in the delegation meeting, email complete the Appearance Request Form here before 5:00pm September 10th. For more information, email Lindsey Swindle at Swindle.Lindsey@flsenate.gov.
September 25 - 2:00pm-4:00pm - Putnam County Legislative Delegation meeting - (Palatka) - Attend the Putnam County Delegation meeting at the Board of County Commissioners Board Room, 2509 Crill Ave, Suite 200, Palatka FL 32177. You are encouraged to speak on behalf of Florida’s land, wildlife and water resources! Stay tuned for contact information and speaker request forms.
September 30th - October 2nd- Public Land Acquisition & Management (PLAM) Partnership 2019 Conference - (St. Augustine) - The Florida Department of Environmental Protection is proud to announce the Public Land Acquisition and Management (PLAM) Partnership Conference. This statewide conference focuses on public land acquisition and management issues in Florida. PLAM has typically been hosted on a rotating basis by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and the five water management districts. The conference will be held at the World Golf Village Renaissance Resort (500 S Legacy Trail, St. Augustine, FL 32092). WHO SHOULD ATTEND: Local, regional, state, federal, non-profit and private land managers; Land acquisition specialists and agents; Water managers; Engineers, planners, attorneys, surveyors, appraisers, architects; Public officials; Non-profit groups; Consultants; Others interested in conservation land planning. Registration coming soon. For more information, click here.
October 3rd - 9:00am-12:00pm - Palm Beach County Legislative Delegation meeting - (West Palm Beach) - Attend the Palm Beach County Delegation meeting at the Norton Museum of Art, 1450 Dixie Hwy, West Palm Beach FL 33401. You are encouraged to speak on behalf of Florida’s land, wildlife and water resources! To be placed on the official agenda of a Delegation hearing, presenters must have completed a Participation Request Form and have submitted all printed materials to the delegation office by Noon, seven (7) business days prior to the scheduled hearing. Fifteen (15) copies of printed material should be submitted to be included in the Members’ hearing folders. Anyone interested in addressing the Legislative Delegation at a Public Hearing should call the Delegation Office at 561-355-3452 or email vnowlan@pbcgov.org. The deadline for submission of local bills to the Delegation Office is September 20, noon. Click here for the Hearing Information Sheet for the 2020 session for instructions on how to be placed on the official agenda and/or the presenter request form.
October 9th - 1:30pm - Lake County Legislative Delegation meeting - (Leesburg) -Attend the Lake County Delegation meeting at the Paul P. Williams Fine Arts Auditorium, Lake-Sumter State College, 9501 U.S. Highway 441, Leesburg, FL 34788. You are encouraged to speak on behalf of Florida’s land, wildlife and water resources! To participate in the delegation meeting, complete the public speaker request form here before September 18th. Email Rachel Barnes for additional information: BARNES.RACHEL@flsenate.gov.
October 9th - 4:00pm- Nassau County Legislative Delegation meeting - (Yulee) - Attend the Nassau County Delegation meeting at the Nassau County Commission Chambers, 96135 Nassau Place, Yulee, Florida 32097. You are encouraged to speak on behalf of Florida’s land, wildlife and water resources! Stay tuned for contact information and speaker request forms.
October 10th - 6:30pm-8:30pm - Follow the Ichetucknee - (Lake City) - Mark your calendars now for an informal celebration of the Ichetucknee at Halpatter Brewing Company, 264 NE Hernando Avenue, Lake City, Florida 32055. Admission is free! You'll enjoy: Viewing new and newly scored videos about the Ichetucknee by collaborators Eric Flagg and Michael Amish; Meeting directors and members of the Ichetucknee Alliance; Socializing with people who love the Ichetucknee; Tasting craft beer and munching on pizza; Exploring our interconnections with the aquifer, the Ichetucknee, and each other; Finding out what you can do to help restore, protect and preserve the Ichetucknee. We are thrilled that the generous proprietors of Halpatter have offered their venue for this event. Please share this information with anyone you know who might be interested. There's also information about this event on our Facebook page here.
October 10th - 2:30pm - Clay County Legislative Delegation meeting - (Green Cove Springs) -Attend the Clay County Delegation meeting at the Clay County Commission Chambers, 477 Houston St. Green Cove Springs, FL 32043. You are encouraged to speak on behalf of Florida’s land, wildlife and water resources! To participate in the delegation meeting, complete the public speaker request form here before 3:00pm October 8th. Email Tammy Still for additional information: Tammy.Still@myfloridahouse.gov.
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Petitions
Stop South Florida's Sewage Sludge from Polluting the St. Johns River!
Stop Giving Away Florida’s Water
Save Lake County-Say NO to the Round Lake Road Extension
Save the Heritage Trees at Martin Luther King Jr. Park - Winter Park
Thinking of going electric? Nextcar Pledge
Save the Serenova Tract in Pasco – Say NO to the Ridge Road Extension
Protect Florida’s Gulf Coast from Offshore Drilling
Stop New Phosphate Strip Mining in Florida
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