Pointing to ongoing threats to manatees, a U.S. district judge Friday said the state has violated the federal Endangered Species Act in its regulation of wastewater discharges into the Indian River Lagoon. Orlando-based Judge Carlos Mendoza issued a 21-page decision that sided with the environmental group Bear Warriors United, which argued discharges into the waterway along the East Coast led to the demise of seagrass and, as a result, deaths and other harm to manatees.
Environment & Water
Florida Lawmakers Are About to Roll Back Rural Protections in Favor Of Developers. Don’t Let Them.
The Florida Legislature is once again trying to push through legislation that would take away the rights of area citizens and local government to have any voice in the management of rural and agricultural lands. It is crucial that citizens contact their legislative members and demand that these egregious measures be stopped immediately.
What Is an ‘Erosion Control Line’ and Why Is the State About to Set a New One on Flagler County’s Beaches?
Flagler County and state environmental officials are hosting a workshop and hearing Thursday evening in Bunnell that will set a new and perpetual boundary between private properties and state property along the county’s beaches, what is officially referred to as an Erosion Control Line. The new ECL is slated for what’s called Reach Two on the county’s beaches, from North 7th Street in Flagler Beach to the northern limits of Varn Park. Here’s an explanation about what this means.
Rebuffing Conservationists, Fed Officials Will Keep Manatee ‘Threatened,’ Not Endangered
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is expected today to publish a proposed rule that details its reasons for keeping the threatened classification. Meanwhile, the proposed rule would change the classification from threatened to endangered for what are known as Antillean manatees, which are found in Puerto Rico.
Friends of GTM and the GTM Research Reserve Say Thank You
DaleAnn Viger, executive director of Friends at the GTM Reserve, the conservation organization, summed up the organization’s achievements in 2024 in a letter to members and friends.
You, Floridians, Do Not Have a Right to Unpolluted Bodies of Water, 5th District Rules
The Fifth District Court of Appeal, which hears appeals four circuits and 14 counties, including Flagler County, ruled Thursday that although 83% of voters in Titusville approved a 2022 initiative establishing the right to clean water, the city in Brevard County couldn’t enact it because of a 2020 state law preventing local government from giving rights to bodies of water, plants, and animals.
Trial Will Decide Whether Florida’s DEP Violated Endangered Species Act, Causing Manatee Deaths
A federal judge has rejected a state attempt to end a lawsuit stemming from manatee deaths in the Indian River Lagoon and said a trial is needed to determine whether the Florida Department of Environmental Protection has violated the Endangered Species Act. U.S. District Judge Carlos Mendoza issued a 17-page order last week siding with arguments by the environmental group Bear Warriors United that wastewater discharges into the Indian River Lagoon have led to the demise of seagrass and, as a result, the deaths of manatees.
Turtle Shack Cafe in Flagler Beach Sustains ‘Significant’ Damage in Early Morning Fire
Turtle Shack Cafe, the popular Flagler Beach restaurant operating for two and a half decades between 21s and 22nd Street on State Road A1A, was damaged in an early-morning fire, drawing firefighters from across the county. The fire is believed to have started in the kitchen, but is still under investigation by the Flagler Beach fire marshal.
Florida Politicians Owned by Polluters: A Database Helps Show How
Vote Water recently rolled out what it calls its “Dirty Money Project.” It’s a searchable database to track donations to Florida politicians from polluting industries such as Big Sugar and the rest of the agricultural industry, the phosphate miners, the major utilities, the developers and even the sneaky “polluter PACs” — committees that function as cash machines and get significant funding from these industries.
DeSantis Wants to Build Golf Courses and Hotels in Florida’s State Parks
The DeSantis administration has plans to transform Florida’s award winning state parks. One of the worst plans talks of building not one, not two, but three golf courses at Jonathan Dickinson State Park in Hobe Sound. There are plans at the other parks for big motels and pickleball courts and disc golf courses, all of which run completely counter to what our state parks are all about.
Florida Among 25 States Seeking Halt to Biden Rule Restricting Coal-Fired Power Plants
In Florida, coal is no longer a major factor in electricity generation. As 0f 2022, and coal-fired power plants supplied about 6% of the energy supply, down from 36% in 2001, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Attorneys argue that if the Biden administration’s rule is allowed to continue, it will mean that hundreds of megawatts will be forced offline, leading to power shortages during critical weather during the summer and winter.
Florida Is Sitting on $198 Million in Federal EV Money That Could Provide More Chargers
Florida is one of 15 states that won’t allow any companies to apply for $198 million in federal money the state is receiving over the next five years the Biden Administration’s National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Formula Program. The state is doing so on purpose, citing a laundry list of culture-war complaints, such as “Covid tyranny,” as well as criticism of electric vehicles.
Is the Armadillo Spreading Leprosy in Central Florida?
Leprosy remains rare in the United States. But Florida, which often reports the most cases of any state, has seen an uptick in patients. The epicenter is east of Orlando. Brevard County reported a staggering 13% of the nation’s 159 leprosy cases in 2020. Leprosy experts believe armadillos play a role in spreading the illness to people.
Florida Opposes Federal Rule to Limit Power Plants’ Greenhouse Emissions
Florida and two dozen other states Thursday filed a legal challenge to a new U.S. Environmental Protection rule aimed at reducing carbon emissions from power plants. The states filed a petition at the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia that alleged the EPA overstepped its legal authority.
Rest Easy: Florida Law Erases and Bans All References to Climate Change
You probably think Ron DeSantis and the yahoos, grifters, simps, dolts, and dunderheads who populate the Florida Legislature are collectively incapable of solving even one of the bazillion issues facing this state. But the Legislature has figured out how to fix climate change. Your bought-and-paid-for Legislature has delivered a bill that amends Florida statutes to delete all references to climate change. Thanks to them, climate change is gone. Erased. Kaputt. Ya no es. C’est fini.
Youth Climate Activists in Tallahassee Demand ‘Immediate and Bold Action,’ but Lawmakers Aren’t Interested
Youth climate activists gathered on the steps of the Old Capitol building in Tallahassee Wednesday morning with a direct message for state lawmakers: Start taking “immediate and bold action on climate change.” But there’s a quantum distance between what the activists desire and what the GOP-controlled Legislature is actually doing in the 2024 session regarding the issue.
Florida Likes Its Tailpipe Emissions As They Are and Rejects $320 Million in Federal Carbon Reduction Aid
Florida Department of Transportation Secretary Jared Perdue has turned down $320 million in federal money aimed at reducing tailpipe emissions, arguing federal transportation officials are overstepping their authority in the program. Perdue on Nov. 13 notified U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg the state will not participate in the federal Carbon Reduction Program, a five-year, $6.4 billion effort focused on emissions that contribute to global warming.
Florida’s Manatees Should Never Have Been Delisted from Endangered
Six years ago the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service took Florida manatees down a notch on the endangered list, reclassifying them as merely “threatened.” Now, after nearly 2,000 have died over the past few years, the feds say they may put them back on the top of the list. Manatees had previously been on the endangered list longer than since the Endangered Species Act of 1973. They were an entry on the original list issued in 1967.
Should You be Worried About Monster Hurricane Lee? Models and Emergency Chief Say No, But Erosion a Concern
For the last several days, Hurricane Lee, the most powerful storm of the season yet and a potential record-breaker, has been as if making a beeline for Florida, from the middle Atlantic. But models and Flagler County’s emergency management director say the hurricane in five days will make an abrupt turn north well before it comes near the Florida Peninsula. Still, the dangerous storm is expected to cause more erosion on an already weakened Flagler County shore, with hurricane season just beginning to peak.
Hurricane Idalia Makes Landfall as Cat-3 Hurricane; Local Impacts on Flagler Limited, Evacuations Rescinded
After Hurricane Idalia became an “extremely dangerous” Category 4 storm, it made landfall as a Cat-3 in Florida’s Big Bend this morning. Effects on Flagler and Palm Coast are expected to be limited to rain and wind gusts as the storm’s track has shifted north.
The Supreme Court Just Plundered Wetlands Protection
The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled in Sackett v. EPA that federal protection of wetlands encompasses only those wetlands that directly adjoin rivers, lakes and other bodies of water. This is an extremely narrow interpretation of the Clean Water Act that could expose many wetlands across the U.S. to filling and development.
Reclusive, 15-ft Beaked Whale, Likely Sick, Strands in Flagler Beach Near Water Tower
For the second time in only 10 weeks, a rarely seen whale beached on Flagler County’s sands and was put down hours later before it was to be removed from the surf and transported by truck to Orlando’s SeaWorld for a necropsy.
Sea Walls, Granite, Dunes: FDOT Options to Strengthen A1A Are Nothing Flagler Hasn’t Seen Before
Some 150 people, including numerous Flagler Beach and county officials, turned out to see the state Department of Transportation’s four options to more permanently strengthen State Road A1A, with sea walls taking precedence over dune rebuilding. But a combination of the four options is likely ahead.
In ‘Extremely Rare’ Event, Killer Whale Beaches and Dies in Surf Near Hammock Dunes Club
A killer whale was found beached at dawn this morning in the surf opposite Hammock Dunes Club. The female orca was dead. It was being transferred to SeaWorld in Orlando for a necropsy.
Florida Senate Approves $100 Million in Beach Erosion Aid, Part of $750 Million Disaster Relief Bill
The bill includes $100 million for beach-erosion recovery, an amount certain to help boost Flagler County’s prospects for tapping many of those millions as it faces vast challenges on 18 miles of its eroded coast.
Water Management District Now Accepting Cost-Share Project Grant Applications
Through its cost-share programs, the District partners with communities on projects that stretch local dollars to support water resource protection. The application window is open through January 31, 2023.
State Wildlife Crews Will Again Feed Lettuce to Manatees as Pollution and Algae Blooms Deplete Seagrass
During the 2021-2022 winter, 202,000 pounds of lettuce were fed to manatees, with nearly $117,000 spent on the project. Wildlife officials say the public should not feed manatees.
Coalition Calls for Florida Legislative Committee Focused on Climate Change
More than a dozen environmental and community-based organizations are calling on the new leaders of the Florida Legislature to create a special committee to address climate change, saying that the issue is the biggest threat to the state.
Sea Turtles Hatching on Florida Beaches Are Feeling the Heat from Warming Climate
Florida plays an outsize role in the reproduction of loggerheads. Scientists estimate 90 percent of all the Atlantic Ocean’s loggerheads lay their eggs on Florida beaches. Then the ones that hatch here come back years later to lay their own eggs. But something funky is happening on those beaches: male turtles are disappearing.
Florida Voters Reject Additional Property Tax Breaks or Ending Constitutional Revision Commission
Florida voters late Tuesday appeared to have rejected three proposed constitutional amendments that would have provided property-tax breaks and eliminated the state’s Constitution Revision Commission.
By Focusing Only on ‘Resilience,’ Florida’s Governor Ignores Climate Change’s Deadly Heat
“Resilience” is the word politicians use when they mean “climate change is an opportunity for me to hand out lots of big government contracts for construction work that will try to cope with rising sea levels.” But resiliency does nothing to reverse dangerous courses.
Contaminants Found in Oysters in Waters Around Florida
With a new state law addressing the clean-up of chemical compounds that have been widely used by industries, a Florida International University study says the substances have been found in oysters in Biscayne Bay, the Marco Island area and Tampa Bay.
Three Conservation Groups Sue EPA Over Water Quality and Manatee Deaths
The Center for Biological Diversity, Defenders of Wildlife and the Save the Manatee Club filed the lawsuit Tuesday in federal court in Orlando. The groups are seeking to require the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to re-engage in talks with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service about water quality in the Indian River Lagoon, which has been the site of numerous manatee deaths in 2021 and this year.
State Environmental Agency Recycles Same Old Rule Harming Florida’s Springs
The Florida Department of Environmental Protection was ordered in 2016 to fix a rule that’s enabled natural springs to be harmed by the same nutrient pollution that’s been fueling algae blooms in the estuaries, and by all the people and businesses sucking water out of the aquifer to irrigate lawns and golf courses. The new rule is a near-replica of the old one.
Florida Wildlife Officials Clear the Way for 24-Hour Alligator Hunting
Concerns were raised, in part, that the 24-hour proposal would conflict with other outdoor activities, such as bass fishing and duck hunting, and that there is the potential for meat spoiling from alligators harvested during the hottest part of the day.
Florida’s Black Snow: How the Sugar Industry Makes Political Friends and Influences Elections
Florida produces more than half of America’s cane sugar and relies heavily on cane burning, a harvesting method in which the sugar industry burns crops to rid the plants of their outer leaves, producing pollution. Residents in the largely Black and Hispanic communities nearby claim the resulting smoke and ash harms their health. A city commissioner race provides a window into how the industry cultivates political allies, who help protect its interests.
Angela TenBroeck, Marineland Mayor and 4th Generation Farmer, Is Florida Woman of the Year in Agriculture
Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried named Marineland Mayor Angela TenBroeck, an innovator of sustainable and innovative farming techniques, Florida Woman of the Year in Agriculture. TenBroeck is CEO of a 30-acre aquaponics farm in East Palatka and heads the non-profit Center for Sustainable Agricultural Excellence and Conservation.
Florida Wildlife Commission Wants $7 Million to Deal With Record 1,000-Manatee Deaths in State’s Polluted Waters
The state is approaching 1,000 manatee deaths this year, from a population estimated around 8,800, with a large number of the deaths linked to poor water quality along the East Coast. The main cause of the deaths has been starvation, as seagrass beds that are prime foraging areas for manatees in the Indian River Lagoon have declined because of repeated algae blooms over the past decade.
Florida Democrats Unveil Sweeping Energy Plan to Tackle Climate Change, but GOP Support Is Doubtful
A group of Democratic lawmakers unveiled an energy-efficiency plan this week that would reward farmers for conserving energy, assess energy efficiency in state-funded buildings, and create “floating solar” systems – among other projects.
Fried Urges ‘Endangered’ Status for Manatees
State Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried asked the federal government to again list threatened manatees as “endangered,” as Florida has had a record number of manatee deaths this year.
Report Warns of Extreme Heat Ahead as Climate Warms: ‘Florida Is in the Bullseye’
The heat will get much worse, warns the Union of Concerned Scientists in a new climate-focused report titled “Too Hot To Work.” The report says 2 million outdoor workers in Florida, about one-fourth of the workforce, could lose more than $8 billion in annual earnings over the next four decades due to inability to work in increasingly dangerous heat.
Four Years Ago the Trump Administration Said Manatees Weren’t Endangered Anymore. Now They’re Dying in Droves.
Months after Trump’s election in 2017 the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service declared manatees were no longer “endangered” and would be reclassified as “threatened.” Through March 5, 435 Florida Manatees have died, on pace for a year in which total deaths could top 2,000, or roughly a third of the total manatee population.
Agriculture Commissioner Raises Alarms Over EPA Shifting Federal Wetlands Regulations to Florida
Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried, the only statewide elected Democrat, and some environmental groups criticized the decision, saying it will reduce protections for wetlands. They also pointed to the announcement’s timing as Republican President Donald Trump is slated to leave office next month.
Show Support for Manatee and Sea Turtle Conservation With New Decals from the FWC
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is unveiling its new 2020 manatee and sea turtle decals. New editions of these collectible stickers are released every July and are available with a $5 donation online or at your local tax collector’s office.
It’s Bat Mating Time Again: Check Your Home Before Maternity Season
Florida is home to 13 resident bat species, including threatened species such as the Florida bonneted bat. Some bat species roost in artificial structures, including houses and other buildings. It is illegal to harm or kill bats in Florida, so guidelines have been developed to ensure bats are removed safely and effectively outside of the maternity season.
FWC Approves Changes to Spotted Seatrout Rules
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) approved several rule changes for spotted seatrout. Spotted seatrout are one of Florida’s most popular inshore fisheries.
Flagler Beach and Bunnell Will Split $1 Million in Grants To Reduce Sewer Pipe Pollution
Bunnell and Flagler Beach will each receive $500,000 for pollution-reducing sewer-pipe improvements thanks to a pair of grants from the St. Johns River Water Management District Governing Board. The district board approved the two grants at its monthly meeting in Palatka earlier today.
Water Less With Seasonal Focus on Conservation To Sustain Water Supply
The St. Johns River Water Management District has launched a new year-long “Water Less” campaign to help raise awareness about water conservation and to communicate easy ways to integrate outdoor water conservation into our daily lives without sacrificing curb appeal.
In Defeat for Home Rule, Appeals Court Rejects Florida City’s Ban on Styrofoam Containers
Siding with the Florida Retail Federation and upholding the constitutionality of state laws, an appeals court Wednesday rejected a 2016 move by the city of Coral Gables to ban the use of Styrofoam food containers.
Florida Turns to the Public To Solicit Ideas on Fighting Toxic Algae Blooms
The Florida Department of Environmental Protection is formally accepting information through July 15 on ways to prevent, combat or clean up harmful algal blooms in freshwater bodies and estuaries.