South Florida Water Management District
Gov. Ron DeSantis was in Martin County Tuesday to talk about python hunting, but briefly addressed the proposed Southland “Water Resource Project” (rock mine) in response to a reporter’s question. “Our Department of Environmental Protection is not going to allow…
Last week we reported on a new study showing Lake O is the dirtiest lake in America; we had our doubts about the methodology but agree that the lake has big problems — which are going to require big fixes. Now, “official”…
We’ve recounted many times how Gov. DeSantis came into office with a bang, replaced the entire South Florida Water Management District Governing Board, appointed red tide and blue-green algae task forces and set about securing massive funding for Everglades restoration.…
UPDATE: In our Aug. 28 newsletter we noted that while the Southland Water Resource Project (the EAA rock mine) faces a legal challenge over its FDEP permit, the “water resources” aspect of the project hasn’t even begun the South Florida Water…
The Florida DEP planned to issue an Environmental Resource Permit (ERP) for the first phase of the Southland Water Resource Project project this week; but on Monday the Everglades Law Center filed a legal challenge to halt the project, acting…
Barring some legal challenge, the Florida DEP (“Don’t Expect Protection”) is scheduled to issue its permit for Phase 1 of the Southland rock mine project on Aug. 11 — and the one person who can stop it, Gov. Ron DeSantis,…
At the May 10 South Florida Water Management District Governing Board meeting, member Ben Butler said he’s heard “numerous concerns” about the district’s use of herbicides. Butler, manager of the family-owned dairy farm Butler Oaks Farm north of Lake Okeechobee,…
The Southland rock mine proposal, on 8,600 acres of Palm Beach County farmland owned by US Sugar and Okeelanta Corp. (Florida Crystals), has been sailing through the county and state approval process. But at the South Florida Water Management District…
Even as opponents of the Southland rock mine (including VoteWater’s Gil Smart, above) were gathered in Belle Glade last Thursday to speak out on the proposal, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection issued a “Notice of Intent” to issue the…
Below is the text of VoteWater Executive Director Gil Smart’s comments during the May 22 Palm Beach County Board of County Commissioners meeting, where commissioners approved the Southland rock mine rezoning request. Smart will also speak against the rock mine…