South Florida Water Management District

Legal challenge filed to halt Big Sugar’s rock mine

August 13, 2025

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…

Rock mine could get DEP permit Aug. 11 unless ‘Everglades Governor’ steps in

August 8, 2025

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,…

Deep Dive into herbicides: Can Florida cut back on all the spraying?

August 7, 2025

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,…

HUGE questions about Southland rock mine at SFWMD meeting

June 6, 2025

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…

Big Sugar’s rock mine gets key DEP permit; but is there a ‘public benefit?’

June 3, 2025

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…

VoteWater’s testimony against Southland rock mine

May 27, 2025

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…

What’s a lobbyist doing on the SFWMD Governing Board?

April 24, 2025

Last week we raised questions about two new members of the South Florida Water Management District Governing Board, because newbies Thomas Hurley and Robert Spottswood Jr., are both developers. This week we raise concerns about an EXISTING SFWMD board member…

Back to the bad old days with DeSantis picks for SFWMD board

April 16, 2025

When Gov. Ron DeSantis came into office in 2019 one of the first things he did was dismiss the sitting South Florida Water Management District Governing Board and appoint a new slate. No longer was the board dominated by special…

How will Florida SPB 7002 affect Everglades spending?

February 20, 2025

A bill was filed last week in the Florida Senate that could be seen as a “good government” bill. It could also be seen as an attempt to cut spending on Everglades Restoration. Senate Proposed Bill 7002 would mandate greater…

Dubious EAA ‘water resource project’ (rock mine) lurches ahead

January 23, 2025

Hey, remember that proposal to build a rock mine… er, “water resource project” — in the Everglades Agricultural Area? Sure you do. Phillips & Jordan, the prime contractor for several massive reservoir projects in the region, is pitching (unsolicited) plans…

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