The water management district that will decide on whether Nestlé and its partner will get a permit to take a million gallons of water a day from a north Florida spring system will soon have a new board member. On Tuesday, Governor Ron DeSantis appointed Harry Smith to the Suwannee River Water Management District Governing Board…. Read more »
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Read MoreUPDATE: Water management district puts off its decision on Nestlé springs water permit
Read MoreWater management district nears decision on Nestlé springs water permit
Read MoreCharlotte Harbor advocates challenge water discharge permit for Mosaic phosphate's Bartow plant
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Read MoreCity of High Springs weighs in on Nestlé water permit request
Read MoreFlorida springs supporters will protest what they call "Nestlé Water Grab"
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Public meeting on Mosaic renewal permit for pollutant discharge
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Update: “toilet-to-tap” tabled; Tampa City Council will vote on utility rate increase, sewer infrastructure
Update to this story, 5 September 2019: Tampa Mayor Jane Castor tells WMNF she’s taken the “toilet-to-tap” idea out of this discussion for now. “Yes, we are going to take that out. But I want to caution the public that water is going to be the number one issue moving into the future. And the… Read more »
Water activist opposes Nestlé’s plan to bottle 1 million gallons a day from Florida springs
Nestlé wants to take more than one million gallons of water a day from Florida springs near Ginnie Springs and the Santa Fe River; the giant multinational corporation plans to put the water into plastic bottles and sell it at a tremendous markup. But environmentalists oppose the move. WMNF interviewed Merrillee Malwitz-Jipson, a board member… Read more »
Florida clean water activists say: it’s not a fracking ban if matrix acidizing is allowed
The Florida Legislature is considering bills to outlaw certain types of fracking in Florida; but advocates for clean water warn that the ban excludes one oil and gas extraction technique that could harm the environment because of Florida’s limestone geology. Jorge Aguilar, the southern region director with Food and Water Watch, wants the method called… Read more »
“Rally to Protect Florida’s Water” in Bradenton
On Tuesday Governor Ron DeSantis unveiled a budget recommendation that includes $625 million to protect water resources and restore the Everglades. But there’s no guarantee the state Legislature will pass a budget that reflects an emphasis on the environment. This Saturday the group Food & Water Watch will hold a “Rally to Protect Florida’s Water”… Read more »
Ron DeSantis directs Florida DEP to oppose fracking and off-shore drilling
Florida’s new governor, Ron DeSantis, announced several changes to water policy today. In an executive order, DeSantis made moves to ban hydraulic fracturing (fracking), dedicate money to Everglades restoration, fight algae blooms, appoint a Chief Science Officer and create an Office of Environmental Accountability and Transparency. For reaction, WMNF News spoke with Michelle Allen, senior… Read more »
Everglades Foundation irate that sugar lease extended on reservoir land
A reservoir that will clean polluted water coming from Lake Okeechobee and send it toward the Everglades instead of directing dirty water toward the coasts may be delayed because of a recent, controversial decision; last week the land where the reservoir is supposed to be built had its lease to a major sugar company extended… Read more »
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From the Beaches to the Springs How Do We Protect Florida’s Waters?
From the beaches to the springs to the pristine underground aquifer to the Everglades and the rivers— Florida’s waters are like nowhere else on earth. Two of Florida’s most knowledgeable people about the state of our water join us in a moment to talk about Florida’s water resources. And later—Florida’s economy has mostly recovered from… Read more »
Manatee deaths on the rise in Florida, partially due to toxic red tide algae
In first 8 months of year, manatee death toll surpasses 2017 By TAMARA LUSH, Associated Press ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — This year hasn’t been a good one for the Florida manatee. According to state wildlife statistics, there have been more manatee deaths so far this year than all of last year. A total of 540… Read more »
Is another type of algae bloom – Sargassum – coming to a beach near you?
The Gulf Coast of Florida is already dealing with two different algae blooms: a red tide on many beaches south of Manatee County and blue-green algae spilling into the Gulf from Lake Okeechobee; but now outbreaks of a larger species of seaweed have even reached Florida. Beginning about seven years ago, beaches throughout the Caribbean Sea… Read more »
Lake Okeechobee algae bloom spreading toward both Florida coasts
Because of recent heavy rains, huge algae blooms from polluted Lake Okeechobee are once again racing toward Florida’s west and east coast as water is released from the quickly-filling lake. Jacqui Thurlow-Lippisch is the former mayor of Sewell’s Point, near where the St. Lucie River empties into the Atlantic Ocean. WMNF News spoke with her… Read more »
St. Pete City Council committee favors voluntary plastic straw reduction over ban
Next month, St. Pete City Council will consider an ordinance to comprehensively look at how the city deals with all kinds of disposable plastics: from straws, to bags and polystyrene containers. In a committee today the focus was entirely on plastic straws: should there be a ban – as requested by environmentalists – or a… Read more »
Environmentalist wary of Mosaic moving corporate headquarters to Hillsborough
The giant fertilizer company Mosaic announced last week that it plans to move its corporate headquarters from Minnesota to Hillsborough County; the announcement by the Fortune 500 company was greeted by many local leaders with delight. But environmentalists, like Suncoast Waterkeeper Andy Mele, accuse Mosaic of being a detriment to the community. “I think Mosaic’s… Read more »
Hands Across the Sand 2018 preview
Every spring, beach lovers across Florida – and in other parts of the world – gather to hold Hands Across the Sand to oppose offshore oil and gas drilling. Jana Wiggins is a volunteer with Sea Shepherd Conservation Society and Rise Above Plastics and is helping to organize what might be the Tampa Bay area’s… Read more »
