Every year, the fifteen Waterkeepers of Florida gather at the law-student-run Public Interest Environmental Conference (PIEC) at the Levin School of Law of the University of Florida, in Gainesville.

Waterkeepers Florida, Panel at PIEC, UFL, Gainesville, FL, Right to Clean Water (RTCW)

This year we had a panel, about sewage sludge, wetland buffers, the climate water nexus, and I spoke about Right to Clean Water (RTCW).

Waterkeepers Florida is a regional entity composed of all 15 Waterkeeper organizations working in the State of Florida to protect and restore our water resources across over 45,000 square miles of watershed, which is home to over 15 million Floridians. Part scientist, teacher, and legal advocate, Waterkeepers combine firsthand knowledge of their waterways with an unwavering commitment to the rights of their communities and to the rule of law. Whether on the water, in a classroom, or in a courtroom, Waterkeepers speak for the waters they defend – with the backing of their local community and the collective strength of Waterkeeper Alliance. Join Waterkeepers from across the state for a discussion of current and future projects to protect our state’s waterways.
https://www.waterkeepersflorida.org

The WKFL Panel: –Jordan Girard

Moderator: Jen Lomberk

Panelists: Lisa Rinaman, Samantha Wassmer, Dr. John Capece, John S. Quarterman

• Jen Lomberk is your Matanzas Riverkeeper. As a native Floridian, Lomberk has a lifelong personal connection with Florida’s natural areas and has dedicated her career to protecting them. Lomberk holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Central Florida as well as a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Florida Levin College of Law with a certificate in Environmental & Land Use Law and Policy. Lomberk took the helm as the Matanzas Riverkeeper in December of 2017 and currently serves as the Chair of Waterkeepers Florida.

  
  WKFL Chair Introducing –Pilar Isabel Ronquillo

• Lisa Rinaman is the St. Johns Riverkeeper. She utilizes 20 years of policy experience to hold those harming the river accountable and to champion solutions to protect and restore the river, its tributaries, and its springs. She works with government entities, businesses, community leaders and citizens to resolve problems that impact the river’s health; and communicating with the media and the public to educate and raise awareness about important river-related issues. She enjoys Florida’s waters and natural wonders with her husband, Mark, and their boys, Mark Jr. and August.

  Today Lisa will be highlighting their work to protect their waterways from sewage sludge pollution.

  
  The audience –John S. Quarterman

• Samantha Wassmer is Suncoast Waterkeeper’s Marketing and Communications Specialist. Sam is a proud second-generation Filipino-American and Florida native. She grew up in St. Petersburg, FL and is thrilled to be working to protect the Suncoast waters she grew up in. Sam has a BA from Stanford University in California and an MA from the Courtauld Institute of Art in London. She believes policies and culture should work hand and hand to create change. Design influences us and we learn a lot from culture and art. With Suncoast Waterkeeper, Sam applies her skills as a designer and communicator to foster community engagement and advocate for our precious ecosystem.

  Today Sam will be discussing Suncoast Waterkeeper’s work on local wetland buffer regulations.

  
  Audience and Panel –John S. Quarterman

• Dr. John Capece serves as the Kissimmee Waterkeeper. In the 1990s John was a UF faculty member at IFAS responsible for water quality programs in southwest Florida. His primary IFAS Extension program was building and supporting the Calusa Waterkeeper organization. As a UF graduate student in the 80s and 90s, he led the graduate assistants union and established the National Association of Graduate-Professional Students. He also established the national graduate student honor society which he continues to manage. Its core service project is Campus Climate Corps, which works to educate and mobilize students on climate issues.

  Today John will be discussing his work on the climate water nexus.

• John S. Quarterman has been the Suwannee Riverkeeper since December 2016, advocating for clean water in the 10,000-square-mile Suwannee River Basin, half in Georgia, half in Florida, from the Okefenokee Swamp to the Gulf of Mexico. He spends a lot of time dealing with mining (phosphate and titanium dioxide), sewage (from Valdosta and Quitman, GA, into Florida), as well as BMAPs, BMPs, and levels and flows. He would like us all to do something to level the playing field so we’re not always reacting to bad bills and permits. Namely, Right to Clean Water, floridarighttocleanwater.org.

  Today John will be discussing Suwannee Riverkeeper’s work on the Right to Clean Water campaign.

I summarized this post: Time to sign the petition: Right to Clean Water in Florida 2025-01-20.
https://wwals.net/?p=66824

The day after Christmas, the Florida Fifth District Court of Appeal rejected a titusville charter amendment approved by 83% of local voters for Right to Clean Water (RTCW).

A week before, the Montana Supreme Court upheld a youth climate case, based on Montana’s 1972 Environmental Rights Amendment. Florida needs to catch up to Montana and Pennsylvania.

Florida needs a Right to Clean Water in the state constitution to reverse that legislative pre-emption and to go farther in protecting Florida’s waters, like Montana and Pennsylvania have already done.

QR Code, Florida RTCW Petition

Go here to have your copy of the petition mostly filled out for you:
https://bit.ly/FRTCW-petition

Or do it yourself by getting a copy at
https://floridarighttocleanwater.org

More context here:
https://wwals.net/issues/right-to-clean-water/

We also had a Waterkeepers Florida strategy meeting down at the main library.

WKFL Meeting –Jen Lomberk

 -jsq, John S. Quarterman, Suwannee RIVERKEEPER®

You can help with clean, swimmable, fishable, drinkable, water in the 10,000-square-mile Suwannee River Basin in Florida and Georgia by becoming a WWALS member today!
https://wwals.net/donations/