Swamps and other wetlands are absolutely integral to clean water. Wetlands filter out pollutants, provide habitat for native wildlife, and absorb water during flood events. Senate Bill 492 / House Bill 1175 will make it easier for developers to destroy these important ecosystems. 

Ask your Florida state legislator to vote NO.

• Use this handy Waterkeepers Florida form
• Or use your own methods to contact your Florida statehouse member or Florida state Senator.

It’s on the Senate Rules Committee agenda for Monday, April 21, 2025, at 2 PM.

WKFL: Vote no on Mitigation Banks Bill FL SB 492, FL HB 1175, 2025-04-21

Currently if a developer wants to destroy wetlands, they are required to purchase credits from a wetland mitigation bank to offset the harm that they are doing. These credits essentially represent improvements to wetlands located on property other than the property that is being developed, and are intended to offset the harm to the watershed. Currently credits are required to be located in the same watershed as the impacts. 

This bill would allow credits for wetland destruction to be purchased from wetland mitigation banks located outside of the watershed where the harm is occurring. This runs the risk of creating pollution hotspots where wetlands will be destroyed in one place and credits will be purchased in an area far away with little to no ecological connection. 

Bottom Line: These bills will lead to more wetland destruction across the state. 

 -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/

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