Category Archives: WKFL

Waterkeepers Florida Sues U.S. EPA to protect Florida’s Waters 2025-08-19

Suwannee Riverkeeper is a member of Waterkeepers Florida.

Lawsuit Filed to Protect Florida Anglers

[Waterkeepers Florida Sues U.S. EPA to protect Florida's Waters, August 19, 2025]
Waterkeepers Florida Sues U.S. EPA to protect Florida’s Waters, August 19, 2025

Florida, Statewide | August 19, 2025 — The Environmental Defense Alliance and Waterkeepers Florida have filed a lawsuit against Lee M. Zeldin, Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), for failing to adopt water quality protections concerning toxic and cancer-causing chemicals in Florida’s waters.1

Water quality criteria for dozens of toxic chemicals that affect human health are supposed to be reviewed and updated by state environmental protection agencies, like the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP), every three years in order to keep pace with updates in scientific research and new information. These toxic pollutants include known carcinogens like benzene and other chemicals found in fumigant pesticides and industrial solvents. However, many of Florida’s water quality criteria have remained woefully outdated since the 1990s.

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Save Our Swamps –Waterkeepers Florida 2025-04-21

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.

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

Currently if a developer wants to destroy wetlands, Continue reading →

WKFL PIEC Panel and RTCW 2025-02-21

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)]
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 Continue reading →

Pictures: Santa Fe River and springs, Waterkeepers Florida –Merrillee Malwitz-Jipson 2024-02-08

Update 2024-02-17: Many more Pictures: Waterkeepers Florida, Santa River and springs 2024-02-08.

The fifteen Waterkeepers of Florida gathered on the Santa Fe River Thursday to see springs, parks, and submerged aquatic vegetation.

Well, eleven of them. And we also saw a wood stork, an anhinga, a hawk, buzzards, and many turtles.

[Banners, Springs, Santa Fe River, Waterkeepers Florida 2024-02-08]
Banners, Springs, Santa Fe River, Waterkeepers Florida 2024-02-08

No manatees, though, despite the best efforts of expert guide Merrillee Malwitz-Jipson of the outfitter Rum138 and Our Santa Fe River (OSFR).

We were going to put in at Rum Island, but that county park was closed, it turns out to install the ostentatious swimming barrier you see pictured. So we put in at Merrillee’s house; thanks Merrillee.

We paddled into Gilchrist Blue Spring, Ginnie Springs, and many others.

Many more pictures later; these are some Merrillee sent.

As you can tell by the banner picture I took, WWALS and Suwannee Riverkeeper organized this outing.

 -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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Say NO to Radioactive Roads in Florida 2023-05-11

The Florida legislature has already passed a bill to allow spreading waste from phosphate mines on roads.

Those gypstacks at the White Springs Nutrien phosphate mine near the Suwannee River should not end up on roads, not in Hamilton County and not elsewhere.

[Say no to radioactive roads in Florida]
Say no to radioactive roads in Florida

Please urge Governor DeSantis to veto HB 1191/ SB 1258.

Here’s a handy form by Waterkeepers Florida so you can tailor your email to the governor:
https://waterkeepersflorida.good.do/saynotoradioactiveroads/HB1191-SB1258-VETO/

Here’s the bill, which also would legitimize use of coal ash in roads:
https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2023/1191

For more about phosphate mines, see:
https://wwals.net/issues/phosphate-mining/

About Waterkeepers Florida, of which Suwannee Riverkeeper is a member, see:
https://www.waterkeepersflorida.org/

 -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/

Waterkeepers Florida in Gainesville 2023-02-03

Once a year, the Waterkeepers of Florida gather in Gainesville to attend the Public Interest Environmental Conference (PIEC) at the University of Florida Levin College of Law.

[Waterkeepers Florida at PIEC 2023-02-03]
Waterkeepers Florida at PIEC 2023-02-03

Eight out of fifteen ain’t bad. A few more attended the actual Waterkeepers Florida (WKFL) meeting via teleconference.

Waterkeepers Florida asks you to ask Georgia officials to stop a proposed strip mine too near the Okefenokee Swamp, which is the headwaters of the Suwannee and St. Marys Rivers, and sits above the Floridan Aquifer from which we all drink in south Georgia and most of Florida:
https://wwals.net/?p=61437

For more about Waterkeepers Florida, see:
https://www.waterkeepersflorida.org/

I drove Continue reading →