Tag Archives: Florida

Florida Rights of Nature Convention 2020-02-08

Update 2020-02-09: Videos: John Moran, Doug Shields, Chuck O’Neal @ FL RoNCon 2020-02-08

What Santa Fe Bill of Rights (SAFEBOR) started only nine months ago has blossomed into a dozen county or river Rights of Nature movements across the State of Florida.

Here is WWALS video of what David Moritz said about SAFEBOR. More will follow, especially of what John Moran said. Continue reading →

Twin Pines Minerals withdraws application to strip-mine near Okefenokee 2020-02-07

They could resubmit at any time. But for now, the Alabama mining company that is already under a Florida Consent Order along with Chemours for four mines in north Florida, Twin Pines Minerals (TPM) has withdrawn its application to mine in Georgia near the Okefenokee Swamp, the headwaters of the Suwannee and St. Marys Rivers.

Photo: John S. Quarterman for https://wwals.net/blog/?p=51549&preview=trueWWALS, Tribal Grounds west along GA 94 to TPM equipment, 12:38:38, 30.5257540, -82.0411100, on Southwings flight for Suwannee Riverkeeper, pilot Allen Nodorft, 2019-10-05.

Nedra Rhone, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, February 7, 2020, BREAKING: Mining company withdraws permit application for project near Okefenokee,

Twin Pines Minerals, the Alabama-based company that hopes to mine acres of land near the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, has withdrawn its permit application, said Billy E. Birdwell, spokesman of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for the Savannah district.
Continue reading →

Clean Withlacoochee River; dubious Okapilco Creek; and rain 2020-02-05

Update 2020-02-12: Madison Co., FL Withlacoochee River Bacterial Advisory 2020-02-11.

Good another Wednesday: Lowndes County water quality results for the Withlacoochee River. Meanwhile, about an inch of rain registered upstream Thursday. We will have more WWALS results in a day or so. The only way to tell what is in our waterways is regular, frequent, closely-spaced testing. You can help.

Good Withlacoochee
Thanks to Lowndes County Chairman Bill Slaughter for these Lowndes County results.
Along with the WWALS composite results spreadsheet, they are on the WWALS website.
There are no new Florida results; the Florida agencies stopped testing after Continue reading →

All Waterkeepers of Florida: jurisdictions 2020-02-07

All the Waterkeepers of Florida, on one map. Green is parts of Florida with no Waterkeepers. All the other colored areas are territories of one of the members of Waterkeepers Florida.

Jurisdictions-wkfl

Thanks to Jen Lomberk, Vice-Chair, Waterkeepers Florida.

Same jurisdictions with names of the Waterkeepers: Continue reading →

Fanning Springs No (Toll) Roads to Ruin meeting 2020-02-12

And no toll road coming right up to the Suwannee River from the south, not even if it’s called “Northern Turnpike Connector.” Yes, the day after the Madison, FL, Suncoast Connector meeting, there’s a meeting in Fanning Springs, FL, about the Northern Turnpike Connector. Why Fanning Springs? Because their “study areas” overlap, both including Levy and Citrus Counties.

Map: Overlap: Suncoast and Northern Turnpike Connector, screenshot from M-CORES interactive map.

Any of these toll road boondoggles would waste money that should go to water quality testing and eco-tourism, not to mention fixing fertilizer nitrates leaching into our springs and rivers.

When: 9:30-4:30 PM, Tuesday, February 11, 2020
4:00 PM Public Comment

Where: Suwannee River Fair Pavilion Continue reading →

Baker County, FL, resident responds to Charlton County, GA, about mine proposed near Okefenokee Swamp 2020-01-14

Mark Lyons, Charlton County Herald, January 14, 2020, Letter to the Editor: Response to City of Folkston, Development Authority,

Dear Editor,

I read with curiosity the Letter to the Editor from the City Council of Folkston and the Charlton County Development Commission giving their endorsement and support of the Twin Pines mining proposal. That letter raises so many questions. Where did these two boards obtain their scientific data that the mining would not affect the swamp and the environment? Much of the information offered in their letter appears to have been spoon fed to them directly from Twin Pines. There was no mention of where they obtained the scientific data that rendered such a strong endorsement that the mining will not harm the swamp or the environment. The letter did not mention any consultants or scientist who were hired by either of these two entities to inform them there wouldn’t be any environmental damage from the mining. How many scientist sit on the city board or the development council? Did the boards hire or consult any scientist at all? What was the name of the consulting firm either the city or the development board hired to supply them the scientific data that the mining would not harm the swamp and environment? Where did the boards get their scientific data that gave them proof the mining would not harm the swamp and environment? Please, I would ask you to share such valuable data with the public.

Photo: Wayne Morgan for WWALS of Chemours mines in north Florida, looking west across Bradford County, on Southwings flight for Suwannee Riverkeeper, pilot Allen Nodorft, 2019-10-05.

How can anyone determine and say the mining will not affect the environment when Continue reading →

Clean Withlacoochee, Okapilco Creek (mostly), and Little River 2020-02-02

Update 2020-02-08: Clean Withlacoochee River; dubious Okapilco Creek; and rain 2020-02-05.

Even better news: clean everywhere WWALS tested Sunday on the Withlacoochee River, Little River, and Okapilco Creek. If this keeps up, eventually we, and presumbably Lowndes County, will remove our warning signs. We’ll make some inquiries in Quitman while waiting for Lowndes County’s data upcoming this Wednesday.

At least weekly ongoing testing is still needed. What Lowndes County keeps seeing in Okapilco Creek illustrates that while Valdosta is chronically the biggest problem, and Valdosta has some remediation to do, it’s not the only source of contamination. The only way to tell when our rivers are clean or not, so we can market eco-tourism and gradually lift the reputational stigma on our rivers, is regular, weekly, water quality testing.

You can help.

Photo: Suzy Hall, of the Withlacoochee RIver downstream of Knights Ferry Boat Ramp, With reference dog.

Suzy Hall tested the Continue reading →

No (Toll) Roads to Ruin meeting, Madison, FL 2020-02-11

Update 2020-04-02: Videos, No Build: Speakers at M-CORES toll road meeting, Madison, FL 2020-02-11.

Update 2020-02-05: The next day in Fanning Springs there’s another meeting, that one about the Northern Turnpike Connector, because that and Suncoast Connector’s “study areas” both include Levy and Citrus Counties.

We don’t need a toll road running across the Suwannee River, and calling it “Suncoast Connector” doesn’t make it any better. That would waste money that should go to water quality testing and eco-tourism, not to mention fixing fertilizer nitrates leaching into our springs and rivers.

When: 3:30-4:30 PM, Tuesday, February 11, 2020

Where: 771 NE Colin Kelly Hwy, Madison, FL 32340-2857

Event: facebook

What: Sierra Club and Florida Conservation Voters has partnered with 70+ organizations, including Suwannee Riverkeeper, to form the No Roads To Ruin Coalition. This consortium of environmental advocacy organizations, small businesses, community and sportsmen groups strongly oppose the three proposed toll roads. We must mobilize as many people as possible to turn out in opposition.

Much more here.

This meeting is actually organized by Continue reading →

Rivers maybe finally clean after Valdosta sewage: but Okapilco Creek and need weekly testing 2020-01-31

Update 2020-02-04: Clean Withlacoochee, Okapilco Creek (mostly), and Little River 2020-02-02.

More good news: the Withlacoochee River above the Little River Confluence tested zero (0) for E. coli on Friday, for the first time since Valdosta’s record-largest raw sewage spill. If this good news continues, eventually WWALS (and Lowndes County) will take down our warning signs at Knights Ferry, Nankin, and State Line Boat Ramps.

Testing continues by WWALS volunteers and Lowndes County, Georgia. Please continue to be cautious in your interaction with the Withlacoochee until we get clean readings for a prolonged period.

But we still need to find out what is the source of the contamination Lowndes County keeps finding in Okapilco Creek downstream of US 84. Okapilco Creek demonstrates that testing after a spill is not good enough: we need ongoing, at least weekly, testing.

If you’re going to paddle, swim, or fish in one of our rivers, wouldn’t you want to know what the latest test results are? I know I would.

Photo: Scotti Jay, of green water upstream from the Little River Confluence on the Withlacoochee River, December 21, 2019.
It’s back to its usual tea color now.
The entire WWALS composite testing results spreadsheet is on the WWALS website.

That January 31 Confluence result is from WWALS tester Sara Jay.

WWALS testers Suzy Hall and Conn and Trudy Cole pulled samples yesterday Continue reading →

Reclaiming Florida’s Future for All, State Capitol 2020-02-06

Want to help convince Florida state legislators to do the right thing? Come on down to Tallahassee this Thursday morning, February 2, 2020!

When: 10AM to 4PM, Thursday, February 6, 2020

Where: Florida State Capitol, 400 S. Monroe St., Tallahassee, Florida