Tag Archives: Politics

Sign the Letter Urging Senators to Vote No On the Reconciliation Bill 2025-06-14

Your organization can still sign onto this letter to all U.S. Senators:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdJYPPq-I7vrVSDmC3qoo4SrN9WwFpOacdMcPkacGpEn-5rwg/viewform

The letter specifically opposes pipeline pay-to-play: the section that would give pipeline companies expedited permitting if they pay the lesser of $10 million or 1% of their expected construction costs, while removing the ability of any state or federal agency to reject such a permit.

The letter also opposes the bill’s prohibition on state regulation of so-called Artificial Intelligence (AI) operations, which consume vast amounts of power and emit noise and pollution.

The latter has already been sent to all U.S. Senators, but they will get updates as more organizations sign on.

[Sign the Letter Urging Senators to Vote No On the Reconciliation Bill: No pipeline pay to play]
Sign the Letter Urging Senators to Vote No On the Reconciliation Bill: No pipeline pay to play

Dear Senators,

The “Big Beautiful Bill” strips states rights, property rights, and turns the United States into a Pay to Play nation whereby big industry polluters can very literally buy the permits they desire, States and regulatory agencies are stripped of the ability to reject damaging projects, and impacted property owners and impacted communities are too often denied their day in court, all in service to advance major fossil fuel pipelines, export facilities and associated infrastructure.

We, the undersigned organizations, Continue reading →

Ask Alachua City Commission to investigate resignations of planners 2025-06-10

If you care about the Floridan Aquifer, from which we all drink, or underground caves, or surface creeks, or the Santa Fe River, or government transparency, please go to the Alachua City Commission meeting tonight, 6 PM, Monday, June 9, 2025.

That’s at James A. Lewis City Commission Chambers, 15100 NW 142 Terrace, Alachua, FL 32615.

Or call or write them:
https://www.cityofalachua.com/government/city-commission/meet-the-commissioners

[Ask Alachua City Commission to investigate resignations 2025-06-09 of planners and City Manager, Tara Forest & Mill Creek Sink]
Ask Alachua City Commission to investigate resignations 2025-06-09 of planners and City Manager, Tara Forest & Mill Creek Sink

Thanks to Vickie Bashor for this cogent explanation:

3 planners with over 50 years experience at the City of Alachua resigned earlier this year within a 2-week period. One of the planners, Justin Tabor, sent an open letter to the Alachua City Commission alleging Continue reading →

Help stop the stealth Florida plastics ban preemption bill 2025-05-01

Yesterday the Florida State Senate voted 24 to 13 for CS/HB 1609 to proceed.

The day before yesterday they took the text of the old bills and inserted it into CS/HB 1609, which has the misleading title “Waste Management”.

Several amendments this morning may or may not have removed the offending verbiage.

Please contact your Florida state Representative and ask them to stop this pre-emption:
https://wwals.net/about/elected-officials/florida-house/

[CS/HB 1609]
CS/HB 1609

Plastic is one of the biggest pollution threats to our waterways. Continue reading →

Bad Florida Boating Bill 2025-04-22

Florida Senate Bill 1388/ House Bill 1001 entitled “Vessels” if passed, could undermine vital safety and environmental protections for boaters and Florida’s waterways.

You can use this handy Waterkeepers Florida form to ask your Florida statehouse members to vote NO on this bill:
https://waterkeepersflorida.good.do/SB1388_2025/SB1388FP/

Or contact your statehouse members some other way (telephone, in-person, etc.):

This bill will be before the Florida Senate Fiscal Policy Committee when it meets at 11 AM, Tuesday, April 22, 2025.

[Bad Boating Bill]

Fecal bacteria is one of the leading causes of pollution in Florida waters. One way that the state combats this issue is by Continue reading →

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 →

Florida State Parks Love Fests 2025-04-05-06

Come to one of the Florida State Parks Love Fests, organized by the Suwannee-St. Johns Group of the Florida Chapter of Sierra Club, in conjunction with WWALS, OSFR, and others.

You remember last year, when a proposal for golf courses and hotels at Florida State Parks was postponed “due to overwhelming interest” (read: massive statewide protest) and then cancelled.

This year, we need people to help strengthen FL SB 80 and HB 209, which put some constraints on privatization plans, but not enough.

You can help online:
https://waterkeepersflorida.good.do/SB80_2025/SB80_Sponsors/

And you can come down to a state park on the Suwannee or Santa Fe River next weekend.

[Florida State Parks, Love Fests 2025-04-05-06, Suwannee River SP, Manatee Springs, O'Leno SP, Gilchrist Blue Spring]
Florida State Parks, Love Fests 2025-04-05-06, Suwannee River SP, Manatee Springs, O’Leno SP, Gilchrist Blue Spring

On the Suwannee River: Continue reading →

Pictures: Georgia House Committee meeting on Okefenokee Bills 2025-03-03

Numerous people spoke to support the Okefenokee Swamp against mining too near it, about two bills before a subcommittee of the Georgia House Natural Resources and Environment Committee (GA HNRE), on March 3, 2025.

[Speakers on Okefenokee Bills, GA HNRE Comm. 2025-03-03, No action by Crossover Day, But already introduced for 2026]
Speakers on Okefenokee Bills, GA HNRE Comm. 2025-03-03, No action by Crossover Day, But already introduced for 2026

Unfortunately, that was just a hearing, and the Committee did not vote on those bills in any later meeting, either. Which means they did not get a chance for a vote by the full House before Crossover Day. Crossover Day was Thursday, March 6, 2025, after which any bills that passed in one house crossed over to the other house for their consideration.

The good news is that it is a two-year session, so these bills are already introduced for next year: HB 561 and HB 562. Continue reading →

Georgia House Committee meeting on Okefenokee Bills Monday 1PM 2025-03-03

Monday at 1PM or after the House adjourns, the Georgia House Natural Resources and Environment Committee (HNRE) will meet to consider the two bills against mining near the Okefenokee Swamp.

This is the committee where previous bills have died. So this is a very important meeting. Please contact your Georgia Statehouse Representative.

Feel free to mention that many city councils and county commissions have passed resolutions supporting the Okefenokee Swamp against mining. And all the Riverkeepers of Georgia and Waterkeepers of Florida have written letters.
https://wwals.net/pictures/okefenokee-resolutions/

Floridians, please ask your Georgia friends, relatives, and business associates to do the same. And you can contact those Representatives directly. Part of the Okefenokee Swamp is in Florida, and all of it is upstream from Florida, on the St. Marys River and the Suwannee River, of the Florida state song.

To find your legislator (and see below):
http://openstates.org/find_your_legislator/

[Georgia House Committee Meeting 2025-03-03 1 PM, on Okefenokee Bills, Natural Resources and the Environment]
Georgia House Committee Meeting 2025-03-03 1 PM, on Okefenokee Bills, Natural Resources and the Environment

These are the bills:

More about those bills here:
https://wwals.net/?p=67055 Continue reading →

Okefenokee Bills, city and county resolutions, GA House Committee 2025-02-27

Update 2025-03-01: Georgia House Committee meeting on Okefenokee Bills Monday 1PM 2025-03-03.

Many local governments support Georgia legislation to prevent mining near the Okefenokee Swamp, and you can, too.

Please ask your Georgia Statehouse Representative to support the two bills now in the Georgia House.

More about those bills here:
https://wwals.net/?p=67055

Here are all the Georgia State Representatives whose districts include any part of the Suwannee River Basin:
https://wwals.net/about/elected-officials/georgia-house/

Find your legislator:
http://openstates.org/find_your_legislator/

[Okefenokee Bills, city & county resolutions, GA House Committee, Natural Resources & Environment]
Okefenokee Bills, city & county resolutions, GA House Committee, Natural Resources & Environment

Floridians, please ask your Georgia friends and relatives to do that. And you can contact those Representatives directly. Part of the Okefenokee Swamp is in Florida, and all of it is upstream from Florida, on the Suwannee and St. Marys Rivers.

Soon these bills will be heard in the House Committee on Natural Resources and the Environment (HNRE). Not this afternoon, despite an earlier rumor. Maybe as early as Monday. Continue reading →

Two Georgia House bills introduced to protect the Okefenokee Swamp 2025-02-20

Update 2025-02-27: Okefenokee Bills, city and county resolutions, GA House Committee 2025-02-26.

Bipartisan sponsors have introduced two Georgia House bills to protect the Okefenokee Swamp:

These bills will not stop the current mining application before the Georgia Environmental Protection Division (GA-EPD). But they can stop further applications for expansion, which will make the current application much less valuable. And they can stop other mining applications, including by other companies using other mining methods.

The focus of these bills is Trail Ridge east of the Okefenokee Swamp, which is in the St. Marys River Basin. But there is no dam in the Swamp between that Basin and the watershed of the Suwannee River, which drains about 85% of the Swamp.

Please contact your Georgia House Representative and ask them to support these bills.
https://wwals.net/about/elected-officials/georgia-house/

Floridians, please urge your Georgia friends and family to do so. And you can call or write the Georgia State Representatives yourself. Remember: this is all upstream from Florida.

[Two Georgia House bills introduced to protect the Okefenokee Swamp, February 20, 2025]
Two Georgia House bills introduced to protect the Okefenokee Swamp, February 20, 2025

The experienced mining company Chemours spilled 230,000 gallons of process water into the Suwannee River Basin in Florida a week ago.

The company that proposes to strip mine too near the Okefenokee Swamp for titanium dioxide, which is primarily used for white paint, is still under a Florida Consent Order for violations it caused when it was processing tailings at one of Chemours’ Florida mines.

So please ask your Georgia State Representatives to support these bills, and other methods of preventing mining near the Okefenokee Swamp. Continue reading →