I have been very busy emailing and traveling around the state to help foster a unified coalition of citizens that are concerned that our Florida waterways have been imperiled for far too long. We want our State agencies to do more for the long term protection of our State held waters; these same waters held in public trust for us the citizens. It is our water and it their job to do everything in their legislative power to make it safe and healthy for the next generation and the supported ecosystems.
Some of the key words to learn more about are:
The Federal Clean Water Act of 1972 (CWA)
Outstanding Florida Waters (OFW’s)
Florida’s Water Resource Implementation Rule (WRI)
Florida’s Anti-Degradation Rule
Water held in Public Trust
Minimum Flows and Levels (MFL’s)
Peer Review Report on MFL’s of Lower Santa Fe River and Ichetucknee and their Priority Springs
Basin Management Action Plans (BMAPs)
Some of the events, meetings and hearings I have been to recently:
* Suwannee River Water Management Board Meetings (2nd Tuesday of every month)
* Sugarland Rally in Clewiston, FL
* Save Our Springs…Now DEP/SWFWMD Hearing on the MFL’s of the Chassahowitzka and Homasassa Rivers
* re-organized FLOW meeting in Lake City, FL
And…
OSFR will be doing the Florida Springs Tie Dye Kitchen Towel Project at the Methodist Church in High Springs this week and at the Ichetucknee River in the Fall for a Water Day.
Be informed. Get Involved.
Onward,
Merrillee Malwitz-Jipson
President, OSFR
