Over the years it has become obvious that the Florida Department of Environmental Protection has been influenced by politics and by lobbyists whose interests are in profits instead of protection of our water resources. The DEP’s policy is to protect polluters instead of the environment.
In 2016 when the immense New Wales sinkhole was polluting the aquifer, the DEP’s response to its failure to inform the public was that they “followed the letter of the law.”
Now they are not even doing that.
Read Ryan Smart’s message below regarding the useless BMAPs, which are the response by DEP to restore our springs. If you follow the links you will see a detailed account of the DEP’s failure.
Please consider donating to the Florida Springs Council. This group is the most active in protecting our springs and rivers, and doing the job the State of Florida should be doing.
Comments by OSFR historian Jim Tatum.
jim.tatum@oursantaferiver.org
– A river is like a life: once taken,
it cannot be brought back © Jim Tatum
Five years into our legal marathon to protect and restore Florida’s impaired springs, advocates are going back to the 1st District Court of Appeals.
Springs groups are asking the Court to enforce its ruling invalidating four Springs Basin Management Action Plans for failing to meet the minimum standards of statute. This unusual legal action is necessary because of FDEP’s continued failure to follow proper procedures.
The Florida Springs Council was formed by small local springs groups who knew that they needed more resources and a united, state-wide effort in order to win in court and change policies. That approach has worked; we’re winning, and able to pursue this case until we finally see the law carried out and our springs restored, thanks to the financial support of our members. Our financial ability to stay in court and see this through has come entirely from individual donations. Many thanks to all of our members and donors!
The Department is required by law to respond to springs groups’ amended petitions in the BMAP case within 15 days. Yet, it has been a month without any action from FDEP, barring petitioners access to the courts and damaging the integrity of the legal process. FDEP’s continued disregard for the law forced petitioners back to the 1st District Court of Appeals to see our victory through. Our focus remains on ensuring FDEP adopts meaningful and effective springs cleanup plans, or BMAPs.
Dr. Burt Eno of Rainbow River Conservation testifies in 2019 in the BMAP challenge, a case in which springs groups prevailed over DEP. Photo by John Moran.
BACKGROUND
On July 21, 2023, attorney John Thomas filed administrative petitions challenging the Basin Management Action Plans (BMAPs) for twelve Outstanding Florida Springs in the Santa Fe, Suwannee, Silver and Rainbow River basins on behalf of members of the Florida Springs Council. This was springs advocates’ second effort to force FDEP to follow the law in adopting water quality restoration plans for Outstanding Florida Springs, following a victory in the 1st District Court of Appeals earlier this year.
FDEP has consistently failed to create meaningful springs restoration plans. The Department is determined to protect polluters, but FSC and our partner organizations are equally determined to hold FDEP accountable.
To learn more about the background of this case, read our blog:
This continued effort is only made possible because of the support Florida Springs Council and our partner organizations receive from our community of springs advocates. Please consider supporting the Florida Springs Council’s work to unite and grow springs advocacy work state-wide. There are many ways to give:
Become a Sustaining Member – with over 250 monthly donors, this program is the solid foundation of our financial support that allows us to plan the scope of our work, knowing what donations we can count on each month.
Donate through your Donor Advised Fund (our site makes it easy!)
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For a limited time, support our work by sending our springs calendar to a friend as a holiday gift (we take care of shipping directly to your recipient in a cute envelope and include a gift message from you!)
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“Going to court is always our last resort. Unfortunately, that’s where Florida’s springs are after years of neglect and ineptitude by DEP. Our only choices are to keep fighting or accept that Florida’s springs will never be healthier than they are today. For Florida Springs Council members, that is no choice at all.”
– FSC Executive Director Ryan Smart
