The following was sent out by the Florida Springs Council. This organization does more than any other to help our springs and environment. Your donations there are extremely worthwhile.
The Florida Springs Council is once again going back to court to protect Florida’s Springs, represent the interests of Floridians and hold the Florida Department of Environmental Protection accountable.
On November 6, we filed a petition asking the Hernando County Circuit Court to issue a Writ of Mandamus to FDEP, which will require FDEP to “adopt uniform rules for issuing permits which prevent groundwater withdrawals that are harmful” to Outstanding Florida Springs and adopt a uniform definition of the term “harmful to the water resources.” – A rule FDEP has refused to adopt for nearly nine years.
FDEP’s nine-year delay has left springs protectors with no other choice than to take on this David vs. Goliath fight in court, but we couldn’t do it alone.
We’re represented by Stetson Law School’s Jacobs Public Interest Law Clinic for Democracy and the Environment. We appreciate Jaclyn Lopez, the Director of the Clinic, and Rachael Curran, Staff Attorney, as well as the Environmental Clinic students, for recognizing the importance of this issue and making this lawsuit possible. FSC is also thankful to receive help and support from Tampa attorney Matt Farmer.
ADVOCACY IS NOT A SPECTATOR SPORT
Going to court is always our last resort. Unfortunately our only choices are to keep fighting or accept that Florida’s springs will never be healthier than they are today.
For the Florida Springs Council, that is no choice at all.
Springs advocates at FSC’s rally ahead of DEP’s workshop on the springs harm rule in Apopka, FL, on Sept. 12.
🤝 SUPPORT THE SPRINGS LEGAL FUND
FSC can only go to court and carry out this work to defend our springs because of the generous support of our donors. Please consider making a monthly donation to the Florida Springs Council’s legal fund to allow us to continue litigating for the protection and restoration of Florida’s springs.
| DONATE MONTHLY TO THE SPRINGS LEGAL FUND |
OR MAKE A ONE TIME DONATION ONLINE
🏛️ BACKGROUND
- In 2016, Governor Rick Scott signed the Florida Springs and Aquifer Protection Action into law (SB 552), which says that FDEP must “adopt uniform rules for issuing permits which prevent groundwater withdrawals that are harmful” to Outstanding Florida Springs and adopt a uniform definition of the term “harmful to the water resources.”
- From 2017 to 2021, FDEP ignored the law and the degradation of our springs.
- In 2022, FDEP finally published a draft rule, but it was essentially the same as the rules already in place before SB 552 was signed into law.
- For the last two years, FDEP has continued this cycle of publishing an invalid draft rule, and then withdrawing the rule after advocates pressured them to do better. Over 100 advocates showed up at FDEP’s workshops in both Gainesville and Apopka to tell FDEP to follow the law; Over 2,480 emails have been sent to FDEP through our system telling them to adopt the Florida Springs Council’s more protective rule. FDEP has not listened to the public.
- FDEP’s refusal to follow the law has caused untold damage to Florida’s springs, spring-fed rivers and the aquifer. Many Florida springs are below their established Minimum Flows and Levels, the limit set by the State at which further withdrawals would be significantly harmful to the water resources or ecology of the area. While DEP continues to play games, spring flow continues to decline and pollution continues to increase.
💦 DIVE DEEPER
- Head to our website to learn more about this issue: https://www.floridaspringscouncil.org/springsharmrule
DONOR ADVISED FUNDS and QUALIFIED CHARITABLE DISTRIBUTIONS
If you prefer to assist our efforts by recommending a grant through your donor advised fund or IRA directly through your financial institution, use the following information:
TAX ID: 81-2889063
PO Box 358191
Gainesville, FL 32635
Thank you for your support,
Ryan Smart
Executive Director
Florida Springs Council
