Clean Water Advocates from Panhandle to Keys Launch Floridians’ Clean Water Declaration Campaign

Clean water advocates representing every corner of the state came together on Thursday to announce the launch of the Floridians' Clean Water Declaration Campaign.  The Declaration, signed by 50 organizations as of today , is a positive vision to inspire people to work together to find solutions to Florida’s water quality and quantity problems and to send a clear message to the state’s water managers that the people of Florida demand clean water:

FLORIDIANS’ CLEAN WATER DECLARATION

In recognition that:

Clean water is essential for healthy people and a healthy economy.

Florida water quality and quantity are inseparably linked.

Florida waters are held in public trust by the State of Florida for the benefit of its people and the maintenance of natural ecosystems.

We the undersigned hereby declare:

The people of Florida have an inalienable right to:

1.      Clean drinking water whether that water is drawn from public sources or private wells.

2.      Safe lakes, streams, springs, rivers, canals and coastal waters for swimming and fishing.

3.      Protection from water pollution and its effects.

4.      Know the sources of pollution that threaten Florida’s waters.

5.      Protection from water privatization and its effects.

6.      Abundant water for drinking, fishing and recreation.

The people of Florida, the state government, and the industries that benefit from Florida’s natural resources have the responsibility to:

1.      Stop pollution at its source rather than allowing it to enter our waters.

2.      Protect Florida’s waters, as well as the people who depend on them, from overconsumption and privatization.

3.      Protect the natural environment which is critical to the health of Florida's people, wildlife and economy.

4.      Provide clean water for future generations.

By signing this declaration, we agree to its principles and resolve to work together in good faith to ensure that the future of our waters will be driven by the concepts contained within this FLORIDIANS’ CLEAN WATER DECLARATION.

The Campaign launches with a website and Facebook Page to reach out to Floridians of all stripes; individuals, businesses, organizations, and elected officials are asked to sign the declaration.

The activists were joined by FL Representative Linda Stewart (Orlando) who signed the declaration along with the 50 others at the announcement. 

The crowd displayed signs representing the participating organizations, photos of an array of slime-choked waterways all over the state, banners reading “Stop Pollution at its Source” and “I signed the Floridians’ Clean Water Declaration” stickers.

The declaration campaign is the result of the Citizens’ Clean Water Summit held last November 16 where 253 activists representing 121 organizations and businesses came together to find a way to work together more closely.  A collaborative planning committee of 19 organizations drafted the declaration to reflect the state’s clean water advocates’ collective “bottom line” for protecting Florida’s waters, wildlife and the health and livelihoods of the people who depend on them. 

"The sad fact is that Florida's polluters don't see clean water as their responsibility, and our State Government lets them get away with it.  Florida needs to use the Clean Water Act to stop pollution at its source, instead of waiting for toxic algae blooms to grow so large that they kill our rivers, lakes and coastal estuaries.   If Rick Scott's DEP were to embrace and follow the principles in the Citizens Clean Water Declaration, it would save taxpayers millions of dollars spent now to clean up red tide and green slime when it becomes a crisis." said Frank Jackalone, Sierra Club Senior Staff Manager.

Chuck O’Neal, Natural Resources Chair of the league of Women Voters of Florida stated:  “Our supply of fresh water is in jeopardy.  Our waterways are polluted with wastewater and fertilizers. Our spring water is no longer healthy to drink.  Our population has doubled since 1980 and yet our water standards have not kept pace with the growth.  We need to protect our springs and our aquifer before we lose this paradise for all of eternity.  The goal of this campaign is to mobilize enough citizens to let those who control water policy in this state know that we demand protection of our waterways and our aquifer.  Our voices are growing stronger and our numbers are growing larger.”

Patrick Rose, an aquatic biologist and the Executive Director of the Save the Manatee Club stated: “With this year’s catastrophic loss of manatee lives the already difficult job to ensure the survival of the gentle and defenseless manatees has been made all the more challenging, and it’s not over yet.  What we put into our waters, how much we pump from our aquifer and draw from our springs and rivers, together with how we use our waterways, all has an impact on our own lives and the lives of every aquatic species.  We must be better stewards of our waters and waterways or suffer even more severe consequences going forward.”

The event was covered by the Orlando Sentinel, Univision, News 96.5, NPR affiliates, and The Ledger.

253 Activists, 119 Organizations: A meeting of the minds at the Citizens' Clean Water Summit

In one place, for one day water quality activists came together from every corner of the state on Saturday, November 16, at the Citizens’ Clean Water Summit.

Why?  To build solidarity between the state’s independent regional water movements, to create a framework for regional and statewide collaboration, and to lay the groundwork for a progression of joint, grassroots mobilization events to bring Florida’s toxic slime disaster straight to the public and the elected officials who represent them.

The Summit was an historic event; for the first time ever representatives of well-known statewide organizations and small local organization volunteers came together to share stories and ideas and explore ways to work together.  We heard from each part of the state and each threatened watershed. 

The plan?  Unite in a common effort to take on the state’s polluted waterways and the “powers that be” that allow the pollution to continue to flow into our beloved waters.

Watch out polluters (and the political interests that protect them)!  We are the organizations and interests involved in the Citizens' Clean Water Summit.  We are committed to working together to fight for clean water: 

1000 Friends of Florida

Agrarian Land and Pond, LLC

Alachua County

Anglers for Conservation

Audubon Florida

Awake Pinellas

Awake Marion

Barry Law School Environmental Law Society

Biosphere Consulting, Inc.

Brevard County

C4 Architecture

Canin Associates

Congress for New Urbanism Orlando

Center for Biological Diversity

Center for Earth Jurisprudence

Central Florida Democratic Environmental Caucus

Central Florida Herpetological Society

Central Florida Surfrider

Chassahowitzka River Restoration Committee

Citrus County Council ENR Committee and

Citrus County Audubon Society Conservation Committee

City of Sanibel

Clean Water Action

Community Business Association of Central Florida

Main Street Alliance

Conservancy of Southwest Florida

Conservation Alliance of St Lucie County

Laklas Mint Chapter, Native Plant Society

DeLand Beacon Newspaper

Earthjustice

Earthweb

Enviromental Youth Council of St. Augustine

Environment Florida

Federation of Congregations United to Serve (FOCUS)

Fins and Fluke

First Green Bank

Florida Coastal & Oceans Coalition

Florida Conservation Coalition

Florida Defenders of the Environment

Florida Federation of Garden Clubs, Inc.

Florida Gateway College

Florida Institute of Technology

Florida Water & Land Legacy

Florida Wildflower Foundation

Friends of the Wekiva River

Friends of Warm Mineral Springs

Green Drinks - Orlando

Ground Water Solutions, Inc.

Gulf Restoration Network

Howard T. Odum Florida Springs Institute

Ichetucknee Alliance

IDEAS for Us

Indian Riverkeeper

IRL Paddle Adventure

Kings Bay Springs Alliance

League of Women Voters - Seminole County

League of Women Voters of Florida

League of Women Voters of Volusia County

League of Women Voters of Orange County

League of Women Voters of Volusia Co.

Manatee-Sarasota Fish & Game Association

Marion County Springs Festival

Marine Cleanup Initiative Inc.

Marine Discovery Center

Marine Resources Council

MetroPlan Orlando

Mother Ocean

North Florida Land Trust

Ocean Conservancy

Ocean Research & Conservation Association (ORCA)

Oklawaha Valley Audubon Society

Orange County Environmental Protection Division (EPD)

Orange County Soil and Water Conservation District

Orlando Nerd Nite

Our Santa Fe River Inc.

Paul G. Johnson & Associates

Pelican Island Audubon Society

Pine Island Consulting, Inc.

Polk State

Preserve Brevard

Progressive News Network (PNN)

Putnam County Environmental Council Inc.

Reef Relief

River Kidz

Rivers Coalition

Save Our Lakes

Save Our Suwannee Inc.

Save the Caloosahatchee River

Save the Indian River Lagoon

Save the Manatee Club

Sea Turtle Oversight Protection

Seminole Audubon Society

Seminole Soil & Water Conservation District

Sierra Club – Florida Chapter

Sierra Club - Central Florida Group

Sierra Club - Manatee-Sarasota Group

Sierra Club - Suncoast Group

Sierra Club - Suwannee St. Johns

Sierra Club - Tampa Bay Group

Sierra Club - Turtle Coast Group

Sierra Club - Volusia-Flager Group

Silver Springs Alliance

Space Coast Aububon

Space Coast Kayaking

Space Coast Progressive Alliance

Springs Eternal Project

St. Johns Riverkeeper

St. Lucie County

Suncoast Waterkeeper

Sunshine State Interfaith Power & Light

The Ampersand School

The Byrd Law Group, P.A.

The Guardians of Martin County

Treasure Coast Progressive Alliance

University of Central Florida, Earth Advocates

USGBC Central Florida Chapter

UU Church of Brevard

Wakulla Springs Alliance

*Those in bold were involved in the planning of the Summit and/or provided speakers and/or workshop leaders.

Evers, Ingram shift the responsibility for nutrient pollution to Ag and utilities

This past week the Florida Independent, the Ocala Banner, Capitol Soup and the St. Petersburg Times (among others) reported on two new state legislative bills that would wipe out local urban fertilizer pollution prevention across the state. 

This would not be good for Ag or Wastewater professionals.  If residential Florida is allowed to shirk its responsibility for nutrient pollution then the entire burden will fall on our farmers and our utilities.  Agriculture and wastewater industries should raise their voices against preemption just as cities, counties, stormwater professionals and water quality advocates do when this type of legislation is proposed. 

The proposed legislation is just the most recent part of a story that actually began in 2005 when it became obvious that too many Florida water bodies had reached the tipping points for nitrogen and phosphorous pollution; that year all over the state natural populations of harmful and nuisance algae became overfed to the point of population explosion.

Sarasota County battles with UF-IFAS over fertilizer management 'tobacco science'

Over the past several days, the Sarasota Herald Tribune and the Lakeland Ledger have reported on the controversy surrounding a University of Florida - Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF-IFAS) publication that has been used by the fertilizer industry to argue against strong fertilizer pollution controls.  The Sierra Club has challenged the verity of that publication since it was published in 2009; the recent press coverage - Controversial Study says fertilizer bans are not helpful and LYONS:  Is secret fertilizer report 'tobacco science'? - focuses on Sarasota County's campaign to uncover the truth.

BUT THERE’S MORE TO THE UF 'TOBACCO SCIENCE' STORY 

All across Florida, water bodies are so chock full of nitrogen and phosphorous that resultant harmful and nuisance algae blooms jeopardize public health and our ability to swim, fish and boat in lakes, springs, rivers and at our famous beaches.  Because our tourist economy depends on clean water, Florida communities need a low-cost way to combat the problem. 

It is far more cost-effective to prevent nutrient pollution than it is to utilize hundreds of thousands or millions of tax dollars in restoration efforts for impaired waters – the cost of removing nitrogen from water resources runs from $40,000-$200,000 per ton. 

For this reason, communities along the southwest gulf coast so devastated by the Red Tide blooms of 2005 were the first in the state to adopt strong urban nitrogen and phosphorous fertilizer management ordinances. 

Those gulf coast ordinances were based on recommendations found in the Florida Yards & Neighborhoods Handbooks.

Florida Yards and Neighborhoods (FYN) Handbooks have been published since 1994 by UF-IFAS and FDEP; these handbooks are guides to Florida-friendly landscaping.

The 2009 FYN Handbook states in the Preventing Pollution section (pp. 23-24):  “To prevent water pollution from nutrient leaching and runoff, always follow these steps when fertilizing your lawn or landscape":   

• Don’t fertilize before a heavy rain.

• Apply an iron source instead of a nitrogen fertilizer during the summer.

These FYN recommendations are promoted by UF-IFAS County Extension Agents, Water Management Districts, stormwater professionals, the state’s National Estuary Programs and FDEP.  The summer rainy season fertilizer application bans found in so many local urban fertilizer ordinances are purely a codification of those two FYN recommendations. 

And yet, UF-IFAS, the very same institute that publishes and promotes those two FYN standards, has instead sided with the fertilizer industry and argued in favor of nitrogen application during the rainy summer months.

When in 2009, at the request of the fertilizer industry, UF-IFAS published the aforementioned paper titled Unintended Consequences Associated with Certain Urban Fertilizer Ordinances, it became the bible that UF-IFAS and the fertilizer industry thumped to convince local governments to disregard the 16 years of UF-IFAS’ own good water quality protection advice in the FYN Handbooks.

Although referred to recently in the press as “a study” and “research” this publication is not a scientific research paper; it does not include original scientific data and the assumptions and conclusions, completely unsupported by survey or science, are pure conjecture. Despite this fact, the publication has become the industry’s “scientific proof” against summer rainy season application bans. 

Since June 2009, the Sierra Club and local governments have appealed to UF-IFAS administrators and even to the University President for an explanation of the dissonance between the FYN recommendations and the Unintended Consequences publication, but our appeals have been ignored.

UF-IFAS administrators have continued to transmit Unintended Consequences to county and municipal governments as the “official” position held by UF-IFAS on urban fertilizer management despite the direct conflict between the FYN recommendations (and multiple other UF-IFAS and FDEP publications) and the Unintended Consequences paper.

Even worse, these same administrators have used this non-research-based paper to support attempts by the fertilizer industry to thwart strong urban fertilizer regulation at the state level and to get rid of the existing local ordinances.

In 2009 and 2010, the Scotts Miracle-Gro Company, the Florida Fertilizer and Agrichemical Association, and the Florida Nursery Growers and Landscape Association, with help from UF-IFAS, lobbied hard for legislation to deny county and municipal authorities local control of fertilizer management.

The good news is that water quality advocates, the FL Association of Counties, the FL League of Cities and the Florida Stormwater Association defeated their attempts.

However, without continued pressure from the public demanding the vetting of Unintended Consequences and the reasons for UF-IFAS’ conflicting messages, Florida communities will remain at risk for preemption legislation in 2011 and only the most expensive methods to reduce nutrient pollution.

Cris Costello

Regional Representative

Sierra Club

cris.costello@sierraclub.org      

Septic Tank Law Faces Backwash of Objections

Hold your nose, folks, and stay out of the river and off the beach.  Your Florida neighbors likely won’t have to take better care of their septic system than they have in the past.  The Green Monster and Red Tide will continue to run free in Florida should some in the 2011 legislature have their way.  Oh, and don’t expect to always get clean water from your well.

The landmark bill passed and signed into law last summer has encountered a heavy backwash from folks unwilling to pay their way and keep your neighborhood and your waters clean.

Check out this recent flush of reports from around Florida:

Constantine Defends Septic Tank Bill As Delay Nears, News Service of Fla., via Fla. Assn. of Community Colleges News, 11/12/10

The push to weaken septic tank legislation approved last spring by lawmakers is dividing the usually clubby Florida Senate . . . The wide-ranging bill is designed to protect Florida’s natural springs and waterways which are often threatened by septic tank overflow. Beginning in January, the legislation would require inspections of the state’s 2.6 million septic tanks once every five years. . . .

www.facc.org/facc/NewsBot.asp?MODE=VIEW&ID=10299&SnID=2