Allie Preston, Author at Friends of the Everglades

WATCH NOW: Dissecting the Florida budget numbers

https://youtu.be/w8T5nLzWR0I From the desk of our Executive Director, Eve Samples, your Voice of the Everglades update: The movement you empower at Friends of the Everglades hinges on a vision for the future of Florida:It’s about clean water, protected wetlands, thriving native species, and plenty of protected green spaces for us all to enjoy. In essence, it’s about a truly restored River of Grass that works with nature instead of against it. That vision is still achievable — but the window is narrowing. And Tallahassee lawmakers are making our work harder.There’s a disconnect between the decisions we’re seeing from the Florida Legislature and the environmental challenges facing Florida, as Executive Director Eve Samples told the Miami Herald last week. Even as [...]

Allie Preston2023-06-20T12:41:23-04:00June 20th, 2023|All Posts, Caloosahatchee Estuary, DeSantis, Florida Legislative Tracker, Florida Legislature, Voice of the Everglades|

DeSantis approves back-door ban on new fertilizer ordinances

A sneak legislative attack destined to undermine fertilizer bans — a key tool for local governments trying to limit nutrient pollution in waterways — was signed into law by Gov. Ron DeSantis on Thursday. Ignoring veto requests from Friends of the Everglades, Sierra Club, Captains for Clean Water and many other environmental groups, DeSantis failed to veto a line in the budget bill, Senate Bill 2500, that funds a $250,000 study examining whether fertilizer bans with summer “blackout” periods are effective. Shortly thereafter, DeSantis signed SB 2502, the budget implementing bill, which stipulates that as the fertilizer study is conducted over the next year, local governments are prohibited from adopting or amending strict new fertilizer ordinances. The provision had been [...]

Allie Preston2023-06-15T16:01:58-04:00June 15th, 2023|All Posts, Bad Bill Alert, Florida Legislative Tracker, Florida Legislature|

Everglades Illustrated: Toxic Times Ahead?

The satellite image above from June 11, 2023, presages a grim tale. The algal bloom seen here covers an estimated 440 square miles of Lake Okeechobee which, amazingly, NOAA describes as a decrease from the day before. At just over 14 feet, Lake Okeechobee is higher than anyone is comfortable with at the start of Florida’s rainy season. Comparable levels in past years have led to many billions of gallons of harmful releases to the northern estuaries. Paired with the current concentration of algae in the lake, there’s a concerning likelihood we’re headed toward another toxic summer. Friends of the Everglades spent more than three years fighting for a new lake management plan, LOSOM, that considers the risks of [...]

Allie Preston2023-06-12T16:51:27-04:00June 13th, 2023|Everglades Illustrated, Human Health and Safety, Lake Okeechobee, LOSOM, Toxic Algae|

Your moment of Everglades zen: Enjoying the greater Everglades in the heat of summer

Beat the heat. Stay in the car. If you’re looking for an isolated, driveable Everglades adventure this summer, Loop Road might be the trip for you. Although summer doesn’t officially begin for a few more weeks, the season of high heat, humidity and endless mosquito bites is already here. While these conditions make it challenging to hike or kayak South Florida’s iconic wetlands, the Everglades can still be enjoyed from the comfort of your air-conditioned car along the 24-mile Loop Road in Big Cypress National Preserve. Accessible from the Tamiami Trail, the mostly gravel road takes you through three counties (Collier, Monroe and Miami-Dade), offering views of sawgrass prairies, [...]

Allie Preston2023-06-05T17:16:49-04:00June 6th, 2023|All Posts, Everglades Zen|

Introducing the $10,000 Karen Mashburn Environmental Scholars Program

Third and fourth grade students from Royal Palm Elementary School stay engaged in a presentation about Marjory Stoneman Douglas and Young Friends of the Everglades on June 1, 2023, in Miami. Friends of the Everglades is pleased to announce the Karen Mashburn Environmental Scholars Program scholarship and internship. One undergraduate or graduate recipient will be awarded $10,000 and participate in a 12-week Fall 2023 internship at Friends of the Everglades in Stuart, Florida, for approximately 15 hours per week. As the intern helps to support the Young Friends of the Everglades program and engage in community outreach, they will develop a wide range of skills including communications and instructional skills and gain an understanding of governance and guidelines in [...]

Allie Preston2023-06-01T13:10:53-04:00June 1st, 2023|Young Friends of the Everglades|

Spotlight On: How the U.S. Farm Bill contributes to toxic algae in Florida

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QmfsR-k3SA8 Here’s how sugar supports in the U.S. Farm Bill create toxic algae blooms Big Sugar has a very sweet deal. U.S. Sugar and Florida Crystals — which grow hundreds of thousands of acres of sugarcane in Florida — have long profited from federal protections in the Farm Bill, which is reauthorized by Congress every five years. The current Farm Bill expires September 30, 2023. Protectionist policies dating back to the 1930s benefit the industry through low-interest loans, price supports and import quotas, all designed to keep the price of sugar in the United States higher than it is on the global market. This cost, paid for by American consumers and taxpayers, creates windfall profits the industry then uses [...]

Allie Preston2023-05-30T11:48:20-04:00May 30th, 2023|Farm Bill, Florida Legislative Tracker, Spotlight On, Sugarcane Burning, Toxic Algae|

DeSantis just signed “Sprawl Bill” 540 into law

This afternoon, Gov. DeSantis signed into law the worst environmental bill passed by the Florida Legislature during the 2023 session. Senate Bill 540, which will take effect July 1, is a death knell for smart growth in Florida. It will effectively end citizen challenges to comprehensive plan amendments by sadling those who challenge an amendment and lose with the other side’s legal fees — including developers’ attorney fees if they join the case. Signing SB 540 into law defies the spirit of DeSantis’ own Executive Order 23-06, which called for protecting the long-term planning process that safeguards sustainable growth in Florida. And it will embolden developers to propose more environmentally perilous projects. Friends of the Everglades did not stand [...]

Allie Preston2023-05-24T16:52:13-04:00May 24th, 2023|All Posts, Bad Bill Alert, Florida Legislative Tracker, Florida Legislature, SB 540, Smarter Controlled Development|

VIDEO: Is the Florida Legislature really doing the people’s work in Tallahassee?

https://www.youtube.com/live/VkKWZJcSTqY?feature=share There was a lot to unpack from this legislative session that ended on May 5, and not a whole lot of it was good news for Florida’s fragile environment. Today’s Friends of the Everglades LIVE focused on what went down and the ways you can still help us kill some of the worst bills that came out of this “Session of Sprawl.” As our Executive Director Eve Samples put it, “Our future as a state is at stake. We are on the front lines of climate change, we’re implementing the most complex and expensive ecosystem restoration effort on the planet in Everglades restoration, and we are not doing ourselves any favors if we allow more reckless development to [...]

Allie Preston2023-05-16T14:31:38-04:00May 16th, 2023|All Posts, Florida Legislative Tracker, Florida Legislature, Friends of the Everglades LIVE|

Friends of the Everglades 2023 Post-Session Report

As we feared, the 2023 Legislative Session turned out to be the “Session of Sprawl,” as Florida lawmakers advanced legislation that facilitates inappropriate, environmentally damaging development proposals. Lawmakers passed several bills disempowering citizens, handcuffing local governments, and making it easier for reckless development to sprawl across the landscape: In line with our 2023 Legislative Priorities, we offer the following update and analysis on key bills: The worst bill of the session, Senate Bill 540, will, if signed into law, require citizens who challenge a local comprehensive plan amendment and lose to pay legal fees incurred by the “prevailing parties,” which could include deep-pocketed developers. This could end citizen challenges in Florida, paving the way for more reckless development. Friends [...]

Allie Preston2023-06-29T12:18:26-04:00May 16th, 2023|All Posts, Florida Legislative Tracker, Florida Legislature|

WATCH NOW — Last call: SB 540 VETO requests

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G9eCeQIy86M From the desk of our Executive Director, Eve Samples, your Voice of the Everglades update: The clock is ticking. Last Thursday, May 9, state lawmakers sent “Sprawl Bill” 540 to the desk of Gov. Ron DeSantis, triggering a 15-day deadline for him to either sign or veto this environmentally reckless bill. If approved, the legislation would be the death knell for responsible growth-management in Florida — putting citizens at huge financial risk if they challenge changes to local comprehensive plans, which are the blueprints for growth in cities and counties. Much is at stake. Florida is the fastest-growing state in the country; it's ground zero for the climate crisis; and it’s undertaking the largest ecosystem restoration effort on [...]

Allie Preston2023-05-15T11:52:27-04:00May 15th, 2023|Action Alerts, Bad Bill Alert, Florida Legislative Tracker, Friends of the Everglades LIVE, SB 540, Smarter Controlled Development, Stopping Sprawl, Voice of the Everglades|

About Allie Preston