Allie Preston, Author at Friends of the Everglades

Everglades Illustrated: SB 2508 is still a danger to Florida’s environment

The fight to kill Senate Bill 2508 isn't over. We outlined the reasons that this bill is still a danger to Florida's environment in a recent Clean Water Conversation. The long-story-short explanation is listed in the graphic above. You can find more information about why we still have major concerns by clicking here. Though amended to remove some of the most damaging provisions, there is no reason to let our guard down, and we need your help rallying others to help us kill this bill for good. If you haven't already, use the button below to send a message to Senate President Wilton Simpson, Senator Ben Albritton, Representative Chris Sprowls, and Representative Josie Tomkow today. If you've already done so, [...]

Allie Preston2022-04-13T16:10:58-04:00March 8th, 2022|Action Alerts, All Posts, Everglades Illustrated, Florida Legislature, SB 2508|

SB 2508 is still a threat. Tell legislative leaders to oppose it.

The surprise attack that is SB 2508 emerged late on a Friday afternoon during Florida's annual 60-day legislative session, prompting a fast and furious reaction from the environmental community to push back. In response to that impressive effort, the Florida Senate amended the bill on February 17, stripping some of its most egregious provisions. But major concerns remain. Even amended, SB 2508 remains a mixed bag of bad proposals that undermine Florida's environmental protections and protect powerful industries — most notably Big Sugar. If enacted by the Legislature, this bill could have detrimental impacts on Florida's environment, economy, and public health. It would: Enshrine outdated water-shortage rules into state law, preserving the status quo that benefits Big Sugar at the [...]

Allie Preston2022-04-13T16:11:07-04:00March 3rd, 2022|Action Alerts, Florida Legislature, SB 2508|

Your moment of Everglades zen: Wild Observations with Deborah Mitchell

We know the bad-news reel gets old. It's good to stop and remember what we're working so hard to protect. Here's your dose of Everglades zen. Wild Observations This past weekend we walked with conservation artist Deborah Mitchell through six enchanting destination-exhibition sites hidden within the Everglades National Park trails. Deborah's art combines scientific research with artistic interpretation to map an ecological and cultural study of observations occurring in our wild places. Through her work, she aims to inspire restoration of ecosystems, combat climate change, address habitat loss and reduce invasive species. These photos capture a few of the moments we encountered with a small group of Marjory's Circle members — as we took part in a visual and sensory experience exploring [...]

Allie Preston2023-02-17T11:41:55-05:00March 1st, 2022|All Posts, Everglades National Park, Everglades Zen, Marjory's Circle|

VIDEO: SB 2508 was a “full on assault”

This year's legislative session may have produced a litany of bad environmental bills, but the surprise attack that was SB 2508 took the cake. During today's Clean Water Conversation, we tackled the details surrounding why SB 2508 would have detrimental consequences for Florida's environment, economy, and public health. Jacqui Thurlow-Lippisch clued us in to the South Florida Water Management District's "unanimous stance against attempts to intimidate them with this bill," and Roy Gardener spelled out the dangers of delegating wetland “dredge and fill” permit reviews to utility companies. For a variety of reasons detailed throughout, Friends of the Everglades remains staunchly opposed to its passage. As egregious as this bill itself is, Gil Smart was right that the process with which is [...]

Allie Preston2022-04-13T16:11:16-04:00February 23rd, 2022|Clean Water Conversations, Florida Legislature, SB 2508|

Remembering Maggy Hurchalla — We lost a legend

Maggy’s impact on Florida’s conservation movement cannot be overstated. She’s the reason developers can’t fill in wetlands in Martin County, and the reason I-95 bends away from Stuart. During her 20 years as a Martin County commissioner, she helped craft development rules that made the community a leader in the state for environmental preservation. Her advocacy was fueled by a deep love for Florida’s wilderness. She kayaked as often as she could, and spoke about the Everglades to anyone who would listen. Those of us who had the honor of joining Maggy for a paddle gained a new appreciation for the magic of mangrove tunnels, and we were often treated to a recitation of poetry by Maggy. She was inspiringly [...]

Allie Preston2022-02-20T11:11:05-05:00February 20th, 2022|All Posts, Friends of the Everglades Statements|

They blinked. Now keep your eyes open.

The Florida Senate didn't kill SB 2508 — Now what? The Florida Senate blinked. Now we need to keep our eyes wide open. Senate Bill 2508, pushed by Sen. Ben Albritton and backed by Florida Senate President Wilton Simpson, was amended late Wednesday to remove some of its most damaging provisions. That amendment was a direct response to outrage from the people of Florida — including roughly 1,700 messages you, our Friends of the Everglades, sent to lawmakers, calling on lawmakers to reject the bill in its original form. But our work isn’t done. The amended version remains very concerning, and it passed the Senate today, in a 37-2 vote (with only Sens. Gary Farmer and Jeff Brandes opposing). It [...]

Allie Preston2022-04-13T16:11:24-04:00February 17th, 2022|Clean Water Conversations, Florida Legislature, SB 2508|

Friends of the Everglades 2022 Legislative Update

The 2022 Florida Legislative Session has reached the halfway point, and it’s shaping up to be one of the most environmentally contentious sessions in recent history. Florida Senate President Wilton Simpson shocked the environmental community Feb. 4 when his chamber filed a toxic stew of measures that ultimately could undermine efforts to create a more equitable Lake Okeechobee management plan. Simpson is defending the measures, while Gov. Ron DeSantis and his appointees on the South Florida Water Management District Governing Board are crying foul — which means the second half of session is going to be intense. But there is a glimmer of good news: Some of the legislative proposals we believe could further harm Florida’s fragile waters appear to [...]

Allie Preston2022-02-15T12:03:20-05:00February 11th, 2022|Florida Legislature|

Roll call: This is who pushed SB 2508 through

Yesterday, the Florida Senate Appropriations Committee approved a proposed piece of legislation that prioritizes Florida’s sugarcane industry and is poised to have devastating effects on Florida’s water and Everglades restoration efforts. Specifically, SB 2508 touched on 3 main areas of concern: Language in this bill forces the South Florida Water Management District to maintain existing, overly generous water-supply promises in the new Lake Okeechobee System Operating Manual (LOSOM). This would lead to more toxic algae blooms on Florida’s east and west coasts. It would delegate some wetland “dredge and fill” permit reviews to utility companies, meaning major companies like FPL and Duke Energy could potentially evaluate their own permit applications. This would not be necessary if DEP was properly staffed [...]

Allie Preston2022-06-17T13:42:23-04:00February 10th, 2022|Florida Legislature, LOSOM, SB 2508|

SB 2508: “How could Florida let this happen again?”

https://youtu.be/QGThHiUGxMY "How could Florida let this happen again?" In an egregious display of disregard for our state’s waterways, the Florida Senate Appropriations Committee voted in favor of Senate Bill 2508 today in Tallahassee. It’s a toxic stew of bad proposals that undermine Florida’s environmental protections and protect powerful industries — most notably Big Sugar. The bill’s sponsor, Sen. Ben Albritton, a citrus farmer, deflected pointed criticism from environmental groups, including Friends of the Everglades, and many fishing guides who attended the hearing to object. Albritton claimed opponents had been “misled” about the true intent of the bill — but he failed to dispel our concerns. The video above of Friends of the Everglades policy director Gil Smart outlines several of [...]

Allie Preston2022-04-13T16:11:46-04:00February 9th, 2022|Florida Legislature, Friends of the Everglades Statements, LOSOM, SB 2508|

Bad bill alert: Proposed Senate Bill 2508 poses multiple environmental threats

https://youtu.be/iLKPqfQm0K8 A terrible new bill emerged from Florida’s legislative session late last week. In this video, our executive director Eve Samples breaks down the reasons that it’s a cause for concern on many environmental fronts — not least of which is the threat it poses to the new Lake Okeechobee plan. Among other things, this bill would lock in benefits to water supply users under the Lake Okeechobee System Operating Manual (LOSOM), degrading environmental benefits of the new plan and making downstream estuaries more susceptible to toxic algae blooms. It would allow expedited "dredge and fill" wetland permits if they serve a “public purpose," and would spread thin state funding for critical Everglades restoration projects. These are terrible ideas, and [...]

Allie Preston2022-04-13T16:11:53-04:00February 8th, 2022|All Posts, Florida Legislature, SB 2508|

About Allie Preston