Allie Preston, Author at Friends of the Everglades

Florida Cabinet should pull the plug on proposed Kendall Parkway

At their June 15 meeting, members of the Florida cabinet will be faced with a critical decision: Will they vote to overturn a judge's ruling, paving the way for a new expressway that will cut through Florida's Everglades? Or will they vote to uphold Administrative Law Judge Suzanne Van Wyck’s March 2020 order, which rejected the proposed extension of State Road 836/Dolphin Expressway as inconsistent with growth management policies, possibly incompatible with efforts to protect the Everglades — and destined to only bring “meager” improvements for South Florida commuters? Today, Friends of the Everglades sent a letter to each member of the Florida cabinet urging their opposition to the new tollway which could negatively impact sensitive wetlands that provide critical [...]

Allie Preston2021-06-03T17:01:42-04:00June 3rd, 2021|All Posts, Friends of the Everglades Statements|

Your moment of Everglades zen: United for an equitable Lake Okeechobee management plan

"A fist bump from the west coast to the east coast" When Friends of the Everglades was founded in 1969 by Marjory Stoneman Douglas, it was with the recognition that the River of Grass was not an east vs. west ecosystem, but rather an entire, interconnected ecosystem. And what’s good for the east and west coast is also good for the southern end of the Everglades. That means sending more clean water south, thereby eliminating the threat of toxic discharges to the northern estuaries and replenishing the parched Everglades with lifegiving, fresh water. The regional environments that make up the Greater Everglades ecosystem are varied and unique in makeup. Like pieces of a puzzle, each of them combines to create [...]

Allie Preston2021-06-02T12:00:04-04:00June 2nd, 2021|Everglades Zen, LOSOM|

Stakeholders across the state unite to request an equitable Lake Okeechobee management plan

Photo taken by the Lake Worth Waterkeeper of blue-green algae at the Lake Okeechobee Pahokee Marina on April 26, 2021 Today, Friends of the Everglades joined Everglades advocacy leaders across the state, Congressman Brian Mast (18th District of Florida), and Congressman Byron Donalds (19th District of Florida) to urge the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to adopt a more equitable Lake Okeechobee management plan. In order to expedite restoration efforts, aid in conservation efforts on federal lands, and protect impacted constituents and economies, the new Lake Okeechobee System Operating Manual (LOSOM) must send the maximum amount of water to the Everglades, Everglades National park, and Florida Bay during the dry season and eliminate harmful discharges to the St. [...]

Allie Preston2021-06-01T16:45:33-04:00June 1st, 2021|All Posts, Friends of the Everglades Statements, Toxic Algae|

Big Cypress must be protected from oil drilling threat

Photo by Luis G. Falcon This month Friends of the Everglades joined Center for Biological Diversity, National Park Conversation Association, Natural Resources Defense Council, and more than 80 additional organizations in signing on to a letter sent to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency requesting that they object to the Burnett Oil Company, Inc.’s Section 404 Clean Water Act permit applications requesting to fill in waters of the U.S. to drill for oil in Big Cypress National Preserve. America's first national preserve, Big Cypress is part of the National Park system and a vital part of the Everglades. The proposed oil extraction activities are not in the public’s interest, and would be inconsistent with President Biden’s initiatives to combat [...]

Allie Preston2021-05-26T12:17:24-04:00May 26th, 2021|All Posts, Friends of the Everglades Statements|

Author Lori McMullen on “Among the Beautiful Beasts” — a tribute to the early life of Marjory Stoneman Douglas

Set in the early 1900s, Among the Beautiful Beasts is the untold story of the early life of Friends of the Everglades founder, Marjory Stoneman Douglas. Though not focused on the details of Marjory's later life — where she become known as a fearless and passionate environmental advocate — this novel weaves a story from the lesser-known details, outlining the path that lead Marjory to become the person that would pioneer a shifting perspective on the Everglades from worthless swamp to timeless treasure. Author Lori McMullen grew up in unincorporated Dade County, outside of Miami, and now lives with her family in Chicago. Friends of the Everglades asked Lori to share the inspiration behind her debut novel which becomes available to [...]

Allie Preston2021-05-26T11:09:00-04:00May 26th, 2021|Marjory Stoneman Douglas|

VIDEO: Breaking down Florida’s 2021 Legislative Session

Florida's 2021 legislative session left much to be desired for those worried about environmental issues. Today's Clean Water Conversation dived into a number of bills that did damage this session. We heard input from Rep. Anna Eskamani (even as she dashed between our event and potential House floor votes happening simultaneously during special session in Tallahassee!), from Executive Director of Florida Conservation Voters, Aliki Moncrief, as well as from our own Policy Director, Gil Smart and Executive Director Eve Samples. Each of them reminded us of the need to remain vigilant. Our voices matter, and together we have the numbers to impact environmental policy in Florida. If you missed the conversation today, you can find the full recording below. For more information [...]

Allie Preston2021-05-19T17:59:54-04:00May 19th, 2021|Clean Water Conversations, Florida Legislature|

Friends of the Everglades Legislative Report: 2021

We’re not sugarcoating it: The 2021 session of the Florida Legislature eroded environmental protections and failed to address the core of our state’s water-quality crisis: lack of enforceable pollution limits. The following is our analysis of the good, the bad and the ugly from the session that concluded April 30 in Tallahassee. JUMP TO: M-CORES Repeal Right to Farm Expansion Seaport Regulations Water Storage North of Lake Okeechobee Everglades Oil Drilling Blue-Green Algae Task Force Recommendations Florida Forever As of July 13, 2021, the following Legislative Report has been updated to reflect recent developments. It was shaping up as just another spring in Tallahassee. Then the money rolled in. With the federal American Rescue Plan funneling $10.2 billion into state [...]

Allie Preston2021-07-13T13:57:36-04:00May 18th, 2021|All Posts, Florida Legislature|

Tell the Army Corps to eliminate Big Sugar’s influence from LOSOM

Photo taken by the Lake Worth Waterkeeper of blue-green algae at the Lake Okeechobee Pahokee Marina on April 26, 2021 They’re at it again. Two sugarcane lobbyists have effectively written one of the plans that will dictate the management of Lake Okeechobee’s water for the next decade. As a Bullsugar supporter, you know this is unacceptable. The good news is there’s still time to stop this dangerous meddling. Join us in asking the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to reject the “Alternative BB” plan, thereby limiting the sugar industry’s influence on the new Lake Okeechobee System Operating Manual. Tell the Army Corps to prioritize protecting the public from toxic algae blooms, rather than protecting Big Sugar’s crop yields. [...]

Allie Preston2021-05-12T10:37:55-04:00May 12th, 2021|Action Alerts, Human Health and Safety, LOSOM|

Everglades Illustrated: Growing public health threat calls for bold action now.

The Everglades is vast, and restoration is complex. We're breaking it down visually for you. Growing public health threat requires bold action now. This photo could be a a glimpse into our future. The Lake Worth Waterkeeper captured the image of blue-green algae at the Lake Okeechobee Pahokee Marina on April 26, 2021 — a month shy of the official start to Florida's rainy season, and the same day that the Florida Department of Environmental Protection reported the microcystin concentration at the marina had reached 860 parts per billion — 107 times more toxic than the EPA recreational limit for safe human contact. Just five days later, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reported that the Lake Okeechobee blue-green algae bloom had [...]

Allie Preston2021-05-13T11:16:39-04:00May 11th, 2021|Action Alerts, All Posts, Everglades Illustrated, Toxic Algae|

It’s time for Gov. DeSantis to issue a State of Emergency on toxic algae

Photo taken at the Pahokee Marina 4-26-21 by the Lake Worth Waterkeeper. On April 26, 2021 the Florida Department of Environmental Protection reported the microcystin concentration at the Lake Okeechobee Pahokee Marina had reached 860 parts per billion — 107 times more toxic than the EPA recreational guideline for safe human contact. Just five days later, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reported that the Lake Okeechobee blue-green algae bloom had expanded to an estimated 300 square miles as indicated by satellite imagery. These blooms present a direct public health threat to communities living around and downstream of Lake Okeechobee and waterways impacts by toxic Lake Okeechobee discharges. The near-term outlook for the co-occurring blue-green algae and red [...]

Allie Preston2021-05-12T10:34:21-04:00May 10th, 2021|All Posts, Friends of the Everglades Statements, Toxic Algae|

About Allie Preston