Blog - Page 51 of 63 - Friends of the Everglades

Friends of the Everglades joins request urging Interior’s Haaland to reject oil-drilling in Big Cypress

Friends of the Everglades joined Center for Biological Diversity in the request outlined below, sent on behalf of more than 100 conservation groups and businesses, urging Interior Secretary Deb Haaland to reject oil drilling in Big Cypress. More Than 100 Conservation Groups, Businesses Urge Interior’s Haaland to Reject Oil-drilling in Florida’s Big Cypress National Preserve Preserve Provides Vital Everglades Habitat for Endangered Florida Panthers WASHINGTON— More than 100 conservation groups and businesses urged the U.S. Department of the Interior today to deny requests to drill for oil in Big Cypress National Preserve. The preserve, which is part of the greater Everglades region and a unit of the National Park System, provides vital habitat for endangered Florida panthers and Florida bonneted [...]

Allie Preston2021-03-30T11:50:42-04:00March 30th, 2021|All Posts, Friends of the Everglades Statements|

Have you been exposed to toxic blue-green algae?

University of Miami is looking for participants for a study measuring the longterm health impacts of Microcystin exposure. The study requires multiple participants in three categories: Residents living near areas that have been or could be impacted by harmful algal blooms Workers who are employed in areas that have been or could be impacted by harmful algal blooms Out-of-state short term visitors to those areas If you are willing to participate, please use the contact information listed below to get in touch with the study coordinators by April 15, 2021. Study Coordinators: Addison Testoff & Mohamed Diop, Marcela Jaramillo, MS, PhD Email: act110@miami.edu, mxd976@miami.edu, mxj323@miami.edu Phone: 305-308-2477 and 305-243-7565 Study Leader: Dr. Alberto Caban-Martinez DO, PhD, MPH, CPH

Allie Preston2021-03-29T15:50:19-04:00March 29th, 2021|All Posts, Human Health and Safety, Toxic Algae|

VIDEO: Putting a stop to the Roads to Ruin

During today's Clean Water Conversation, we heard a multi-faceted case supporting the urgent need to repeal M-CORES in full, removing the threat of all three proposed toll roads. We'd like to extend a big thanks our guest representatives from the No Roads to Ruin coalition — Amber Crooks, Ryan Smart, Barbara Byram, and Lilly Rooks — for sharing their expertise. The fight continues to halt these roads, which threaten rural communities, natural springs, and water supply, and put pressure of some of Florida's most loved and endangered wildlife. Friends Executive Director, Eve Samples said it well: "So much of what we all do is defense, and we've got our defensive work cut out for us in the remaining weeks of [...]

Allie Preston2021-03-26T15:16:59-04:00March 26th, 2021|All Posts, Clean Water Conversations|

Friends of the Everglades LOSOM PDT Comments 3-22-21

Comments from Friends of the Everglades Executive Director Eve Samples made at the March 22, 2021, meeting of the Lake Okeechobee System Operating Manual (LOSOM) Project Delivery Team. The new lake plan will have widespread impacts on the Greater Everglades ecosystem. Col. Andrew Kelly put it well when he said “this is the tough part" of the LOSOM process. This is where the Army Corps of Engineers will have to make some challenging decisions about the new management plan for Lake Okeechobee. It will be a difficult balancing act, with plenty of opportunities (and perhaps excuses) to avoid taking needed action to prevent public exposure to toxic-algae blooms. However, we at Friends of the Everglades implore the Army Corps to [...]

Allie Preston2021-03-22T16:52:15-04:00March 22nd, 2021|Friends of the Everglades Statements|

Everglades Forever Act calls for additional Lake O water sent south

The following comments were sent to the South Florida Water Management District by Friends of the Everglades Executive Director, Eve Samples, following last week's governing board meeting. Governing Board members, During yesterday's Governing Board meeting, there was some debate about whether the 1994 Everglades Forever Act (EFA) was designed to send additional Lake Okeechobee water south through the STAs. I'm writing to offer some historical facts to support the case that the EFA in fact did: 1. The text of the EFA states: "A comprehensive program to revitalize the Everglades shall include programs and projects to improve the water quantity reaching the Everglades Protection Area at optimum times and improve hydroperiod deficiencies in the Everglades ecosystem. To the greatest extent [...]

Allie Preston2021-03-16T11:09:13-04:00March 16th, 2021|All Posts, Friends of the Everglades Statements|

Friends of the Everglades to SFWMD: Send more water from Lake O to the STAs NOW

The following public comments from Friends of the Everglades Executive Director Eve Samples were made during the March 11, 2021, meeting of the South Florida Water Management District Governing Board: During the environmental report later in today’s meeting, you’re going to learn that the South Florida Water Management District is falling woefully short in meeting an important goal, set by the Everglades Forever Act, to send Lake Okeechobee water south to the Stormwater Treatment Areas and Everglades National Park. You’ll hear that more than 1.5 million acre feet (489 billion gallons) of water has been sent to the STAs since May 1, the beginning of the current water year. But of that, only about 99,300 acre feet (32 billion gallons) [...]

Allie Preston2021-03-11T10:29:47-05:00March 11th, 2021|All Posts|

Everglades Illustrated: Toxic Summer Ahead?

The Everglades is vast, and restoration is complex. We're breaking it down visually for you. Above: South Florida Water Management District's Weekly Water Level Update map, issued 3-3-2021 Damaging discharges are flowing to the Caloosahatchee & St. Lucie Estuaries Take a look at the image above. It tells the story of an emerging crisis in the northern estuaries, as Lake Okeechobee looms high and the rainy season approaches. On Saturday, March 6, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers increased releases from Lake Okeechobee, sending 500 cubic feet per second (cfs) east from the St. Lucie Lock and maintaining releases of 2,000 cfs from the W.P. Franklin Lock and Dam west of the lake. Releases are an attempt by the Corps [...]

Allie Preston2021-03-08T17:18:50-05:00March 9th, 2021|All Posts, Everglades Illustrated|

TCPalm Columnist Gil Smart joins Friends of the Everglades as Director of Policy

Gil Smart is no stranger to the fray. During his more than 30 years as a journalist, he investigated complex subjects and crafted insightful arguments to help people understand difficult topics. The environment is a subject he dove into time and time again. As a columnist at TCPalm, Gil wrote about pollution of the northern estuaries and the Greater Everglades, calling out the exploitation of the state’s natural resources. He’s raised an editorial eyebrow many times to Florida’s woefully inadequate water-management system, noting its continual infliction of damage on local communities and the statewide economy. His fiery columns have dug deep, and ruffled feathers along the way. Friends of the Everglades founder, Marjory Stoneman Douglas, spent the early days of [...]

Allie Preston2021-03-05T09:35:41-05:00March 5th, 2021|Friends of the Everglades Statements|

Your moment of Everglades Zen: Everglades Photographer Spotlight

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. Meet Robert Krayer Robert Krayer, better known as @natural_wanders, is a self-described amateur photographer based out of Tampa, Florida, chronicling all the places that he visits on his days off. His shots, often starring the Everglades, capture stunning moments that never fail to awe and inspire us. He took the shot above in early December, 2020, at Long Pine Key in Everglades National Park. As a Florida native, Robert describes the Everglades region as one of the few places in the state where the stars and Milky Way are truly on display. "I really enjoy astrophotography and [...]

Allie Preston2021-03-02T17:31:56-05:00March 2nd, 2021|All Posts, Everglades Zen|

Friends of the Everglades joins statewide environmentalist opposition to “Combating Public Disorder” bills

Stuart, FL, 2016: One of many rallies for the river hosted across the state over the past several years. Environmental battles in Florida would not be what they are today without the public's ability to rally, protest, march, sign wave, and gather in vigils to fight for the state's natural resources. Friends of the Everglades stands with 35 organizations committed to protecting the right to exercise free speech and peaceable assembly to preserve the environment and are therefore opposed to the “Combating Public Disorder” bills (HB1/SB484). These bills could limit grassroots mobilization that has long served as a powerful tool for influencing decision makers and driving policy to protect Florida's natural resources that in turn buoy the health [...]

Allie Preston2021-03-15T09:16:16-04:00March 2nd, 2021|All Posts, Friends of the Everglades Statements|