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If you’ve been following our challenges against FPL, you know that in September Miami Waterkeeper traveled up to our nation’s capital, Washington D.C., for oral arguments before the Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s Atomic Safety and Licensing Board. The hearing focused on whether or not Miami Waterkeeper and our partners would be entitled to a hearing to formally challenge the license renewal application for FPL's Turkey Point Nuclear Power Plant. This license renewal would allow the plants to operate for an additional 20 years - which would make them the oldest reactors in the United States.

Miami Waterkeeper, in partnership with the Natural Resources Defense Council and Friends of the Earth, has challenged the granting of the operating license on the grounds that FPL is not adequately considering listed species, sea-level rise scenarios, and ongoing groundwater contamination.

Photo Credit: Keys News

We have had a very hot Fall here in Miami! 

According to University of Miami Researcher, Brian McNoldy, we have been experiencing some unprecedented conditions in our area.

In November 2018, Hydro Flask, the award-winning leader in high performance, insulated stainless steel flasks, announced that Miami Waterkeeper was one of the recipients of its 2018 Parks for All Charitable Giving Program. With this support, we have been busy engaging community members in our educational programs and providing volunteer service events to keep South Florida’s green and blue spaces healthy and accessible to all!

We are honored and excited to announce that we have been chosen to participate in a special charitable giving campaign, sponsored and funded by Target. And you have the chance to help direct a portion of Target’s donation to us!

Miami Waterkeeper's Digital Marketing Specialist, Kayla Hauge, had the opportunity to give graduate students at the University of Miami's Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science a unique perspective on social media use and science communication.

Good fertilizing practices are essential for near-shore water quality improvement. But, there are other things you can do that can further help the environment, including Florida-friendly landscaping! 

Images Courtesy of Knoll Landscape Design & PlantsMap

This summer was riddled with concern about emerging threats from flesh-eating bacteria in our coastal waters. Here's what you need to know about the bacteria and how to stay safe while swimming!

Congratulations to the Village of Islamorada for passing a fertilizer ordinance aimed at improving water quality in nearshore waters!

Image Source: www.travel1000places.com

Two weeks ago Miami Waterkeeper traveled up to our nation’s capital, Washington D.C., for oral arguments before the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The hearing was in regard to FPL’s Turkey Point Nuclear Power Plant’s proposed operating license renewal. Why are we concerned with FPL getting approval for this operating license? Well, a nuclear generator acts similarly to a steam engine in that it creates really hot water that needs to be cooled down. Unlike most other nuclear power plants, FPL uses a system of cooling canals like a radiator to achieve this goal. The problem is that these canals are unlined, which means that the really hot, salty, nutrient-rich water is able to leech down into the ground and travel in all directions due to the porous limestone geology beneath the plant. The salty subsurface water, referred to as the hypersaline plume, has been gradually moving toward the groundwater supply, which is our primary source of drinking water here in South Florida. The plume is now migrating at about a foot a day! The plume is also moving east towards Biscayne Bay, an area that offers critical protection to sensitive ecosystems, wildlife, and unique habitats, and supports the local economy through recreation opportunities, tourism, and the provision of ecological goods and services.

On August 14, 2019, the State of Florida’s Third District Court of Appeal held that the City of Coral Gables’ ordinance regulating polystyrene, commonly known as styrofoam, is unenforceable. This news is a blow to the progress made in recent years to address the impacts of marine debris through municipal regulations.

Why is this decision so harmful? Polystyrene is a product that is frequently used in carryout containers. However, because it isn’t biodegradable and persists in the environment, it damages vital marine habitat -- impacting wildlife health,  human health, and the economy.

This decision is also a blow to the home rule authority of municipalities across the State of Florida. Historically, the state legislature has worked to preempt local regulation of products like plastic bags and polystyrene containers. Home rule authority allows municipalities to govern on topics unless the state says they cannot by way of a preemption. These preemptions make it near impossible for municipalities to regulate the use or sale of products like single-use plastics and polystyrene. The Court in this decision affirmed the validity of the state’s preemption on these products. The opinion specifically said that the Florida statutes preempting the regulations on these products superseded Coral Gables’ ordinances.