Welcome Collin
Join Miami Waterkeeper in welcoming our new Outreach Coordinator, Collin Schladweiler! Collin joined our team in September 2019, and we’re very excited to be working with him!
New Study Shows Biscayne Bay Could Suffer From "Regime Change"
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) recently released a study looking at 20 years worth of data on pollution which has found that Biscayne Bay may be facing a "regime change." This means that the bay is changing from a seagrass dominated ecosystem to an algae dominated one.
Doral Glades Park Grand Opening
Picture Courtesy of Doral Family Journal
Miami Waterkeeper staff recently attended the grand opening of the new Doral Glades Park, a beautiful community resource that focuses heavily on nature and conservation. Over the past year, Miami Waterkeeper contribute our time and expertise to the park's Nature Center development so we were thrilled to see it complete and congratulate everyone involved!
North Bay Village passes a fertilizer ordinance!
Congratulations to North Bay Village for passing a fertilizer ordinance aimed at improving water quality in Biscayne Bay!
Image Source: Wikimedia Commons via Marc Averette
Miami Waterkeeper Intern, Monique Paul, Wins Ocean Stewardship Award
Our policy intern, Monique Paul, was awarded the University of Miami's Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science Master of Professional Science Student Award for Excellence in Ocean Stewardship!
MIAMI WATERKEEPER WELCOMES PROGRAMS INTERN, MARIA!
Welcome to our new Program Intern, Maria Briz! Maria has always had a passion for conservation and environmental education so she is currently pursuing a Professional Science Master’s Degree in Environmental Policy and Management at Florida International University.
Moms for Clean Water
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 20, 2019
Contacts:
Lisa Rinaman, St. Johns Riverkeeper & President of Waterkeepers Florida
(904) 509-3260, lisa@stjohnsriverkeeper.org
Jen Lomberk, Matanzas Riverkeeper & Vice President of Waterkeepers Florida
(904) 471-9878, jen@matanzasriverkeeper.org
Waterkeepers Florida Launches Moms for Clean Water Campaign Inspired by Florida’s First Lady
FLORIDA, USA — Earlier this year, First Lady Casey DeSantis made a powerful statement: “We feel an obligation as parents and we feel we should work on behalf of all the parents of this great state to make sure their children have a clean environment and clean water to grow up on."
Waterkeepers Florida applaud the First Lady’s commitment to restoring and protecting our state’s waters, although it is clear our legislature does not share that same sense of urgency. Unfortunately, this legislative session failed to yield any meaningful protective policies for Florida’s waterways. Florida Moms demand better for our children and their children.
Inspired by First Lady DeSantis’ words, Moms for Clean Water represents moms around the state of Florida calling for greater protection for ALL of our water resources. We believe that our water should be clean for our children to safely fish, swim, and drink.
“Seeing my son explore the wonders of the ocean is one of the simplest joys of being a mom. I can’t imagine living here and not being able to swim in our waterways. It is our collective responsibility to ensure clean, healthy waterways for all of our children today and for future generations.,” said Rachel Silverstein, Miami Waterkeeper.
Brownfield Assessment Grant to Address Flooding in South Florida
The Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Brownfields Program empowers states, communities, and other stakeholders to work together to prevent, assess, safely clean up, and sustainably reuse brownfields. A brownfield site is a property through which the expansion, redevelopment, or reuse may be complicated by the presence or potential presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant.
The EPA provides financial assistance to eligible applicants through five competitive grant programs: multipurpose grants, assessment grants, revolving loan fund grants, cleanup grants, and environmental workforce grants.
Miami Waterkeeper weighs in on Groundwater Interpretation
On April 15, 2019, the Environmental Protection Agency issued an Interpretive Statement (“Interpretive Statement on Releases of Pollutants from Point Sources to Groundwater”), which states that: “releases of pollutants to groundwater are categorically excluded from the Clean Water Act’s permitting requirements because Congress explicitly left regulation of discharges to groundwater to the states and to the EPA under other statutory authorities.”
What does this mean? Well, the agency would be formally reversing its longstanding interpretation of the Clean Water Act. If pollutants are discharged from point sources through groundwater before they reach surface waters -- those pollutants would be EXEMPT from Clean Water Act regulation. Meaning, pollutant discharges to Waters of the United States from things like pipelines, wells, mines, deep well injection, animal feeding operation, and other pollution sources through groundwater would be near impossible to regulate under the CWA. It could also create an incentive for polluters to discharge waste into the groundwater, instead of getting the proper permits to dispose of it otherwise.