The Everglades is at a tipping point; it's time to

You want to save the Everglades, the northern estuaries and Florida Bay? You want to protect people and animals from harmful algal blooms and safeguard South Florida’s economy?

Then it’s time to Rescue the River of Grass.

Launched by our friends at Friends of the Everglades — and enthusiastically supported by VoteWater — this bold new campaign seeks to address Florida’s increasingly critical water storage and treatment needs, to rehydrate the Everglades and Florida Bay and curtail the devastating discharges to the Caloosahatchee and St. Lucie estuaries and Lake Worth Lagoon.

The goal: Acquire at least 100,000 acres in the Everglades Agricultural Area south of Lake Okeechobee for water storage and treatment. The plan would utilize funding from Amendment 1 — which was passed in 2014 and uses document stamp revenue to pay for the acquisition of conservation lands. It’s projected to generate up to $1.6 billion annually through 2034.

VoteWater will assist with the campaign to convince Florida policy-makers to act and ensure a sustainable future for Florida’s economy, environment and public health.

SIGN THE PETITION: CLICK HERE

“ ‘Rescue the River of Grass’ is a visionary solution for our endangered Everglades,” said VoteWater Executive Director Gil Smart. “Piecemeal fixes will never be enough to restore the flow, prevent discharges to the northern estuaries and address the emerging public health crisis caused by toxic algae.

“Our window of opportunity is closing,” said Smart. “We know what we need to do; we just need the political will to do it.”

As we noted last week, plans are afoot to turn 8,600 acres of Big Sugar-owned land in the EAA into a rock mine. Backers are calling it a “water resource project,” as the pit would be used for water storage once the limestone is dug out and sold. That will aid restoration efforts, they claim.

But this is exploitation, not restoration. And as more development proposals emerge in the EAA — and climate extremes require more large-scale water storage and treatment in South Florida — Florida needs a cohesive, comprehensive plan to secure the land it needs for the next and final phase of restoration.

This isn’t intended to replace the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan projects now underway; it’s intended to complement and supplement them.

“This is about looking down the road and answering the question, 'What comes after CERP?'; and 'How will we finally solve — not just address, but solve — the crisis facing the greater Everglades?' ” said VoteWater Executive Director Smart.

You can do your part: Sign the petition on our website and add your name to the growing chorus of people who want Florida to finish the job of restoration.

Learn more about the campaign via Friends of the Everglades at everglades.org/rescue.

Tell the Army 

Corps to stop the discharges!

TAKE ACTION: Complete this letter 

to Col. Brandon Bowman with

the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers;

or email Bowman at [email protected]

Our condolences on the death of

Calusa Waterkeeper Codty Pierce

Like most in the clean-water community, we were shocked and saddened at the sudden passing of Calusa Waterkeeper Captain Codty Pierce on Jan. 13. VoteWater worked with Pierce on a few occasions and we were big fans of his knowledge, his passion — and most of all, his determination to tell it like it is.

As Connie Ramos-Williams, Calusa Waterkeeper's Executive Director, told the Fort Myers News-Press, Pierce "was not there to appease donors, builders and developers. He spoke the truth. He was in that water every day and he saw it.”

Amen.

More like Codty, please.

A Celebration of Life for Pierce will be held at 2 p.m. on Monday Feb. 3, 2025 at Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre.

ICYMI: Big Sugar plan to mine rock in EAA advances - on Christmas & New Year's Eve

A plan to mine rock in the Everglades Agricultural Area, fill the hole with water and call it Everglades restoration is getting a lot of press lately — as it should.

We detailed the dubious "Southland Water Resource Project" proposal last week, how Big Sugar stands to benefit and how the proposal lurched ahead over the holidays, when few were looking.

Nothing suspicious about that, is there?

Thankfully, there's been some great investigative reporting on the issue, as well as additional context from other groups.

The more scrutiny, the better. For more background and context, see our report by clicking the button below.

P.S.: Floridians DON'T have the right to clean water; but you can change that

VoteWater supports the drive to get a right to clean water amendment on the 2026 Florida ballot, and you can too! Sign the petition, make a donation, volunteer your time and help Floridians secure a future with clean and safe water for all.