Email from VoteWater Also: Conservation funding cut, 'poison pill' on BMAPs in Florida's budget DEEP DIVE: Another type of noxious gunk growing in Florida waters Lyngbya (pronounced “LING-bee-yah”) is a type of cyanobacteria that grows in tropical and sub-tropical waters. And it’s a growing problem in the Indian River Lagoon and some other Florida waterways, where it's fed by an over-abundance of nutrients and can even release toxins — though it’s generally not as harmful as the microcystin toxin produced by blue-green algae. But as temperatures heat up, the gunk is likely to get worse — and that could cause worsening problems. Check out our latest “Deep Dive” investigative report for the full story. READ MORE AT VOTEWATER.ORG John Cassani joins VoteWater board VoteWater is pleased to announce that John Cassani, Calusa Waterkeeper Emeritus, has joined our board of directors! John’s career as an ecologist started in Lee County, where from 1978 to 2014 he worked as a resource manager. He subsequently served at Calusa Waterkeeper from 2016 to 2022. Upon his retirement he was named Calusa Waterkeeper Emeritus in honor of his service and leadership. John has authored peer-reviewed scientific publications, and contributed newspaper columns and op-eds on resource management, history, water policy and conservation issues. His work with community groups has led him to be honored by the Florida Audubon Society, Estero Bay Agency on Bay Management, Lee County Government, the Everglades Coalition, the American Fisheries Society, and the Alberta provincial government. Bottom line, John’s a true water warrior — and we welcome him aboard! 'Alligator Alcatraz' - the worst idea ever (at least since the Southland rock mine) By now you likely know that Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier wants to build an immigrant detention center — “Alligator Alcatraz” — on the grounds of the Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport. Once upon a time the world’s biggest airport, the “Everglades Jetport,” was supposed to be built on the site, but back in 1970 cooler heads prevailed after a report warned the project could “destroy the South Florida ecosystem and thus the Everglades National Park.” Cooler heads are NOT prevailing now. Uthmeier — who was appointed by Gov. DeSantis, has never won an election, and who therefore can hardly be said to be acting on behalf of the people of Florida — is moving full speed ahead. Work on the site has reportedly already started; Uthmeier is saying the detention center can be up and running by July. According to news reports, the federal government has a already signed off, but the site is owned by Miami-Dade County. The Florida Division of Emergency Management sent a letter of intent, seeking to purchase the site for $20 million, but Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava says it's worth $190 million. And needless to say — this being Florida — no environmental assessment has been conducted to determine how building “Alligator Alcatraz” might affect nearby Big Cypress National Preserve and Everglades National Park, just six miles away. What infrastructure, beyond the detention center facility itself, would need to be constructed? What do they plan to do with human waste? What OTHER development would ultimately be authorized right on the doorstep to the Everglades? Light pollution, noise, disturbance to nearby tribal lands, endangered species impacts — there are a million unanswered questions. Then there’s Uthmeier, who Carl Hiaasen on Facebook called the Governor's "crown prince of dumb ideas." Uthmeier was DeSantis’ Chief of Staff last summer when the Governor’s office was pushing plans to develop Florida’s state parks. He served in the same capacity when the Southland rock mine proposal first appeared on the radar screen in 2023, reportedly with support from "the Governor’s office.” In fact, we wonder if “Alligator Alcatraz” is a misdirection play aimed at distracting rock mine opponents, to give that proposal a better chance to move forward. But as our friends at Friends of the Everglades have said: No airports. No rock mines. No prisons. Only Everglades. And you can add your name to the growing list of Floridians demanding Uthmeier and DeSantis scrap this reckless proposal. Do it now — and pass the link along while asking others to do the same. SIGN THE PETITION, STOP 'ALLIGATOR ALCATRAZ' Budget BS: Conservation funding slashed We call Bullsugar. But it may be too late. First the good news: In the budget finally passed last week by the Florida Legislature, Everglades funding fared relatively well. Lawmakers allocated just under $700 million for restoration projects, the same amount as last year. Now for the voluminous bad news: Other conservation funding got cut, big time. Florida’s marquee land acquisition program, “Florida Forever,” got downsized from $100 million last year to a mere $18 million in the coming year. It wasn’t so long ago conservation groups were arguing for a $100 million FLOOR for Florida Forever spending; in the 2000s Florida allocated $300 million annually for the program. But in 2025-26, lawmakers opted to direct the lion's share of land acquisition funding — $250 million — to the Rural and Family Lands Protection Program instead. The Indian River Lagoon Protection Program got cut from $100 million to $25 million. Then there’s a “poison pill” embedded in SB 2502, the budget implementing bill, which affects BMAPs — the basin management action plans that seek to cut nutrient pollution in impaired basins. According to the bill, “Agricultural producers who implement best management practices…. shall be presumed to be in compliance with the recovery or prevention strategy.” This means no testing, no verification that the best management practices are working — you implement them and Florida will take it for granted that they’re achieving everything they’re supposed to. This, of course, is a recipe for even more nutrient pollution in our most fragile waterways. So it’s hard to see Florida’s budget as anything but a step back — and more proof that we need more lawmakers who value clean water even in tight budgets. BECOME A MEMBER   VoteWater | 3727 SE Ocean Blvd. Suite 200A | Stuart, FL 34996 US Unsubscribe | Update Profile | Constant Contact Data Notice