Email from VoteWater Also: Big Sugar spends big bucks on lobbying VoteWater asks appeals court to deny stay in 'Alligator Alcatraz' suit VoteWater has joined a coalition of Florida conservation organizations asking a federal appeals court to affirm a lower court ruling that effectively shuts down "Alligator Alcatraz." The "Brief of Amici Curiae" (friend of the court brief) was filed Tuesday with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit on behalf of VoteWater and eight other conservation groups, opposing the state and federal government’s request for a stay of U.S. District Court Judge Kathleen Williams’ August ruling that “Alligator Alcatraz” skirted federal environmental laws, must halt operations and begin winding down. A key point of contention is the government’s failure to conduct an environmental review and solicit public input, as required by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), before building the detention center. As VoteWater and the other groups note in the brief, "For Amici-Conservation Organizations, NEPA is crucial to their missions to protect the environment, and they consistently rely upon NEPA as a procedural safeguard to ensuring transparent, informed decision-making." VoteWater Executive Director Gil Smart cited VoteWater's participation in the NEPA process during the development of the Lake Okeechobee System Operating Manual (LOSOM). “If not for NEPA we might have had no say,” Smart said. “We relied on NEPA for community engagement and transparent, informed decision-making, and with LOSOM it helped protect not just the northern estuaries but the broader Everglades ecosystem.” For more on the legal filing, click the button below. READ MORE AT VOTEWATER.ORG SUPPORT VOTEWATER Big Sugar spent more than $600k on state lobbying in Q2 Big Sugar continues to spend big on lobbying, according to state data. In the second quarter of 2025, the industry reported that at least 55 individual lobbyists from 25 different firms were registered to lobby on their behalf. Those lobbyists collected an estimated $609,000, most of it from the two biggest players, U.S. Sugar and Florida Crystals. Of that figure, U.S. Sugar spent the most — an estimated $369,000 to lobby the state legislature and executive branch. Florida Crystals spent an estimated $200,000. U.S. Sugar subsidiary Southern Gardens Citrus and its affiliated organizations spent another estimated $25,000, according to state records, while the Sugar Cane Growers Cooperative of Florida spent an estimated $15,000. We say “estimated” because exact figures aren’t reported, only a range (for example, $10,000-$19,999). We derived our estimates using the midpoint of those ranges. Meaning, the total could be even higher. And remember, these totals are for the second quarter of the year alone. At this pace Big Sugar could spend close to $2.5 million-plus on lobbying this year. As part of our Dirty Money Project, we reported that at least 98 lobbyists represented the industry between 2018 and 2024. The lobbying firms carrying sugar’s water are among the most prestigious in Tallahassee, including The Southern Group and Ballard Partners. Individual lobbyists include Steve Crisafulli, former Speaker of the Florida House; Adrian Lukis, former Chief of Staff for Gov. Ron DeSantis, and Ken Pruitt, former President of the Florida Senate — among many others. When they talk, legislators listen. Which may be why the rest of us have such a hard time being heard. So what does AG James Uthmeier know about the Everglades? Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier seems confused. The alleged mastermind behind the colossal waste of money known as Alligator Alcatraz went on Fox News after Judge Williams ruled the detention center must close and regaled us with his (lack of) geographic knowledge. “There’s nothing about Alligator Alcatraz that comes close to the Everglades or infringing on environmental concerns,” Uthmeier told Fox’s Jon Scott. Um, well, first, the plaintiffs documented at least 20 acres of new pavement on the site, which definitely “infringes on environmental concerns,” particularly in such a sensitive area. But more than that — yes, Alligator Alcatraz is in the Everglades. It’s in Big Cypress National Preserve, itself part of the greater Everglades ecosystem. Check this map of the “Western Everglades Restoration Project,” or WERP, the most recently authorized CERP (Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan) project. See the “Jetport?” That’s the Alligator Alcatraz site. Right there in the western Everglades. Where the state and federal government will spend an estimated $2 billion to reconnect the western Everglades ecosystem. Maybe Uthmeier thinks the greater Everglades ecosystem is confined to the national park. More likely, he just doesn't care. But we need an Attorney General who does care — and who will work to protect the Everglades, not exploit it for political ends. Protect our waters, power the fight Clean water is essential — and your support helps protect it. VoteWater fights polluters, pushes for stronger protections, and elects clean-water leaders. Give today to power the movement for Florida’s future. DONATE NOW BECOME AN ANNUAL MEMBER Become a WaveMaker!   VoteWater | 3727 SE Ocean Blvd. Suite 200A | Stuart, FL 34996 US Unsubscribe | Update Profile | Constant Contact Data Notice