Dear SWFWMDmatters
Friend,
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| "For decades, efforts to protect and restore Florida's waters have been significantly underfunded." |
Are you as concerned and frustrated about what’s
happening to Florida's natural environment as I am? Here's what you need to
know about what you need to know, so you can add your
voice to the growing number of folks who are demanding our new Governor and Legislature
take real action this session to protect Florida’s natural future. It doesn’t
matter a whit what party you belong to. I’m a Republican and my concern for
natural Florida is a s strong as any. I recently published a book, “Florida!
Images of Natural Florida” in which I lament how, over the last eight years,
our elected leaders have systematically abandoned Florida’s 50-year concern for
its natural environment.
Former U.S. Senator (and a two-term governor of
Florida), Bob Graham, a Democrat, along with former State Senator and State
Representative Lee Constantine, a Republican, are jointly leading the way to a
critically needed new and sensible approach for Florida’s future. Together,
they have published a letter in today’s newspapers that provides a simple but
straightforward take on what the state needs in order to insure its natural
systems and state-wide economy can survive in a future that is dark with
questions about their long-term viability.
The letter is printed in-full below, but to be
fully informed be sure to follow the link at the end to the website for the Florida
Conservation Coalition where you’ll find “A Water Policy For
Florida.”
Sincerely,
Emilio “Sonny” Vergara
Here’s their letter:
Meeting
threats to the state's water supply
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| Where will the road to Florida's future lead us? |
Protecting and
conserving Florida's water is an economic as well as environmental issue, not
one defined by geography or party lines. Both of us, a Democrat from Miami
Lakes and Republican from Altamonte Springs, have made protecting and restoring
Florida's waters a cornerstone of our public service. Today, we redouble our
efforts to safeguard Florida's most valuable resource.
Spurred by
outbreaks of Red Tide and blue-green algae leading to another summer of
dramatic loss in revenue and decline of water quality and quantity in Florida's
springs, rivers and lakes, the Florida Conservation Coalition (FCC), a
coalition of more than 80 conservation minded groups, released 'A Water Policy
for Florida.' This position statement provides an overview of many of the
existing threats to our waters and a pathway for their successful conservation,
restoration and protection statewide.
The coalition
lays out five critical steps that must be undertaken immediately by our
policymakers to safeguard our waters.
PREVENT
POLLUTION AT ITS SOURCE.
An ounce of
prevention really is worth a pound of cure. Preventing pollution at its source
is the most environmentally sound and cost-effective way to meet water quality
goals. We have proposed common sense solutions to prevent pollution from
wastewater, agriculture, biosolids and stormwater, among other sources, in
at-risk watersheds.
AGGRESSIVELY
REDUCE EXISTING SOURCES OF POLLUTION.
Since the vast majority of Florida's waters are already impaired by nutrients,
it is not enough to just slow the growth of pollution; we must reverse the
trend. Adopting a stronger state model fertilizer ordinance, requiring
effective best management practices, upgrading wastewater utilities and
replacing or upgrading septic tanks in areas already impaired by excessive
nutrient pollution will be an expensive but necessary undertaking if we hope to
restore impaired waters.
PROTECT
LAND TO PROTECT WATER.
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| "The Legislature should pass a law that provides significant annual funding to acquire critical natural areas and conserve working farms and ranches." |
What happens on
Florida's land determines the state of its waters. Florida needs to immediately
acquire lands in sensitive areas, minimize urban sprawl and require efficient
landscaping in new developments. The Legislature should pass a law that
provides significant annual funding to acquire critical natural areas and
conserve working farms and ranches.
SECURE
FLORIDA'S FUTURE WATER SUPPLY.
Public investments in water supply focus on engineering solutions to expand
valuable water resources, missing opportunities to reduce demand through conservation
efforts. Government programs should prioritize and incentivize water
conservation measures as the first means to address Florida's water supply
challenges. Additionally, Florida's water management districts must do a better
job of accounting for the interests of the environment and public in making
water use permitting decisions.
PROVIDE
ADEQUATE FUNDING FOR FLORIDA'S COMPREHENSIVE WATER POLICY. For decades, efforts to protect
and restore Florida's waters have been significantly underfunded. Compared to
other important state priorities, like transportation, which receives nearly
$11 billion in funding each year, funding for the management and protection of
our water resources is sorely lacking. Although a true cost has not yet been
determined, estimates suggest funding for Florida's water quality compliance
and infrastructure needs to be a minimum of $1 billion to $2 billion per year.
Traditional funding sources, like water management district ad valorem tax
rates, will need to be restored and new funding sources, such as a water
withdrawal fee, will need to be identified if we are going to save Florida's
waters.
As the 2019
legislative session begins in Tallahassee, we are hopeful that our governor and
legislators understand that Florida cannot afford another year, much less
decades to come, of the environmental and economic disasters that have become
commonplace across Florida. As former state legislators, we know the importance
of public input in the legislative process. We encourage you to contact your
state senator and state representative and tell them about the rivers, lakes,
springs, beaches and estuaries in your community, and why statewide water
protections matter to you.
But first,
visit wearefcc.org and read 'A Water Policy for
Florida' (a 10-page document including a one-page summary) to arm
yourself with the facts and information necessary to make a difference.
(Bob
Graham is a former governor of Florida and former U.S. senator. Lee
Constantine, a Seminole County commissioner, is a former state senator and
former state representative. To read the Florida Conservation Coalition's 'A
Water Policy for Florida,' visit the website here https://
www.wearefcc.org/waterpolicyforflorida. For more information email WeAreFCC@gmail.com.)
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