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Original analysis, event updates, and perspectives from our team — written for public audiences and available to republish with attribution.
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Major Water Win: Miami-Dade County Approves Fertilizer Ordinance
April 20, 2021
On Tuesday, April 20, 2021, the Miami-Dade County Commission passed a strong fertilizer ordinance on second reading–making it law. The future of Biscayne Bay and South Florida’s waterways has brightened with this news! Fertilizer helps plants grow, but when applied in excess it can create a problem for water quality. Nutrients found in fertilizer can run
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Miami Waterkeeper and Partners file Notice of Intent to Sue under the Endangered Species Act
March 31, 2021
On August 20, 2020, the state of Florida asked the EPA to grant the state control over dredge and fill permitting, also known as Clean Water Act (CWA) 404 Permitting. This permitting authority has traditionally been left to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ jurisdiction. Such a decision could present a real threat to waterways,
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Legal Actions
March 30, 2021
Protecting Florida’s Coral Reefs from the Impacts of Dredging In a race to expand U.S. ports to accommodate larger, next-generation shipping vessels, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is targeting ports along the eastern seaboard for expansion and dredging. PortMiami was first on the list, where the shipping channel bisects a once-thriving coral reef and
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In Support of a Monroe County Fertilizer Ordinance
March 29, 2021
Miami Waterkeeper views fertilizer ordinances as key legislative tools in protecting our waterways. Kelly Cox, Miami Waterkeeper’s General Counsel, spoke at Monroe County’s Board of County Commissioners meeting on Wednesday, February 17, 2021 in support of a county-wide fertilizer ordinance for the Florida Keys. Her presentation can be found at the link below, beginning when
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Junior Ambassador Boat Trip – Weekend Review
March 24, 2021
Miami Waterkeeper is proud to showcase our second year in partnership with The International Seakeepers Society. This unique partnership was formed in early 2020 to provide a meaningful on-the-water experience for students in Miami Waterkeeper’s Junior Ambassador Program to conduct water quality research and local clean ups. We are excited to share that this partnership has continued
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Repeating History: Statement on Port Everglades
March 24, 2021
Expansion In partnership with Earthjustice, the Center for Biological Diversity, and the Diving Equipment & Marketing Association, Miami Waterkeeper submitted comments to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers highlighting the various ways in which the Port Everglades Expansion Project risks repeating PortMiami’s history with even worse results. Between 2013 and 2015, amid warnings from scientists
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Ecosystem Protection
Right Whales Need Your Help
March 24, 2021
Miami Waterkeeper submitted a letter to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) urging them to use their authority and protect the critically endangered right whale. In the Atlantic Ocean, lobster and crab fishing are pushing right whales to extinction. North Atlantic Right Whale (Source: NOAA Fisheries) Commercial fishing lines connecting traps on the seafloor
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A Comparative Analysis of Miami Dade County’s 2018 and 2020 Septic Reports
March 22, 2021
In December 2020, Miami Dade County announced a “Plan of Action” report to address septic tanks that are vulnerable to sea level rise. This report follows a 2018 report from Miami Dade County which underscored significant issues in our reliance on septic systems – that is, many are failing or will fail to properly filter waste in the future
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Clean Water
Coral Gables Water Quality Assessment Project
March 16, 2021
Coral Gables, the City Beautiful, took a large step in addressing nutrient pollution in the Coral Gables Waterway, and ultimately Biscayne Bay, by proceeding with a fertilizer ordinance on Feb. 23. Key components of this ordinance include a rainy season black-out period on fertilizer application, a 20-foot setback from waterways and storm drains for application,
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Temple Beth Am Cleanup with Miami Waterkeeper for Mitzvah Day 2021
March 14, 2021
For the last two years, Miami Waterkeeper has had the pleasure of hosting Temple Beth Am (TBAM), a full-service synagogue in Pinecrest, FL, for their annual Mitzvah Day Event – which provides a series of environmental and social activism projects for community members to take part in. In February 2020, Miami Waterkeeper hosted a cleanup
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March 2021 Port Everglades Status Report
March 12, 2021
The Port Everglades dredging project threatens vulnerable wildlife and habitats. Miami Waterkeeper, in conjunction with the Center for Biological Diversity, Florida Wildlife Federation, and Diving Equipment and Marketing Association, brought litigation to ensure that corals and other wildlife are protected during the planned dredging. We have already secured and commented on new environmental assessments, called.
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Waterkeepers Florida Letter to the EPA
March 11, 2021
Waterkeepers Florida, representing all of Florida’s Waterkeepers, wrote to the EPA expressing grave concerns over the Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s (FDEP) permit modification to a municipal wastewater discharger in the City of Largo. The FDEP violated the Clean Water Act with this permit modification and did not allow for public input. Waterkeepers Florida outlined the
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