Covering some 7,800 square miles, the Florida Everglades supports one of the most incredible ecosystems in the United States that fuels South Florida’s blue economy. Critically, the Everglades acts as a natural filtration system for nutrient-rich water that once flowed south into Florida Bay. As one of the largest ecosystem restoration projects on the Planet, Everglades restoration is necessary and would provide immediate benefits, but a new threat is on the horizon: a misguided 8,000 acre rock mine, disguised as a water resource project in the heart of the Everglades.
For the past decade, Captains for Clean Water has worked to advance Everglades restoration, chalking up many milestones and defending against the Sugar industry’s attempts to slow progress. CFCW is on the frontlines in the generational fight for South Florida’s water quality and associated blue economies. The organization is once again sounding the alarm of a pressing threat to Everglades restoration: The Southland Water Resource Project.
This project is being rammed through an obscure local government process, without basic approvals from Florida’s water experts. Labeled a water resource project, you’d expect Florida’s primary water management authorities, namely the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the South Florida Water Management District, to offer some level of sign-off. Well that is not the case, partly because in reality this is a 40-year 8,000 rock mine disguised as a water project. And it has Big Sugar’s fingerprints all over it.
“This rock mine is one of the most reckless threats we’ve seen to Everglades restoration, and we’ve seen a lot over the past 10 years. Blasting rock just 1,000 feet from the EAA Reservoir—the most important project to save Florida Bay, stop toxic discharges, and restore America’s Everglades—could undo decades of progress and billions of dollars in investment,” said Captain Daniel Andrews, CFCW Co-founder and CEO. “We can’t allow corporate special interests across the board to continue gambling with the future of our waters, our fisheries, and our way of life. The outdoor community has proven before that when we speak up together, we can stop projects like this. We saw it with the Florida State Parks issue last year, the Guana fight, and the public lands issue earlier this year. Now’s the time to stand up once again and demand Florida’s leaders shut this mine down.”
Why Is The Southland Water Resource Project So Concerning?
- Jeopardizes the EAA Reservoir and Florida’s clean waterways: Excavation next to it could impact the reservoir’s stability and effectiveness.
- Risks Florida’s drinking water: Mining at this depth may affect the Biscayne Aquifer.
- Would prevent the land from being used for real restoration projects in the future, such as treatment infrastructure (STAs/engineered wetlands), not industrial extraction.
- Sets a dangerous precedent: Approval opens the door for more rock mines under the guise of water projects.
View this post on Instagram
CFCW needs your help today to fight this misguided project that threatens long-term Everglades restoration. Join Captains for Clean Water in urging Florida Governor Ron DeSantis put a halt to this real threat to lasting progress for South Florida’s water quality.
U.S. Court Unanimously Rules Against Big Sugar in Everglades Case
I have a hard time imagining how Governor DeSantis will defend the environment against the interests of corporate extractors, the people who fund Republican political campaigns everywhere across America. By the same token, I have a hard time imagining how any imperiled water resource will survive as long as the MAGAts remain in power and continue to overturn our democracy. And if readers don’t like my “politicizing” this discussion, well, too bad. You’d better take off your blindfolds because “bi-partisan” conservation is dead.
Stop the rock mine we need that land to help the river of grass