Since forming the Now or Neverglades coalition a year ago, tens of thousands of individuals, conservation organizations and companies have stepped up and shown their support by signing the Now or Neverglades Declaration. The momentum is swinging in our favor, with bills recently filed in both the Florida Senate (SB10) and House (HB761) to expedite a project to stop discharges into the Caloosahatchee and St. Lucie Rivers and send Lake Okeechobee water south where it can be stored, cleaned and properly conveyed, with more water heading south to Everglades National Park, Florida Bay and the Florida Keys. This is the common-sense solution we need, based on the recommendation of over 200 Everglades scientists, to help alleviate the water crisis our state currently faces.

Now is not the time to let up, as strong forces are still working to ensure this legislation doesn't pass. I thank you for your past support, and I ask you to take action again, by ensuring that everyone you know has signed the Now or Neverglades Declaration. With that simple action, you can be a part of changing the course of history and saving the national treasure that is the Everglades.

Through this newsletter, I look forward to keeping you updated on the ongoing efforts of the many individuals, conservation organizations and companies working hard to secure a brighter future for the Florida Everglades.

Thank you for all you're doing to help us protect it.

Sincerely,

Islamorada, FL

We are humbled by the outpouring of support for the Now or Neverglades Declaration, with over 54,000 of you signing it to date. In just over a month, hundreds of sportsmen and women will gather in Tallahassee to make their voices heard.

We need your help getting 60,000 signatures before then. If you haven't signed it, sign today !

If you've already signed, please take a moment to forward this email or share the following text and link to your social media:

I signed the Now or Neverglades Declaration, urging common-sense solutions to help save Florida's Everglades. Please join me by adding your signature today! http://gladesdeclaration.org/ 

Now or Neverglades Sportfishing Day

April 11, 2017

Mary Barley Hurley refutes a recent assertion from an Orlando Sentinel column by her sister,  Catherine Barley Albertini, that their father, George Barley, would have been opposed to the plan to build a reservoir south of Lake Okeechobee.

"Nothing could be further from the truth...Due in large part to my father's own efforts, the second project identified in CERP legislation - out of 68 projects - was the very southern reservoir that the Florida Legislature is now about to approve."

Source: Orlando Sentinel

A new status report on Florida Bay describes the marine seagrass ecosystem as "fairly stable" - at least it was until a massive seagrass die-off in 2015.  The report by FWC relied heavily on science from 2011 to 2014, before the die-off occurred, the result of a common lag in scientific data  collection . 

"There was no attempt or intent to deceive or to minimize," said Jim Fourqurean, a seagrass ecologist from FIU who was involved in the research but did not write the final report. "The scientists at FWC understand the resources; they know what's happening."

In the preface to the Florida Bay section, report authors wrote: "Unusually hot and dry conditions in summer 2015 resulted in high-salinity, anoxic [low oxygen] bottom water and build-up of high concentrations of sulfide...This in turn led to die-off of large areas of seagrass in these basins..." 

Source: FLKeysNews

Source: TCPalm

As public pressure mounts, more politicians are joining the effort and taking a stand to protect Florida's water. With the state legislative session ending in May, we all have to keep the pressure on to ensure that these critical bills are passed.

"This week, more lawmakers from all around Florida and both sides of the aisle joined in support of Senate Pres. Joe Negron and SB10/HB761 to fix our broken plumbing for good."

Source: Bullsugar

Florida Bay Forever