March 15, 2025 Weekly Newsletter
Lunch & Learn:
"What's Running Amuck in the IRL?"
with Dr. John Trefry
You're cordially invited to join us for an enlightening Lunch and Learn session focused on one of the most pressing environmental challenges facing our beloved Indian River Lagoon.
Event Details:
Date: Wednesday, March 26
Time: 11:30 AM
Location: Vero Beach Country Club, 800 30th St, Vero Beach, FL 32960
Cost: $25 per person
We’re excited to welcome our guest speaker, Dr. John Trefry, professor emeritus in the Department of Ocean Engineering and Marine Sciences at Florida Tech. Affectionately known as 'Dr. Muck,' he has dedicated his career to studying and understanding the composition and impact of muck in waterways, especially in and around the Indian River Lagoon.
This is a wonderful opportunity to enjoy a delicious meal while connecting with community members who share your interest in preserving and protecting our precious natural resources. Dr. Trefry's expertise and insights promise to spark important discussions about the health and future of our lagoon.
Please note: RSVPs are required for this event. Space is limited, and unfortunately, we cannot accommodate walk-ins.
Questions or trouble RSVPing, email: Info@IndianRiverNA.com
We look forward to seeing you there!
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Florida's Right to Clean Water: Making Action Simple
Florida's waterways are essential to our state's identity, economy, and environment. The Florida Right to Clean Water (RTCW) initiative aims to establish a constitutional right to clean water for all Floridians. If successful, this amendment would:
Enshrine clean and healthy water as a constitutional right
Require government agencies to prevent pollution proactively
Hold polluters and officials accountable for environmental damage
Create stronger legal foundations for water protection
This constitutional protection is especially timely as Florida faces increasing challenges from harmful algal blooms, declining water quality, and inadequate environmental regulations. The RTCW initiative would shift the balance of power from developers and industries to citizens concerned about the long-term health of Florida's aquatic ecosystems.
A Streamlined Way to Sign the Petition
Getting a constitutional amendment on the ballot requires hundreds of thousands of signatures—traditionally a costly and logistically challenging process. Now, thanks to a partnership with tallyED, supporting the RTCW initiative is easier than ever:
Visit the petition link: https://bit.ly/FRTCW-petition
Complete four simple steps to generate a pre-filled petition
Print, sign, date, and mail the petition
Don't have a printer? No problem. TallyED will mail you a pre-filled petition with a return envelope at no cost.
This streamlined system ensures higher verification rates by pre-filling your information accurately, reducing errors that could lead to rejected signatures. It also dramatically lowers the cost of the campaign, making it possible for this grassroots initiative to succeed without the multimillion-dollar budgets typically required.
How You Can Help
The success of this initiative depends on widespread participation:
Sign the petition today at https://bit.ly/FRTCW-petition (If you signed it before 2025, you may need to sign again!)
Share the link with at least five friends or family members
Post about the initiative on social media and community groups
Every signature brings us closer to ensuring Florida's waters remain protected for generations to come. By taking part in this grassroots movement, you're helping to place the power to protect our water resources directly in the hands of Florida's citizens.
As we move through 2025, your support for the Right to Clean Water initiative is more important than ever. Help make our water safe for future generations!
Vero Beach Three Corners: 'Fleshed out' vs. 'skeleton' plan | Opinion (TCPalm) - The Vero Beach selection committee favored Clearpath’s detailed redevelopment proposal over The Blue at Vero Beach’s less refined submission in the first round of voting, but financial concerns and past process controversies raise questions as the city council prepares for a final decision.
A visual tour of Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge near Sebastian (TCPalm) - Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge, established in 1903 as America’s first national wildlife refuge, provides crucial nesting and feeding habitats for brown pelicans and over 130 bird species within its protected waters and lands.
Vero Beach, Fort Pierce, Stuart, PSL: Internal growth better | Opinion (TCPalm) - Low-density suburban development in Florida fails to generate enough tax revenue to cover its long-term infrastructure costs, while denser, mixed-use communities are more fiscally sustainable and environmentally beneficial.
When is sea turtle nesting season, how can I watch sea turtles lay eggs? (TCPalm) - Florida's sea turtle nesting season runs from March to November, with green, loggerhead, and leatherback turtles laying eggs on Treasure Coast beaches, where protected nesting sites and guided observation programs help safeguard these endangered species.
Oil, tar soil island beaches for first time in years (Vero News) - Oil and tar deposits have washed ashore on Vero Beach’s barrier island beaches for the first time in seven years, likely from offshore spills or natural ocean floor leaks, prompting investigations and precautionary warnings.
Vero voters face choice: amenities or low taxes (Vero News) - Vero Beach voters must decide between maintaining low tax rates or funding infrastructure, services, and amenities to keep up with increasing demands from a growing county population, with potential solutions including tax hikes, annexation, or public-private partnerships.
Florida's "Pay to Have a Say" Bills:
A Threat to Citizen Initiatives Like the Right to Clean Water
As Floridians mobilize to support the Right to Clean Water initiative, powerful interests are pushing legislation that would make such citizen-led efforts nearly impossible. Senate Bill 7016 and House Bill 1205 would severely restrict the ballot initiative process, undermining citizens' power to directly address crucial issues when elected officials fail to act.
Key Restrictions in These Bills
$1 Million Bond Requirement: Organizations must post a $1 million bond before gathering any signatures
Felony Penalties for Minor Errors: Criminal charges for technical mistakes like filling in missing information
Shortened Timeframe: Collection period reduced from two years to just 14 months
Restricted Participation: Bans non-citizens and formerly incarcerated individuals from handling petitions
Faster Delivery Requirements: Petition forms must be delivered within 10 days (reduced from 30)
One Amendment Limit: Sponsors restricted to proposing only one amendment at a time
New Signature Revocation Process: Adds complexity by allowing voters to revoke signatures
Corporate Backers
These bills are supported by the Florida Chamber of Commerce, Publix, Florida Power & Light, and the sugar industry—entities with vested interests in limiting citizen initiatives that might impact their operations.
Impact on Environmental Protection
Florida's ballot initiative process has historically allowed citizens to address issues when elected officials wouldn't act. If these restrictive bills had been in place earlier, many conservation initiatives might never have made it to the ballot.
The Right to Clean Water initiative—which aims to protect Florida's waterways from pollution—could become virtually impossible for grassroots organizations to pursue if these bills pass. Only the wealthiest organizations would maintain access to the ballot.
Take Action Now
The connection is clear: if these bills pass, Floridians will lose their constitutional right to directly address critical issues through ballot initiatives. Common Cause and Progress Florida have created a simple way to contact your legislators:
Act now, fill out the form on this site: bit.ly/savedirectdemocracy or contact our legislators with the below info.
While supporting the Right to Clean Water initiative, it's equally important to defend your fundamental right to participate in direct democracy. Don't let wealthy special interests silence your voice.
State Electeds Contact Information:
Sen. Erin Grall
Phone: 850-487-5025
Email: Grall.Erin.Web@flsenate.gov
Address: 3209 Virginia Avenue, Suite A149, Fort Pierce, FL 34981
Rep. Robbie Brackett
Phone: 772-778-5005
Address: Suite B2-203, 1801 27th Street, Vero Beach, FL 32960
Governor Ron DeSantis
Phone: 850-717-9337
Address: The Capitol, 400 S. Monroe St., Tallahassee, FL 32399-0001
Coastal Conservation Association Florida releases 30,000 redfish in Indian River Lagoon (TCPalm) - The Coastal Conservation Association Florida released 30,000 juvenile redfish into the Indian River Lagoon to help replenish local populations, transporting the fish from Duke Energy’s Crystal River Mariculture Center in large containers to Round Island Riverside Park.
March 2025 Peligram (Pelican Island Audubon Society) - The March 2025 edition of Peligram highlights conservation efforts in Indian River County, including upcoming field trips, environmental education programs, a focus on saving the Indian River Lagoon, and the Pelican Island Audubon Society’s 60th Anniversary Gala.
Spring break on Treasure Coast? When is it? 6 things to do in spring (TCPalm) - Spring 2025 officially begins on March 20, and Treasure Coast residents can celebrate the season with activities like Mets spring training, farmers markets, art expos, and nature exhibits.
HEY DOGE, wanna cut waste? Kill the Sugar Program (VoteWater.org) - The federal Sugar Program inflates prices, benefits a small group of major producers, and contributes to environmental pollution, prompting bipartisan calls for its repeal as a way to cut government waste and protect consumers.
Treasure Coast messages in a bottle found internationally, St. Kitts (TCPalm) - Messages in bottles linked to the Treasure Coast have surfaced in various locations, including a fifth grader’s note found in St. Kitts after 16 years, a 37-year-old letter returning to Florida, an Italian poem discovered near the St. Lucie Inlet, and a Sebastian couple’s cruise ship messages reaching distant shores.
Corporate Air customs facility at Vero Beach airport almost complete (TCPalm) - The new U.S. Customs facility at Vero Beach Regional Airport, set to open April 1, is expected to boost the local economy by 30% by attracting more private jet traffic and eliminating the need for travelers to stop elsewhere to clear customs.
Florida Legislature Advances New
Liability Shields for Phosphate Mining Industry
Florida lawmakers are pushing forward with companion bills HB 585 and SB 832 that would establish significant new protections for phosphate mining companies, creating substantial barriers for citizens and communities seeking to hold these corporations accountable for environmental contamination.
The legislation, titled "Former Phosphate Mining Lands," would shield companies like Mosaic from liability for radioactive waste and other contamination by imposing strict new requirements on potential plaintiffs. The bills represent one of the most concerning environmental proposals of the 2025 legislative session.
New Legal Protections for Mining Companies
If passed, the legislation would create a powerful new defense against liability claims. Companies could avoid responsibility for contamination from former phosphate mining sites by simply recording a notice in county property records and having the Department of Health conduct a basic radiation survey.
The bills also establish extraordinary pre-filing requirements for plaintiffs. Before even filing a lawsuit related to phosphate mining contamination, property owners would need to pay for expensive radiation surveys conducted by certified health physicists or radiation protection technologists. These surveys must follow detailed federal protocols and document testing equipment, methodology, calibration dates, and the qualifications of the person conducting the survey.
Industry-Friendly Framing
The proposed legislation includes notable language declaring phosphate mining "an essential agricultural activity that is necessary for the food security of the nation and this state." It further asserts that "the highest and best use of former mined lands is in the state's interests" - rhetoric that clearly prioritizes development interests over environmental concerns.
Corporate Interests vs. Public Health
These bills come at a time when Florida continues to struggle with serious water quality issues across the state. The phosphate industry has been linked to numerous environmental problems in Florida, including radioactive waste concerns, catastrophic failures of phosphogypsum stacks, and groundwater contamination.
By creating these new procedural hurdles, the legislature appears to be shielding one of the state's largest polluters from accountability rather than protecting Florida's fragile ecosystems and public health.
The bills represent a troubling continuation of special carve-outs for the phosphate mining industry at the expense of environmental protection and the rights of Florida residents to seek remedies for contamination. As these bills advance through the legislature, Floridians concerned about water quality, land conservation, and environmental justice should pay close attention.
HB 585 and SB 832 are scheduled to take effect on July 1, 2025, if passed and signed into law.
Supreme Court rejects red states’ bid to quash climate cases (E&E News by POLITICO) - The Supreme Court rejected an attempt by 19 Republican-led states to stop climate lawsuits against oil companies, allowing cases seeking industry accountability for climate-related damages to proceed.
Can Affordable Housing Be Energy Efficient? These Developers Say Yes (Next City) - Affordable housing can be both energy-efficient and cost-effective, as developers are proving that sustainability investments lower long-term costs, improve community resilience, and enhance residents' quality of life.
Florida is now a solar superpower. Here’s how it happened (Canary Media) - Florida has become a national leader in solar power, surpassing California in new utility-scale capacity and maintaining strong residential growth despite political opposition to climate action.
Florida farms reduce water use by 25 percent with simple change (HortiDaily) - Florida farms have reduced water use by 25% using compact-bed geometry, a soil-raising technique that also lowers input costs, mitigates flood risks, and improves crop resilience.
NOAA prepares to lose another 1,029 employees (E&E News by POLITICO) - NOAA is facing another round of layoffs, with 1,029 employees set to be cut, raising concerns about severe disruptions to the agency’s scientific, regulatory, and disaster response capabilities.
Oil companies drop their green pledges and increase drilling (Grist) - BP and other oil companies are scaling back renewable energy investments while significantly increasing fossil fuel production, contributing to higher carbon emissions and undermining climate goals.
Want your voice to be heard? Use this link to easily contact elected officials—from your city council to the President. Your voice can make a real impact. While the IRNA may occasionally prompt you to contact specific officials about urgent issues, we keep this list handy for your convenience. Can't find who you're looking for? Just let us know; we're here to help connect you with the right people.
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