Action Alerts

Restore federal protections for Florida’s wetlands

14,335

Supporters spoke up in this action

Delivery to the Environmental Protection Agency

Action ended on February 16, 2024

What Happens Next

Thank you to all who took action! We’re grateful for your support. In February 2024, a federal court ruled in favor of environmental groups, determining that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) violated federal law when they greenlit Florida’s takeover of the Clean Water Act wetlands permitting program.

What Was At Stake

We need your help to protect some of the most important wetlands in America. Florida wetlands are vitally important: They store excess water after heavy rains. They serve as protective buffers against intense storms. They naturally restore water quality and filter the agricultural and stormwater runoff which fuels toxic algae outbreaks. They support Florida tribes’ cultures and customs. Countless Florida species, many of them endangered, rely on wetlands to support the web of life. And wetlands support the state’s tourism and fishing industries.

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But in December 2020, the Trump Administration gave away the store by giving Florida authority over the federal wetland permitting program, even though Florida only asked for it at developers’ request and even though Florida’s program doesn’t meet federal standards. At the same time, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service made it easier for developers to harm endangered and threatened species in Florida without repercussions. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers gave away its ability to protect some important federal waters and wetlands in Florida by turning those over to the state, too.

We can’t let Florida’s precious wetlands — protected under the Clean Water Act — be in the hands of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection — an agency that hasn’t adequately enforced the environmental protection laws it is currently responsible for, and definitely can’t be counted on running a federal program that’s critical for ensuring the health of our wetlands and the health of the state of Florida.

Tell EPA to rescind its approval of Florida’s wetland permitting program.

Aerial view of the Big Cypress National Preserve in South Florida on October 13, 2021.
Aerial view of the Big Cypress National Preserve in South Florida on October 13, 2021. (Saul Martinez for Earthjustice)

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