Our Stories

The Latest by David Guest

Managing Attorney

David Guest worked at Earthjustice from 1990 to 2016, as the managing attorney of the Florida regional office. His countless legal battles were, in one way or another, all about water. His motivation to protect Florida’s water came from years of running boats in the state’s rivers and lakes, which convinced him that waterways are many people’s spiritual connection to nature.

September 15, 2009

Oil Drilling Axis Targets Florida's Offshore

By David Guest

Oil's money men lubricate efforts to open up state's waters to drilling

June 17, 2009

Court Legalizes Pollution of America Water Supplies

By David Guest

A disappointing decision by the federal appeals court in Atlanta will legalize pollution in many American drinking water supplies, and we have the former Bush administration to thank for it. The case goes back to 2002, when we sued, on behalf of the Florida Wildlife Federation, to get the South Florida Water Management District to …

May 21, 2009

Florida Bill Greens Lawns Not The Environment

By David Guest

One of the most difficult things we face every legislative season is a bill that looks good on the surface but turns out to be rotten at the core. We are urging Florida Gov. Charlie Crist to veto just such a bill, deceptively titled, "Protection of Urban and Residential Environments and Water Act," right now. …

April 29, 2009

Is Florida Drill Bill Dead, Baby, Dead?

By David Guest

We’re breathing a cautious sigh of relief here in Florida on the issue of offshore drilling. A dangerous bill that would have lifted the state’s offshore drilling ban appears to be dead. We’re keeping our fingers crossed. Our state Senate President told reporters today that the Legislature has run out of time to hear the …

April 22, 2009

Nation's First Solar City in Florida

By David Guest

Talk about a great Earth Day present! Florida Power and Light and Kitson & Partners made a stunning announcement April 9, saying they plan to build the nation’s first solar-powered city—a cluster of homes, offices and factories less than 20 miles from Fort Myers on Florida’s Gulf Coast. What a turnaround. Just two years ago, …

March 18, 2009

What's Green and Chokes Lake Okeechobee?

By David Guest

Apparently, the sight of toxic algae blooms spreading across South Florida’s public waterways last year wasn’t enough to convince the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to do the right thing and toughen standards for nutrient pollution. So on March 9, we filed suit in U.S. District Court to compel the EPA to set more protective pollution …

March 6, 2009

Of Florida Bully-boys and Lawsuits

By David Guest

Down here in Florida, we are continuing our fight against the giant, destructive phosphate strip mines that trash our landscapes and pollute our water. Our latest legal battle aims at some incredible strong-arm corporate tactics that Mosaic Phosphate is using to shut out local citizens and get its local land-use approvals to mine in the …

February 17, 2009

EPA Reversal May Cleanse Florida Coal Plant

By David Guest

One of the last dirty coal power plants on tap in the Sunshine State could get cleaner, thanks to new U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Secretary Lisa Jackson and her wise decision to take another look at regulating carbon dioxide emissions under the Clean Air Act. The proposed 750-megawatt Seminole Electric coal generator in Palatka (Northeast …

January 22, 2009

Florida's Sweet Energy Mandate

By David Guest

Jan. 8 was a sweet day in Florida, and I’m not talking about the weather. On that day, the state’s Public Service Commission voted for a new energy mandate: the state will get 20 percent of its electricity from renewable sources—wind, solar, hydropower, or biomass—by 2020. "We want to be a leader in this country …

December 16, 2008

Florida Tackles Global Warming

By David Guest

With a single vote on Dec. 2, Florida took real leadership in the fight against global warming. After years of head-in-the-sand policy making, this is a welcome change. We have Gov. Charlie Crist to thank: he proposed that Florida adopt clean car standards patterned after those in California. And on Dec. 2, after six hours …