December 16, 2013
[dropcap]F[/dropcap]riends of the Everglades is a grass-roots organization in Miami, founded in 1969 by Marjory Stoneman Douglas. Marjory was a fierce advocate for “doing the right thing” for the Everglades, and she knew perfectly well that powerful, wealthy polluters like Big Sugar were determined to extract every ounce of leverage from their prerogatives.
We know that Friends of the Everglades plays a critical role in maintaining the visibility of Everglades restoration and support for enforcement of environmental laws. That is why your continued membership and contribution is so important today.
One example: the rainy season of 2013 devastated Florida’s historic rivers and waterways. Severely polluted water from Lake Okeechobee flushed into adjacent basins and affected billions of dollars in property values. Disastrous water management practices called attention to the Everglades in ways that reinforced the mission of Friends of the Everglades with the public.
A federal Clean Water Act lawsuit by Friends challenging transfer of polluted water from one water body to another has already been heard twice in the US Supreme Court. Recent developments give hope that our lawsuit could help solve pollution permitting issues like those concerning Lake Okeechobee, with ramifications throughout the United States.
As you know, Friends prevailed against the EPA under the Clean Water Act for failing to hold the state of Florida accountable to the law, prohibiting phosphorous pollution of the Everglades in minute quantities. In 2013, we were pleased that Governor Rick Scott accepted the ruling by the federal court – thanks to Friends of the Everglades’ litigation — and announced the commitment of nearly one billion dollars to the Everglades.
This past year, Friends of the Everglades continued its work in local schools, helping to educate the next generation of environmental leaders. Your contribution will help our volunteer board and educational staff plan and implement education where it counts.
Friends and the future of the future of the only Everglades in the world.
Sincerely,
Alan Farago, President
Click here to join Friends of the Everglades
