Protect the Everglades and Florida Waters
Florida's Everglades and waterways are under mounting pressure from agricultural runoff, inadequate enforcement of existing environmental laws, and chronic underfunding of restoration efforts. Harmful algal blooms, nutrient pollution from fertilizer and farm runoff, and degraded water quality threaten public health, wildlife, tourism, and the long-term viability of one of the nation's most iconic ecosystems.
Florida law — including the Everglades Forever Act (§ 373.4592, Florida Statutes) — already mandates that state agencies work to restore the Everglades in terms of both water quality and water quantity. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) and the South Florida Water Management District have existing statutory authority to enforce water quality standards and regulate pollution sources, including agricultural discharges. However, advocates and environmental organizations have consistently raised concerns that enforcement actions are too infrequent, fines are too low to deter violations, and agency oversight of nutrient runoff from agricultural operations remains insufficient.
Constituents are urging their Florida state representatives to take three concrete actions: (1) demand that FDEP and other relevant executive agencies rigorously enforce existing environmental protection and water quality laws, including issuing meaningful penalties for violations; (2) support and advance legislation that establishes stricter controls on agricultural runoff and nutrient pollution entering Florida's waterways and the Everglades watershed; and (3) secure robust, dedicated state funding in the annual budget for Everglades restoration projects, ensuring Florida upholds its legal and moral commitment to restoring this critical ecosystem.
View Call Scripts
Live Call Script
Hello, I am an assistant calling on behalf of a constituent, {{first_name}} {{last_name}} from {{city}}, {{state}} zip code {{zip_code}}. The constituent is calling to urge {{representative_name}} to take strong action on three critical environmental priorities for Florida. First, they ask that {{representative_name}} use their legislative oversight authority to demand that the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and related state agencies strictly enforce existing environmental protection and water quality laws — including the Everglades Forever Act — and impose meaningful penalties on polluters. Second, they urge {{representative_name}} to support and champion legislation that establishes stricter, enforceable controls on agricultural runoff and nutrient pollution entering Florida's rivers, springs, and the Everglades watershed. Third, they ask that {{representative_name}} fight to secure adequate, dedicated state funding in the annual budget for Everglades restoration projects, fulfilling Florida's statutory commitment under § 373.4592 of the Florida Statutes. Clean water and a restored Everglades are essential to the health, economy, and future of all Floridians. The constituent respectfully requests that {{representative_name}} make these priorities a central part of their legislative agenda this session.
Voicemail Version
I am calling on behalf of {{first_name}} {{last_name}}, a constituent from {{city}}, {{state}} {{zip_code}}. The constituent is urging {{representative_name}} to take immediate action on Florida water quality and Everglades restoration — specifically, to demand strict enforcement of existing environmental protection laws by state agencies, advance legislation to curb agricultural runoff and nutrient pollution, and secure dedicated state funding for Everglades restoration in the annual budget. Florida's waterways and the Everglades ecosystem depend on legislative leadership to ensure these protections are more than words on the books. The constituent respectfully requests that {{representative_name}} make these issues a priority this legislative session. You may contact me at {{phone_number}} to discuss further.