Join the @flspringscouncil.bsky.social for a deep dive into Florida's Legislative Session and lobbying for springs 🏛️ PART 5 OF THE SPRINGS ADVOCACY 101 SERIES 💦 🗓️ Wednesday, November 19 at 6:30 p.m. buff.ly/Bx7C590

🚨ACTION ALERT: SB 240 is being voted on by the Senate Environment and Natural Resources committee on Nov. 18 👏 This is a GOOD bill to protect home rule & keep trash out of our waterways! ⁠ ⁠ 🔗 Click here to email the senators who will vote on this bill: floridaspringscouncil.good.do/2026legislat...

Are you planning to attend one of our upcoming events? Hope to see you at one of our paddles, webinars or markets soon!

It’s ABOUT DAM TIME to restore the Ocklawaha River 👏 Join the Florida Springs Council in voicing support for state decision makers to take action to approve restoration of the Ocklawaha River in 2026. TAKE ACTION TODAY: Visit ItsAboutDamTime.org to sign the Pledge to Restore the Ocklawaha River ✍️

Column: The push to create a #Florida Springs National Park doesn't spring from a desire to really fix what's wrong with the springs. My latest for @floridaphoenix.com also features shout-outs to Samuel Taylor Coleridge and the Fantastic Four. floridaphoenix.com/2025/09/18/n...

“If we make it easy for them by having quotas, having restrictions on how to vacation, we can get a lot of the way there,” Smart said. “There’s very little I’ve ever seen that’s as beautiful as launching your kayak on the north end of Ichetucknee.”

📰 “We don’t want to love our springs to death,” he (FSC Executive Director Ryan Smart) said. “But I also believe that in order to protect something, you have to love it, and to love it, you have to experience it.” www.wuft.org/environment/...

“It worries me that we would take something that [belongs to] the citizens of Florida … and we would give them up to another level of government that we will have less say or input,” Smart said.

“I think that it’s a well-intentioned idea. It’s just not what we need to protect Florida springs. And if that’s the goal, let’s do the things that we need.” - Florida Springs Council Executive Director Ryan Smart www.cfpublic.org/environment/...

📰 “We just have too much pollution going into the ground and too much water coming out of the ground,” said Ryan Smart, executive director of the nonprofit Florida Springs Council. “And when you get that combination, you end up with springs that are no longer blue and vibrant and full of life.”

Springs Advocacy 101 PART 2 - A deep dive into FDEP’s Springs BMAPs with experts on agricultural pollution, septic tanks & urban fertilizer. 🗓️ Aug. 27 @ 6:30 PM 💻 FB and YouTube m.youtube.com/watch?v=_PpM...

NEW ALBUM DROP 💿 The Life of a S̶h̶o̶w̶g̶i̶r̶l̶ Springs Advocate Day in the life of a #SpringsAdvocate: Showing up at the Capitol to meet with legislators, attending Legislative Session committee meetings, emailing decision makers & getting outdoors to enjoy Florida’s incredible natural spaces 🏛️🥾🛶

SPRINGS ADVOCACY 101 💦 Now time to dive into the policies & programs that impact springs protection! (1/3)

Nearly 90% of Outstanding FL Springs are impaired by pollution & pollution in our springs continues to INCREASE! ⁠ 🗓️8/27 at 6:30 pm: FSC will go live to discuss the details & shortcomings of FDEP’s plans to cleanup polluted springs 🔗 Livestream: www.facebook.com/share/16wnx5... ⁠ 📷️: Alan Youngblood⁠

NEW SHIRTS 🔥 @oldfloridavibes.bsky.social Get yours today: go.rallyup.com/springs-shop...

#ICYMI Our first Springs Advocacy 101 discussion is available to watch now! FSC Director Ryan Smart provided an insightful overview of BMAPs, MFLs, water use permits, springs protection zones, best management practices, comp plans, local ordinances & MORE! Watch now: www.youtube.com/watch?v=A4dF...

TONIGHT @ 6:30 PM

DON’T MISS OUR SPRINGS ADVOCACY 101 WEBINAR THIS WEDNESDAY AT 6:30 P.M. 💦 Dive in to the basics of water policy with the Florida Springs Council www.facebook.com/share/1FEL2X...

FDEP is failing our springs. Here’s how: 1/3

A win for Florida: The #KILLTHEDRILL bill was just signed by the Governor, banning oil drilling in Apalachicola 👏 Shoutout to the folks with The Downriver Project, Apalachicola Riverkeeper & all the local leaders + advocates who fought hard to protect the Forgotten Coast 🙌

🚨 BREAKING NEWS: Governor DeSantis just signed the State Parks protection bill prohibiting golf courses, hotels, pickleball courts and more in Florida State Parks 👏 A HUGE WIN FOR FLORIDA’S ENVIRONMENT THANKS TO YOUR ADVOCACY AND PERSISTENCE 🙌

BREAKING: The State Parks Protection Bill has been sent to Governor DeSantis ‼️ He has 7 days to act on the bill, and he indicated a few weeks ago that he would sign the bill!

Thanks to everyone who contacted legislators, joined us in Tallahassee to speak directly to lawmakers, & worked with us to defeat the bad trash bills‼️ This is a result of all the orgs & advocates who kept the pressure on lawmakers & fought HARD to protect Florida’s water, wildlife & communities👏

BREAKING: The bill that would have eliminated local single-use container regulations DIED in the Florida House👏🙌 Through all of today’s twists and turns, HB 1609 did not pass the House Floor - Once again, we’ve kept local regulations of single-use containers in place💪 Thank you, springs advocates!

After the Senate tried, for a second time, to force the bad trash language onto HB 1609, the Florida House REFUSED TO ACCEPT the Senate’s amendment 🙌 Rep. Weinberger once again STAYED STRONG in protecting local plastic regulations & safeguarding our water resources! HB 1609 heads back to the Senate.

BREAKING: The House just AMENDED HB 1609, the bad trash bill, to REMOVE the plastic preemption language ‼️ This is huge! HB 1609 heads BACK to the Senate without the trash language - The Senate will have to vote on the bill again! 👏

GOOD NEWS: STATE PARKS BILL JUST PASSED THE HOUSE FLOOR UNANIMOUSLY, PROHIBITING GOLF COURSES, HOTELS & OTHER HARMFUL DEVELOPMENT IN FLORIDA'S STATE PARKS 🥳 🙌 🤝 💪 😤

HB 1143, the bill that would ban oil drilling near the Apalachicola River, just PASSED the house floor 🙌👏 The bill is headed to the Governor’s desk! Huge thanks to Rep. Shoaf and Senator Simon & Shoutout to Downriver Project, Apalachicola Riverkeeper and the local folks who fought to #KILLTHEDRILL💪

URGENT: One more chance to STOP the bad trash bill. Tell your Senator to vote NO on HB 1609 ‼️ The Florida Senate will be back in session at 10 a.m. & will vote on this bill TODAY! 🚮 Save local plastic regulations! 🕘 Act now 📧 Email your Senator now: floridaspringscouncil.good.do/2025legislat...

Even if you have already emailed or called on SB 1822, we encourage you to reach out to your Senator again and ask them to VOTE NO on HB 1609. ⁠ We know the vote will be close, and we need your calls and emails to tip the scale.

ACTION ALERT: BAD TRASH BILL🚨In a last minute move during the final week of Legislative Session, HB 1609 replaced SB 1822 & was amended to include the bad plastic preemption language - Our attention now shifts ⏩ to call on senators to VOTE NO ON HB 1609! floridaspringscouncil.good.do/2025legislat...

🚨 SB 1822, the bad trash bill, by Senator Martin was just temporarily postponed on the Senate Floor - The bill could be placed on the calendar again before the Legislative Session ends, but this gives us more time to tell Senators to VOTE NO on SB 1822 to keep trash out of our waterways ‼️

🚨Two major environmental bills will be voted on the Senate Floor this week: 🌳SB 80 (State Parks): Urge senators to pass the stronger house bill (HB 209) 🗑SB 1822 (Trash Bill): Urge senators to VOTE NO We’ve made it quick & easy to email your senator: floridaspringscouncil.good.do/2025legislat...

Senator Gruters’ amendment to SB 80 FAILED‼️ An unexpected, but encouraging, turn of events! Huge thanks to the senators who raised concerns with the language that would have allowed golf courses in state parks. SB 80 passed its final committee. We hope the bill will be strengthened to match HB 209.

Last night, Sen. Gruters filed another amendment to SB 80 (State Parks Bill). It still has concerning language, but thanks to your advocacy it is better than Gruters’ original amendment. If SB 80 passes in committee today with the substitute amendment, the bill will still not measure up to HB 209.

🚨 Amendment filed to the state park protection bill, SB 80, that would NOT PROHIBIT the development of a golf course at Jonathan Dickinson State Park, a resort at Anastasia State Park or other reckless development in our state parks - It’s time to take action again to stand up for our state parks‼️

SB 80, the State Park Protection Bill, by Senator Harrell is on the Appropriations Committee on Ag, Environment, and General Gov agenda on Tuesday, April 15‼️ We’re keeping an eye on it & we’re hopeful Senator Harrell will amend the bill to match the good bill (HB 209) that passed earlier this week!

GOOD NEWS: HB 209, the State Park Protection Bill, by Rep. Snyder PASSED AS AMENDED 👏 This bill is headed to the house floor with the strongest protections in place to keep golf courses, hotels, pickleball courts & other reckless development out of #FloridaStateParks!

UPDATE ON THE STATE PARK PROTECTIONS BILL (HB 209): Rep. Snyder filed an amendment that strengthens the bill, closes the concerning loopholes for developers & ensures the developments proposed in state parks last summer are prohibited 👏 The bill + amendment will be voted on April 8 at 8am!

UPDATE: THE AMENDMENT WAS WITHDRAWN! Thank you to everyone who acted quickly and called Senator Rodriguez! We’ll keep an eye on this bill.

🚨 Silver Glen Springs Protection Zone is under threat: Senator Truenow filed an amendment to SB 164 by Rodriguez that would limit the Silver Glen SPZ to within 230 feet of the springs vent (not much more protective than restrictions already in place). Call Rodriguez & ask her to OPPOSE the amendment

🚨 GOOD NEWS: HB 565, the bad trash bill, was temporarily postponed this morning! We appreciate Rep. Blanco for putting the brakes on this bad bill 👏 This is a step in the right direction! Thank you to the advocates & organizations who joined us at the Capitol 🙌

Reality ☑️: We can't achieve water quality goals w/out increasing springs restoration funding‼️ Yet, FDEP & Gov DeSantis continue to request $50 million annually. Join us in asking for increased springs funding: floridaspringscouncil.good.do/2025legislativesession/Springs-Restoration-Funding/

Springs restoration has been continuously underfunded compared to other environmental priorities in Florida, typically receiving only $50 million per year, the minimum allowable under Florida Statutes - Florida’s springs deserve more than the bare minimum 😤

🚨 ACTION ALERT 🚨 Join us in calling on senators to allocate $150 million to springs restoration this year to protect these important cultural & economic resources‼️ 🔗 Send an email to the senators who will discuss the 2025-26 DEP Budget on March 26: floridaspringscouncil.good.do/2025legislat...

Senator Carlos Guillermo Smith discussing SB 1822: Regulation of Auxiliary Containers by Senator Martin ‼️ 1800 emails in opposition of SB 1822. Not a single email in favor of SB 1822. We need more legislators to listen to Floridians over industries and corporations 😤

SB 1822—the trash bill 🗑️—just cleared its first senate committee👎This reckless bill guts protections for our state parks. Thanks to Senator Carlos Guillermo Smith & Senator Kristen Aston Arrington for fighting back & demanding answers! SB 1822 isn’t law yet—two more committees to go. Stay tuned!

Over 2,000 emails sent through our online advocacy system to the senators on the Environment & Natural Resources Committee who will vote on the BAD trash bill TODAY (SB 1822) 🤯🗑️ THANK YOU FOR TAKING ACTION 🙌

As a consumer, I would like the choice to protect my heart health from microplastics. I would like the choice to visit a park or beach without it turning into an impromptu cleanup. I would like my local government to have the opportunity to act in the best interests of our local community.

What an apropos post while the Florida legislature contemplates preempting any regulation of single use plastic by local governments or state agencies, including in our treasured springs and state parks.