Florida Phoenix

Every year, Jerrel “Jerry” Phillips of the Florida chapter of Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility runs the DEP’s enforcement numbers and issues a report. The report for Hamilton’s first year, issued last month, found some major problems. Big sewage leaks happened ...

I talked to Jerry Phillips of Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility about this. He said the state could be passing laws to make pollution rules stronger, require more inspections and monitoring, even shorten the timeline and increase the penalties for violators. “We need ...

“Lax enforcement and compliance for both point and nonpoint sources suggests that the current TMDLs are ineffective at controlling nutrients into the Indian River Lagoon. EPA must therefore reinitiate consultation to consider this new information suggesting that the current TMDLs are not ...

“Dear Gov. DeSantis, I’m writing to you again because you’re facing a great opportunity right now, and I want to be sure you don’t miss out. Here’s what got my attention: Another top official in your administration resigned. This time, it’s the head of your Department of ...

“Noah Valenstein, secretary of Florida’s Department of Environmental Protection, announced his resignation Thursday, effective on Friday, June 4. “Inasmuch as part of his tenure involved working in the Scott administration, perhaps his biggest accomplishment was preventing the ...