Report Summary
Since 2004, PEER has examined Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) data to assess state trends in pollution enforcement.
This year, we have added a section on the state of water quality in Florida. Waterkeepers Florida developed and wrote this section based on data compiled by the Florida DEP.
Florida DEP is tasked with enforcing a wide array of laws that are intended to protect the state’s environment and the health of its residents. These include laws protecting air resources from industrial pollution; the quality of Florida’s water, rivers, lakes, estuaries, and wetlands; the state’s beach and dune systems; and the environment from the improper handling and disposal of solid and hazardous wastes.
The conclusions found in this report are simple and a cause for concern. In terms of enforcement of pollution laws in Florida, this report finds that while there was a slight increase in the number of Florida’s environmental enforcement actions in 2025 over 2024, state records show they are still well below historical averages