BISCAYNE BAY WATERKEEPER INC
Programs
Environmental Protection Initiatives
MWK FOCUSES ON THREE MAIN AREAS: CLEAN WATER, ECOSYSTEM PROTECTION, AND SEA LEVEL RISE RESILIENCY. FIRST, WE TACKLE ISSUES OF POLLUTION TO ENSURE CLEAN WATER THROUGHOUT THE BISCAYNE BAY WATERSHED,FROM THE EVERGLADES TO OUR CORAL REEFS. SECOND, WE PROTECT THE ECOSYSTEMS THAT DEPEND ON THAT CLEAN WATER, INCLUDING CORALS, SEAGRASSES, AND MANGROVES. FINALLY, WE FOCUS ON SEA LEVEL RISE RESILIENCY, WHICH IMPACTS ALL AREAS OF OUR WORK. WE EMPLOY A MULTIDISCIPLINARY APPROACH TO EACH FOCUS AREA: SCIENCE & RESEARCH: WE START WITH SCIENCE, ANALYZING EXISTING RESEARCH OR LEADING LARGE-SCALE NOVEL RESEARCH PROJECTS TO FILL IN KNOWLEDGE GAPS. WE ALSO MONITOR WATER QUALITY EVERY WEEK IN POPULAR RECREATIONAL AREAS TO INFORM THE PUBLIC IN REAL-TIME ON WHERE ITS SAFE TO SWIM AND ENJOY THE WATER. IN 2022, WE: -MONITORED WATER QUALITY AT 27 SITES (17 IN MIAMI-DADE AND 10 IN BROWARD COUNTY)WEEKLY -COLLECTED AND ANALYZED 2,182 WATER SAMPLES, LEADING TO 823 PUBLIC NOTIFICATIONS OF BACTERIA LEVELS EXCEEDING SAFE LIMITS -SHARED OUR WATER QUALITY DATA AND DATA FROM THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH ON SWIMGUIDE, A WATER QUALITY INFORMATION APP, THAT WAS VIEWED 101,397 TIMES -RECEIVED FUNDING FROM THE U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (EPA) TO MONITOR 10 OF THESE WATER QUALITY MONITORING SITES, WHICH ALLOWED US TO PARTNER WITH FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY (FIU) TO STUDY LEVELS OF FECAL INDICATOR BACTERIA AND NUTRIENTS IN THE WATER TO UNDERSTAND THE INFLUENCE THAT CANAL DISCHARGE AND LAND-BASED SOURCES OF POLLUTION HAVE ON BISCAYNE BAY ALSO IN 2022, WE CONTINUED LEADING THE MONTHLY BISCAYNE BAY SCIENCE COORDINATION MEETINGS TO DISCUSS DATA REGARDING THE HEALTH OF BISCAYNE BAY AND THE CONDITIONS THAT IMPACT IT. WE CONTINUED BUILDING OUR FISH KILL RESPONSE CAPACITY BY EXPANDING THE TEAM AND DOCUMENTING A RESPONSE PLAN THAT OUTLINED THE ROLE EACH TEAM MEMBER HAS IN A RESPONSE SITUATION. THIS PLAN WAS PUT INTO PRACTICE IN OCTOBER 2022, WHEN THOUSANDS OF POUNDS OF FISH AND OTHER WILDLIFE WASHED UP ON THE SHORES. THE MWK TEAM COORDINATED THE SCIENCE COMMUNITY TO COLLECT WATER SAMPLES FROM ACROSS THE BAY, KEPT THE MEDIA AND GOVERNMENT INFORMED, AND MAPPED REPORTS OF THE FISH KILL ON THE MWK WEBSITE. THESE ACTIONS ENSURED COMMUNITY LEADERS HAD THE INFORMATION NEEDED TO MAKE QUICK AND EFFECTIVE DECISIONS, ENGAGED THE COMMUNITY IN MAPPING THE PROBLEM, AND HELPED DETERMINE THE ROOT CAUSE OF THE ISSUES. PREVENTING SUBSEQUENT FISH KILLS AND OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL CRISES IS A TOP PRIORITY FOR MWK, ALONG WITH EXPANDING OUR RESPONSE CAPACITY AND ONGOING MONITORING IN NORTHERN BISCAYNE BAY, WHERE THE FISH KILLS OCCURRED. EDUCATION & OUTREACH: OUR WORK ALWAYS COMES BACK TO THE COMMUNITY. WE MAKE IT EASY FOR THE PUBLIC TO BE HEARD THROUGH OUR ADVOCACY PLATFORM; WE PROVIDE TRAINING ON HOW TO OBSERVE AND REPORT POLLUTION THROUGH OUR 1,000 EYES ON THE WATER PROGRAM; WE DEVELOP HIGH SCHOOLERS INTO ENVIRONMENTAL LEADERS THROUGH OUR JUNIOR AMBASSADOR PROGRAM; WE EDUCATE YOUTH THROUGH FLOATING CLASSROOMS; AND WE ENGAGE VOLUNTEERS IN HABITAT RESTORATIONS, KAYAK CLEANUPS, AND SPECIAL EVENT SHORE-BASED MARINE DEBRIS CLEANUPS. IN 2022, WE: -TRAINED 175 INDIVIDUALS THROUGH 1,000 EYES ON THE WATER -RECEIVED 352 POLLUTION REPORTS FROM THE PUBLIC, 107 OF WHICH RESULTED IN ENFORCEMENT ACTIONS -ENGAGED 802 VOLUNTEERS AT 32 DIFFERENT VOLUNTEER EVENTS -REMOVED 2,362.68 POUNDS OF MARINE DEBRIS FROM COASTAL HABITATS ALONGSIDE COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS -RESTORED 10.085 ACRES OF COASTAL HABITAT ALONGSIDE COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS -GRADUATED 22 JUNIOR AMBASSADORS FROM OUR YOUTH ENVIRONMENTAL LEADERSHIP PROGRAM -ENROLLED 29 NEWS JUNIOR AMBASSADORS FOR THE 2022 -2023 PROGRAM COHORT, PLUS 6 JUNIOR AMBASSADOR LEADERSHIP BOARD MEMBERS WHO GRADUATED FROM THE PROGRAM IN 2022 TO SERVE AS PEER MENTORS TO THE CURRENT COHORT -EDUCATED AN ADDITIONAL 269 YOUTH THROUGH HANDS-ON SCIENCE AND ENVIRONMENTAL ACTIVITIES ON OR NEAR THE WATER -CONDUCTED 92 IN-PERSON AND VIRTUAL TRAINING EVENTS REACHING 4,26 4 ATTENDEES -WERE FEATURE IN 68 NEWS ARTICLES -REACHED A TOTAL OF 4,264 MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY THROUGH EVENTS, VOLUNTEERISM, AND OTHER ACTIVITIES ORGANIZATIONAL GROWTH: MWK CONTINUED ITS STEADY GROWTH THROUGHOUT 2022, ADDING NEW MEMBERS TO THE TEAM. WE FORMALIZED OUR STRATEGIC GROWTH PLAN, WHICH WILL DRASTICALLY EXPAND CAPACITY THROUGH RAPID, YET SUSTAINABLE GROWTH, THROUGH 2023. OUR STAFF HAS A BROAD RANGE OF EXPERTISE, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, CORAL PROTECTIONS, MICROBIOLOGY AND RECREATIONAL WATER QUALITY, ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY, COMMUNITY ORGANIZING AND VOLUNTEER MANAGEMENT, MARINE BIOLOGY, EDUCATION AND OUTREACH, WILDLIFE PROTECTION, AND MORE. GROWTH IS AIMED AT TWO AREAS: (1) INVESTING IN OPERATIONS AND FORMALIZING STRUCTURES AND PROCESSES AS THE ORGANIZATION SCALES ITS IMPACT OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL YEARS, AND (2) BUILDING CAPACITY ON THE POLICY TEAM TO ADDRESS THE ROOT CAUSES OF THE ISSUES FACING BISCAYNE BAY. WE PARTNER WITH 20+ ORGANIZATIONS TO LEVERAGE OUR RESOURCES TO CONDUCT SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH, ADVOCATE FOR SUSTAINABLE POLICY SOLUTIONS, AND BROADEN OUTREACH IN THE COMMUNITY. CAMPAIGN HIGHLIGHTS: THE YEAR 2022 SAW SOME OF OUR LARGEST WATER WINS, LISTED BELOW. NRC REVERSES TURKEY POINT LICENSE EXTENSION THANKS TO MIAMI WATERKEEPER'S CHALLENGE. OUR CHALLENGE WITH OUR PARTNERS AT NRDC AND FRIENDS OF THE EARTH LED TO THE NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSIONS FIRST-EVER DENIAL OF A NUCLEAR LICENSE AND ITS FIRST-EVER REVERSAL OF A NUCLEAR LICENSE EXTENSION DECISION. THIS IS IMPORTANT FOR OUR FUTURE SUSTAINABILITY BECAUSE FOUR YEARS EARLIER, FPL APPLIED FOR THE FIRST-OF-ITS-KIND NUCLEAR POWER PLANT OPERATING LICENSE EXTENSION TO RUN TURKEY POINT THROUGH 2052. THIS LICENSE WAS GRANTED TO RUN TURKEY POINT FOR A TOTAL OF 80 YEARS, DESPITE BEST-CASE-SCENARIO MODELS SHOWING THAT SEA THE AREA SURROUNDING THE PLANT WILL LIKELY BE FLOODED ON A DAILY BASIS BY 2040. FPLS APPLICATION DIDNT FULLY ADDRESS SEA LEVEL RISE OR CONSIDER OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL RISKS. OUR VICTORY IN GETTING THE LICENSE EXTENSION REPEALED ENSURES THAT THE TURKEY POINT PLANTAND OTHER AGING NUCLEAR PLANTS AROUND THE COUNTRY --WILL HAVE TO CONDUCT A FULL ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW THAT CONSIDERS SEA LEVEL RISE RISKS FOR THIS AND ALL FUTURE OPERATING LICENSE EXTENSIONS. MANGROVE BAN ORDINANCE WITHDRAWN THANKS TO THE COMMUNITY RESPONDING TO AN ACTION ALERT WE PUT OUT, A PROPOSED BAN ON MANGROVE PLANTING WAS WITHDRAWN. MANGROVES PROVIDE MANY POSITIVE BENEFITS, INCLUDING IMPROVED WATER QUALITY, SEQUESTERED CARBON, HABITAT FOR DIVERSE SPECIES, AND PROTECTED SHORELINES. DESPITE THIS,THE CITY OF MIAMI PROPOSED AN ORDINANCE TO BAN THE PLANTING OF MANGROVES IN CITY PARKS. WE IMMEDIATELY SPRANG INTO ACTION AND SET UP AN ACTION ALERT THAT ALLOWED 1,100 COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO JOIN US IN ADVOCATING AGAINST THE ORDINANCE AND URGING COMMISSIONERS NOT TO PASS IT. OUR TEAM ALSO CONVENED 13 ADVOCACY PARTNERS TO DRAFT A POLICY LETTER TO THE CITY, EXPLAINING THE PROBLEMS WITH THIS PIECE OF THE PROPOSED REGULATION AND OFFERING PRACTICAL SOLUTIONS. ULTIMATELY,THE ORDINANCE WAS PULLED.BONUS VICE NEWS COVERED THE STORY AND FEATURED OUR WATERKEEPER YOU CAN CHECK OUT THE STORY AT HTTPS://WWW.MIAMIWATERKEEPER.ORG/VICE-NEWS. STORMWATER AUDIT & REPORT CARD MIAMI WATERKEEPER AND EVERGLADES LAW CENTER RELEASED THE FIRST-OF-ITS- KIND STORMWATER REPORT CARD, WHICH OBJECTIVELY EVALUATED COMPLIANCE WITH CLEAN WATER ACT STORMWATER PERMITS IN MIAMI-DADE COUNTY. BECAUSE STORMWATER CARRIES POLLUTANTS LIKE HERBICIDES, FERTILIZERS, PET WASTE, AND DEBRIS INTO OUR WATERWAYS, IT IS A MAJOR SOURCE OF POLLUTION INTO BISCAYNE BAY. WE FOUND THAT NONE OF MIAMI-DADE COUNTYS PERMIT HOLDERS WERE 100% COMPLIANT. THE AVERAGE GRADE FOR COMPLIANCE WAS A C-. WE FOUND THAT ALMOST HALF OF THE PERMIT HOLDERS DID NOT HAVE WRITTEN STORMWATER MANAGEMENT PLANS, AND MANY OF THOSE THAT DID WERE SORELY OUTDATED. ALMOST HALF OF THE MUNICIPALITIES ALSO DID NOT HAVE A MAP OF THEIR STORMWATER SYSTEM. LESS THAN ONE-THIRD OF PERMIT HOLDERS DID THE REQUIRED AMOUNT OF INSPECTIONS.WE PRESENTED OUR REPORT TO THE COUNTYS TOP DIRECTORS AS WELL AS MAYORS AND CITY STAFF. WE ALSO PRESENTED OUR FINDINGS AT THE BISCAYNE BAY MARINE HEALTH SUMMIT. SHORTLY AFTER ITS RELEASE,MIAMI-DADE COUNTY UNANIMOUSLY PASSED A RESOLUTION THAT ADOPTS SEVERAL OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS MADE IN THE REPORT. WE ARE CONTINUING THIS WORK TO FURTHER THE ADOPTION OF EFFECTIVE POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS THAT MEET TODAYS ACCEPTED STANDARDS AND WE ARE ENGAGING IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF A NEW VERSION OF THE STATES STORMWATER PERMIT. CRITICAL HABITAT PROPOSED FOR NASSAU GROUPER. IN OCTOBER 2022, THE NATIONAL MARINE FISHERIES SERVICE (NMFS) RESPONDED TO A 2020 LAWSUIT BY MIAMI WATERKEEPER AND THE CENTER FOR BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY BY PROPOSING TO PROTECT OVER 900 SQUARE MILES OF CRITICAL HABITAT FOR THE NASSAU GROUPER. CRITICAL HABITAT CONSISTS OF THE ESSENTIAL FEATURESLIKE CORAL REEFS, SEAGRASS BEDS, AND NEARSHORE AREASTHAT THE SPECIES NEEDS TO SURVIVE. THE TAWNY, STRIPED NASSAU GROUPER USED TO BE ONEGeographiesNot indicatedDatesJan 1, 2022 – Dec 31, 2022Source990No causes providedNo populations provided–$836.4K
Copyright 2026. All rights reserved to Chario Inc. (d.b.a. Impala)