From Florida Springs Council

American Rivers named the Ocklawaha River among America’s 10 Most Endangered Rivers.

The Ocklawaha was unnecessarily devastated in 1968, when Rodman Dam was built for a canal that, thankfully, was never completed. It still waits to be restored. 

Here at the Florida Springs Council we look forward to the day, and we feel certain that that day will come, when the river runs free, the drowned springs shine blue, and manatees, fish, and other wildlife can once again travel freely on their natural paths. 

The announcement that this river is on the list of "Top 10 most endangered rivers" may not seem like something to celebrate, but it finally brings national attention to a wrong that has waited over 50 years to be made right. Now it's up to the people of Florida to make it clear that freeing the Ocklawaha needs to happen now.

Join us in supporting the breaching of Rodman Dam to restore life back to the Ocklawaha River. The best way to do that is to visit FreeTheOcklawaha.com now and sign up while you're there for email alerts so that you can become a part of this growing movement. 

NO TOLL ROADS!

The 2020 Legislative Session Starts in January. Now is the Time to Get Involved.

Tell our elected leaders not to waste money on three unneeded massive toll roads proposed to be built through the last remaining rural parts of the Florida Peninsula. These toll roads will bring sprawl and further degrade water quality and habitats.

PLEASE CALL OR EMAIL THE FOLLOWING:

Senate President Bill Galvano, 850 487-5021, galvano.bill@flsenate.gov 

Senate President-Elect Wilton Simpson, 850 487-5010, simpson.wilton@flsenate.gov

House Speaker Jose Oliva, 850 717-5110, oliva.jose@myfloridahouse.gov

House Speaker-Elect Chris Sprowls, 850 717-5065, chris.sprowls@myfloridahouse.gov

Minority Leader Audrey Gibson, 850 487-5833, gibson.audrey@flsenate.gov

Join us to honor and celebrate the life and work of Roy Robert "Robin" Lewis, III.
   Robin was a PCEC officer, board member, and Ocklawaha Committee Chairman for many years and he will be greatly missed, but April 7, 2019, 2-5 PM, we will celebrate his work, his friendship, and his dedication to restoring the Ocklawaha River. 
   This will be a casual affair in the air-conditioned recreation hall at Gold Head Branch State Park with no formal program. Refreshments will be served. Come and go as you wish and bring your family and friends.
   This celebration was organized by Cynthia Sapp, Robin's fiance. 

Sandra Kokernoot, a founder of PCEC and the Water Works Committee, has published Wildflowers of the Water Works Environmental Education Center with assistance from Carol MacDonald, member of PCEC and active volunteer at the Water Works EEC.  Click on this link to view or download the publication and view a wealth of information about the Water Works EEC: https://www.palatka-fl.gov/246/Palatka-Water-Works.  Become a volunteer at this valuable community asset.

Please join us at PCEC's next meeting.

Date: April 19, Thursday, 6:00 pm

Location: Edgar Johnson Senior Center, 1215 Westover Dr., Palatka, FL 32177.

Help us welcome Kelly Patton, St. John's Riverkeeper's new Outreach Director.  She will give a special presentation Harmful Algal Blooms 101: River Friendly Living.

The public is invited and encouraged to attend.

5:30 PM Thursday March 15, 2018
Monica Ross of Sea to Shore Alliance will give a presentation on the “Winter Manatee Count in the St. John’s, Ocklawaha and Silver Rivers”. Edgar Johnson Senior Center, 1215 Westover Dr., Palatka, FL 32177.  The public is invited.

An Economic Evaluation of Ocklawaha/Silver River Restoration: 

University of Florida Study Finds Free-Flowing Ocklawaha River Nearly Doubles Economic Opportunity

To view the full UF report, click here.

GAINESVILLE – Florida Defenders of the Environment, Bruce Kaster and Joe Little are suing the United States Forest Service to obtain an order to breach the Rodman Dam and restore the free-flowing Ocklawaha River. This action was stimulated by the Forest Service’s perfunctory denial of a Petition for Rulemaking filed by FDE members Bruce Kaster and Joe Little earlier this year. The underlying Petition sought to enforce the terms of Rodman Dam’s Special Use Permit that has long since expired.

Contact: Jim Gross, 352.278.7150
Jim4fde@gmail.com 
Jane West, 904.471.0505 
jane@janewestlaw.com
STAND UP PRESS CONFERENCE
Location: Civic Media Center
433 South Main St.
Gainesville, FL 32601
Date: October 9, 2017 at 11:00 a.m.

Florida Defenders of the Environment SUES U.S. FOREST SERVICE OVER RODMAN DAM’S SPECIAL USE PERMIT 

GAINESVILLE – Florida Defenders of the Environment, Bruce Kaster and Joe Little are suing the United States Forest Service to obtain an order to breach the Rodman Dam and restore the free-flowing Ocklawaha River. This action was stimulated by the Forest Service’s perfunctory denial of a Petition for Rulemaking filed by FDE members Bruce Kaster and Joe Little earlier this year. The underlying Petition sought to enforce the terms of Rodman Dam’s Special Use Permit that has long since expired.
The lawsuit alleges that the agency has failed to manage their lands, specifically the Ocala National Forest, in a manner that furthers the conditions, goals and objectives listed in the Florida Plan for National Forests in Florida by allowing the continued, unpermitted use of Rodman Dam. The suit is being filed in federal court by the law firm of Jane West Law, an environmental and land use law litigation firm based in St. Augustine, on behalf of Florida Defenders of the Environment, Bruce Kaster and Joe Little.

The Special Use Permit that authorizes Rodman Dam (the Kirkpatrick Dam) was issued on January 21, 1994 and expired in 1998 but was twice extended to allow the State of Florida sufficient time to apply for a new occupancy permit that would properly describe their management intentions and provide environmental analysis to support the permit. FDEP refused to adhere to the proposed schedule and eventually, the US Forest Service directed FDEP to renew the permit in 2010 in order to allow for coordinated maintenance of the federal lands that are being occupied by the State. The Order went unheeded and to this day, no permit exists authorizing the continued occupation of federal land.

FDE Board member, Bruce Kaster, was one of the underlying petitioners and the decision to move forward with federal action was deemed necessary. “We regret that we have been left no alternative but to proceed with this lawsuit to force the US Forest Service to restore the Ocklawaha River. However, after waiting patiently for over a decade for the forest service to move forward on restoration of the river our patience has run out. We are aware that the US Forest Service committed to restore the river over 10 years ago and has recently reconfirmed that commitment, but no serious progress has been made to make good on their commitment. In consideration of the history of the Cross Florida Barge Canal being halted by President Nixon in 1971 and deauthorized by a bill sponsored by Lawton Chiles and Buddy MacKay in Congress in 1983, there is no excuse for further delay in restoring this unique beautiful river. We are committed to ensure that there is no adverse financial impact on Putnam county as a result of the restoration of the river. To the contrary our analysis shows that river access will actually result in increased revenue to the local community.”

Filing the underlying rulemaking petition was deemed necessary to move forward in a timely manner to ensure compliance with the National Forest Management Act. “What has developed over the decades with Rodman is a culture of inaction. Enough is enough. The permit expired. The terms are clear – when the permit expires the State was required to remove the structures and improvements authorized by the permit to allow for partial restoration of the Ocklawaha River.” declared Jane West.

Copies of the Complaint will be provided at the press conference.

On August 19 PCEC board member Karen Chadwick visited the Kenwood boat ramp on the north side of the Rodman Reservoir off County Road 315. This popular spot, with a two-lane boat ramp and picnic facilities, is the site of frequent fishing tournaments. However, access to the reservoir had been almost completely blocked due to water lettuce. During temporary drawdowns of the Rodman Reservoir the natural flow of the Ocklawaha River typically keeps these blockages from occurring, but during “normal” reservoir levels water lettuce grows prolifically in the stagnant or slow-moving water. This creates a hindrance and inconvenience to fisherman and blocks access to Putnam Lock. And on August 19, Karen saw that the state’s solution to this problem was a heavy application of chemical spray.  To read more go to Fall 2017 Green Gazette.