by Calusa Waterkeeper | Jul 26, 2024 | Bacteria Monitoring, Featured, Press, Water Testing
‘Levels this high usually indicate sewage.’ Estero neighborhood grabbles with water problem Originally published in the Fort Myers News-Press by Chad Gillis on July 25, 2024 The Estero River is a designated Outstanding Florida Waterway with the highest...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Jul 21, 2024 | Bacteria Monitoring, Featured, Press, Water Testing
Ordered by Florida to clean up its act, Fort Myers works to fix its water pollution problem Originally published in the Fort Myers News-Press by Amy Bennett Williams on July 21, 2024 With swelling demand straining its antique wastewater infrastructure, it’s no wonder...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Jul 8, 2024 | Bacteria Monitoring, Featured, Press, Water Testing
Creek runs along Fort Myers landmarks where children, families gather and play Op-Ed originally published in the Fort Myers News-Press by Codty Pierce on July 7, 2024 As the Calusa Waterkeeper, it is my duty and that of our organization to protect and restore our...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Jul 3, 2024 | Bacteria Monitoring, Featured, Policy, Water Testing
Originally published in the Invading Sea by John Cassani, Calusa Waterkeeper Emeritus on July 1, 2024 Gov. Ron DeSantis vetoed the Safe Waterways Act, which was passed unanimously by the Florida Legislature Florida public health policy took a blow recently when Gov....
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Jun 26, 2024 | Featured, Press
Originally published in Florida Weekly by Roger Williams on June 26, 2024 “The sheer amount of vessels on the water today directly impacts the habits and behaviors of our fishery, whether they are fishing or not,” says Capt. Codty Pierce, a career fishing guide and...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Jun 17, 2024 | Cape Coral Spreader Canals, Featured, Litigation, Press, Stormwater
Originally published in the News-Press by Amy Bennett Williams on June 17, 2024 Last year, several prominent environmental nonprofits withdrew from the case, after the city hired a law firm known for what Hannon calls “scorched earth” tactics designed to...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | May 30, 2024 | Featured, Press
Originally published by Fort Myers News-Press by Chad Gillis on May 30, 2024 Bloom conditions and the presence of fecal coliform is only reported by the Florida Department of Health in Lee County when it occurs at places like Bonita Beach or Fort Myers Beach....
by Calusa Waterkeeper | May 30, 2024 | Featured, Harmful Algal Blooms, Lake Okeechobee, Policy, Press
Calusa Waterkeeper is among five conservation organizations and the City of Stuart, Florida to petition the Environmental Protection Agency to set limits on the dangerous algae bloom toxins that now routinely threaten the health of Floridians and wildlife. It has now...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | May 3, 2024 | Featured, Press
Originally published on Beach Talk Radio on May 3, 2024 Calusa Waterkeeper has announced the start of the “Eyes on Seagrass” pilot program in Lee County, a program developed and managed by Florida Sea Grant in partnership with the University of Florida Institute of...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Apr 17, 2024 | Featured, Press, Water Testing
Originally published on Fox4 by Andrew Shipley on April 17, 2024 Sea grass is such an important part of our environment here in Southwest Florida. It provides habitat for our fish and food for our manatees. But unfortunately, that sea grass is going away and is being...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Mar 24, 2024 | Featured, Press, Water Testing
Originally published by Fort Myers News-Press by Amy Bennett Williams on March 24, 2024 Codty Pierce pulls on one black glove (waste not, want not) then dips a lightbulb changing pole-turned-water sampler into the mangrove-lined canal. Once the small glass jar in its...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Mar 19, 2024 | Featured, Press
(Fort Myers, FL– March 19, 2024) – Calusa Waterkeeper, a leading environmental nonprofit organization committed to preserving and restoring the waterways in Southwest Florida, is thrilled to announce the appointment of Connie Ramos-Williams as its new Executive...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Mar 6, 2024 | Bacteria Monitoring, Featured, Policy
We’re excited to share that the Safe Waterways Act has been added to the Florida Senate’s Special Order Calendar for tomorrow, March 7, 2024! Background: Persistence in Tallahassee In 2021, Calusa Waterkeeper John Cassani started working with Florida...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Mar 4, 2024 | Featured, Lake Okeechobee, Press
Originally published by The News-Press and written by Chad Gillis on March 4, 2024 Lake Okeechobee waters continue to blast out of the W.P. Franklin Lock and Dam, and coastal Southwest Florida waters are starting to look like chocolate milk. Aerial images from...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Feb 22, 2024 | Events, Featured
Guest speaker is TV host, conservationist, and fishing guide Captain Benny Blanco. Cape Coral, FL – February 22, 2024 – Calusa Waterkeeper, a prominent environmental advocacy organization committed to preserving and protecting the water resources of the...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Feb 16, 2024 | Featured, Press
Originally published by The News-Press and written by Chad Gillis on February 16, 2024 A district court judge ruled Friday that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency acted illegally when it gave Clean Water Act permitting over to the state of Florida. “After...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Feb 14, 2024 | Featured, Press
Originally published by The News-Press and written by Chad Gillis on February 14, 2024 The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Saturday will begin large-scale Lake Okeechobee releases to the Caloosahatchee River due to high lake levels and continued El Nino conditions....
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Jan 24, 2024 | Featured, Press
Originally published by Florida Weekly and written by Roger Williams on January 24, 2024 People who look out for Florida’s single most essential treasure — not the sunshine, but our water — didn’t traditionally have to be masters of the good simile or navigators of...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Jan 17, 2024 | Featured, Press
Originally published by Pine Island Eagle on January 17, 2024 Calusa Waterkeeper Emeritus John Cassani was invited to give a presentation on the Basin Management Plan at the January meeting of the Greater Pine Island Civic Association. Cassani began by saying it has...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Jan 17, 2024 | Featured, Press
Originally published by NBC-2 News on January 17, 2024 The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is investigating after fuel was found in a North Fort Myers canal along North Gulf Circle on Monday. The Coast Guard was called to the canal in the Waterway Estates...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Jan 11, 2024 | Events, Featured
Florida Right to Clean Water Fundraiser Announced The Lee County Chapter of Florida Right to Clean Water is hosting an exclusive fundraiser event on Sunday, January 28th from 4 pm to 7 pm, and you are invited to attend! Expect to enjoy an evening of live music,...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Jan 9, 2024 | Featured, Press
Originally released by Captiva Community Panel in association with Protect Captiva Representing the Protect Captiva coalition, the Captiva Civic Association (CCA) filed a petition with Lee County on Jan. 8 challenging the new land development regulations that increase...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Dec 21, 2023 | Featured, Press
How Much Nitrogen Pollution is on Our Waterways? Originally published by FOX4 News on December 21, 2023 While people love living along the canals in Cape Coral, recently the question was raised, “how much nutrient pollution is actually getting into these canals?”...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Dec 21, 2023 | Cape Coral Spreader Canals, Featured, Press
Originally published by Cape Coral Breeze on December 21, 2023 by CJ Haddad A hearing to determine whether the state should issue a permit allowing the city of Cape Coral to remove the Chiquita Lock concluded Wednesday afternoon. The next steps will be post-hearing...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Dec 18, 2023 | Cape Coral Spreader Canals, Featured, Press
Originally published by The Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation on December 18, 2023 The hearing to remove the Chiquita Lock in Cape Coral resumed on Dec. 18. The hearing was continued after extensive questioning of experts concerning the water pollution generated...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Dec 13, 2023 | Cape Coral Spreader Canals, Featured
John Cassani, Calusa Waterkeeper Emeritus, in testimony at the trial on the removal of the Chiquita Boat Lock, exposed major failings in the Florida Department of Environmental Protection which allow the City of Cape Coral to continue polluting the waters of Matlacha...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Nov 22, 2023 | Featured, Press
Originally published by The News-Press on November 22, 2023 by Chad Gillis Some environmental advocates and researchers are concerned that a detrimental change may be planned for the Estero Bay Aquatic Preserve, which has been under state protections since 1966. The...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Nov 2, 2023 | Featured, Press
Originally published by The News-Press on November 2, 2023 by Luis Zambrano After a startling dropout by several high-profile Southwest nonprofits, the challenge to keep Cape Coral’s Chiquita Boat Lock, a nearly 50-year-old manmade barrier, in operation moves...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Oct 12, 2023 | Featured
Pictured from left to right: Calusa Waterkeeper Codty Pierce, Tampa Bay Waterkeeper Justin Tramble, and Waterkeeper Alliance representative Patience Burke The Calusa Waterkeeper organization wishes to thank our friends and partners at Tampa Bay Waterkeeper for...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Oct 9, 2023 | Featured, Press
Calusa Waterkeepers Create Oyster Gardens to Aid Water Quality Originally published by FOX4 News on October 9, 2023 You may be keeping our waterways cleaner the next time you order oysters at dinner. The Calusa Waterkeepers, a non-profit organization, has been...
