Save the Manatee Club

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Your Help Is Needed Today!
Ask Senators to Support Bills That Protect Florida's Waters


Dear Friend,

Water is once again expected to be a major issue in the 2020 Florida Legislative Session. Through our partners at the Florida Springs Council, we are monitoring several bills already that will be considered in committees this week in the Florida Senate.

We need your help to ensure that these bills will protect Florida’s waters. We’ve made it easy with a button for each senator that will open a prewritten and pre-addressed email to send.

Today, Tuesday, two bills are being considered that place a fee on groundwater withdrawals for bottled water production. These are the first water use fee bills to be considered in the Florida Legislature in two decades and are a key step toward reducing wasteful consumptive use, increasing funding for springs restoration, and making those who profit from using the groundwater responsible for restoring flow.

SB 1098, proposed by Senator Cruz, proposes to charge five cents per gallon on water extracted for the production of bottled water, and specifies that the funds raised by the water use fee must be used to protect and restore waters within the water management district where the withdrawal occurs. The bill will be heard in the Senate Environment and Natural Resources Committee at 4:30 p.m. TODAY, January 21st.

We need your calls and emails to committee members to support this bill! Here’s an example, but we encourage you to call or write your own opinions:

“Dear Senator ________, Please support Senate Bill 1098 which places a reasonable fee on the water withdrawn by large water bottlers. Many of Florida’s springs and rivers are already impacted by excessive pumping from our aquifer. Existing laws, regulations, and funding have proven inadequate to protect and restore Florida’s waters. A water use fee is the most effective and fair strategy for reducing water use and funding water restoration projects.”



Click each senator's name below
to open a pre-written and pre-addressed
email to customize, sign, and send.

Chairman Bill Montford (850) 487-5003 montford.bill.web@flsenate.gov
Senator Ben Albritton (850) 487-5026 albritton.ben.web@flsenate.gov
Senator Lori Berman (850) 487-5031 berman.lori.web@flsenate.gov
Senator Debbie Mayfield (850) 487-5017 mayfield.debbie.web@flsenate.gov
Senator Tom Wright (850) 487-5014 wright.tom.web@flsenate.gov


The second water use fee bill, SB 1112 by Senator Taddeo, charges a 12.5 cent per gallon extraction tax on water withdrawn from private wells for the production of bottled water. SB 1112 is being heard in the Commerce and Tourism Committee this morning.

To follow the progress of these and other important bills, and for other advocacy opportunities, please watch for our email alerts and forward these messages to your friends and family. We would also encourage you to follow the Florida Springs Council. The Council is a coalition of over 40 springs advocacy groups, including Save the Manatee Club, and focuses exclusively on the protection of this key warm water manatee habitat.

Thank you for all you do to help protect manatees and their aquatic habitat!

 
 

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