Organizations

The governmental organizations that directly impact the 15 counties of the Suwannee St Johns (SSJ) Group of the Sierra Club are the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, and the Alachua County of Environmental Protection.   The EPA is directly involved with the Cabot-Koppers-Beazer Superfund site in Alachua County.  The source of the pollution on this site dates back almost 100 years, when lumber (e.g. telephone poles) was treated with copper sulphate, arsenic, and other toxic compounds to keep wood boring insects from drilling into the wood.

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection overseas and manages Florida’s state parks and trail systems.  Through the Florida Forever Program the FDEP acquires and preserves natural lands for hundreds of rare and endangered plants and animals, significant archaeological and historical sites, watersheds and water recharge areas, multiple recreational opportunities, and urban open space.  The Department’s regulatory priorities include administering Florida’s air pollution control programs to best prhotect human health; protecting and restoring water quality; managing hazardous waste and cleanups; overseeing beach restorations; and reviewing applications for power plants, transmission lines and natural gas pipelines.  The Everglades Restoration Project is one of their large conservation projects.  They are also involved with the monitoring of off shore oil drilling in the Gulf of Mexico.

Unlike most counties, Alachua County has its own Environmental Protection Department (EPD).   The different responsibilities within EPD are Pollution Prevention, Natural Resources, Hazardous Waste, Water Resources, and Land Conservation.  While a number of candidates have tried to assert in recent elections that the EPD duplicates the efforts of the FDEP and is wasteful and inefficient, the report of the Environmental Protection Advisory Committee (EPAC) indicates that little of substance was foundin these allegations.

 

Government Organizations

  1. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
  2. Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP)
  3. Alachua County Environmental Protection Department (Alachua County EPD)
  4. Environmental Protection Advisory Committee (EPAC)

Environmental Organizations

  1. National Sierra Club
  2. Florida Chapter of Sierra
  3. H. T. Odum Florida Springs Institute
  4. Silver Springs Alliance
  5. Alachua Conservation Trust (ACT)
  6. Conservation Trust of Florida 
  7. Florida Conservation Coalition (FCC)
  8. Putnam County Environmental Council (PCEC)
  9. Southern Legal Counsel, INC. 
  10. Alachua Audubon
  11. Santa Fe Audubon
  12. SouthWings
  13. Florida’s Nature Coast Conservancy
  14. Our Santa Fe River
  15. Community and Environmental Defense Services
  16. Chassahowitzka River Restoration Committee
  17. Homosassa River Alliance
  18. Withlacoochee area Residents, Inc.
  19. Quiet lakes of Alachua County
  20. Rainbow River Conservation, Inc.
  21. Save Our Suwannee
  22. Our Santa Fe River
  23. Santa Fe College Saints for Sustainability
  24. I.D.E.A.S. for UF
  25. 1000 Friends of Florida
  26. The Smart Growth Coalition of North Central Florida, Inc.
  27. Nature Coast Coalition
  28. Florida Native Plant Society
  29. Putnam Conservation Trust
  30. Blue Path
  31. Florida’s Eden
  32. Gainesville Green Drinks
  33. Cultural Arts Coalition
  34. Cinema Verde
  35. St Johns Riverkeeper
  36. Florida Defenders of the Environment
  37. Florida Wildlife Federation
  38. United Waterfowlers of Florida
  39. Florida Climate Institute
  40. Smart Legal Strategies
  41. Florida’s Land and Water Legacy
  42. Lewis Environmental Services, Inc.
  43. MangroveRestoration.com
  44. Roy R. Lewis, III
  45. Seagrass Restoration Now
  46. Coastal Resources Group
  47. Fruit Farm Creek
  48. Clean Nation
  49. UF Water Institute
  50. Mangrove Restoration

 Water Management Districts

  1. Water Management Districts
  2. St Johns River Water Management District
  3. Suwannee River Water Management District
  4. Southwest Water Management District
  5. Recommendations for Property in Alachua County – 2012
  6. SJRWMD Lands Assessment – 2012