Springs Harm Rule

On Dec. 10, 2024, following litigation by the Florida Springs Council, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection proposed "Springs Harm Rules" (62-41.400 - 62-41.402) for adoption after nearly nine years of ignoring the law. This is an important and necessary step towards the agency finally adopting rules that protect Outstanding Florida Springs from harmful water withdrawals.

Unfortunately, FDEP’s proposed rules are the same as the weak draft rules previously published. FDEP's proposed rules are not strong enough to meet the requirements of law and will not prevent harm to our springs. We need springs advocates to tell FDEP to revise the proposed rule and adopt a strong Springs Harm Rule.

Join us in telling FDEP to improve the proposed rule to meet the minimum requirements of the law (373.219(3), F.S.), prior to adoption.

FDEP is accepting comments on the proposed springs harm rule until December 31, 2024.

The Florida Springs Council has requested a public hearing with FDEP to provide comments and ask questions about the proposed rules. The public hearing will be January 6 at 9 a.m. in Tallahassee. Join advocates at the hearing to speak up for Florida's Springs. Follow the Florida Springs Council on Instagram and Facebook for the latest updates on the public hearing.

On Dec. 10, 2024, following litigation by the Florida Springs Council, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection proposed "Springs Harm Rules" (62-41.400 - 62-41.402) for adoption after nearly nine years of ignoring the law. This is an important and necessary step towards the agency finally adopting rules that protect Outstanding Florida Springs from harmful water withdrawals.

Unfortunately, FDEP’s proposed rules are the same as the weak draft rules previously published. FDEP's proposed rules are not strong enough to meet the requirements of law and will not prevent harm to our springs. We need springs advocates to tell FDEP to revise the proposed rule and adopt a strong Springs Harm Rule.

Join us in telling FDEP to improve the proposed rule to meet the minimum requirements of the law (373.219(3), F.S.), prior to adoption.

FDEP is accepting comments on the proposed springs harm rule until December 31, 2024.

The Florida Springs Council has requested a public hearing with FDEP to provide comments and ask questions about the proposed rules. The public hearing will be January 6 at 9 a.m. in Tallahassee. Join advocates at the hearing to speak up for Florida's Springs. Follow the Florida Springs Council on Instagram and Facebook for the latest updates on the public hearing.

Tell FDEP to revise the proposed springs harm rules

Where do you live?

Compose your email

Name

Email

Subject:

I am writing to you about the Department’s proposed rules 62-41.400 - 62-41.402 published
on December 10, 2024.

The proposed rules are not strong enough to protect Outstanding Florida Springs from harmful water withdrawals and do not meet the minimum requirements of law. The proposed permitting rules are essentially identical to the rules adopted by each water management district in 2014, and the proposed definition of “harmful to the water resources” is taken from the Central Florida Water Initiative rulemaking, which had a very different goal and was intended to be applicable only to water use permits within the Central Florida Water Initiative planning area.

Many Outstanding Florida Springs are suffering from over-pumping and pollution, with some experiencing significant harm from ineffective permitting rules resulting in reduced flows due to excessive groundwater withdrawals. Our springs need meaningful and protective rules in place. I ask that you revise the proposed rules to meet the minimum requirements of the law (373.219(3), F.S.), prior to adoption.

How we use the data you enter on this form

Do Gooder (the advocacy platform powering this online action) processes personal information from you that you enter on this form so that we can provide the functions and related services to you and The Campaigner (the organisation responsible for this online action) for their legitimate purposes, including possibly exporting it to other systems, and to effectively respond to enquiries and communications related to those services.

Specifically when you enter:

Your location data (residential address or postcode) it is used to locate your elected representative, to pre-populate your email signature and to provide The Campaigner with a visualisation of the location of the support for this campaign.
All other data you may enter, including your email address, name, telephone number, commentary and so on is used by The Campaigner to advocate for the campaign’s goals and where required may be sent to the target of the campaign.

The data collected by Do Gooder is also used by us in aggregate form to improve the service and may be held on your behalf outside your country of residence by our third party service providers. These providers are bound by contract to only use personal information on our behalf, in accordance with agreed terms. While the privacy laws of the country in which personal information is stored or transferred may be different from those in your country, we will always have safeguards in place when storing or transferring personal information. We will never sell, rent, loan or in any other way pass your information on to other parties other than to provide this service to you and The Campaigner.

The personal information collected by Do Gooder is held subject to a Data Processing Agreement between Do Gooder and The Campaigner in compliance with the EU's GDPR and Australian law.

Learn more about our privacy policy here

How is my data used?