by Chris Hamilton | Mar 31, 2023 | Affordable Housing, Board of Monroe County Commissioners "BOCC", Land Development (ROGOs), Tourism, Water Quality
After most of us experienced a temporary water shut off March 11 and 12 and then a boil-water order, Florida Keys Aqueduct Authority (FKAA) Executive Director Greg Veliz explained in an open letter to customers what happened and all but admitted we’ve reached our...
by Dora De Maria | Feb 17, 2023 | Water Quality
HUGE WIN FOR OUR NEARSHORE WATER QUALITY: City of Marathon agrees to settle Clean Water Act lawsuit, will cease to use shallow water wells in sewage treatment. Friends of the Lower Keys (FOLKs) and the city of Marathon have settled the Clean Water Act lawsuit FOLKS...
by Chris Hamilton | Nov 7, 2022 | Water Quality
Last Stand joined with 34 other Florida environmental and non-governmental organizations in a letter to the Department of the Interior to oppose the expansion of offshore oil and gas development into new areas of the Gulf of Mexico. The letter stated, further...
by Chris Hamilton | Nov 7, 2022 | Environmental Awareness, Marine Life, Water Quality
Last month, Last Stand attended three back-to-back in person public comment sessions concerning the new proposed Blueprint for the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. On September 20th in Tavernier, September 21st in Marathon and September 22nd in Key West, three...
by Mark Songer | Oct 26, 2022 | Environmental Awareness, Florida Fish & Wildlife Commission "FWCC", Marine Life, Water Quality
January 27, 2020 Sarah Fangman, Superintendent Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary 33 East Quay Road Key West, FL 33040 Dear Superintendent Fangman, I am writing on behalf of Last Stand, a volunteer-led organization of over 200 members in the Florida Keys. From Key...
by Chris Hamilton | Sep 27, 2022 | Environmental Awareness, Water Quality
NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) has published a proposed management plan and regulations for the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary (FKNMS). The 2022 Restoration Blueprint will guide the management and use of the sanctuary for years to...
by Ann Olsen | Sep 20, 2022 | Environmental Awareness, Marine Life, Water Quality
The undersigned environmental and community organizations are writing on behalf of our thousands of members and supporters in the Florida Keys and throughout the state. We are concerned about the City of Marathon’s application to permit expansion and continuation of shallow well sewage disposal at a wastewater treatment facility in Marathon.
by Chris Hamilton | Aug 12, 2022 | Big Pine Key/Key Deer, Environmental Awareness, Florida Fish & Wildlife Commission "FWCC", Marine Life, Water Quality
NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) has published the proposed management plan and regulations for the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary (FKNMS). The 2022 Restoration Blueprint will guide the management and use of the sanctuary for years to...
by Chris Hamilton | Aug 9, 2022 | Uncategorized, Water Quality
The soggy central area of Big Pine Key is slated for improvement actions to reverse damage from salt-laden stormwater surges from three hurricanes: Georges (1998), Wilma (2005), and Irma (2017). The Big Pine Key Aquatic Habitat Hydrologic Restoration (Project), if...
by Mark Songer | Aug 9, 2022 | Environmental Awareness, Florida Fish & Wildlife Commission "FWCC", Marine Life, Water Quality
January 27, 2020 Sarah Fangman, Superintendent Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary 33 East Quay Road Key West, FL 33040 Dear Superintendent Fangman, I am writing on behalf of Last Stand, a volunteer-led organization of over 200 members in the Florida Keys. From Key...
by Ann Olsen | May 27, 2022 | Environmental Awareness, Marine Life, Water Quality
Keys’ water may look clear, but it’s full of excessive nutrients, contaminants, and pharmaceuticals that are having a harmful impact on our fisheries, our seagrass, our corals – all our marine life. Our health, too, is at risk. A long-standing source of this pollution...
by Mari Lindsley | Feb 22, 2022 | Marine Life, Water Quality
February 22, 2022 Via Email: Mayor John Bartus (bartusj@ci.marathon.fl.us) Vice Mayor Dr. Daniel Zieg (ziegd@ci.marathon.fl.us) Council Member Steve Cook (cooks@ci.marathon.fl.us) Council Member Luis Gonzalez (gonzalezl@ci.marathon.fl.us) Council Member Robyn Still...