Florida Springs Council Inc

Environmental Advocacy: FSC coordinates and leads statewide and regional educational advocacy efforts to protect Florida's springs from development, pollution, excessive water withdrawals, and recreational overuse. FSC's work focuses on 30 Outstanding Florida Springs and Rivers identified in Florida Statute. FSC assists community members, local governments, and agency personnel in developing policies to protect Florida's springs and oppose decisions that would harm Florida's springs. FSC stopped the development of a resort along the Rainbow River and a gas station over a cave system leading to Wakulla Springs. FSC has affected the drafting and implementation of numerous springs related statutes and rules.

Legal Advocacy: FSC provides expert and legal support to member organizations and individuals regarding legal and administrative challenges to consumptive use permits which are not in the public interest, water quality restoration plans, recovery and prevention plans, development orders, and plan amendments. In 2024, FSC challenged a consumptive use permit for water bottling that would exacerbate existing harm to the Santa Fe River and associated Springs. FSC also filed a writ of mandamus to force the Florida Department of Environmental Protection to propose and adopt rules mandated by statute since 2016 to protect Outstanding Florida Spring flow. FSC conducted legal research on a number of topics, including consumptive use permitting rule development, recreational usage, and water supply plans which is provided at no charge to our member organizations and interested individuals.