Last week, SCCF Environmental Policy Director Matt DePaolis brought the Right to Clean Water Amendment Petition before the City Council of Sanibel.

Along with partners from the Lee County Climate Reality Project and J.N. “Ding” Darling Wildlife Society, DePaolis asked the council to consider passing a resolution of support for the petition, which seeks to add a fundamental right to clean water to the Florida constitution. Such an amendment would allow citizens to sue state agencies that are tasked with protecting Florida waters when they are not fulfilling their legal obligations.

“Currently, there is no enforcement mechanism to hold these agencies accountable,” DePaolis said. “This speaks to what the people have said, what our leaders have said, and what we as Floridians know is so important about having clean water in this state. Our state agencies have a legal duty to protect Florida waters, and Floridians should be able to hold them accountable if they are letting our natural resource be impaired.”

If the petition gains the required number of 891,589 signatures, the amendment will be placed on the 2024 ballot, allowing Floridians to decide if they would like to codify it into the Florida Constitution. For more information, see our explanation here, or visit floridarighttocleanwater.org to sign.