News from South Florida Water Management District: “Appeals Court Sides with SFWMD in Major Legal Victory”

The news below is from January 18th, a SFWMD press release 78 days ago.

Question: Have you seen this news reported anywhere else? It’s never been reported in The Palm Beach Post.

“Ruling frees taxpayers from costly permitting obstruction in the operation of South Florida’s water management system”


For the entire press release from January 18th, use this link. Here are the opening 3 paragraphs:

West Palm Beach, FL - In a decision that saves South Florida families potentially billions, the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit (New York) ruled that entities such as the South Florida Water Management District do not need costly federal permits to transfer water in operating water management systems: Trout Unlimited, Inc. et al, v. EPA et al, Docket No. 14-1823. The SFWMD intervened in this case supporting the EPA.
     “For decades, South Florida’s network of canals, pump stations and levees have successfully delivered flood protection while supplying water to millions of families, visitors and the environment,” said SFWMD Governing Board Chairman Dan O’Keefe. “In this critical ruling, the court has affirmed that SFWMD can continue its crucial work without the burdens of additional federal regulation.”
     The ruling that impacts water management on a national scale affirms SFWMD’s system, which serves 8.1 million people from Orlando to the Florida Keys, is consistent with the Clean Water Act. As such, SFWMD does not need National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits to operate its system. Obtaining such permits is a complicated, litigious and costly endeavor.