Advocate for change: Protect water quality

By 'DING' DARLING WILDLIFE SOCIETY-FRIENDS OF THE REFUGE

Please join the “Ding” Darling Wildlife Society-Friends of the Refuge, Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation and many other conservation-environmental organizations in Florida to urge Gov Ron DeSantis to veto line item 146 of SB 2500, which allows for a complete ban on creating or modifying local fertilizer ordinances

Through history, each year the Legislature has found ways to insert language into bills at the last minute This is one of those examples in the final days of the legislative session, where this line was added without public input or debate It is unacceptable that our elected leaders would attempt to eradicate home rule in such a secretive and clandestine manner

Florida has the longest coastline in the continental United States and is one of the states with the most amount of water We have experienced immense water quality issues through the years, and it is imperative that we have our voices heard The Legislature should be listening to its voters and allow the local governments to make their own decisions

This line item undermines local protection efforts for our water supply and overall quality by avoiding large levels of nitrogen and phosphorus-based fertilizers being dumped or washed into our waterways during high-risk times of year Without the ability to control local ordinances, there is increased risk for harmful algae blooms, dangerous to all of us and deadly to our wildlife that depend on the water to survive

Please have your voice heard by asking the governor to exercise his ability to veto line item 146 of Senate Bill 2500 by visiting https://www dingdarlingsociety org/articles/advocate#/17

The “Ding” Darling Wildlife Society-Friends of the Refuge is the nonprofit that financially supports nature conservation, wildlife protection and education efforts for the J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge in Southwest Florida For more information, visit www dingdarlingsociety org veto message would be to call his office directly at 850-717-9337 or email him by v i s i t i n g h t t p s : / / w w w f l g o v c o m / e m a i l - t h egovernor/ This is a way that those of you who do not have qualifying Florida zip codes can still make sure your voices are heard

Thank you for joining our campaign to e n s u r e l o c a l g o v e r n m e n t s c a n c o n t i n u e strengthening their fertilizer ordinances and supporting good water quality!

Founded in 1967, the Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation's mission is to protect and care for Southwest Florida’s coastal e c o s y s t e m s F o r m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n , v i s i t www sccf org

‘Ding’ cartoon of the month

In honor of Memorial Day on May 29, we will feature a potent message from our namesake in the form of an editorial cartoon titled “To sacred memories and forgotten h a t r e d s

Norwood “Ding” Darling published the cartoon in the May 30, 1928, edition of the Des Moines Register His cartoons have remained famous nationwide for a relevancy that carries on to this day The “Ding”

Darling Wildlife Society-Friends of the Refuge owns the copyright of the “Ding” Darling cartoons REFUGE/DDWS