2021
Photo by Liv Williamson
A LETTER FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND WATERKEEPER Dear Miami Waterkeeper Family, 2021 was a year of amazing growth and transformation for Miami Waterkeeper. Our team expanded from seven staff at the end of 2020 to 11 in 2021. After more than a year of working remotely, we moved into an exciting new office space with enough room for our whole team to connect. Our operations are becoming more and more streamlined, so we can have an even greater impact. One of our long-term goals is to build a community of advocates and educators to spread the message of clean water across our region — and it’s working! We are training and empowering not only our growing Miami Waterkeeper team, but also our interns, students, Junior Ambassadors, 1,000 Eyes on the Water trainees, elected officials, the media, and the broader community. The result is that Biscayne Bay is becoming a household name, and that means we are building a deep connection between our community and our waterways. We had some significant water wins in 2021 that we are proud to share with you in this report. One highlight was the County-wide passage of one of the strongest fertilizer ordinances in the state. This water win came after years of research and advocacy to pass similar ordinances in cities across the County. Another highlight was successfully pivoting what would have been a harmful and wasteful $4.6 billion project to build walls in Biscayne Bay and our neighborhoods. Through advocacy, we were able to redirect this project into a local process for a chance to achieve resiliency solutions that work with nature and our community, not against them. We are also pleased to share major expansions of our scientific research and water quality monitoring program. Certainly, this new year will bring many challenges for Miami Waterkeeper and our community. We are continuing our efforts on our current campaigns and preparing to launch new projects. There is an enormous amount of work to be done to protect our shared water resources, and we are here and ready to work hand-in-hand with you to achieve more water wins in the months and years ahead. With Gratitude and Determination,
Rachel Silverstein, Ph.D. Executive Director and Waterkeeper
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WATER QUALITY REPORT CARD Miami Waterkeeper's expert water monitoring team samples and analyzes water quality every week at your favorite waterways. We currently test 22 sites around Miami-Dade and Broward counties. We test for the amount of fecal indicator bacteria as well as things like temperature, salinity, turbidity, and more. We immediately share our results on our website, socials, and the Swim Guide app. These monitoring locations are designed to fill in gaps in the Florida Healthy Beaches Program's monitoring. You have a right to know about your local water quality!
FT. LAUDERDALE
98.2%
87.1%
3.8%
SUNRISE BAY (HUGH TAYLOR BIRCH STATE PARK)
MIDDLE RIVER (GEORGE ENGLISH PARK)
SWEETING PARK 50.1%
ANNIE BECK PARK
80%
14.9%
HIMMARSHEE CANAL
86.9%
27.5% 56.4%
SANDBAR SE 10TH STREET
TARPON RIVER
COONTIE HATCHEE PARK 89.9%
Green indicates the rate that the bacteria levels in the water met recreational water quality limits in 2021.
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ROYAL PALM DRIVE LAS OLAS BLVD
LAKE SYLVIA
Red indicates the rate that the bacteria levels in the water exceeded recreational water quality limits in 2021.
MIAMI-DADE MORNINGSIDE PARK
65.7%
38.6%
JOSE MARTI PARK
93.1%
BRICKELL BAY DRIVE 79%
88.5%
SHAKE-A-LEG
KENNEDY PARK
MIAMI MARINE STADIUM
86%
RSMAS/BEAR CUT
68.1%
97% 48.1%
MATHESON HAMMOCK
86.7%
KEY BISCAYNE YACHT CLUB
89.5%
MARINER DRIVE 97.2%
SILVER SANDS BEACH RESORT
KEY BISCAYNE BEACH CLUB
Our water quality monitoring program is supported by the following sponsors: The City of Ft. Lauderdale, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Batchelor Foundation, the Paul and Maxine Frohring Foundation, the Village of Key Biscayne, and Bass Pro Shops & Cabela's Outdoor Fund.
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WATER WINS 1,000 EYES ON THE WATER Since our 1,000 Eyes on the Water program began in late 2018, we have seen increasing public participation in reporting pollution. The initial goal of this program was to train 500 community members on how to identify pollution threats and report them to us so we can ensure they are resolved. In 2021, we more than doubled our goal of 1,000 eyes by reaching 1,125 individuals trained (over 2,000 eyes on the water!). To make this community program as accessible as possible, we began offering the virtual training and pollution report form in Spanish and offering a pollution reporting app, further expanding the program’s reach. 1,000 Eyes on the Water provides an important service in guiding community members on how to observe and report water pollution. When a pollution report is received, our staff uses the information to notify the right agencies of the incident to catalyze action. This year, 159 pollution reports were submitted by the public and 64 of them resulted in agency action, such as inspections, issued violations, and infrastructure repair.
1125
PEOPLE COMPLETED THE EYES ON THE WATER TRAINING
159
POLLUTION REPORTS RECEIVED
64
POLLUTION REPORTS RESULTING IN AGENCY ACTION
This program is supported by: The Jorge M Pérez Family Foundation at The Miami Foundation, NOAA, Al and Jane Nahmad Family Foundation, Paul & Maxine Frohring Foundation, City of Miami Beach, City of Miami, EPA, Cornelia T. Bailey Foundation.
NEW POLLUTION REPORT SUBMITTED "While kayaking this AM, there seemed to be an unusually large trash pile. There were three manatees, including a baby, swimming just yards from this trash. Can Miami Waterkeeper help us get this cleaned up?"
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BACK BAY STUDY The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers conducted a study of storm surge solutions for Miami called “The Back Bay Study.” The proposed plan ignored nature-based solutions and instead proposed erecting a giant wall in Biscayne Bay and in the middle of neighborhoods. The plan would have exacerbated existing equity issues, disrupted our stormwater system, and heightened the daily impacts of sea-level rise. Miami Waterkeeper successfully mobilized community members to contact their MiamiDade County commissioners to stop the Army Corps from moving forward with its plans. We secured the commitment from the County to develop a “locally preferred plan” that involves stakeholder input on a new solution that will benefit the community and the environment while making Miami more resilient.
FISH KILL REPORT Approximately a year after the devastating August 2020 fish kill crisis, we authored a comprehensive fish kill response plan and the most complete scientific report on the fish kill, which counted and identified over 27,000 dead fish from photos and videos submitted by the public. Preventing subsequent fish kills and other environmental crises remains a top priority for Miami Waterkeeper, along with expanding our response capacity and ongoing monitoring in northern Biscayne Bay. Miami Waterkeeper continues to lead the monthly Biscayne Bay Science Coordination meetings to discuss data regarding the health of Biscayne Bay and the conditions that impact it.
FERTILIZER ORDINANCES Fertilizer helps your plants grow on land, but when it gets into the waterways, it also nourishes algae, leading to overgrowth and toxic algae blooms. After writing, researching, and advocating for the enactment of what became one of the strongest fertilizer ordinances in the state, Miami Waterkeeper launched a fertilizer education campaign that resulted in eight municipal ordinances followed by two County-wide ordinances in Miami-Dade and Monroe Counties. The Miami-Dade County ordinance implements a blackout period for fertilizer application in the rainy summer months (May 15 - October 31), a year-round setback of 20 feet from waterways and storm drains, a fertilizer mix of 0 percent phosphorus, and at least 65 percent slow-release nitrogen in all fertilizer used. Over the next year, we will be advocating for the enactment of a statewide fertilizer ordinance that will expand these strict requirements for fertilizer application in every community throughout Florida.
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SEPTIC DISCLOSURE ORDINANCE Septic tanks, a form of on-site wastewater treatment, pose a significant threat to public health and our environment. This sewage treatment method does not function well in South Florida due to our porous limestone geology and shallow water tables, ineffectively cleaning and filtering wastewater before it enters the groundwater and eventually, Biscayne Bay. Our septic campaign, completed last year, collected scientific, historical, and legal information that helped to establish septic-to-sewer conversion as a top priority for the County funding requests. Our specific policy proposals included the successfully-passed mandatory septic tank disclosure system in Miami-Dade County. Over the next year, we will continue highlighting the need for septic-to-sewer conversions and work toward establishing scientific causality between leaching septic tanks and pollution in the Bay to increase support for investing in this crucial infrastructure area.
NUTRIENT AND BACTERIA SOURCE-TRACKING STUDY We were thrilled to serve as Principal Investigators on an Environmental Protection Agency funded project, “Evaluating Sources of Nutrients and Enterococci in Biscayne Bay, Florida,” which began on June 14, 2021. The project is a twoyear study attempting to identify land-based sources of fecal indicator bacteria (FIB) and nutrient pollution at 22 sites around Biscayne Bay and our canals, specifically, where the fish kill occurred in 2020. This research will present a better picture of the sources of pollution on central and north Biscayne Bay. Our water quality team is monitoring FIB enterococci at our lab and collecting samples for our partners. Our partners from Florida International University (FIU) are analyzing three types of nitrogen, and two types of phosphorus. Sources of FIB enterococci will be determined through microbial source tracking by the University of Miami’s (UM) Cooperative Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Studies (CIMAS) scientists. Isotope analyses will be performed to assess dissolved nitrate isotopes in water, by Beta Analytic, and in the sediment and algae by scientists at UM. Our grant partners include Prof. Tiffany Troxler and Prof. Piero Gardinali from FIU, Prof. Peter Swart from UM, Beta Analytic, and Dr. Maribeth Gidley from UM CIMAS. We are excited to share the results of this study next year. This program is supported by: EPA, Bonefish and Tarpon Trust.
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2021 BY THE NUMBERS
SPOTLIGHTS IN MEMORY OF JIM PORTER In early 2021, Miami Waterkeeper’s longtime attorney, Jim Porter, passed away after a battle with cancer. Reflecting on Jim's commitment, Executive Director and Waterkeeper Rachel Silverstein said, “Jim was a man who gave thousands of hours to our organization and he did it willingly — all for a deep and abiding love for Biscayne Bay."
From childhood, Jim and his closest friends would take out dinghies to fish and free dive in the clear waters of the Bay — experiencing a kind of freedom and a kind of water that is now hard to find. Jim dedicated himself to bringing it back, helping Miami Waterkeeper in its many "David vs. Goliath" battles. The Porter Prize honors Jim's outstanding dedication to Biscayne Bay by recognizing a member of the community who, like Jim, goes above and beyond in the service of our environment.
Jim Porter accepting the first-ever Porter Prize, named in his honor to recognize his commitment to protecting Biscayne Bay.
Porter Prize winner, Paul Schwiep.
PORTER PRIZE WINNER: PAUL SCHWIEP Before his passing in early 2021, Jim Porter personally selected Paul Schwiep as the next Porter Prize recipient. A partner at the law firm Coffey Burlington, Paul was co-counsel with Jim in many of our legal battles. Paul truly reflects Jim’s dedication to environmental protection. He has represented conservation groups to protect
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water quality from mining, sought protections for endangered species, and stood for animal welfare groups, in addition to being an advocate for biking and transportation. We are honored to have Paul represent us in our legal actions, and we are especially grateful for his willingness to serve his community.
COMMUNITY: BREAKTHROUGH MIAMI Breakthrough Miami supports students from historically disadvantaged communities in achieving post-secondary success and inspires emerging leaders to become changemakers. This new partnership was rolled out in 2021, connecting over 100 fifth-grade students with innovative field experiences and targeted training modules to empower the scholars to gain greater ownership of the environment within their community. We are honored to have been a part of introducing Biscayne Bay to scholars, to provide a clearer understanding of our impact on the local ecosystems, and steps that individuals can take to maintain and restore the natural world around them. We are looking forward to building this partnership, exposing more of Miami’s youth to our precious water resources, and ensuring its accessibility to all.
JUNIOR AMBASSADOR: MATIAS NIETO
In August 2020, Matias Nieto joined Miami Waterkeeper's Junior Ambassador program, an environmental youth leadership initiative for high school students. Through the program, Matias learned firsthand how to advocate for our waterways and why clean water is crucial for us and the wildlife that call it home. The program offered multiple field experiences for Matias to exercise his impressive skills in critical thinking and environmental science, like joining boat expeditions to take water quality samples and service events to restore native ecosystems by removing invasive species.
He showed dedication to our mission and continued to spread awareness about our current campaigns to his community, and he was then recruited for a second year as a Leadership Board Member. He has been an invaluable program volunteer and mentor to the new incoming cohort of Ambassadors who are learning from his guidance and knowledge in the field. Matias has a passion and deep-rooted devotion to the environmental science field, and we are honored to have watched him in action over the past two years.
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COMMUNITY: MARVIN WILMOTH, VICE MAYOR OF NORTH BAY VILLAGE Vice Mayor Wilmoth was first introduced to Miami Waterkeeper when he attended one of our Day on the Bay boat tours before he was in office. Since then, he has become a staunch advocate for sustainability and clean water protection. He was the first elected official to raise his hand in favor of bringing a strong fertilizer ordinance to his community of North Bay Village. He was also on the ground leading clean-ups and responding to the 2020 fish kill, as well as leading initiatives to reduce single-use plastic consumption. Vice Mayor Wilmoth leads by example and shows our young future leaders how to do so as well. He met with this year’s cohort of Junior Ambassadors, sharing with them the role of local government in protecting the environment.
SUPPORTER: CAPTAIN BENNY BLANCO Captain Benny Blanco lives and breathes our water, especially Biscayne Bay. As a fishing guide, his livelihood is tied closely to our fisheries, the health of which is dependent on having pristine water quality. Captain Blanco has seen our water quality decline firsthand - noticing the stark difference between parts of the Bay that are riddled with pollution and areas offshore that still resemble what he says the Bay looked like 20 years ago. He has made it his mission to educate and empower our community to bring back the former glory of the Bay. He has voiced his support for Miami Waterkeeper initiatives and other conservation groups on numerous occasions. He has also spearheaded novel fishing programming, Guiding Flow TV, that weaves in key conservation themes and has featured Miami Waterkeeper. We are grateful to Captain Blanco for his leadership and for leveraging his platform to promote the importance of clean water.
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BOARD MEMBER: PROF. AMY CLEMENT Professor Amy Clement joined Miami Waterkeeper’s Board of Directors in 2017. A renowned climate scientist at the University of Miami’s Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, Prof. Clement brings a scientific sensibility to Miami Waterkeeper’s governance and oversight. Prof. Clement also serves on the City of Miami’s Climate Resilience Committee, where she works to enhance planning for sea-level rise and other climate risks at the local level.
CORPORATE: TERRANOVA After a year and a half of working remotely, we are overjoyed to have a new workspace in the heart of Coral Gables. We are incredibly grateful to Terranova for helping us to move into this new home, which enables us to expand our team and grow our impact.
Dovetailing this effort, she also co-directs the Resilient305 Collaborative, which works to implement community-led resiliency solutions. Prof. Clement is a close adviser to the Miami Waterkeeper staff, leveraging her scientific expertise to guide the direction of the organization. An avid surfer and free diver, Prof. Clement is often out enjoying the water she works so hard to protect.
CORPORATE: BLACKSTONE We are proud to welcome Blackstone and its employees to South Florida. Blackstone expanded to Miami at the end of 2020 and has quickly demonstrated their commitment to the local community with an interest in learning more about the local environment and ways to protect it. In 2021, the Blackstone Charitable Foundation gave Miami Waterkeeper a generous $15,000 grant. We are very grateful to Blackstone for their investment in our work to ensure clean water.
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CURRENT INITIATIVES PROTECTING FLORIDA’S WETLANDS For decades, the Army Corps of Engineers has regulated waters and wetlands in Florida under federal oversight, which required significant review for permits to dredge or fill wetlands. This change means that there is less government protection for wetlands, and it’s harder for the public to intervene in their protection. The EPA’s actions violate the Clean Water Act and Administrative Procedure Act. In order to stand up for Florida’s wetlands, Miami Waterkeeper has joined as a copetitioner in a suit led by Earthjustice to fight the EPA’s unlawful program transfer.
Photo by Constance Mier
INVESTIGATING STORMWATER After heavy rain events, water runs off the land, picking up contaminants like oil and pesticides that are carried into storm drains, through canals, and into the Bay. Miami-Dade’s outdated stormwater infrastructure, which is compromised by sea level rise and changing precipitation patterns, further exacerbates the significant pollution that stormwater transports. Areas of stormwater infrastructure have already stopped functioning correctly, and water from the Bay has begun moving backwards into the system at high tides, flooding the streets with dangerous and dirty water even without rain — called “sunny day flooding.” Miami Waterkeeper is researching stormwater management and enforcement strategies and outreach initiatives, including an evaluation of stormwater management in Miami-Dade County municipalities. This work will review stormwater systems in the County and will support the adoption of a new, stronger stormwater permit for the next 5-year cycle. This program is supported by: Paul & Maxine Frohring Foundation, Langston Family Foundation.
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ENSURING SAFETY AND RESILIENCY AT TURKEY POINT NUCLEAR POWER PLANT Florida Power and Light’s (FPL) Turkey Point nuclear power plant, located between two national parks, near over 3 million people, and on the shores of southern Biscayne Bay, poses an existential sea level rise concern. FPL is only preparing for one foot of sea level rise by 2100, yet the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration recommends planning for six feet of sea level rise by 2100 for critical infrastructure. This year, the plant experienced four unplanned shutdowns, called “scrams,” and subsequently had its safety rating downgraded by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission -- a rare step. Moreover, the unlined cooling canals are leaking contamination into our drinking water aquifer and Biscayne Bay. Stunningly, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) still granted FPL an operating license extension until 2052. Due to the risks posed by this plant’s continued operation, we filed a contention with the NRC to challenge the operation license extension along with our friends at Natural Resources Defense Council and Friends of the Earth. We also wrote two OpEds in the Miami Herald.
13 Photo by Felix Mizioznikov
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS JANUARY 1, 2021 - DECEMBER 31, 2021
Other Income/PPP Loan $ 72,102.61 Earned Income $ 173,251.30
Government Grants $ 244,768.39
4.8% 23.6%
10.9%
CONTRIBUTED REVENUE 19.1%
32.7%
Individual Donations $ 290,309.06
Foundation Grants $ 318,419.48
5.1%
Board of Directors $18,680.00 (1.5%)
Board of Trustees Board of Trustees 76,972.50$76.972.50
Interest Earned $268.61 (<1%)
Total Revenue $1,233,319.75
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MIAMI WATERKEEPER TEAM STAFF Rachel Silverstein, PhD Waterkeeper & Executive Director Erin Cover, MPS Program Coordinator Amalia Fernandez Executive Assistant Kirk Forbes Finance and Operations Manager Elizabeth Kelly, Ph.D. Water Quality Research Manager Carla Lovinsky Office Manager Christina Monteanu Staff Writer and Grant Coordinator Samantha Morejon, PSM Science and Policy Project Manager
BOARD OF DIRECTORS Our Board of Directors guides the strategic direction and fiscal responsibility of Miami Waterkeeper. Members of the Board of Directors in 2021 were: H. Jordan Weitz Chair
Philip Kushlan Secretary
Audrey Siu, PSM Environmental Policy Specialist
Lauren Brown Hornor, J.D. Immediate Past Chair
Amy Clement, Ph.D. Board Member
Jaimee Spector, CFRE Director of Advancement and Donor Impact
Greg Clark Treasurer
Emilie Fritz Veloso Board Member
Collin Schladweiler Program Director
Camilla Smith Part-Time Water Quality Field Technician
INTERNS Julianna Alvarez Water Quality Intern Cameron Bills Legal Intern Sofia Bond Water Quality Intern Robert Elsensohn Water Quality Intern Devon Ledbetter Programs Intern
BOARD OF TRUSTEES Our Board of Trustees builds Miami Waterkeeper’s capacity through fundraising and community support. Members of the Board of Trustees in 2021 were: David Schwedel Co-Chair
Gregory Frankel, J.D. Gunther Grineberg
Maria Schwedel Co-Chair
Cindy Lerner, J.D.
Roger Baumann
Jill Reiter, J.D.
Kenneth Broad, Ph.D.
Angel Reyes, J.D.
Kevin Dalal, M.D.
Judd Rosen, J.D.
Marcelo Fernandes
Caroline Szajman
Jacqueline Verge Water Quality Intern
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OUR 2021 MAJOR DONORS Thank you to the following major donors, who helped us achieve our 2021 water wins and move closer to our mission of swimmable, drinkable, fishable water for all. Aghion Family Fund Air Esscentials The Allen Family Foundation Stewart Appelrouth Cornelia T. Bailey Foundation Bass Pro Shops & Cabela's Outdoor Fund Jeffrey Bast The Batchelor Foundation Roger Baumann Blackstone Benjamin and Gloria Joannou, Jr. Family Conservation Fund Joseph Bolton Bonefish & Tarpon Trust Breakthrough Miami, Inc Anonymous The Burlington Family The Shepard Broad Foundation, Inc. Anonymous The Charlesmead Foundation, Inc. Professors Amy Clement and Kenny Broad Coral Gables Community Foundation Mark Crofton Customink Earthjustice EPA Joseph Falk Anonymous City of Fort Lauderdale Linda and David Frankel Gregory Frankel The Fritz Family Paul and Maxine Frohring Foundation Robert Gilbert
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Stuart Grossman HalfMyDAF Brad Hallock In memory of David B. Kurtz Andrea Heuson Anonymous Impact Deposits Corp Village of Key Biscayne Caroline Kovari Szajman Michael Kress Philip Kushlan Langston Family Foundation Cindy Lerner Adrien Levinger and FAV Mayra and David Lichter The Lirman Family Bryan Logan Chris Macleod Mr. & Mrs. C. McCurdy Victor and Lisa Mendelson City of Miami, Office of District 2 Commissioner Ken Russell City of Miami Beach The Miami Foundation Monardella Fund Ernesto C. Morales Curtis & Edith Munson Foundation Al & Jane Nahmad Family Foundation Brian Neff NOAA Habitat Focus Area Program Park West Gallery Charitable Foundation Robert Parks Christina Perez The Jorge M. Perez Family Foundation at The Miami Foundation
Pubbelly Sushi Development LLC Quinaz Studio Chandler Reedy Jill Reiter Angel Reyes Rickenbacker Marina, Inc. Judd Rosen John and Ana Salt Samara Fund David and Maria Schwedel Emmanuel Sebag Nick Semaca Anonymous Allison Shipley Anonymous Estelle Silverstein Tracy Slavens Anonymous The Standard Spa, Miami Beach Aaron and Aviva Stauber TUUCI Peter Ventre Kathryn and Dave Villano Warburg Pincus Abigail Watts-FitzGerald, owner of Watts-FitzGerald Law, PLLC Wedner Family Foundation H Jordan Weitz Melissa White Whole Foods Market Xylem Water Solutions & Water Technology Brandon Yarckin
Photo by Liv Williamson
SWIMMABLE, DRINKABLE, FISHABLE, WATER FOR ALL.
P.O. Box 141596 Coral Gables, FL 33114-1596 (305) 905-0856 miamiwaterkeeper.org hello@miamiwaterkeeper.org /miamiwaterkeeper @miamiwaterkeeper @miamiwaterkpr
Proud member of the Waterkeeper Alliance.