Everglades Law Center, Inc.

I would use this money to fund work to directly tackle the destruction of Biscayne Bay and our nearshore marine ecosystems in Miami-Dade County by focusing on water quality issues, violations of environmental laws, and failing infrastructure and fighting for equitable climate change adaptation for our communities and environment. I would build on my existing work and connections through my role as the Chair of the Village of El Portal’s Sustainability and Resiliency Task Force and Everglades Law Center’s connections within the broader environmental community. I intend to ensure that municipalities and private dischargers in the County are complying with environmental laws and permit requirements, and to advocate for the implementation of the best environmental regulations, policies, and infrastructure possible.

I have always had a passion for the environment and began my career working in environmental education at Oregon Caves National Park and supporting native subsistence communities on sustainable aquaculture in Alaska before attending law school. After graduation, I spent three years litigating complex commercial matters at a large international law firm before transitioning back to my true passion of environmental protection and joining ELC.

 When I joined ELC, there were no attorneys based in Miami-Dade County and I joined to jumpstart the organization’s work here. I worked quickly to become a leader in my local community by being appointed Chair of the Village of El Portal Sustainability & Resiliency Task Force, as El Portal’s representative for a federal Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Project, and as the Task Force/Village liaison to the County Office of Resiliency. I was awarded the 2020 Citizen of the Year award after less than a year of working on these initiatives.

However, El Portal is just one small Village in a very large community and ecosystem. My vision with this grant and ELC is to build on this work and these connections and expand our efforts to address the larger water quality issues in Miami-Dade County.

The importance of clean water and a healthy environment cannot be overstated. Miami-Dade County is surrounded by, intersected by, and sits on top of water and is also at ground zero for climate change in the U.S. Poor water quality impacts all aspects of this area including our health, economy, and lifestyles. The survival of the unique natural environments of Biscayne Bay, the Atlantic reef systems, Everglades, and Florida Keys all depend on clean water. 

Moreover, dirty water entering and leaving neighborhoods during storm events poses a human health and environmental justice issue. ELC’s initial water quality work has focused on a low lying, racially diverse, and low socioeconomic community that is already suffering the impacts of climate change-related flooding, failing human waste systems, and dirty stormwater flooding. We know that these issues exist throughout Miami-Dade County.

ELC is a nonprofit law firm dedicated to representing the public interest and community in environmental and land use matters. We advocate, negotiate, and when necessary, litigate to protect and restore the South Florida ecosystem and collaborate with more than thirty environmental and conservation groups. ELC wants to use these skills to directly address environmental degradation in Miami-Dade County.

Nobody in Miami-Dade County is tackling water quality and climate change issues from a dual legal compliance and advocacy perspective. Initial research and work in this area show there is significant noncompliance with environmental permitting, violations of environmental laws, and failure to adopt or enforce required laws. While other organizations may seek to address water or climate change issues from specific angles, there is no comprehensive effort by an environmental law firm rooted in the community to fix these problems using the full range of legal advocacy tools. The confluence of exponential climate change, Everglades restoration, and rapid population growth make this a critical moment for a legal based environmental effort in Miami-Dade County.

I, with the resources and backing of ELC, am uniquely situated to tackle these problems as a member of the community and Village Task Force with strong connections to both the residents and government. I have experience with litigation, advocacy, environmental justice, and community work, a passion and drive to improve our environment and communities, and the support of ELC with our extensive advocacy experience and substantial connections. These resources make us uniquely poised to launch this new initiative to create real change in South Florida.

ELC believes that the most effective way of saving this failing ecosystem is by directing our advocacy efforts toward improving water quality. By addressing water quality, we address issues of human health, environmental justice, the economy, our life styles, and the environment.

Knowing the significant impact that stormwater has on water quality, ELC will begin by identifying existing stormwater water quality issues and their sources, including the interaction between septic tanks and water quality, stormwater discharges, and stormwater permitting violations. ELC will also tackle other sources of water pollutants, including the spraying of aquatic herbicides, residential and commercial application of pesticides and fertilizers, government non-compliance with applicable laws and regulations, and community and residential activities. Understanding all of the above federal, state, and local laws will be a vital part of this endeavor and inform the focus of our advocacy efforts. We will then focus on advocacy with government officials to correct or enforce permit violations, ensure compliance with state and federal statutes, support sustainable infrastructure solutions, and advocate for the development of programs addressing water pollution and environmental justice.