Lawsuit Alleges EPA Failed to Protect Caldesi State Park, Other Florida Sites

A Tampa Bay area couple, along with the Florida Wildlife Federation, has filed suit against the Environmental Protection Agency, alleging that it has failed to enforce the Clean Water Act in protecting 309 waterways in the Sunshine State.

The designated "Outstanding Florida Waters" list includes well known preserves, waterways and parks across the state. Locally, they include Boca Ciega Bay, Weedon Island State Preserve, Caldesi Island State Park, Honeymoon Island State Recreation Area and Egmont Key. (See the complete list here.)

The designation also protects such significant landmarks as the Dry Tortugas National Park, Everglades National Park, and John Pennekamp State Park in the Florida Keys. You can read the court filing here for details.

Alfred and Cindy Davis of Gulfport, represented by attorney Tom Reese, assert that rules limiting pollution in designated "outstanding Florida waters"  have not been followed, reports the Current, which covers Florida politics and policy.

The couple was a party to a similar suit in 2009 that ended in the federal agency agreeing to review "impaired waters" in Florida to determine if anti-pollutions laws are being met.

Reese argues that Florida is flouting federal anti-pollution laws established through the Clean Water Act.