Florida environmental regulators on Monday settled a federal lawsuit with advocacy groups over the 2021 Piney Point wastewater disaster that dumped 215 million gallons of polluted water into Tampa Bay, likely sparking a red tide outbreak that caused widespread fish kills.
Five environmental advocacy groups agreed to dismiss their lawsuit against the state once regulators issue a permit aimed to prevent future pollution disasters and lay the groundwork for enforceable oversight at the troubled Manatee County phosphate plant.
Piney Point operated for more than two decades without the Clean Water Act permit meant to curb pollution from emptying into nearby waterways.
The Florida Department of Environmental Protection also agreed to pay $75,000 for water quality monitoring around the area where Piney Point wastewater dumps into Tampa Bay. The money will go toward the Tampa Bay Estuary Program’s efforts to track oxygen levels, nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations and other metrics to determine the bay’s health.
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“This failing facility has loomed over Tampa Bay for decades without any accountability, and this permit changes that,” said Ragan Whitlock, a staff attorney at the Center for Biological Diversity, which was part of the lawsuit.
“In many ways, this is too little too late,” he added. “Florida failed to properly regulate this facility, and the harm from the 2021 discharge can never be undone. It is unacceptable that it took citizen-suit enforcement and a massive pollution event to compel our state regulators to do their job.”
Herb Donica, the court-appointed receiver in charge of day-to-day operations at the Piney Point phosphogypsum stack system, observes an area containing geotextile fabric tubes being used to store and drain a slurry of dredged sediment from an adjacent phosphogypsum stack on Nov 29, 2023. [ DOUGLAS R. CLIFFORD | Times ]
The groups that sued the state, including the nonprofit Our Children’s Earth Foundation and Tampa Bay Waterkeeper, say the settlement will improve transparency about water quality dumping from the plant and restricts pollutants known to cause ecological harm in Florida’s largest open-water estuary. In their 2021 lawsuit, the groups alleged “a decade of bad decisions by Florida regulators that directly led to the crisis.”
The state agreed to post future reports online of pollution leaving the Piney Point facility within 10 days of receiving them, according to the settlement. A spokesperson for the Florida Department of Environmental Protection did not respond to requests for comment.
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The phosphate plant skirted environmental laws for over 20 years, and it took organizations coming together to push the state into compliance, according to Dan Snyder, director of Public Justice’s Environmental Enforcement Project. The settlement is a win for Floridians and “shows just how important citizen suits are in an age where regulators are too cozy with polluting industries,” he said.
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A 2023 research paper suggested the plume of dirty water leaving the troubled phosphate plant in 2021 had spread farther than previously thought, flowing outside of Tampa Bay and more than 30 miles away to waters near Tarpon Springs. The study added more scientific weight to the theory that red tide and other algal blooms that flared during summer 2021 were linked to the nutrient-laden discharges from Piney Point.
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Herb Donica, the court-appointed receiver in charge of day-to-day operations at the Piney Point phosphogypsum stack system, explains contingencies for stormwater drainage with a graphic of a simulated 100-year, 24-hour storm event. [ DOUGLAS R. CLIFFORD | Times ]
Last year, Manatee County utility crews drilled a well to a saltwater aquifer 3,300 feet below the earth’s surface to begin pumping Piney Point’s water underground. As of Friday, more than 209 million gallons had been “transferred for disposal” underground, according to Florida environmental regulators. That’s enough water to fill more than 315 Olympic swimming pools.
The Tampa Bay Times toured the phosphate plant last last year to document progress on the site’s eventual closure. Herb Donica, a lawyer and the court-appointed overseer of the plant, told the Times that “shutting the plant down is an angry animal.” It’s time consuming and expensive, he said.
While a state-approved plan had estimated Piney Point would close by December, site managers said earlier this year it will likely be mid-2025.
After the disaster, the site owners HRK Holdings entered bankruptcy. The groups who sued the state are still seeking accountability for the company from a U.S. district judge.
“The Piney Point disaster shook the Tampa Bay community to its core. It wasn’t too long ago that shorelines once teeming with life were littered with all kinds of dead fish for months. If you had previously found it swimming in Tampa Bay, it was likely dead after Piney Point,” said Justin Tramble, executive director of Tampa Bay Waterkeeper.
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“This brings some closure to the past and shifts the focus to making sure mechanisms are in place to prevent even more tragedy in the future.”
Environmental compliance technician Scott Martin collects data from a flow rate meter while monitoring the transfer of water between reservoirs at the Piney Point phosphogypsum stack system on Nov 29. [ DOUGLAS R. CLIFFORD | Times ]
A patched area remained intact on Nov 29,. 2023, at the New Gypsum Stack South reservoir at the Piney Point phosphogypsum stack system where a leak was discovered in April 2021, in Palmetto. [ DOUGLAS R. CLIFFORD | Times ]
BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. (WFLA) — A Florida man was arrested after Brevard County deputies said he shot a cat in the eye with a BB gun, killing it.
Sheriff Wayne Ivey said the man, who was identified as Lucas Stedman, was upset because a cat that lived in the same home didn’t get along with his cat.
“On May 11, he decided that it would be a good idea to shoot a cat in the eye with a high-powered BB gun and kill the cat,” Ivey said. “I don’t know what kind of outrageous nutjob thinks that’s a good idea.”
Courtesy of Brevard County Sheriff’s Office
Steadman was taken to the Brevard County Jail.
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He was charged with animal cruelty and was placed on a $50,000 bond.
ORLANDO, Fla. – After a beautiful weekend and dry start to our week, Central Florida is set to see a gradual return to a more typical summertime pattern as moisture increases.
Monday will remain largely dry thanks to high pressure parked over the region. Easterly winds of 10 to 15 mph will continue to bring an onshore breeze, while dry air throughout much of the atmosphere keeps rain chances near zero. A few isolated coastal sprinkles can’t be completely ruled out, but most communities will stay rain-free, with rain chances at 10% or less.
Despite increasing cloud cover, especially across northern portions of the area, temperatures will climb into the upper 80s along the coast and the low to mid-90s inland. Overnight lows will settle into the low to mid-70s.
The weather pattern begins to shift on Tuesday and Wednesday as the atmospheric blocking pattern over the eastern United States breaks down. This will allow moisture to gradually return from the Atlantic, bringing a 20% chance of afternoon showers and storms on Tuesday and increasing to 30% to 50% by Wednesday.
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Like a typical Florida summer day, the highest rain and storm chances will occur during the afternoon and early evening hours as the east coast sea breeze develops and moves inland. Conditions should become mostly dry overnight, although a few showers or storms could linger over the nearby Atlantic waters.
Temperatures will remain close to seasonal averages through midweek, with highs reaching the upper 80s along the coast and low 90s inland. As humidity rises, some interior locations could experience heat index values near 100 degrees by Wednesday.
Looking ahead to Thursday through the weekend, moisture steadily increases as a broad area of low pressure develops over the Gulf. At this point, it does not appear likely that this low will become an organized tropical system. This will support scattered to numerous afternoon and evening showers and thunderstorms each day, marking a return to a more active summer weather pattern.
While temperatures are expected to stay near or slightly above normal, increasing humidity will make it feel much hotter. Heat index values exceeding 100 degrees are possible late this week and into the weekend, especially across inland communities. Residents and visitors planning outdoor activities should stay hydrated, take frequent breaks in the shade or air conditioning, and avoid prolonged exposure during the hottest part of the day.
Beachgoers should also be aware that a moderate risk of rip currents continues at all Central Florida beaches today. Officials recommend swimming only near lifeguards and paying close attention to posted beach safety flags and warnings.
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For boaters, generally favorable marine conditions are expected through the week, with seas of 2 to 3 feet and east to southeast winds around 10 to 15 knots. However, increasing moisture will lead to a growing chance for showers and thunderstorms over the local waters beginning Tuesday, particularly during the overnight and early morning hours.
Copyright 2026 by WKMG ClickOrlando – All rights reserved.
Less than a week from the qualifying deadline, 25 Florida House district races remain uncontested by one of the two major political parties.
That means each race has either only Democrats or Republicans running, with, in some cases, a third-party challenger with little to no shot of winning.
That arrangement is understandable in 80% of those contests, where one party has such an edge with the electorate that, for now, running candidates to flip those seats would be a waste of money and resources.
But in five House districts (two Republican-controlled, three Democrat-led), the voter divide is narrow enough that the absence of a challenger from the opposing party is eye-raising at best and confounding at worst.
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They range from a district in Palm Beach County that sided with Kamala Harris in 2024 by just 1 percentage point, based on 2024 state presidential vote analyses by Matt Isbell of MCI Maps, to an Orange County district Harris won by 11 points.
That’s roughly the same margin by which President Donald Trump won in House District 87, which Jupiter Democratic Rep. Emily Gregory flipped in a national news-making March upset that has bolstered hopes of further such returns in November.
The other three races — set in Duval, Miami-Dade and Pinellas counties — have even smaller divides between Democrats and GOP voters. Yet none are contested.
Of four uncontested Senate races, just one — SD 36 in Miami-Dade County — is remotely close. Incumbent Republican Sen. Ileana Garcia is on track to win the seat she won in 2020 by 34 votes and kept two years later by 18 points.
Voters there picked Trump over Harris by a 16-point margin.
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In a statement to Florida Politics, the Florida Democratic Party said that despite the gaps in winnable races, the organization has worked hard to identify “strong, quality candidates up and down the ballot who are willing to work hard for Floridians and create a state where we can all thrive.”
“The Florida Democratic Party (FDP) has spent the last several years investing in year-round organizing, and a part of that is candidate recruitment,” the group said. “Floridians across the state have raised their hand to run, with over 1,300 Democrats expressing a desire to learn more about running over the last 18 months.”
Republican Party of Florida Chair Evan Power, meanwhile, expressed confidence that his group will further grow its already supermajority share of the Legislature and threw shade across the aisle.
“Just like last year when (FDP Chair) Nikki Fried was worried about giving out participation trophies in every race, the Florida GOP remains focused on winning races. We know we will field quality candidates across Florida that will drive us to big victories,” he said in a statement. “The Florida Democrats are on the verge of extinction. Floridians have rejected the radical left agenda and we are confident that we will be on offense.”
The Primary Election is on Aug. 18, followed by the General Election.
Here are the House Districts with candidates from only one of the two major political parties running, as of Friday.
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House District 12 — Republican-controlled
HD 12, which covers part of Jacksonville’s Westside and Southside, crossing the St. Johns River, went 10 points for Trump in 2024. Republican Wyman Duggan, the district’s current Representative, must leave office in November due to term limits, and former Jacksonville City Council President Terrance Freeman is running to keep it in GOP hands.
He’s the only person in the race.
Image via MCI Maps. Click to enlarge.
House District 44 — Democrat-controlled
HD 44, which spans portions of Orange County, including Orlando and parts of the unincorporated areas of Hunters Creek, Meadow Woods, Sky Lake and Southchase, is a D+11 district, based on MCI Maps figures.
Democratic Rep. Rita Harris is seeking her third consecutive term in the district and, so far, no one is blocking her path to an easy re-election.
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Harris, first elected in 2022, has yet to face a Republican on the ballot. Her only opponent in the past two cycles was former state Rep. Diasy Morales, whom she unseated by about 8.5 points and repelled with a whopping 65% share of the votes in a 2024 rematch.
House District 60 — Democrat-controlled
HD 60, a D+7 district, is getting a new Representative after incumbent Rep. Lindsay Cross announced that she will not seek re-election this year. The district covers a bay-facing portion of Pinellas County that includes parts of St. Petersburg and Pinellas Park, along with the communities of Feather Sound and Lealman and the neighborhood of Grande Bayou.
Lawyer Lindsay Polega-Quigley, a former Vice President of the St. Petersburg chapter of the League of Women Voters, filed to run for the seat within hours of Cross’ withdrawal and is thus far unopposed.
House District 89 — Democrat-controlled
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In what would be the closest contest, if anyone else were to run, Democratic Rep. Debra Tendrich enjoys an unobstructed path to re-election in HD 89, a D+1 district that spans part of inland Palm Beach County, including Greenacres, Lake Clarke Shores, Lake Worth Beach and Palm Springs.
Tendrich, a nonprofit executive, won the seat in 2024 by a 2-point margin, keeping the seat previously held by Democrat David Silvers.
House District 114 — Republican-controlled
An R+10 district, HD 114 covers parts of Miami-Dade, including Coral Gables, Miami, Palmetto Bay, Pinecrest, South Miami and West Miami.
Republican Rep. Demi Busatta has held the seat since 2020, when its prior Democratic occupant, South Miami Mayor Javier Fernández, left for an unsuccessful Senate bid.
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Busatta has proven popular among voters in past races, winning re-election in 2022 by almost 13 points and again in 2024 by 17 points after dwarfing her Democratic opponents in fundraising.
Other unchallenged races
There are 23 other uncontested state legislative races, including:
— Senate District 16 (D+26), which covers part of the Tampa Bay area including Hillsborough and Pinellas counties. House Democratic Leader Fentrice Driskell and Democratic Rep. Michele Rayner are the only two candidates.
— Senate District 32 (D+39), an inland Broward County area that includes Fort Lauderdale, Lauderdale Lakes, Lauderhill, North Lauderdale, Oakland Park, Plantation, Sunrise and Tamarac. Incumbent Sen. Rosalind Osgood currently faces one opponent, no-party candidate Crescente Furnaguera.
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— Senate District 34 (D+39), which covers parts of north Miami-Dade, including Bay Harbour Islands, Miami Beach, Miami Gardens, North Miami, North Miami Beach and Opa-locka. The district’s current representative, Democratic Sen. Shevrin Jones, is leaving to run for Congress, and just one candidate, Miami Democratic Rep. Ashley Gantt, has filed to succeed him.
— House District 7 (R+54), which covers a large Panhandle area including Dixie, Franklin, Gulf, Hamilton, Lafayette, Liberty, Suwannee and Wakulla counties, and a southern portion of Leon County. Incumbent Republican Rep. Jason Shoaf faces no opposition.
— House District 8 (D+42), which spans all of Gadsden County and part of Leon County. Incumbent Democratic Rep. Gallop Franklin faces Independent Party of Florida candidate Aaron Ruddell.
— House District 13 (D+24), which covers a northeast portion of Duval County. The all-Democrat field includes former Sen. Audrey Gibson and candidates Brandon Groover, Leslie Jean-Bart and Christopher Thomas.
— House District 14 (D+25.5), which covers part of Duval County. Incumbent Democratic Rep. Kimberly Daniels faces two Primary challengers: Elgin Foreman and Rhian Tutson.
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— House District 24 (R+28), which covers a southeast portion of Marion County. Incumbent Republican Rep. Ryan Chamberlin faces Primary challenger Scott Wilkins.
— House District 27 (R+37), which spans parts of Lake, Marion and Volusia counties. Republican Rep. Richard Gentry is unopposed in his re-election bid.
— House District 40 (D+35), which covers an unincorporated swath of Orange County, including the Riverside Acres neighborhood and census-designated areas of Lockhart, Pine Hills and Rosemont. Incumbent Democratic Rep. Ra’Shon Young is unopposed.
— House District 56 (R+27.5), which covers a coastal stretch of Pasco County encompassing New Port Richey and the census-designated areas of Bayonet Point, Beacon Square, Elfers, Jasmine Estates and Holiday. Incumbent Republican Rep. Brad Yeager has no opponent.
— House District 62 (D+34), which covers part of Pinellas County, including St. Petersburg, and a portion of Hillsborough County, including Tampa and the unincorporated Gibsonton area. Democrats Kyandra Darling, Upton Fisher and Wengay Newton are competing to succeed Rayner.
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— House District 63 (D+41), which covers much of inland Hillsborough, including Temple Terrace, the census-designated area of Harney and Tampa’s Sulphur Springs, West Tampa and Ybor City neighborhoods. Democrats Jacqueline Coffie-Leeks, Robin Lockett and Conrad Schupay are running to replace outgoing Rep. Dianne Hart-Lowman..
— House District 68 (R+29), which covers a northeast portion of Hillsborough, including Plant City and the unincorporated Shiloh and Valrico areas. Republican Ryan Gill is the only candidate in the race to succeed Rep. Lawrence McClure, who has endorsed Gill.
— House District 96 (D+19), which covers west Broward. Incumbent Democratic Rep. Dan Daley, who briefly considered a Senate District 30 bid, faces no opposition.
— House District 97 (D+52), which covers part of Broward, including Lauderdale Lakes, Lauderhill, North Lauderdale and the Sabal Palms Estates and Sunrise Heights neighborhoods. Incumbent Democratic Rep. Lisa Dunkley is unopposed.
— House District 98 (D+30), which covers part of Broward, including Oakland Park and unincorporated Lakeview and North Andrews Gardens. Incumbent Democratic Rep. Mitch Rosenwald faces Primary challenger Keith Abel.
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— House District 99 (D+44), which covers part of Broward, including Fort Lauderdale, Lauderhill, Plantation and Wilton Manors. Incumbent Democratic Rep. Daryl Campbell faces no opposition.
— House District 104 (D+28), which covers a southern part of Broward, including Miramar and Pembroke Pines, and part of Miami-Dade County, including Miami Gardens. Incumbent Democratic Rep. Felicia Robinson is unopposed.
— House District 105 (D+27), which covers part of south Broward County, including Hollywood and West Park. Incumbent Democratic Rep. Marie Woodson faces no opposition.
— House District 110 (R+40), which covers part of northwest Miami-Dade County, including Miami Lakes. Incumbent Republican Rep. Tom Fabricio is unopposed.
— House District 111 (R+35.5), which covers part of northwest Miami-Dade County, including Doral, Hialeah and Hialeah Gardens. Incumbent Republican Rep. David Borrero faces no opposition.
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— House District 112 (R+45), which covers part of Miami-Dade County, including Hialeah and Miami International Airport. Incumbent Republican Rep. Alex Rizo, the immediate past Miami-Dade GOP chair, is unopposed.
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/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/4DLXMJBS6JDU3N75Q6AVJCW4H4.jpeg?w=80&resize=80,80&ssl=1 "Rubio, Scott call fast-tracking of Florida state park golf course plan ‘ridiculous’")
