Eric Draper Goes to Bat for Water Protection Bill

While some groups have expressed their dissatisfaction with the water protection bill from Sen. Charlie Dean, R-Inverness, and Rep. Matt Caldwell, R-Lehigh Acres, one prominent environmentalist is behind the effort. 

Eric Draper from the Florida Audubon Society continues to support the bill which makes the state Department of Environmental Protection conduct annual reviews, protects the northern parts of the Everglades and changes water quality laws. 

"It definitely moves protection of Florida springs and the northern Everglades forward," Draper told the AP in an article published last week. "I've been working on this for more than a year, and I know where we got beat. I can't really find that many things that are objectionable in the legislation."

Draper also tackled the issue last month in a Florida Trend video. 

“The most important part of that bill is the way that it strengthens water quality laws,” Draper told Florida Trend. “We will see better enforcement and more accountability for those producers of pollution who discharge water and impair waterways.”