To pair with the rest of our educational content in each Earth to Florida newsletter, we bring you monthly updates on statewide environmental news. Read on below to see what we found over the past month:

10 Florida Stories to Watch

• A recent UF study found that a popular herbicide, glyphosate, is threatening manatees’ immune systems. Researchers found that this chemical can reduce immune cell activity by 27.3%, leading to potential mortality in the species. In 2021 and 2022, over 2,000 manatees died due to cold stress, vessel collisions, and starvation due to seagrass loss. These emerging issues lead several environmental groups to advocate for the manatee’s current status as “threatened” in Florida to be escalated to “endangered”. However, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has announced that for now, the manatee will maintain its “threatened” status.
• The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is investing over $7.5 million in 26 cooperative agreements to support innovative waste management strategies to reduce food waste and greenhouse gas emissions. This initiative is part of the USDA’s broader efforts to promote urban agriculture and food security at a community level. The selected projects, which will be implemented through 2027, prioritize strategies that benefit local economies, improve compost accessibility for farmers and community gardeners, and incorporate food recovery efforts. In Florida, two projects were chosen: Deerfield Beach’s initiative to expand organic recycling in South Florida and a Miami-Dade County School Board project focused on preventing landfill food waste, reducing methane emissions, and addressing food insecurity through share cart programs and increasing back-of-kitchen composting. To learn more about the selected projects and recipients, visit usda.gov/urban.
• As sea levels rise, coastal areas along the East coast face major changes by the end of the century. With an estimated three feet of sea rise, up to 70% of residents will be forced to make drastic changes and even relocate. From failing septic tanks to inland flooding, impacts are already emerging. Resilience efforts include seawall construction and home elevation, but these efforts are only temporary as rising groundwater leads to “uncalculated risk”. This is estimated to impact $1 trillion of property, not to mention the valuable ecosystems and services that will be lost as erosion and storm damage sweep through the area.
• Polar vortex disruptions could be causing the recent wintery spells across the US. The jet stream (a strem of air that usually travels west to east) has changed trajectories, channeling cold Arctic weather down South. Climate scientists noted that this is another sign indicating climate change. Arctic warming is four times faster than the rest of the world; this means that further disruptions could occur, leading to warmer global temperatures with periods of extreme cold.
• University of Florida scientists have received a $300,000 grant from the National Science Foundation to address excess phosphorus pollution threatening South Florida’s freshwater ecosystems, including the Everglades. While phosphorus is essential for life and vital to DNA, agriculture, and food production, excessive levels impair water quality and threaten delicate freshwater ecosystems. Building on decades of Everglades restoration efforts led by the South Florida Water Management District, this two-year project will evaluate existing commercial products and new technologies that can absorb phosphorus from water and collaborate with local stakeholders to ensure practical implementation. By prioritizing community engagement, the initiative aims to develop strategic, region-specific solutions with the potential to inform phosphorus mitigation strategies in drinking water and wastewater systems nationwide.
• According to recent data from the College of the Florida Keys (CFK),cruise ships coming into port in Key West Harbor can stir up as much or more sediment than a hurricane. Researchers who spent a year monitoring turbidity, the level of sediment particles found in a body of water, found that 32 events reached levels above which many hurricanes generate. Turbidity events can lead to a drastic decrease in water quality and can impact local wildlife. In 2014, a turbidity event caused by a dredge in Port Miami resulted in the death of about half a million corals. Additionally, the act of churning up sediment can release toxins that were once trapped in the sand, including those that lead to red tides. CFK hopes to input more monitoring programs because further information is needed to fully identify the scope of the issue.
• For the first time, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has issued a warning about the health risks of “forever chemicals,” or PFAS, found in sewage sludge used as fertilizer. These man-made chemicals, commonly found in nonstick cookware and stain-resistant fabrics, have been linked to serious health issues, including cancer. The EPA’s draft risk assessment marks a potential step toward regulating PFAS in sludge, which has historically been promoted as a nutrient-rich and cost-effective alternative to synthetic fertilizers. States like Maine have already banned the use of sludge as fertilizer, while others are considering regulations. Experts stress the importance of reducing the presence of PFAS in everyday products to begin with, or to require manufacturers to treat polluted wastewater before it reaches municipal wastewater treatment plants.
• The director of the USA National Phenological Network, Theresa Crimmins, prompted the Smithsonian to unveil a detailed, never-before-used document containing thousands of entries on over 200 species across North America. The document details blooming dates, fruit ripening, and animal migrations from the 1850s. These direct observations allow scientists to gain unique insight into the impact of climate change on plant cycles over the past 150 years. This data has revealed that some species now bloom nearly a month earlier than they did in the 1850s. Though the exact influence of climate change on plant behavior, like flowering and leafing, is still unclear, this document has helped researchers create a better framework to predict how different species respond to climate change.
• Researchers at the University of South Florida (USF) warn that some Florida beaches may be inundated with seaweed in 2025. A large increase in the quantity of sargassum seaweed in the tropical Atlantic was measured, which will eventually drift toward the Caribbean islands before hitting Florida’s shores. Though sargassum is naturally occurring and can act as a habitat for marine life, too much of it can be a problem. A lot of factors determine exactly where the seaweed might end up, though early reports indicate that beaches in Tampa Bay are likely to be less affected.
• A new study suggests that scrub mints, a type of flowering plant found in Florida and parts of the coastal plain of North America, may have come from a hybridization event during the Ice Age. While this discovery sheds light on how hybridization can drive the creation of new species, it has also caused confusion in classifying these plants. Some species, like the scarlet calamint, Georgia calamint, and Ashe’s calamint, were misclassified and missed being recognized as endangered. This mistake leaves these rare plants at greater risk of extinction, as they lack the protection and attention they need to survive.