Biscayne Bay Waterkeeper Inc

“Amy clement kenny broad director trustee husband and wife maria schwedel david schwedel trustee trustee husband and wife”

“The prepared form 990 is reviewed and approved by the governing body before the return is filed with the irs.”

“The governing body reviews and signs a conflict-of-interest policy on an annual basis.”

“The board meets annually to discuss and determine ceo compensation. They consider compensation of other similarly-sized organizations locally and other waterkeeper organization nationally.”

“The board and ceo meet to discuss and determine officer compensation. They consider compensation of other similarly-sized organizations locally and other waterkeeper organization nationally.”

“AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST”

“In 2024, biscayne bay waterkeeper (d/b/a miami waterkeeper) built on our reputation by navigating challenges, seizing opportunities, and continuing our unwavering commitment to safeguarding our precious waterways and finding local resiliency solutions to global challenges. We updated our mission and vision to better reflect the work we do and those we serve. The mission of miami waterkeeper is now to protect south florida's waters by advocating for resilient solutions grounded in science, rooted in nature, and driven by community. We have a vision for a resilient south florida that is a global leader in clean water solutions, where thriving communities and nature coexist. Since 2010, miami waterkeeper has defended the right to use and enjoy clean water. We are recognized in the community as a trusted source of information and a leading voice and advocate for biscayne bay and its surrounding watershed. Our work is effective because we employ a multi- faceted approach that includes scientific research, advocacy, community education and outreach, and when necessary, legal action. Through our efforts, we protect a healthy watershed and a vibrant coastal culture in south florida for generations to come.”

“Clean water is what makes miami, miami. Biscayne bay is a vital part of miami-dade's environment and economy. Stretching from haulover inlet to key largo, its shallow waters provide critical habitat for seagrass and marine life, including important recreational and commercial fisheries. The bay forms part of the intracoastal waterway and is protected through biscayne national park and the biscayne bay aquatic preserves, highlighting its ecological significance. Beyond its natural value, biscayne bay plays a major role in the local economy. A 2023 study found that it contributes 64 billion annually, supporting tourism, recreation, and businesses that rely on clean water (hazen and sawyer, "biscayne bay economic study update," sept. 15, 2023). However, increasing pollution, habitat loss, and sea level rise threats put the bay and its fisheries at risk. At miami waterkeeper, we envision a resilient south florida that is a global leader in clean water solutions, where thriving communities and nature coexist. To achieve this vision, we work toward our mission of protecting south florida's waters by advocating for resilient solutions grounded in science, rooted in nature, and driven by community. Focusing on clean water, habitat protection, and sea level rise resilience, we implement a multidisciplinary approach that includes science and research, advocacy, and education and outreach. From wetlands to reefs, courtrooms to classrooms, we're protecting the water and what makes south florida unique. Science our work always starts with a strong foundation rooted in science. We analyze existing research and lead large-scale, collaborative research projects to fill in knowledge gaps. Water quality monitoring: every week, our team of dedicated water quality technicians test over 25 popular waterfront sites throughout miami-dade and broward counties. Along with checking bacteria levels, we measure environmental conditions like temperature, salinity and turbidity. We report all our findings on social media, our website and the easy-to-use swim guide app. This helps you know whether your favorite beaches and waterways are safe to enjoy. Community pollution report leads to reduction of chemical spraying in our waterways: thanks to a community pollution report, which we collected through our 1,000 eyes on the water program (described below), we became aware of the county's long-standing practice of spraying waterways with herbicides to control the algae growth fueled by septic tanks, stormwater, and fertilizer runoff. This type of chemical control keeps the algae in the water and adds the chemicals on top of it, leading to even worse water quality - both in our canals and biscayne bay. For years, we worked with miami-dade county to end canal spraying and switch to mechanical harvesting. In january 2024, with the support of miami-dade county mayor daniella levine cava, the county finally made the switch in 80% of their canals. We're thrilled with this outcome and will continue working to improve the overall sustainability of our community's canal management practices. Advocacy backed by science, we develop policy solutions that solve problems facing our community. We take a grassroots-to-grasstops approach, engaging the public while working with elected officials and the government. Our policy takes three primary forms: legislation, litigation, and advocacy. Protecting wildlife: nassau grouper populations have been dwindling for decades due to coastal development, pollution, and rising ocean temperatures. Species with federally protected habitats are twice as likely to recover, but the national marine fisheries service (nmfs) had failed to meet deadlines to designate critical habitat for this threatened species. In 2020, we joined the center for biological diversity and wildearth guardians in a lawsuit to hold the nmfs accountable. This was strategic, as the nassau grouper is a keystone species whose presence is linked to healthy reef ecosystems”

“Consulting 568,294 14,218 106,428”