Environmentalists are headed to court over proposed oil well in vulnerable Florida watershed

Associated Press/Report for America

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Environmentalists are heading to court to try to stop a plan to drill for oil in the watershed of a vulnerable north Florida river. The challenge brought by the conservation group Apalachicola Riverkeeper against the state’s environmental protection agency comes as the department has faced a wave of pushback from advocates who argue the state is inadequately protecting public lands and waters. Apalachicola Riverkeeper is challenging a decision by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection to grant initial approval for exploratory oil and gas drilling in the Apalachicola River watershed in the rural Panhandle region. The ecosystem is recognized as a global hotspot of biodiversity.