The beaches and coastal environment are the primary draw for visitors to Lee County.

An Israeli firm hired to prevent algae in Lake Okeechobee water from reaching the St. Lucie River hasn't had to use its algicide yet, but some environmental scientists are concerned about the chemicals and how the company got the job.

The heavy lift vessel VB10000 has arrived in St. Simons Sound, Georgia for the highly anticipating cutting and lifting operation in the salvage of the Golden Ray.

Project expected to move 1.3 million cubic yards of sand

Hurricanes, the United States' deadliest and most destructive weather disasters, are notoriously difficult to predict.

Florida is home to pristine beaches, diverse and exotic wildlife, and unparalleled natural landscapes.

The biggest dredge in the history of the St. Johns River won't dig as deeply into taxpayer pockets as originally expected because the tab is shaping up to be about $100 million less than the original estimate when dredging started in early 2018.

In a landmark ruling, a federal judge yesterday ordered the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to consider the hazards of toxic algae when it releases water from Lake Okeechobee. WLRN’s Jenny Staletovich tells us more.

The highest tides of the year, known as king tides, are here again to flood roads, parks and the occasional home or business.

A Collier County beach renourishment project on Naples shores is set to begin early next month.

ATLANTA — Georgia’s deep-water ports are recovering quickly after taking some hits during the early months of the coronavirus pandemic, the head of the Georgia Ports Authority said.

A proposed pollution permit for a textile factory on the Ogeechee River would reduce protections for the popular recreational river, according to the Ogeechee Riverkeeper.

Tourism is down, but nesting success may be up. Here’s what scientists are saying and how travelers can help.

In its first-ever virtual State of the Port Address, co-hosts Griff Lynch and Will McKnight took the Georgia Ports Authority’s online audience for an on-terminal view of infrastructure advancements the Authority is making to accommodate record container growth.

FORT LAUDERDALE — Fort Lauderdale will have to spend millions to repair the damage from a series of sewage spills that sullied its waterways nearly a year ago.

Florida’s bid to take over wetlands permitting across the state will undergo two virtual federal hearings beginning Wednesday.

There is an inescapable truth about life in South Florida: This low-lying region is set to be swallowed by the sea.

Barrier islands, those wonderful beads in a natural necklace that beautifies our Gulf coastline while protecting the mainland, are designed to move with the times and the tides.

The University of South Florida's College of Marine Science has entered into a $9 million agreement with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Environmental writers often employ a banal parable to explain America’s disregard of an existential crisis: Drop a frog into a vat of boiling water and the amphibian leaps to safety. Place the frog in tepid water, gradually increase the heat to 212 degrees, and the creature stays put, oblivious, never grasping the peril.

DeFUNIAK SPRINGS — In remaking its case for a declaration of customary use across all of its beaches, Walton County has parsed 21.4 miles of private property into five distinct zones and argues the public should be allowed access to the dry, white sands in each.

Since the federal disaster declaration for Hurricane Sally, Escambia County residents have received approximately $25.8 million in total federal funds.

The group Save our Siesta Sand 2 failed to convince a district court that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers did not thoroughly consider the environmental impacts of the project.

In a major reversal, Jacksonville Port Authority officials said this week a set of high-voltage JEA transmission lines crossing the St. Johns River need to be raised higher, an enormously expensive, complicated and risky project that a past analysis by federal officials found was unnecessary.

As temperatures increase, rising seas will affect coastal communities and a large amount of the area's population. Volusia, St. Johns and Flagler counties will see 2% of current property end up below the high tide line.

The town of Longboat Key will borrow the money in bonds for its beach management plan.

A new estuary program is providing $200,000 in grants to help launch projects that improve the local environment.

Two years ago, the most powerful storm to strike the United States in the last twenty-eight years made landfall on Florida’s Gulf Coast.

Crews are making room for more water ahead of the Lake Okeechobee releases scheduled to start this week.

Home sales in areas most vulnerable to sea-level rise began falling around 2013, researchers found. Now, prices are following a similar downward path.

A Florida agency is working to assume control of a federal program meant to protect the state’s wetlands, a move environmental groups say could further imperil dwindling natural ecosystems.

A lot of water from Lake Okeechobee is coming our way.

Following the Midtown Beach renourishment in May, Phipps Ocean Park is next in line to receive new sand to replace losses from Hurricanes Matthew and Irma.

Success of manmade erosion-control for beaches questioned in Ponte Vedra Beach

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — The combination of crops, livestock and aquaculture products lost as a result of Hurricane Sally will likely be valued between $55 million and $100 million, University of Florida economists predict.

The Army Corps of Engineers will open a public comment period on a permit application for a fish farming pilot project off Florida’s southwest coast, following demands from critics and a newly issued pollution permit.

FORT LAUDERDALE — After a series of epic sewage spills that killed fish and fouled the air in neighborhoods from Rio Vista to Coral Ridge, Fort Lauderdale was hit with a $2.1 million whopper of a fine — the largest in state history.

Six months after being replenished with offshore sand and despite recent storms, Midtown Beach and the surrounding coastline is “performing very well,” according to a report by Coastal Project Manager Rob Weber.

When weather permits, Capt. Rich Osburn sails a few days each week from the Fort Pierce Inlet to ply the waters of the Gulf Stream for his targeted catch.

PANAMA CITY — For Panama City, the progress will be in the people.

The St. Petersburg City Council is moving forward with a plan to allow some development in flood-prone areas of the city.

The federal government plan to protect Miami-Dade from future storms hinges on a tall, gray wall between the city and Biscayne Bay, but residents have their own vision for how best to keep the water from drowning the Magic City. And it’s much greener.

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Unlike past holidays during this pandemic, the upcoming Labor Day weekend will offer South Floridians more choices for outings.

Concerned people in the Keys are coming together to study factors involved in reef ecology to counter the advance of live coral death.

A subsidiary of Dulany Industries is planning to build a marine terminal on its SeaPoint Complex on the Savannah River.

Longtime work to restore oyster reefs in the Indian River Lagoon has found a new, unusual ally: potato chips.

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (CBS12) — The tourism industry plays an important role in Palm Beach County's economy, accounting for more than 70,000 jobs and billions of dollars. It's an industry that's been hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic.

LONGBOAT KEY, Fla. (WFLA) – Following one month of water sample testing from a third-party consultant, Longboat Key officials were pleased to learn major sewage had little impact on the short-term health of Sarasota Bay.

TREASURE ISLAND — When it comes to erosion rates from tidal action and rising sea levels, an Army Corps of Engineers’ Coastal Storm Risk Management Study predicts some coastal areas along Treasure Island could see the highest levels of dune and beach loss in the county.

Anytime of the day is a good time on Cedar Key, but dusk is especially good.

MIAMI (CBSMiami) – Efforts to restore the Florida Reef Tract may be working.

Amid a historic fish kill in Biscayne Bay, the public's eyes are on some of the causes of the dire situation plaguing our waters: nutrient pollution and algal blooms.

There’s a new plan to save ailing Biscayne Bay, and it looks a lot like the old plan — and the one before that.

Commodities like raw cotton, pulp and kaolin clay see major growth

Just once every year, when the tug of the moon and the warmth of the water is just right, coral reef colonies can simultaneously reproduce themselves with a stunning release of tiny new life.

The unusually high number of young animals suggests there is a nursery ground in the densely populated region, surprising scientists.

Most Floridians—and our visitors—have no idea that their ability to stroll our beloved beaches is in jeopardy.

Mother Nature has alerted us to a crisis in Biscayne Bay, and we are listening.

After Hurricane Irma, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) reached out to local dive and snorkel operators in the Keys to help with debris removal within the Sanctuary.

Georgia doesn’t have a very big coastline; it’s only about 100 miles. But the coast it does have is lined by salt marsh, the muddy expanse of tall grass and meandering creeks between the mainland and the barrier islands.

FLAGLER BEACH — Flagler County commissioners Wednesday unanimously approved filing for eminent domain against one property owner in an effort to save the $25 million dune restoration project.

Two properties with a single owner are holding up the multi-million dollar project designed to protect coastal areas from inundation during future storms.

The city of Charleston, South Carolina filed a lawsuit against two dozen of the largest pipeline and oil conglomerates, saying the firms are responsible for making the floods that often hit the port city more frequent and more damaging.

Water, water everywhere, but no way to put in. That’s often the case in Miami-Dade County, blessed and cursed with hundreds of miles of mostly publicly inaccessible waterways, from the Biscayne Bay shoreline to lakes natural and artificial and rivers and canals that stretch to the edge of the Everglades.

NORTH PORT – The Environmental Conservancy of North Port was successful in its bid to buy two lots from Sarasota County as habitat for Florida scrub jays and other wildlife.

In 2019, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration warned of an environmental “regime change” occurring in Biscayne Bay’s ecosystem.

FAU Harbor Branch Sensor Technology Will ‘Illuminate’ the Role of Bioluminescence in Marine Organisms

Though prone to flooding, Florida does not require a flood disclosure law in the process of selling a home.

MIAMI – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is studying how to fortify Miami-Dade County’s coastline from the reality of rising seas and, as part of a more than $4 billion plan, has proposed a flood wall running parallel to Miami’s waterfront.

What if there were a win-win scenario for breaching the dam on the Ocklawaha River?

MIAMI — Everglades restoration projects will require about $7.4 billion over the next 10 years, compared with $6 billion spent through 2019, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said while presenting a draft of its work schedule.

Large breaking waves measuring 5 to 11 feet will strike the Space Coast surf zone through Tuesday as Hurricane Teddy treks northward far offshore, the National Weather Service warns.

Throughout our history, Floridians have reveled in our state’s natural resources. With our miles of beautiful beaches, gorgeous coastline, and ample sunshine, it is no wonder our state is a destination for people from across the globe.

TAMPA, Fla. (Sept. 21)- The 2020 hurricane season is breaking records with 23 named storms, and more are projected to develop over the next few weeks.

Our homes, our livelihoods and our economy depend on it.

Hurricane Sally gouged three breaches into the eastern tip of Perdido Key, separating the isolated stretch of barrier island into three small islands.

Navarre Beach lost an estimated 100 million cubic yards of sand during Hurricane Sally, and officials are racing to tally the full extent of the damage to secure as much funding as possible to restore the beach.

Florida’s efforts to bounce back from disaster could get a boost with the launch of a new interdisciplinary program at Florida International University’s Institute of Environment.

PANAMA CITY BEACH — A local expert said the torrential rains from Hurricane Sally are largely to blame for the recent uptick in bacteria levels at Bay County beaches.

Climate and financial markets combined to keep policies artificially cheap for years.

Development began in Sarasota early-on, necessitated by the Florida Mortgage and Investment Company’s failed Scot Colony.

Thousands of Escambia County residents are hurting as a result of Hurricane Sally and there is help out there, but it’s just out of reach to them.

Ron Starling comes to historic American Beach at least once a week.

Building coastal resilience isn’t just smart science, it’s smart policy.

For many years local government and the private sector have shown relatively little concern about storm flooding and sea level rise (SLR) in Collier County.

The Miami Association of Realtors is reporting that Palm Beach County total home sales surged double digits in August 2020.

During a scouting mission to check on coral colonies in inshore Biscayne Bay last year, Caroline Dennison and a few other marine biology graduate students found something astounding: healthy populations of brain corals.

If you make a living on the water like I do or care about our Florida waters, you’ve watched this hurricane season closely.

Ignoring sea level rise and intensifying flooding, Miami has continued to build luxury real estate near the water at a rapid pace. But as developers eye higher ground, communities of color will likely bear the heaviest burden from the changes wrought by climate change.

Because the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will not hold a public hearing on the construction of a controversial fin fish farm 45 miles off the coast of Sarasota, opponents took it upon themselves to be heard.

BRUNSWICK, Ga. (AP) — A coastal Georgia county is considering banning alcohol from a popular beach on the weekend of the Florida-Georgia football game in nearby Jacksonville, Florida.

FORT PIERCE, Fla. — Those who like to carve a wave will be stoked to find out Florida developers are in talks to build a multi-million surfing complex in the city of Fort Pierce.

For the third week in a row, the Army Corps of Engineers says no Lake Okeechobee water will be discharged to the St. Lucie River — for now.