Staff Reports
The Hendry County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) is issuing a warning to the advocacy organization Captains for Clean Water over behavior law enforcement says could cross a line.
In a post on the HCSO Facebook page, the Sheriff’s Office provided a statement attributed to Sheriff Steve Whidden.
“Recent posts by Captains for Clean Water have fueled hostility and provoked violent rhetoric, putting our citizens’ safety at risk. Their actions have even inspired some Floridians to issue threats to public officials, warranting the attention of law enforcement,” the statement reads.
“Let me be clear: threats of violence are not protected speech. By creating an environment in which people feel emboldened to attack elected officials, the Captains for Clean Water is promoting danger, not solutions. We will not tolerate threats, harassment or calls to violence — online or otherwise.”
The HCSO did not provide details about those actions by Captains for Clean Water, nor information about which public officials have been targeted.
But the organization has been vocally speaking out against a proposed reservoir project south of Lake Okeechobee.
Several representatives from the group attended a Palm Beach County Zoning Board meeting last month to speak out against the Southland Water Resource Project during the public comment period. The Board went on to approve it unanimously.
The Southland Water Resource Project would be used to store water about 8 miles south of Lake Okeechobee between Miami Canal and North New River Canal. It will cover a land area of about 13.5 square miles.
The project will also include blasting to excavate rock from the land to help accommodate water storage below the water table, using a similar process for some earlier Everglades reservoirs. Critics have opposed such blasting.
The Board did add several conditions to the project, including the requirement that the group behind the effort, Phillips and Jordan Inc., obtain a permit from Florida’s Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) within a year of the Board’s vote and make reports detailing their progress.
Last week, DEP gave preliminary approval, allowing the project to advance. Captains for Clean Water has spoken out opposing that decision.
One comment
M Warren
June 6, 2025 at 9:54 pm
Threatening citizens in opposition is a provocation of violence. Whether it be fines, jail or persecution of any form. First Amendment allows for all persons to speak their peace. At no point has the Captains for Clean Water advocated for any call for violence or threat. This is clearly a reaction by those bought and paid for by Big Sugar. Floridians are not stupid.