A federal judge ordered a temporary stop to the installation of new septic tanks in the North Indian River Lagoon Watershed in Florida, multiple news outlets reported. Because of concerns for manatees, the Department of Environmental Protection will stop issuing permits for constructing and installing septic systems in the watershed.
The judge agreed that wastewater discharged into the lagoon killed seagrass, a primary food eaten by manatees, leading to the manatees’ harm and death. In the U.S., manatees are classified as a threatened species.The Florida Department of Environmental Protection asked a federal appeals court to put the injunction on hold while
