Defending Florida’s Forgotten Coast
Quick Links: Apalachicola River Basin Oil Drilling Proposal
The Downriver Project is proud to be a founding member of the Kill the Drill Coalition—a growing group of businesses and nonprofits that have united for a common purpose: protecting the Apalachicola River Basin from oil drilling.
It flows downriver.
The Wakulla River emerges from the world’s largest freshwater spring, Wakulla Spring, giving life to wildlife sanctuaries and commercial fisheries.
As pollution seeps into North Florida’s groundwater, it flows south through the waterways, wells, and commercial fisheries that support our way of life. When polluters and bureaucrats threaten our water, we fight back and win.
The Downriver Project is a nonprofit run entirely by volunteers. We unite fishermen, hunters, oyster farmers, faith leaders, troublemakers, and misfits to defend the waters that all of us depend on.
Latest Victory
SunStop wanted to store thousands of gallons of fuel on the underground river that delivers water to Wakulla Springs. Photo: David Moynahan
Southwest Georgia Oil Company, better known as SunStop, has a long history of polluting Florida waters, including in Wakulla County. For two years, they lobbied to build a 16-pump mega gas station on the Wakulla Springs cave—a massive underground river that feeds the largest freshwater spring on Earth.
Up against a powerful corporation, volunteers from the Downriver Project fought back. When the Wakulla County Commission tried to advance SunStop's plan, we organized a record meeting turnout of 400 fishermen and residents, most of whom were forced to stand in a sweltering parking lot during a heat advisory. Refusing to leave, the crowd forced the meeting to adjourn and generated a statewide wave of public pressure.
In the time since, we have collaborated to form a new plan that would allow the state to permanently protect the Wakulla Springs Cave by creating a 230-acre conservation corridor and nature park. Rep. Jason Shoaf and Sen. Corey Simon carried this proposal through the Florida Legislature, and Governor Ron DeSantis signed off in July 2024.
A Legacy to Uphold
Pictured in 1960, Spring Creek maintains a proud crabbing culture and is home to a spring whose waters flow from as far north as Georgia.
The Forgotten Coast has a proud fishing, hunting, and outdoor tradition. That’s something worth defending.
In just three years, we have beaten three separate multimillion-dollar attempts to pollute local waterways. We are now working as part of the Kill the Drill Coalition to keep an oil company from drilling in the Apalachicola River Basin.
We also strive to promote education through the Downriver Scholars program and a Forgotten Coast-themed coloring book series, due for release in 2025.