Judge refuses to dismiss case over Florida manatee deaths

TALLAHASSEE — A federal judge this week refused to dismiss a lawsuit alleging that Florida has violated the Endangered Species Act because of sewage discharges into the Indian River Lagoon that have helped lead to manatee deaths.

U.S. District Judge Carlos Mendoza issued a 30-page ruling that rejected a motion by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection to toss out the lawsuit filed in 2022 by the environmental group Bear Warriors United.

Bear Warriors United contends that the department has not adequately regulated sewage treatment plants and septic systems, leading to discharges that killed seagrass — a vital food source for manatees...