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🔍 A New Voice: PECA, a Freeport-based non-profit, is working to amplify citizen concerns about water quality, development, and infrastructure in five Florida Panhandle counties.
🚰 Water in Focus: The group highlights risks to the region’s sole source of drinking water—the aquifer—including pollution from landfills like Azland in Walton County.
📈 Growth & Urgency: With local populations expected to surge, PECA urges elected officials and citizens to prioritize long-term water protection over short-term development gains.
A new Not-For-Profit organization is working to build awareness in Okaloosa and Walton counties. The 501(c4) named Protect the Emerald Coast Alliance (PECA) – also known as “The Alliance,” is in its first year of operation and has seven board members. PECA has already held four community gatherings designed to inform citizens and to bring attention to “safeguarding the natural beauty and quality of life along the Emerald Coast of Florida.”
A PECA community gathering was held this week at Hammock Bay in Freeport. The meeting room was packed with many Okaloosa and Walton County residents. There were also representatives present from the Freeport City Council. The focus of the meeting was to build awareness for the current and existing development issues that impact citizens’ quality of life – especially the detrimental impacts on water in aquifers – the only source of drinking water in the panhandle of Florida. Emphasis for the meeting was placed on the damage that has impacted the Florida Aquifer and the importance of providing protection to the water quality and potability of water resources necessary to sustain health, wellness, and drinking water for generations to come.
The welcome for the informational meeting was provided by PECA Board Member, Jazz Janazzo who is a former County Commissioner for Okaloosa County. In his opening remarks, Jazz thanked those who were in attendance and encouraged them to take the information from the meeting and share it with others on the Emerald Coast. He indicated that awareness is a key contributor to understanding that “environment and community well-being are intrinsically linked.”
The welcome documentation for the meeting stated: “PECA works tirelessly to maintain the Emerald Coast’s natural splendor while addressing the challenges posed by rapid growth and development.”
Janazzo conveyed that County Planning and Development Departments have limited time and resources and cannot typically look beyond the impacts that may meet the statutes and regulations [codes] – but are ultimately destructive to the long-range viability of a community. He said, “They [the County staff] are good people, you may know some of them, but they have more on their plates than they can possibly do in a day. If there are specific issues that require a deeper dive and a deeper digging, they [County employees] don’t have the time.” [to look into issues that the PECA believes must have attention for the health, safety, and longevity of Okaloosa and Walton Counties].
Mr. Janazzo shared that “The Alliance” [PECA] is led by a passionate team that seeks to bring awareness to our communities and its community officials with a sense of urgency. He mentioned that the board members all have full-time work and this effort to grow and support PECA needs the support of the citizens of our counties and communities. In a document published by the group, it reads, “A cornerstone of PECA’s mission is amplifying the voices of local citizens. The organization facilitates public forums, petitions, and direct advocacy to ensure that community concerns about environmental degradation, overdevelopment, or inadequate infrastructure are brought to the forefront of local governance. Whether it’s protecting coastal wetlands, preventing unchecked urban sprawls, or advocating for clean water initiatives, PECA stands as a vital intermediary between the people and their elected officials.”
Janazzo emphasized that this organization [PECA] is “not a republican or democrat organization.” He emotionally contended that this is about care and support for the future – our environment – and the focus for the evening was on drinking water. A presentation was given by Dr. Ron Weiss whose specialty is in environmental sciences. Dr. Weiss in his presentation began with a reference to Garrett Hardin (1915-2003) who was an ecologist and microbiologist. Hardin was best known for his exposition on “Tragedy of the Commons.” (1968) In his delivery, he talked about how the actions of people – even if innocent – can have a major impact on the environment. He spoke about overgrazing and overfishing that deplete the resources needed in the long term. Dr. Weiss referred to the “Tragedy of the Commons” with those in attendance by providing examples like pollution (referring to waste disposal), the overabundance of traffic on our roads, and the misuse and catastrophic abuse of an aquifer (the abuse and poisoning of our natural water resource).
His presentation discussed that only one percent of the water on earth is usable. That statement may have raised some eyebrows because most people may think that in areas that have exhaustive amounts of water, there is unlimited availability. This is not the case. The truth is that water is a precious and in many cases – a very limited resource.
Dr. Weiss included insights into leachates that pollute water – impacting the water table and the aquifers due to pollution in the county landfills. Currently, in Walton County the Azland Landfill (initially permitted as a Class 3 (construction debris) has shifted to a Class 1 (household waste) which has raised significant environmental and economic concerns. The website for PECA found at www.ProtectTheEmeraldCoastAlliance.org states, “Key issues [with Azland Landfill] include contamination of the aquifer supplying potable water to Freeport and South Walton, failure to build the promised recycling facility, rapid landfill expansion, and lack of transparency with local authorities and the public…The landfill [Azland] is located above the aquifer supplying drinking water to Freeport and South Walton, 1-3 miles from nine critical wells. Tests from August 2024 detected pollutants (e.g., Arsenic, Lead, Selenium) in monitoring wells and an adjacent stream, indicating leachate spills.”
The focus of Dr. Weiss was the simplicity and protection of our most needed resource – water.
He added that it is necessary to be proactive when it comes to protecting the aquifers below us. He shared that ideally, an “impervious layer or liner” is necessary when a landfill or hazardous materials are situated in proximity or especially when located above an aquifer. If a landfill is created without proper protections and detection for spills and contamination of the aquifer – the costs are very consequential for lives, health, and safety.
Janazzo concluded the gathering by calling citizens to get involved through financial support for The Alliance efforts. He said passionately: “There is going to be a tipping point and we don’t know where that tipping point is. Our population has grown and our forecast for growth in Walton County is estimated anywhere from a 40 to 70 percent increase over the next 15 years…That is a lot of people, and that does not include the annual influx of people coming here to enjoy our beaches and tourism…Our population, by some estimation, doubles by June, July and August…” He continued with his summary: “We [PECA] are ‘trying to peel the onion back’ and provide the County with facts to get them to think a little bit further out.” To which the response from the officials at the County may be, “Well, it’s ok today.” Janazzo continued, “The aquifer is a precious resource, very precious, and it is the only one we have. We don’t have any rivers, lakes, or additional reservoir sources. This [the aquifer] is our only water source.”
The PECA non-profit is very interested in being a support to the care and protection of the water and resources of the Emerald Coast. The Alliance welcomes any interest and will respond to questions. Additionally, the non-profit is seeking financial support for their work and for support of their mission. Contributions to PECA are not tax-deductible. PECA is allowed to raise unlimited funds and donor identities remain anonymous and are not disclosed. To learn more about PECA and to give to the work of the organization, go to: www.protecttheemeraldcoastalliance.org
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