Florida Department of Environmental Protection

From Indian River Lagoon Project

Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP)

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection is the state’s lead agency for environmental management and stewardship, protecting our air, water and land. FDEP is divided into three primary areas:


  • Land and Recreation programs acquire and protect lands for preservation and recreation. DEP oversees 175 state parks and trails and more than 12 million acres of public lands and 4 million acres of coastal uplands and submerged lands.


  • Regulatory programs safeguard natural resources by overseeing permitting and compliance activities that protect air and water quality, and manage waste cleanups.


  • Ecosystem Restoration programs protect and improve water quality and aquatic resources including America’s Everglades, Florida’s iconic springs and Florida’s world-renowned coastal resources. DEP works with communities, local governments and other agencies to protect and restore water quality and supply and to provide funding assistance for water restoration and infrastructure projects, as well as coordinates the protection of Florida’s submerged lands and coastal areas. The FDEP Office of Resilience and Coastal Protection manages more than 4.9 million acres of submerged lands and coastal uplands, including the Indian River Lagoon Estuary.


The FDEP’s six regulatory district offices review permit applications, inspect permitted facilities, respond to reports of environmental damage, and conduct compliance assistance and enforcement. The Indian River Lagoon Estuary lies in the Central and Southwest FDEP districts.

Visit the FDEP's Subscription Topics web page to sign up for to a variety of educational and informative newsletters, updates and announcements about the department’s programs, activities and events.

Further Reading

Florida Department of Environmental Protection Website Banana River Aquatic Preserve Indian River-Malabar to Vero Beach Aquatic Preserve Indian River-Vero Beach to Fort Pierce Aquatic Preserve Mosquito Lagoon Aquatic Preserve FDEP All FDEP Aquatic Preserve Program Content

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