Environment

Powerful Everglades Foundation settles lawsuit against its former chief scientist

By Jenny Staletovich
The influential Everglades Foundation had sued its former chief scientist, who had joined another environmental group. A confidential settlement resolved the lawsuit but shed little light on the dispute.
The influential Everglades Foundation had sued its former chief scientist, who had joined another environmental group. A confidential settlement resolved the lawsuit but shed little light on the dispute. Miami Herald file photo

The Everglades Foundation and its former long-term chief scientist reached a confidential settlement Thursday over a contentious lawsuit that divided the state’s normally tight-knit environmental community.

As part of the deal, scientist Tom Van Lent agreed to never use or disclose any matters about the powerful foundation, including research and strategies, that aren’t already publicly known.

The Foundation sued Van Lent, a scientist regarded as one of the chief authorities on Everglades hydrology, earlier this year when he resigned after 17 years.

The Foundation accused Van Lent of stealing confidential research for his own financial gain after he tweeted that he was going to work for Friends of the Everglades. The much smaller nonprofit focuses on Everglades restoration and was founded by Marjory Stoneman Douglas, and Van Lent tweeted that it “put facts over fiction.”

Read More: https://www.wlrn.org/local-news/2022-09-02/powerful-everglades-foundation-settles-lawsuit-against-its-former-chief-scientist

This story was originally published September 2, 2022 at 4:31 PM.

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