Quote of the Week

“The Everglades is a test – if we pass, we get to keep the planet.”
Marjorie Stoneman Douglas, the mother of the Everglades


Audubon Field Guides and More
Please browse our catalog of Audubon outreach materials at http://eidertrk.audubon.org/trk/r.emt?h=www.audubon.org/local/outreachHome.html&t=nU8CYA&e=Dq5U52TURgg. In addition, for a limited time, we have a variety of books available for the cost of shipping.... » Read more

Florida's Latest Spill News from DEP
http://www.dep.state.fl.us/deepwaterhorizon/

Tell the Feds to Stop the Secrecy and Protect the Gulf! Sign the petition and forward the link to your email list.



The Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum invites Native American Artists & Crafters to... Make plans now to participate in the 13th American Indian Arts Celebration
November 5, 6 & 7, 2010
Big Cypress Indian Reservation - Clewiston, Florida
Make your plans to join us now.

Musical entertainment this year includes: Martha Redbone, Hank Nelson, Yellowbird, Seminole storytellers and alligator wrestlers
Presented by The Seminole Tribe of Florida and Members of the Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum

2010 Callison Award Winners
Winners of the 16th annual Charles H. Callison Awards were announced at the May 2010 Board of Directors meeting. The 2010 Volunteer Callison Award Winner is Margaret Copeland from Starkville, Mississippi. A 30-year supporter of Audubon, educator, citizen scientist and conservationist, Margaret has been a member of the Audubon Mississippi Board of Directors, currently serves on the Strawberry Plains Audubon Center Stewardship Board, and is a key volunteer at the Center’s annual Hummingbird Migration Celebration.

The 2010 Professional Callison Award Winner is Mike Daulton, Senior Director of Government Relations. Mike has worked with Audubon since 1999, and has been a critical source of influence for Audubon, working on issues ranging from National Wildlife Refuge support, the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and Global Warming Campaigns, to endangered species and now the Gulf Coast oil spill. Both awardees received a certificate and a framed print from Mississippi photographer Bill Stripling.



Birds

Rehabbed birds given new life in Tallahassee
Three pied-billed grebes, which were rehabilitated and survived impacts of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, were released on Lake Talquin near Tallahassee on Thursday. The birds were given quite a distinguished send off into the wild with Gov. Charlie Crist. All three birds immediately took to the waters of Lake Talquin.

“It’s gratifying to play a small role in getting these birds back into the wild where they belong,” Crist said. “It’s a special thing to realize how important wildlife is, how beautiful our state is and the importance of protecting wildlife, beaches and businesses.”

Dr. Heidi Stout, executive director of Tri-State Bird Rescue & Research brought three oiled grebes to Lake Talquin. The birds were rescued from beaches on Perdido Key, Miramar and Gulf Breeze and then successfully rehabilitated by Tri-State. Tri-State and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) have been coordinating all recovery and rehabilitation efforts for wildlife impacted by the oil spill in Florida with assistance and support from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC). James Burrett, manager of St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge, represented the USFWS and also assisted in releasing the birds. Nick Wiley, executive director of the FWC, also was on hand to assist with the release.

“It’s definitely a team effort,” Wiley said. “The scientists strategically found the best release area so the birds have the best chance for survival.”

Stout said she was confident the grebes would stay on Lake Talquin and not attempt to return to the sites where they had been rescued, covered in oil.

“The state and federal agencies involved in this project are reasonably assured the birds won’t go back to the oiled areas,” Stout said. “This is a beautiful location and a perfect spot for them to thrive.”

Lake Talquin was chosen for its marshy shores and large body of fresh water, which will provide plenty of insects and fish for the birds to eat. Pied-billed grebes are year round Florida residents and usually nest in fresh water.

Tri-State has been contracted by BP to provide wildlife assistance with species that are impacted by the oil spill. All rehabilitation efforts are coordinated through USFWS and Tri-State.

“Through strong partnerships, such as the USFWS and Tri-State, we are saving birds and giving them a fighting chance,” Wiley said.

To report oiled wildlife, call the Oiled Wildlife Hotline number at 866-557-1401.

Seabird die-off unrelated to oil spill
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) received reports of more than 35 dead greater shearwaters, a gull-like bird, along the Atlantic coast of Florida from Delray Beach to Cocoa Beach. The birds have been collected, and some have already been examined. FWC biologists confirmed Tuesday that the deaths are not related to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.

In June 2007, more than 800 dead or sick greater shearwaters were reported along Florida’s east coast from Martin County north to St. Johns County. Die-offs of shearwaters occur occasionally at this time of year as the birds leave their breeding grounds in South Africa and cross the Atlantic on their way to New England.

“These birds are generally juveniles with empty stomachs, with no fat stores, and are severely underweight,” said Daniel Wolf, the FWC’s avian influenza coordinator. “We are certain that these are not oil-related casualties.”

Juvenile greater shearwaters are not as able as adults at putting on enough fat stores to make the long trip from their breeding grounds on Tristan da Cunha Island off the coast of South Africa to their summer home in New England. They are often spotted where whales are feeding or behind fishing boats as they clean fish. Storms at sea can cause dehydration and eventual death.

The FWC urges the public to never handle birds, but asks you to report sightings of sick, injured birds to the Wildlife Alert Hotline, 888-404-3922. Also, do not handle dead birds, but report them to MyFWC.com/bird. To report oiled birds or other oiled wildlife, call 866-557-1401.


On the Wings of Eagles: Seeing Our National Symbol in the Southeast
July is the month our heads are filled with big and bold patriotic images – images such as the American flag, Uncle Sam and the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Perhaps none is bigger and bolder than that of the American bald eagle.In the not-too-distant past, seeing a bald eagle in the wild was an extreme rarity in the Southeast. There were only a few nesting pairs – Everglades National Park in Florida was one location where you might see a resident eagle – and eagles from Wisconsin and Minnesota would slip down to destinations such as Reelfoot Lake in northwest Tennessee for winter visits.

It’s a different story today, and while seeing a bald eagle on the wing still isn’t common, you stand a fighting chance in many locations in the Southeast. It’s a great activity to go on an eagle watch in the month that starts with Independence Day.Here’s how the story unfolded. When European settlement began in North American, ornithologists estimate there were 100,000 breeding pairs of bald eagles. By the 1960s, there were only 500 pairs spotted in the continental U.S.The biggest culprit was a pesticide, DDT, which made the eagles´ eggs infertile and the shells too fragile for them to be incubated. DDT was banned in 1972, and the population began to rebound – often with the help of wildlife officials and others who were sanctioned to conduct hatch-and-release programs.Tennessee and Georgia are notable success stories. Tennessee lacked any nesting bald eagles for 22 years until 1983, when a pair built a home at Reelfoot Lakes.

Now, the state ornithologist reports there are between 130 and 140 nesting pairs along the Tennessee and Cumberland rivers. There are four pairs in the Chattanooga area alone, making eagles yet another attraction for the city that claims the Tennessee Aquarium, Rock City and Sticky Fingers barbeque restaurants as more publicized attractions.In Georgia, the bald eagle count in the 1970s was exactly zero. Today, the Peach State has 136 nesting pairs spread through almost one-third of the state’s counties.

One of the best ways to learn about bald eagles´ resurgence is through the Tennessee-headquartered American Eagle Foundation, which rehabilitates injured eagles, breeds eagles for release to the wild and educates people about this majestic national symbol.The foundation was created in 1985 and has facilities at the Dollywood theme park in Pigeon Forge. Its breeding and scientific facilities are not open to the public, but it maintains an immense aviary where numerous non-releasable eagles are visible to Dollywood guests. It also produces a stirring raptor show called "Wings Over America" in the park, and it displays eagles and other birds at public programs.It’s even possible to support the foundation’s work by "adopting" an eagle. Just think – instead of buying fireworks this year, you could support eagles with names such as America, Patriot and Brave Spirit.

http://www.americaneaglefoundation.com/

Invasive species

Did You Know?
Due to the global significance of Everglades National Park, it has been designated a Biosphere Reserve, a World Heritage Site, and a Wetland of International Importance.

Introduced species in the Everglades

The Everglades National Park was established to protect the diverse natural habitats of the region which include freshwater marshes, hardwood hammocks, pinelands, cypress swamps, mangrove swamps, and estuaries. However, despite its status as a national park, the Everglades is threatened by introduced plants and animals.

Introduced species are those organisms that are native to somewhere else that have been introduced to new areas through human activities. Many introduced species have detrimental effects on native flora and fauna due to lack of population controls such as predators and disease. As population numbers grow out of control, these introduced species are often referred to as invasive species. The introduction of species began in the late 1800s and has escalated since that time. These species continue to spread due to a lack of predators and disease, outcompeting native species for food and space.

There are over 200 introduced species of plants that have been documented in the Everglades. These plants, including melaleuca (Melaleuca quinquenervia), Brazilian pepper (Schinus terebinthifolius), Australian pine (Casuarina equisetifolia), and Old World Climbing Fern (Lygodium microphyllum) displace native species and alter the natural habitat.

Also detrimental to the habitats and communities of the Everglades are introduced species of wildlife. People have released unwanted pets into the Everglades including aquarium fishes, pythons, boa constrictors, parakeets, and parrots. Feral hogs also pose a major disturbance within the Everglades by digging native vegetation and disturbing archeological sites.

Many species of fish originating from tropical and subtropical regions have been introduced into the freshwaters of the Everglades. Most can tolerate low to moderate salinities, allowing them to become established in brackish water estuaries. These fish have been introduced primarily through aquarium and aquaculture facilities, while some species have been released on purpose in hopes of establishing breeding populations. These fish include the Mayan cichlid (Cichlasoma urophthalmus), walking catfish (Clarias batrachus), Asian swamp eel (Monopterus albus), black acara (Cichlasoma bimaculatum), pike killifish (Belonesox belizanus), blue tilapia (Oreochromis aureus), spotted tilapia (Tilapia mariae), and Oscar (Astronotus ocellatus).

For more information, visit: South Florida Aquatic Environment: Introduced Species

Florida Panthers

Yet another Florida panther killed on a road
Another Florida panther has been killed by a car, the 10th known panther killed by a car so far in 2010. At least 3 more panthers have died from other causes and as there are estimated to be just 110 Florida panthers alive today these deaths are threatening the panther's tentative recovery.

Florida wildlife officials confirmed the deaths of the 16 Florida panthers in 2009 on Florida roads, which in turn eclipsed the 2008 total of 10 panthers and represented a new record high for the endangered cat.

Endangered Species

Buy a decal to support Florida’s manatee and sea turtle programs
It is more important than ever for Florida residents to support Florida’s imperiled species. And for two in particular, people can do it simply by donating $5 for a sea turtle or manatee decal. The 2010 decals are now available at your local tax collector’s office.

Each year, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) offers decals to benefit the manatee and sea turtle programs. New decals are distributed to tax collectors in July and are available throughout the year whenever you make a $5 donation when registering your vehicle or vessel. The funds raised support manatee and sea turtle rescue and recovery efforts, research, management needs and help produce educational materials. The fees collected from the Save the Manatee and the Sea Turtle specialty license plates also help fund these efforts.

The 2010 sea turtle decal displays an image of a green sea turtle and recognizes the groups and volunteers who assisted with the rescue and rehabilitation of cold-stunned sea turtles this past winter.

The winter’s cold brought numerous volunteers out to assist local, state and federal biologists and researchers with recovering or rescuing and transporting 4,600 sea turtles to rehabilitation sites. Without the prompt rescue and the involvement of the various government groups and volunteers from around Florida, all of these sea turtles would have died.

In the case of manatees, the harsh winter resulted in an unprecedented number of cold-related deaths and numerous rescues of cold-stressed animals. Nearly 600 manatees have been found dead throughout the state since January, with more than 200 known to have succumbed to cold. Watercraft impacts continue to be an important cause of manatee mortality as well.

“Safe Travels” is the message of the 2010 manatee decal, which stresses the safety measures needed for those traveling in manatee protection zones. The protection zones reduce risks to manatees and their habitat by limiting boat speeds or boat/human access in specific geographic areas where manatees feed, rest and travel. The manatees that survived this winter’s extreme cold weather are now dispersed in waterways around the state. Folks using the waterways are cautioned to give a proper lookout when under way so that Florida’s manatee population does not suffer more losses this year.

Since April, the FWC’s sea turtle and manatee researchers and biologists have been preparing for the possibility of oil impacts on these species. Although no manatees have been affected yet by the oil spill, scientists were concerned about the impact to sea turtle hatchlings as they enter the Gulf and swim directly into the path of the oil. FWC sea turtle experts are working closely with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and NOAA to relocate Northwest Florida nests to the east coast. As the eggs hatch, the hatchlings will be released into the Atlantic Ocean.

Show your support for Florida’s manatees and sea turtles by purchasing the decals and license plates and proudly displaying them on your vessels or vehicles. Your support will assist the FWC in the protection and conservation of both sea turtles and manatees.

For more information about Florida’s manatee and sea turtle research or management efforts, go to MyFWC.com.

To report oiled wildlife, call 866-557-1401.

To report wildlife violations or emergencies, call the Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404-FWCC (3922).

Threat to manatee stifled
The Florida manatee is a treasured and iconic symbol of natural Florida. Unfortunately, threats to the Florida manatee from habitat destruction and watercraft collisions are on the rise.
Recently, Gov. Crist vetoed legislation (HB 7059) that would have threatened protection for seagrasses, which are critically important food sources for our endangered manatees. A coalition of conservation groups, including Environment Florida, wrote a letter to Gov. Crist, urging him to veto the bill, and we applauded the governor for doing the right thing.

As he noted in his veto letter, provisions in the bill could have also allowed the destruction of cypress forests along rivers and lakes, salt marshes along tidal streams and estuaries, mangrove forests along the coast, and coral reefs.

FWC, partners give sea turtle hatchlings a fighting chance
Sea turtle hatchlings face great challenges when they crawl to the water, swim offshore, and begin their lives in the ocean. They face many dangerous obstacles, both on the beach and in the water – some natural, some because of man – that make survival difficult.

This summer, the hatchlings of these threatened and endangered species emerging from nests on Northwest Florida beaches would face an additional, likely insurmountable obstacle in the form of large amounts of oil from the continuing Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Oil products could cause problems for hatchlings on the beach, but the highest degree of danger lies in the ocean currents that determine where these young sea turtles go. They are the same currents that determine where the floating oil goes, which would constantly bring the young turtles to the floating oil.

That’s why a group of sea turtle experts from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) began planning a way to prevent this impending loss of newly hatched sea turtles when it was clear that oil would continue to pour into the Gulf throughout the sea turtle nesting season.

“We had to determine the best course of action given the extraordinary circumstances of this oil spill,” said Dr. Robbin Trindell, the FWC’s sea turtle management coordinator. “If we left the hatchlings to fend for themselves, they would face a certain death. While the system we’ve devised will give them at least some chance for survival, it is important to note that relocating nests at any time is also very risky and would be considered only during an unprecedented disaster such as the Deepwater Horizon incident.”

The plan involves moving sea turtle eggs that are within a week of hatching from the beaches in Northwest Florida to a facility on the central-east coast of Florida. Once the eggs have been removed, they will be placed carefully in coolers with dampened sand from the nest, transported in a specially designed, temperature-controlled and air-cushioned truck to the east coast, somewhere near Cape Canaveral, and held under carefully monitored conditions until the hatchlings begin emerging from the eggs.

The eggs will hatch at this facility, and the hatchlings will be released on a nearby beach. This type of action is a last resort in Florida, where every effort is made to leave sea turtle nests in place so that hatchlings emerge naturally and depart from the beach where their mother nested.
Sea turtle eggs can be moved as they near their hatching date, but some eggs may still be lost because of the movement. “We won’t attempt to move the eggs until they have incubated at least 49 days,” Trindell said. “The permitted individuals who check beaches every morning for sea turtle nesting activity have been diligent in marking the nests and keeping data on when the nests were laid so we have accurate dates for when the eggs can be moved.”

Moving these eggs also brings concerns about disrupting the poorly understood mechanisms that guide a female sea turtle back to the beach where she hatched. It is possible these hatchlings would eventually return to Northwest Florida to nest. However, it is also possible that releasing the hatchlings on the east coast of Florida will result in those turtles returning to the east coast or going to some other area to nest.

About 700 sea turtle nests are laid in Northwest Florida each year, and each nest typically contains 100-120 eggs. Loggerhead sea turtles are the most common species to nest in this part of Florida, but some nests of Kemp’s ridleys and green turtles also are expected. Many of the nests will be moved by late July, but the process could continue until October, depending on when nests are laid.

Implementation of this plan will require a huge effort by all the volunteers, the FWC and its partners, but everyone involved is determined to give these sea turtles a chance to make it to clean waters, where they can continue their life cycle.

“It is a phenomenal partnership, with everyone working toward one goal, and that is to help our wildlife survive this disaster,” Trindell said. “There are folks out on the beaches cleaning and searching for sea turtle nests all night long now, and none of what we are about to undertake could occur without those partnerships.”

At this time, there are no plans to relocate any eggs from other Gulf beaches in Florida. However, the FWC is coordinating with permit holders to mark turtle nests all along the Gulf Coast and will closely monitor the situation.

For more information on the plan to relocate Northwest Florida sea turtle eggs, go to www.fws.gov/northflorida. To report sightings of oiled wildlife, call 866-557-1401. For more information on sea turtle conservation, visit MyFWC.com/SeaTurtle. For information on volunteering to aid in the recovery effort, call 866-448-5816. For other information on the oil spill, go to MyFWC.com/OilSpill.

World first for vultures facing extinction
Globally extinct within ten years: that has been the worst prediction for three species of vulture which have disappeared from huge swathes of southern Asia. But the latest exciting news from a conservation partnership in India reveals that all three species have now successfully reared young in a captive breeding center, providing some long-term hope for these three critically endangered species, especially as the ultimate aspiration will be to return birds to the wild.

Reportedly, before their population crash, Asia's vulture population extended to tens of millions of birds, but now the combined population of all three species numbers is believed to be well below 60,000. And with the population of at least one species almost halving each year, the success of captive breeding may give some hope that these magnificent birds will be prevented from reaching extirpation.

Read more

Endangered Basking Shark killed off coast of Italy
The Shark Alliance is expressing regret over the death of a basking shark taken in the net of an Italian fishing vessel today. The harmless, filter-feeding female, nearly five meters in length, was reportedly taken unintentionally off of Sanremo, in western Italy near the border with France. The basking shark, the world's second largest fish species, is classified by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as Vulnerable to extinction in the Mediterranean. Since 2006, it has been illegal for EU vessels to fish, retain or land basking sharks.

‘There are so few safeguards for sharks in the Mediterranean. It is critical that all existing rules, particularly those for endangered species, are effective and enforced,' Serena Maso, Shark Alliance coordinator for Italy. ‘Better education of fishermen, research into ways to avoid basking sharks, and enforcement of no-sale rules are all key to ensuring the recovery of these gentle giants.'

Basking shark livers are valuable for oil which is used in cosmetics and pharmaceutical products. A single, enormous basking shark fin can fetch tens of thousands of euros for use as storefront advertising that a Chinese restaurant sells the delicacy shark-fin soup.

In February 2009, the European Commission released its long-awaited Community Plan of Action for Sharks. Among other things, the plan includes commitments to educate fishermen and the general public about shark conservation programs and restrictions on shark fishing.

Nevertheless, basking sharks continue to be landed illegally in EU countries, particularly Spain. The Shark Alliance is pushing for higher priority and prompt implementation of basking shark protections and other safeguards promised in the EU Shark Plan.

Despite the impressive dimensions of the example captured accidentally today in Liguria, this was a young female, which had not yet reached sexual maturity. Basking shark females have long gestation periods and are able to reproduce only after reaching six to nine meters, characteristics which render the basking shark - like all sharks - particularly vulnerable to overfishing. Basking sharks are listed under the Barcelona Convention for the Protection of the Mediterranean Sea, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species and several other conservation treaties.


Everglades and Water Quality Issues

Ft. Myers Billy’s Creek Preserve helps Caloosahatchee
A new preserve built to treat stormwater before it enters Billy’s Creek was recently recognized by the Florida Stormwater Association (FSA) with a 2010 Stormwater Project Award for Outstanding Achievement.

The FSA Awards recognize stormwater projects that demonstrate creativity in cooperating with other jurisdictions and show an outstanding commitment to best stormwater management practices that benefit the environment and local communities.
The City of Fort Myers, the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) and Lee County partnered to build Billy’s Creek Preserve as part of a larger plan to improve water quality throughout Fort Myers. The District provided technical assistance to the city throughout the project and invested $977,000 for design and construction.

“Billy’s Creek Preserve will help protect and restore the Caloosahatchee Watershed, a goal shared by the District, the City of Fort Myers and Lee County,” said SFWMD Governing Board member Charles Dauray. “Fort Myers residents will benefit for yearsto come from improved water quality and flood protection provided by the preserve while enjoying many recreational and educational opportunities at the site.”

....more...

Plants airlifted to keep the Everglades clean
The sky is green – well, was, when the South Florida Water Management District airlifted 60 tons of aquatic plants to two constructed treatment wetlands to help improve the quality of water flowing into the Everglades.

Three native plants already growing in part of the District's Stormwater Treatment Areas were flown by helicopter to shallow waters. It took approximately 80 flights to bring the vegetation to its new habitat.

The new habitats are the water-cleaning sections when it come to Everglades restoration; plants are used to naturally remove phosphorus from water flowing into the land. Six treatment areas are operated south of Lake Okeechobee, covering more than 52-thousand acres.

Since 1994, the treatment areas have retained more than 1,200 metric tons of total phosphorus that would have otherwise entered the Everglades.

With acquisition of Tate & Lyle, Palm Beach County-owned sugar giant goes global
American Sugar Refining (ASR), owned by Florida Crystals Corp., based in West Palm Beach, and the Sugar Cane Growers Cooperative of Florida, in Belle Glade, has signed an agreement to acquire Tate & Lyle PLC's European cane sugar operations.
American Sugar Refining, headquartered in Yonkers, N.Y., is North America’s largest cane sugar refiner.

Tate & Lyle is the leading cane sugar producer in the European Union. The acquisition of its refineries in London, England, and Lisbon, Portugal, increases ASR's total refining capacity to 6 million metric tons per year. The $318 million acquisition includes a license for use of the distinguished Tate & Lyle brand in connection with the sale of sugar.

"The acquisition of Tate & Lyle's European sugar operations is consistent with our strategic vision for expansion in the sugar refining sector," said Luis Fernandez, ASR co-president. "Tate & Lyle is steeped in 130 years of tradition and consumer loyalty."
This acquisition marks the third large-scale transaction between the two companies.

ASR purchased Tate & Lyle North American Sugars, Inc. (Domino Sugar) and its three refineries in 2001. More recently, ASR acquired Tate & Lyle Canada Ltd. (Redpath Sugar) in 2007, which included Canada’s largest refinery. ASR's expertise lies in the operation of cane sugar refineries and the logistics of the related supply chain as well as the marketing of recognized retail sugar brands.

"Sugar is a global business," said Antonio L. Contreras, Jr., ASR co-president. "This acquisition makes perfect sense for ASR. We're sugar people who are committed to and understand the sugar business. The European acquisition in many ways mirrors our North American operations and will complement our company."

Across North America, ASR owns and operates six cane sugar refineries, located in Yonkers , New York ; Baltimore , Maryland ; Chalmette , Louisiana ; Crockett , California ; Toronto , Canada ; and Veracruz , Mexico . The company markets its industrial, consumer and specialty products through Domino Foods, Inc., with a brand portfolio of Domino, C&H, Florida Crystals and Redpath.

Florida Crystals Corporation, a Fanjul Corp. company, is led by Alfonso Fanjul, Jr., chairman & CEO, and J. Pepe Fanjul, vice chairman, president & COO, and the Sugar Cane Growers Cooperative is led by George H. Wedgworth, chairman of the board and CEO.

You Can Play an Important Role in Securing Additional Bridging on Tamiami Trail
The National Park Service, through its project planning process, is recommending an additional 5.5 miles of bridging on the Tamiami Trail highway in order to remove this long-standing barrier to free water flow across the southern Everglades.

I urge you to become a part of our Tamiami Trail Next Steps campaign, designed to generate hundreds of letters of support endorsing this much-needed additional bridging. This bridging will let the water flow through the historic River of Grass, revive Everglades National Park and Florida Bay and boost South Florida's economy!

This campaign is very simple, but will be very effective. All you have to do is the following: 1. Please click here to visit our website link. There you will find the materials you need to send your statement of support to the National Park Service. 2. Forward this e-mail to your friends and family and ask them to visit our website and send in their own letter of support.

This grassroots campaign will help to restore our treasured Everglades by showing the National Park Service that we fully support their proposal for an additional 5.5 miles of bridging on the Tamiami Trail highway. There is no better time to voice our support, as the National Park Service is accepting comments on this critical project through July 27, 2010 and will soon decide on the final project design. Thank you for supporting the continued restoration of America's Everglades!

Sincerely,

Kirk Fordham


Homestead's dirt deal is legal mess, but city's looking up
The city has almost finished restoring thousands of tons of dirt that were improperly removed from a lake, raising environmental issues. But litigation continues. About 10 years ago, the city of Homestead and businessman Charles ``Pinky'' Munz made a deal over dirt.

Under the deal, Munz's company, Redland Construction, would remove dirt and crushed rock from a man-made lake for use as construction fill. When Munz sold the dirt to someone else, the city would get a cut.

The deal went fine for about two years. Then the lawsuits and environmental problems started. Now Homestead is out more than $3.5 million for fines and the cost of fixing environmental issues it says were caused by Redland.

Repairs are nearly done, but it's unclear when all of the litigation will end. ``This should have been settled a long time ago,'' Vice Mayor Judy Waldman said last week. ``So much money has changed hands; there comes a time when the bleeding has to stop on both sides.''

Much of the fight comes down to this: Redland dug more deeply into the lake than was allowed by a county permit. County and regional environmental officials said the excess digging allowed saltwater from Biscayne Bay to seep into the groundwater that supplies local faucets.

Also unclear is what, if anything, Redland will have to pay the city. City attorney Joseph Serota said the parties are trying to negotiate a settlement. ``All that is left is the determination of damages'' for the city, he added.

Andrew Hall, counsel for Redland Construction, said he thinks a trial is likely, however.
The city has refilled the lake, with nearly 450,000 tons of dirt and crushed rock, to the level mandated by county environmental officials.

The city council recently agreed to extend its contract -- for a total of $111,000 -- with EAS Engineering, which is helping the city monitor water quality and restore the site just south of Southwest 344th Street near 142nd Avenue.

Assistant City Manager Julio Brea said the original contract to refill the lake was for $2.9 million.

The conflict between Homestead and Redland Construction began in 1999, when the company paid $1.4 million to buy out Florida Design Communities' contract with the city for the right to dig up the dirt.

In 2002, the city sued Redland for $385,000 that it said the company owed in dirt royalties. But the parties ended up settling.

Then, in 2005, environmental officials found out that Redland had dug too deep, and the business relationship morphed into an expensive headache.

Miami-Dade's Department of Environmental Resource Management had issued a permit to dig in the lake to a depth no greater than 52 feet. But when DERM inspected the site, it found that Redland had dug as deep as 88 feet in some places.

DERM director Carlos Espinosa said the agency set the 52-foot limit to prevent the gradual intrusion of saltwater from Biscayne Bay into the fresh groundwater supply inland.

Last year, preliminary studies by the South Florida Water Management District suggested that saltwater had penetrated inland as far as the Homestead-Miami Speedway, posing a risk to drinking-water wells in Homestead and the Keys.

DERM revoked Homestead's digging permit in November 2005, and the city scrapped its contract with Redland a month later. The company then sued the city for breach of contract, seeking $9.7 million in damages and reinstatement of the deal.

Homestead countersued. In May 2007, Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Gill Freeman ruled in favor of the city in both claims.

Meanwhile, the city got its digging permit back -- after having to fork over $560,000 in fines and fees to DERM and the Water Management District. In December, Redland voluntarily dismissed a suit it filed in August 2006 against then-Councilwoman Lynda Bell, after she publicly criticized a council vote to give Redland a $415,000 paving contract despite their ongoing legal battle. The city spent about $45,000 on Bell's defense.

The city has no current contracts with any of Munz's companies, Brea said.
According to Homestead's 2007 agreement with DERM to restore the lake, where it installed monitoring wells, the agency will review tests of surface water and groundwater samples every five years. If salt levels don't rise, the city won't have to reimburse the agency for its water-testing expenses and will be able to suspend the monitoring program.
The city will still be able to use dirt from the site -- or sell it to construction companies -- as long as they stick to the 52-foot limit.

``We look toward the future from a positive perspective,'' Mayor Steven Bateman said in an e-mail last week. ``There is much good yet to come out of this for the city's benefit.''
Read more

Wildlife and Habitat

Interior Begins Listening Sessions on America's Great Outdoors
This summer and fall, the Department of Interior will be conducting a series of “listening sessions” to hear from concerned citizens on America’s great landscapes and how we can reconnect with our outdoor heritage.

There are three goals for the newly envisioned America’s Great Outdoors Initiative:
Reconnect Americans, especially children, to America’s rivers and waterways, landscapes of national significance, ranches, farms and forests, great parks, and coasts and beaches.

Build upon state, local, private and tribal priorities for the conservation of land, water, wildlife, historic, and cultural resources, creating corridors and connectivity across these outdoor spaces, and for enhancing neighborhood parks; and determine how the federal government can best advance those priorities through public private partnerships and locally supported conservation strategies.

Use science-based management practices to restore and protect our lands and waters for future generations.

The first set of listening sessions will begin in Montana with others to follow in Seattle, WA, Charleston, SC and New York. July 8th has been set for a session in Los Angeles. We’ll follow up with more details as they become available, but these events — which range from BBQs to town hall meetings — are made to order for Audubon chapters who wish to connect their projects and goals for bird conservation to an exciting Presidential initiative to develop a 21st century conservation agenda for America. We hope you'll speak out for the birds and habitat you love at a session near you.

Conservancy breaks ground for new wildlife rehabilitation clinic in Naples
Environmentalists, donors, government officials and members of the Conservancy of Southwest Florida broke ground today on a new 4,500-square-foot wildlife rehabilitation clinic.

The new $2.8 million facility — billed as the “greenest” building in Collier County — will feature a mammal recovery wing, a reptile recovery area, a surgery room, a water therapy room, a nursery and a quarantine area. The facility, designed by late Bonita Springs architect Larry Warner, is expected to open in the second quarter of 2011.

“This is something we’ve been hoping for and working toward for a long time,” Conservancy President and CEO Andrew McElwaine told 50 people who gathered for the groundbreaking. “It’s a very exciting time for us.” The new clinic, von Arx Wildlife Clinic, is named after Sharon and Dolph von Arx.

The von Arx gave the Conservancy a generous gift to support its “Saving Southwest Florida” capital campaign, McElwaine said. The gift will fund a large portion of the clinic. The von Arx, since retiring to Naples from Greenwich, Conn. in the early 1990s, have become one of the region’s most generous philanthropic couples. Shortly after moving to Naples, the von Arx got involved with the Conservancy as well as other organizations such as the Phil, the Naples Museum of Art and NCH Healthcare System where Dolph von Arx served as chairman for 11 years. “We got involved with the Conservancy because my wife has a deep interest in the protection and rehabilitation of wildlife,” he said.

The new clinic will replace the existing 1,700-foot clinic, McElwaine said. “That was built in the mid-1980s and was designed to treat between 500 and 800 animals a year ... It’s now treating more than 2,500.” The existing clinic will remain open until its replacement is completed, he said. Curtis Cafiso, project executive, said the von Arx made the dream possible. With the building’s highly-specialized design — including a complex ventilation system, geo-thermal cooling system, rainwater harvesting system and the use of solar energy, “It could be one of the greenest buildings in Collier County,” Cafiso said.

Global Warming and Climate Change

On climate change, let cool heads prevail
It's odd how little we've heard lately from the skeptics who deny that climate change is real. What's the matter, people? Heat stroke?The Venus-like heat that much of the country has been suffering this summer is almost enough to make anybody a believer in global warming. Almost, but not quite: Honesty compels me to acknowledge that a few weeks of record-setting temperatures do not constitute proof of anything.

Climate scientists have to analyze data covering decades and centuries to discern what's really going on.Of course, the unusually heavy snowstorms that buried Washington and other East Coast cities this past winter didn't prove anything, either. But that didn't deter the climate skeptics from gloating. Sen. James Inhofe (R-OK) and his family went so far as to build an igloo on Capitol Hill and label it "Al Gore's New Home."

Care to apologize to the Nobel laureate, senator?

No, that would be too much to hope for. A more realistic wish is that the punishing heat wave will convince those tempted to buy the skeptics' know-nothing line -- Global warming is a crock! The tree-hugging socialists are making it up! It's a conspiracy -- to consider the scientific evidence with an open mind.

Read the article

Offshore & Ocean

Plan under way to revive struggling oyster population

Old-fashioned recycling and about $4 million in federal stimulus money are being used to revive the struggling oyster population in the Loxahatchee and St. Lucie rivers.

About 30 million pounds of limestone and old shells are being spread in shallow, sandy sections of the Loxahatchee River. During the next five weeks, residents will see a barge bringing out the stuff — cultch in the oyster restoration biz — to a yellow steam shovel on the northwest fork of the river. The machine operator will spread the material to make a 6-inch-thick, lumpy carpet on about 5 acres of river bottom.

The rock and shells provide the nooks and crannies oysters need to create a "full-functioning filtering system." That, in turn, creates a fertile feeding ground for shrimp, crab, snook and much of Florida's commercial fish and crustaceans, said Albrey Arrington, executive director of the Loxahatchee River District.

"Oysters clean and keep the ecosystem growing, like a coral reef," Arrington said.About 20 acres of cultch have been sunk into the St. Lucie River between the Roosevelt Bridge and the tip of Sewall's Point. The amount of oyster beds in the Loxahatchee River will be increased from about 8.5 to about 13 acres. The work on both rivers is being managed by Stuart-based Continental Shelf Associates.

The shells and rock are being installed only in shallow areas less than 2-1/2 feet deep so boating is not restricted, said Mike Grella, executive director of the Jupiter Inlet District."We struck a good balance between recreation boaters and the environmentalists," Grella said.
But oil from the Deepwater Horizon spill in the Gulf of Mexico could become a hazard

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Scars to seagrass don't have to be permanent
Prop scars are an issue wherever there are shallow grass flats and powerboats, but the good news is that the scars don't have to be permanent.

Innovative techniques can restore the grass in the scars, which are caused when the propeller of a boat's motor digs into the bottom and uproots the grass, leaving behind a white gash. On some flats, it looks like someone was playing a bizarre game of connect the dots.

Prop scars in Florida Bay have Everglades National Park considering the creation of no-motor zones in some areas and outright closures in others. Similar considerations have been ongoing in waters throughout the Florida Keys and along both of Florida 's coasts.
What's important to realize, said Kenny Wright, is that shutting down an area to boat traffic alone will not make prop scars go away.

"Doing nothing doesn't work," said Wright, the executive vice president of Seagrass Recovery, an Indian Rocks Beach company that specializes in repairing prop scars. "The key is active restoration."

Wright's conservation efforts got a big boost now that a couple of companies and an organization with vested interests in healthy marine habitat have joined efforts to repair prop scars in Florida as well as educate boaters so they avoid running aground and damaging grass flats.

Columbia Sportswear Company of Oregon, which is known for its fishing apparel, and Bass Pro Shops, which sells a lot of Columbia clothing, are raising money for The Ocean Foundation, which distributes the funds it receives to protect seagrass as well as sea turtles, coral reefs and marine mammals throughout the world.

Both Columbia and Bass Pro Shops are providing funds for seagrass restoration; Columbia already has donated $20,000. In addition, the proceeds from the sales of Columbia seagrass recovery clothing will be given to The Ocean Foundation, both by Columbia and by the retailers that sell the apparel (visit columbia.com/seagrass).

"We plan to take this international," Columbia Global Corporate Relations Manager Scott Welch said. "It's a huge issue all over the world."

Mark Spalding, the president of The Ocean Foundation, welcomes the donations. His Washington, D.C.-based group will use the money to pay companies such as Seagrass Recovery to repair prop scars.

Prop scars aren't just ugly. They damage essential habitat for a variety of marine species. As Wright said, "Snappers all get their start in seagrass." Wright also said that if you don't do anything to fix prop scars, the effects of tides and winds will make them bigger.

Seagrass Recovery was founded by a sod farmer who used his agricultural knowledge to come up with a way to repair prop scars while avoiding the closures some clamor for in Florida waters. According to Wright, that farmer's famous line was, "You don't close a highway because of a pothole, you fix the pothole."

To fix prop scars, Seagrass Recovery uses mercerized organic cotton sacks, which decompose within six months, filled with locally sourced fine-grain sand. The resulting 60-pound tubes are placed end to end in a prop scar. Wright said a small boat leaves scar that is one tube wide. The scar made by a bigger boat is two tubes wide. An eroded scar might be five or six tubes wide.

The tubes, which are one meter long, soon have marine growth on them, not unlike an artificial reef. Then healthy seagrass taken from nearby is attached to the tubes with metal staples. That borrowed seagrass then grows, aided by natural fertilizer provided by birds that sit on bird stakes — PVC pipes with wooden blocks on top — placed on the flat. Within two years, Wright said, you'd never know there was a prop scar.

Ship leaves South Florida to study oil spill effects on fish
As part of an expanding federal effort to assess spill impacts, a research vessel leaves Miami Beach to count baby bluefin tuna, look for oil and monitor the loop current.
Tiny bluefin tuna are typically most abundant in the Gulf of Mexico in spring and early summer. But this year, they're riding the same warm currents and winds that are pushing around toxic oil plumes and slicks.

Can the drifting spawn survive and grow into one of the world's most commercially prized -- and severely over-exploited -- fish, a swift, strong and succulent creature that can top 1,000 pounds and fetch $100,000 in Japan’s ravenous sushi market?

In the two months-plus since the BP blowout, biologists largely have been confined to speculation about impacts to bluefin and hundreds of other species, but science is finally beginning to catch up with the massive spill. On Tuesday, the federal research vessel Nancy Foster steamed out of Miami Beach , joining an expanding fleet of government and university ships assessing the health and long-term prognosis for the Gulf, bluefin tuna and a rich array of other marine life.

``We don't know how these large pelagics [ocean and coastal fish] will react to the oil and what the consequences are,'' said John Lamkin, a fisheries biologist for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which owns and operates the Nancy Foster. ``It's a complex question. With the concentrations of oil and the dispersants, it's a whole new ball game.''

For the Atlantic bluefin, already depleted by as much as 90 percent from overfishing, the spill came at the absolute worst time and place -- the peak of a short spawning season in the heart of the primary breeding grounds. For fisheries managers and biologists, the concern is high and getting a better grasp on how baby bluefin have fared is one of the primary missions of the Nancy Foster.

``Bluefin are sort of the keystone species,'' said Lamkin, who is based at the Southeast Fisheries Science Center on Virginia Key. ``They're apex predators. They're commercially important. We have a lot invested in managing the bluefin.''
After a slow start criticized by some scientists, NOAA, the agency in charge of monitoring the spill's long-term environmental effects, has ramped up its data-gathering in the last month.

The Nancy Foster will be the sixth NOAA ship to visit the Gulf. Beyond looking at impacts on bluefin, yellowfin and blackfin tuna, as well as other fish and plankton, the Nancy Foster will also sample water quality in the Gulf in areas yet to be surveyed.
Ryan Smith, the mission's chief scientist, has plotted a course zigzagging north, initially following the ever changing contours of the loop current and a large eddy it shed last month -- potential pathways for oil.

``We're going to be working very far away from the wellhead, looking at the circulation features of the Gulf,'' said Smith, who is based at NOAA's Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory on Virginia Key.

The voyage also is intended to help provide a deeper understanding of the Gulf's now famous loop current. Oceanographers now largely rely on satellites to track current shifts visible at the surface, but the Nancy Foster will measure flow in the depths, data that should help hone computer models used to forecast where the oil might be going next .
They'll also study whether there might be unseen connections between the loop and a large eddy it spun off last month, a break in the powerful current that has helped spare South Florida any effects of the catastrophic oil spill.

The agency also has diverted a seventh vessel, the Savannah, which is operated by Skidaway Institute of Oceanography in Savannah, Ga., to expand on an Everglades sampling program by looking for any traces of oil and tracking currents on the shallow western continental shelf off Southwest Florida.

Between them, the two missions will help determine what -- if any -- threat the oil or plumes post to the reefs and sea grass beds of the Florida Keys and South Florida.
Five other NOAA ships also are in the midst of or wrapping up missions intended to assess water quality across the Gulf, collect seafood samples for consumer safety assessments and survey impacts on an array of fish, sea turtles and marine mammals.

Though it may take years, even decades to fully assess the impacts of the Gulf spill, but Lamkin hopes what the Nancy Foster pulls into its sampling nets will begin to answer questions like this one. Oil is certainly toxic to tuna larvae, but what about light oil sheen? What will it do to the plankton they feed on?

Most of the microscopic life that is the base of the Gulf food chain floats near the surface. Before the spill, a typical 10-minute tow of a surface seine, a net of fine mesh roughly the size of a door would pull up millions of plankton.

But with bluefin breeding populations shrinking, tuna larvae are much rarer -- often none, but 150 larvae in a load ``if we're lucky,'' Lamkin said. “We have really no clue what to expect.''

Florida tests inventors' sand-cleaning ideas
Florida officials are seeking inventors to save the state's pristine beaches from the Gulf of Mexico spill.

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection on Thursday organized a demonstration by 10 U.S. and Canadian inventors to find the best methods to clean tar off an oil-fouled section of Pensacola Beach. Eight others were tested separately.
Each inventor was assigned a plot of beach.

Among the ideas were peat moss, polymers and a fibrous cotton that would blanket the beach and adhere to the tar when rolled up.

Darryl Boudreau of the environmental department says the state isn't looking for one idea; it is looking for a lot that can be used in different situations.


Energy

The Senate is back to work and climate and energy is at the top of the agenda.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has signaled his intention to introduce a wide-ranging bill that would cover four issues:

• A response to the Gulf oil disaster,
• A clean energy and job creation title,
• A tax package likely targeted to promote efficiency and renewable energy and, very importantly,
• A section that would address carbon pollution from the electric utility industry.

Draft legislation could be introduced as early as next week with debate beginning on the Senate floor the week of July 26. With the August recess looming, this is officially crunch time.

One thing we can do right now is to let President Obama know you stand with him in support of a strong climate and energy bill and urge him to fully engage in the Senate debate.

Watch the video

Food & Water Watch tells BP: “Consider Yourself on Notice”
Group formally announces plans to sue BP and Feds for violating the law with risky Atlantis Platform

Houston, Texas—As part of an on-going effort to shutter BP’s Atlantis platform until it can be proven safe to operate, the national consumer advocacy group Food & Water Watch today formally sent notice of its intent to sue both BP and the federal government for violating a slew of federal laws governing the BP Atlantis oil and gas platform.

In a letter sent today to BP and the U.S. Department of Interior, through the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation, and Enforcement – formerly known as the Mineral Management Service – Food & Water Watch and former-company-contractor-turned-whistleblower Ken Abbott indicate that BP has failed to maintain critical safety documents for Atlantis. This, as well as the federal government’s failure to enforce environmental and worker safety regulations, poses a serious threat to public safety and the environment.

“BP has known about the problems with the Atlantis platform for years, and yet it has done nothing about it,” said Food & Water Watch Executive Director Wenonah Hauter. “Instead of fixing it, they just throw lawyers at it. Even following the horrific Horizon spill, BP still isn’t taking safety seriously. Food & Water Watch is suing to shut Atlantis down before further damage can be inflicted upon this extremely vulnerable region.”

In May, Food & Water Watch sued the Minerals Management Service for its failed oversight of the Atlantis facility, asking a federal court to order the agency to shut down the facility until proven safe. The organization withdrew the case when BP intervened a month later, complaining that the company should have received official notice of the alleged violations.
Today, in the letter by their attorneys, Food & Water Watch and Mr. Abbot fired back, reinitiating their suit to include BP as a defendant.

Food & Water Watch and Abbott allege that BP violated numerous agency regulations and terms of its leases. Moreover, these offences mean that the company could not possibly be in compliance with a recent federal agency order that companies certify that their Gulf of Mexico facilities are in compliance with all operating regulations. They also allege that the company is operating without an adequate oil spill response plan required by federal law.

The largest oil and natural gas platform in the world, Atlantis is located 150 miles off the coast of Louisiana, drilling at a depth of 7,000 feet. Last March, Mr. Abbott reported to the authorities that Atlantis has been operating without a large percentage of the engineer-approved documents needed for it to operate safely. BP management has even noted that an accident resulting from “catastrophic Operator errors” could occur on Atlantis due to its missing documents. A spill on the Atlantis platform could be many times larger than the calamity caused by the explosion and sinking of BP’s Deepwater Horizon facility.

Food & Water Watch has been working with Mr. Abbott since last July to bring Atlantis’s possible safety risk to light. At a hearing before Congress two weeks ago, Mr. Abbott testified that the an investigation of the matter, supposedly launched by the Minerals Management Service earlier this year, was not credible, as the agency was taking three months to investigate what it could in a matter of days.

Meanwhile, the movement in the Gulf region to close the Atlantis platform also gained momentum today. Food & Water Watch released a letter signed by 60 local organizations representing fishermen, conservationists, outdoor enthusiasts, social service organizations, faith-based organizations, small businesses, and neighborhood communities calling on Department of Interior head Ken Salazar to perform a proper investigation of Atlantis.

Contact: Kate Fried, Food & Water Watch: (202) 683-2500, kfried@fwwatch.org


Crist calls for special session to permanently ban offshore oil drilling
Gov. Charlie Crist called a special session of the state Legislature on Thursday to get a constitutional ban on offshore oil drilling in Florida waters on the November ballot.

Crist is already hearing from his critics, who say the session, to be held July 20 to July 23. is a waste of money and is politically motivated to help the outgoing governor in his bid for Senate.

The governor has said he has the support of Panhandle legislators, where oil from the BP spill is impacting beaches. But legislative leaders in areas that are so far unaffected have been uncooperative.

The amendment would require 60 percent approval from voters in November.

more...


Gulf has 27,000 abandoned oil/gas wells that no one is checking for leaks
More than 27,000 abandoned oil and gas wells lurk in the hard rock beneath the Gulf of Mexico, an environmental minefield that has been ignored for decades. No one — not industry, not government — is checking to see if they are leaking, an Associated Press investigation shows.
The oldest of these wells were abandoned in the late 1940s, raising the prospect that many deteriorating sealing jobs are already failing.

The AP investigation uncovered particular concern with 3,500 of the neglected wells — those characterized in federal government records as "temporarily abandoned."Regulations for temporarily abandoned wells require oil companies to present plans to reuse or permanently plug such wells within a year, but the AP found that the rule is routinely circumvented, and that more than 1,000 wells have lingered in that unfinished condition for more than a decade. About three-quarters of temporarily abandoned wells have been left in that status for more than a year, and many since the 1950s and 1960s — even though sealing procedures for temporary abandonment are not as stringent as those for permanent closures.

As a forceful reminder of the potential harm, the well beneath BP's Deepwater Horizon rig was being sealed with cement for temporary abandonment when it blew April 20, leading to one of the worst environmental disasters in the nation's history. BP alone has abandoned about 600 wells in the Gulf, according to government data

… More

Trade groups band together for renewable energy An informal coalition of renewable energy trade groups have developed a policy statement that they hope will push the Florida Legislature to take action on renewable energy.Some legislators have cited disagreement among renewable energy groups as a challenge in developing renewable energy legislation.HB 7229 would have allowed utilities to recover the cost of renewable energy projects from their customers. The bill passed the House despite concerns from some renewable energy groups but died in the Senate as concerns were raised about the cost to consumers. The interest groups involved in the issue included utilities, solar energy providers, biomass energy producers, environmental groups and even pulp and paper mills.

"They all have their own ideas on how we should approach this," Rep. Stephen Precourt, R-Orlando and chairman of the House Energy & Utilities Committee, said after HB 7229 died in the Senate. "It's hard to do that [build consensus] and produce legislation." The new policy statement calls on the state to establish and energy plan with renewable energy goals that encourage or require use of energy from smaller producers.

The groups that signed onto the statement last week are the Florida Alliance for Renewable Energy, the Florida Renewable Energy Association, the Florida Renewable Energy Producer's Association, the Florida Solar Energy Industries Association, Floridians for Energy Independence, the Florida Farm Bureau Federation, Covanta Energy and the Florida Brownfields Association.

Taxpayers Group: Nuclear Resurgence Not Exactly Good News for Florida
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - With the spill in the Gulf highlighting the dangers of American reliance on fossil fuels, some see a resurgence on the horizon for nuclear power, which could have major implications for Florida's economy and environment. The Obama administration has asked Congress to expand a loan guarantee program for construction of new nuclear plants.

But others say there's a reason no new plants have been built in 30 years. Autumn Hanna, senior program director with the group Taxpayers for Common Sense, says the cost of building and maintaining plants and dealing with the waste would require federal subsidies and loan guarantees that could leave taxpayers on the hook for billions. "Continuing to load subsidies to failed technologies of the past is not the way to go for taxpayers."Hanna says the Gulf oil spill should be a wake-up call for nuclear power supporters, not only because of the potential danger from accidents, but from long-term issues, like dealing with spent fuel.

"We have huge liabilities in how to address the waste produced at nuclear reactors now, and we've had problems trying to come up with repositories and other solutions, and all of that's going to cost taxpayers."Nuclear power supporters say using it to generate electricity is a clean process that doesn't contribute to climate change and could create jobs for Florida.

Interior Delays Offshore Expansion Hearings
WASHINGTON — The Interior Department, preoccupied with its response to the BP oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico, said Wednesday that it was pushing back the date of public hearings on the administration’s plan, announced before the disaster began, to expand offshore drilling.

The department said on Wednesday that more extensive environmental and safety reviews were needed before moving ahead with any new leasing decisions.
The process was to have begun with public hearings in Alaska, along the Gulf Coast and the southern Atlantic Coast in June and early July. Those hearings have now been put off until later in the year, the department said in a statement. No new dates were given.

President Obama announced on March 30 — three weeks before the fatal explosion and fire on April 20 that wrecked the BP Deepwater Horizon rig — that he intended to open large new coastal areas to offshore drilling, including some that had been off limits for decades. Environmentalists and many officials in the affected states protested the decision, saying that there had been inadequate planning for the environmental and economic damage from a major spill.

The Obama offshore drilling plan, which would have covered the years 2012-2017, remains the administration’s policy, officials said on Wednesday, though it is likely to be significantly changed in the aftermath of the gulf spill. Several congressional committees began moving legislation on Wednesday that would tighten regulations for offshore operations and impose much stricter financial accountability for deepwater drillers.

Interior Secretary Ken Salazar said he expected offshore wells to continue to supply a significant share of the nation’s domestic oil and natural gas production. But he said he would make sure that such operations are conducted safely and that they employ the best available technology.

Michael R. Bromwich, the new head of the Interior Department office overseeing offshore drilling, said: “We remain focused on responding to the BP oil spill and implementing strong reforms that are raising the bar for the oil and gas industry. At the appropriate time, we will begin the process of engaging the public, conducting environmental analysis and looking ahead to where and how to responsibly develop oil and gas resources under the next five-year program.”

Clean Energy Congress calls for special legislative session, House leadership balks
Participants in Florida’s Clean Energy Congress, which discussed the business of renewable energy in the state and wrapped up on Tuesday, called for the Florida legislature to hold a special session to place two constitutional amendments on November’s ballot: one to permanently ban offshore drilling and another to create a renewable portfolio standard — a mandate that 20 percent of Florida’s electricity come from renewable sources by 2020.

A renewable portfolio standard failed during the 2009 legislative session, and was barely discussed this year.

The chances of a special session to propose new constitutional amendments look increasingly slim, with the deadline — the first week of August — looming.

State Rep. Michelle Rehwinkel Vasilinda, D-Tallahassee, who helped promote the event, first called for a special session in May, in the wake of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. ”Perhaps this tragedy will be a catalyst” that will spur legislators to reduce Florida’s dependence on fossil fuels, she says.

Senate President Jeff Atwater has come around to the idea of a special session, Democrats have vocally supported it and a spokeswoman for Gov. Charlie Crist says he still wants a constitutional ban on oil drilling.

The main sticking point lies with the House leadership, says Rehwinkel Vasilinda. A spokeswoman for Speaker Larry Cretul says a special session should meet two standards: It should address an urgent problem and there should be a clear plan for doing so. Last year’s special session on high-speed rail, which had to meet deadlines for federal funding, met those standards, while a ban on drilling, which is already barred from state waters, may not.

A renewable portfolio standard would probably be best discussed during a regular session, Cretul’s spokeswoman says.

Rehwinkel Vasilinda acknowledges that it’s important to come to some agreement before the session. But talks to reach that agreement appear to be moving slowly:
Senate President Jeff Atwater, R-North Palm Beach, said Monday that he last talked to Crist about a special session on May 10. Atwater said he would be willing to have a special session to consider property-tax breaks and relief packages for victims of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.

Cretul’s spokeswoman says he remains open to holding the session, but so far discussions are in their early stages and taking place “at the staff level.”

In a guest column in the Tampa Tribune, state Sen. Dan Gelber renews Democrats’ call for a special session, both to propose a ban and to help deal with the claims process:
Those who argue it is already against the law are exactly the ones who wanted to change the law to permit oil rigs within 3 miles of our coastline. If we don’t do it now, it is unlikely the Legislature will ever acquiesce to putting it on the ballot.

Rehwinkel Vasilinda says Florida should respond to the spill by passing a long-overdue bill to encourage renewable energy development. ”What’s really going to stop the use of fossil fuels is a new energy paradigm,” she says.


Land Conservation

Environmental groups, developer settle on projects near Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary
A coalition of environmental groups has reached a settlement with a developer proposing to build in a sensitive wetland slough near Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary.
The groups had filed a series of lawsuits over the past four years to try to stop the Parklands Collier and Saturnia Falls projects northwest of Immokalee Road and Collier Boulevard.

The settlement with developer G.L. Homes reduces wetland impacts by 200 acres, requires restoration of habitat for wood storks and relocation of the extension of Logan Boulevard onto old farm fields instead of wetlands.

In October 2009, the same coalition won a federal lawsuit against a third project, called Mirasol, which would have destroyed more than 600 acres of wetlands in the same slough.

The coalition includes Audubon of Florida, Collier County Audubon Society, Conservancy of Southwest Florida, the National Wildlife Federation and the Florida Wildlife Federation.

Contributing to Florida’s Preserved Lands Just Got Easier
Florida’s natural resources are like no other. Its public lands are as diverse as its people, plants and animals. They possess varying qualities that lend themselves to multiple uses. Some tell the story of Florida’s history with their cultural treasures. Some are preserved for their ability to protect the Floridan aquifer and water quality. Still others provide ‘out of this world’ recreational opportunities.

DEP’s Division of State Lands recently enhanced its website to provide a more user-friendly tool to assist citizens who are interested in selling their land to the state. Property that is acquired by the state of Florida is no longer at risk for development, remains in its natural state, and is usually open and accessible to Florida’s residents and visitors.

The improved website offers clear and navigable information in easy to follow steps to allow a potential seller to determine if his or her property is within or outside a Florida Forever project boundary, and options for selling property to the state. The site provides simple steps to guide interested property owners in the land acquisition process.

“The Division of State Lands takes great pride that Florida has been a national leader in land conservation,” said Division Director Deborah Poppell. “Through the Preservation 2000 and Florida Forever programs, more than 2.4 million acres of land have been protected with the specific goal of preserving those natural and cultural resources which are so essential to our quality of life and community.”

Other information that can easily be found on the enhanced website is state-owned property that is for sale, the use of state lands, rulemaking, meetings, history of state lands, frequently asked questions and news.

Visit the redesigned website at http://www.dep.state.fl.us/lands.

DEP’s Division of State Lands provides management oversight for more than 11 million acres of state lands, including sovereign lands under lakes, rivers and the territorial waters of the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico, as well as many islands within these water bodies, and the 3.4 million acres of the state’s parks, wildlife management areas and forests. These lands cleanse and restore the state’s water and air, and provide a home to numerous rare and endangered animal and plant species.

The state’s 20-year, $6 billion Florida Forever program is the largest land-buying initiative in the nation, conserving environmentally sensitive land, restoring water resources and preserving important cultural and historical sites.

To learn more, go to http://www.dep.state.fl.us/lands/fl_forever.htm.

Miscellaneous

July Unites Family, Friends and Fun at Florida’s State Parks
Recognizing the benefits of time spent outdoors in Florida’s environment, Governor Charlie Crist recently signed a proclamation highlighting July as Recreation and Parks Month in Florida.

Continuing the theme of Family, Friends, Fun, ─ Florida’s 160 state parks will host events throughout the state for families and individuals of all ages and interests.

To sweeten the deal, on Saturday, July 17 the Florida Park Service (FPS) will offer FREE entry to all state parks, excluding the Skyway Fishing Pier. Canoe rentals, camping and other activities will be available at the regular price.

DEP Announces New Florida Park Service Director
TALLAHASSEE – On Thursday, Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Secretary Michael W. Sole and Deputy Secretary for Land and Recreation Bob Ballard announced the selection of Donald Forgione as Director of DEP’s Division of Recreation and Parks, also known as the Florida Park Service. Forgione is the first director to have worked his way up from a park ranger.

“Donald is the embodiment of the culture and service that Florida’s state parks are known for throughout the nation,” said DEP Secretary Michael W. Sole. “I am confident that Donald will bring visionary leadership, strong values and great experience to continue to maintain Florida as the best state park system in the nation.”

A 26-year veteran of the Florida Park Service, Forgione began his career as a park ranger at Paynes Creek Historic Site in Bowling Green, Florida, in 1984. He has since worked his way up in the Florida Park Service throughout the state. He has served as assistant park manager, park manager, park law enforcement officer, as well as assistant bureau chief and bureau chief. For the last six years as District Two Bureau Chief, Forgione has provided overall management and administration of bureau operations for a 40 park network and more than 200 employees.

“I am truly in awe of the opportunity to be the leader of the Florida Park Service, an organization that I feel deeply connected to,” said new Florida Park Service Director Donald Forgione. “I offer my sincerest thanks to my family, the staff, volunteers and mentors throughout my career who have taught me about the world’s finest natural and cultural resources - Florida’s state parks.”

Forgione was raised in Palm Beach Gardens and has lived in the Sunshine State since age six. He has received certification in environmental conservation and law enforcement, as well as in park maintenance management from North Carolina State University and is a state certified burn manager. Since joining the Florida state park system, Forgione has garnered additional training from the Florida Park Service’s Ranger Academy and Interpretive Workshop, the Nature Conservancy’s Fire Leadership Course and the National Recreation and Park Association’s Recreation and Park Executive Management course. Forgione has served as an instructor at multiple Ranger Academies in the areas of core values, land management, visitor services and facility maintenance.

Forgione has three children, four grandchildren and has been happily married for more than 30 years to Rosie Forgione. Forgione will bring with him a deep connection to the Florida Park Service values and a sincere commitment to the residents and visitors of Florida.

Surviving a Florida summer requires a dip in the springs
Florida’s Paleo-Indians believed sacred water filled the springs and the magical waters held the cure to all human ills. The Timucuans roamed the shores of the spring-fed rivers of North Florida and settled there for the life-sustaining food and water the springs provided. Spanish explorers thought they had discovered the elixir for perpetual youth when they stumbled upon the crystal clear gems while exploring Florida. In the recent past, the springs have served as the backdrop for baptisms, weddings, vacation get-aways and reunions. Today, many of them are state parks and remain intertwined with our lives.

But even before the Timucuans roamed North Florida, wildlife depended upon the springs. Gar, bowfin and sturgeon – ancient living fossils – still inhabit the waters of the springs and river runs. The environment of the springs hosts species found nowhere else in the world. Blind cave crayfish, blind cave shrimps and other specialized cave- dwelling crustaceans are highly dependent on the system. Fish, such as American eels and catfish, take refuge in underwater caves, and striped bass seek out cooler waters of springs to escape the heat of summer river waters in Florida. The visible wildlife using spring systems – from great blue herons to deer – depend upon the ecosystem’s delicate balance of all creatures living there.

The vegetation, the consistent temperature, the chemical makeup of the water and abundant sunshine provide sanctuary to one of the most biologically diverse and productive ecosystems in the world. To prevent the springs from disappearing as did the Timucuans, we need to conserve them because according to experts, our springs are in trouble.

On top of it all, some predictive models show that climate change means less rain for Florida, despite an increase in the intensity of storms.
“Less rainfall will have a direct impact on already-stressed springs by reducing average annual flow,” said Kent Smith, a Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) biologist who was the agency’s representative to the governor’s springs task force and continues to work on the interagency committee that is implementing that group’s work. “The drier climate will affect the recharge of the springs, reducing the flow and increasing the concentration of nitrates because of a reduction in discharge volume.”

Jim Stevenson, a retired chief biologist with Florida’s Department of Environmental Protection and now coordinating the Wakulla and Ichetucknee Springs Basin Working Groups, sees the current situation with the springs as a two-fold problem.
“There are two major things that impact the health of the springs: the quantity of spring flow and quality of the water,” he said. “The U.S. Geological Survey has said that the Ichetucknee flow is down 15 percent. Hornsby Springs on the Santa Fe River is a first magnitude spring, and there are times it doesn’t flow.”

And then there’s Fanning Springs on the Suwannee River near Chiefland, which Stevenson calls the “poster child for spring degradation.”
“Fanning Springs may not even be a first magnitude spring anymore,” Stevenson said.
“Human activities have led to an increase in nitrates in the springs and watershed areas,” Smith said. “Those activities include maintaining the perfect lawn and gardens in our own yards.”

If we live in a spring recharge area, we play a part in the health of the springs and ultimately the water we drink from the Floridan aquifer. “We’ve been sloppy housekeepers of the springs, messing them up with fertilizer and endless irrigation,” Stevenson said. “Individuals must stop treating water as if it’s free and limitless.”

This is the perfect time to do all we can to take responsibility for our springs and give them the perpetual life Ponce de Leon thought he had discovered. We can start by looking at our lawns and gardens and become better housekeepers for the water, for our wildlife and ultimately for ourselves.

The Suwannee River Water Management District provides nine tips to creating a Florida yard that will lessen our water usage and eliminate the need for pesticides on our grass, plants and shrubs. Go to http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/yards/ to find out about planting the right plants in the right place, using mulch and much, much more. Another great site on smart landscaping can be found at FloridaYards.org.

So instead of watering your lawn and pesticides to your plants, go dive into one of the many springs still flowing and enjoy the best thing about a Florida summer. Be sure to marvel at the abundant wildlife in our midst, just as the Native Americans once did.


Could Boxes of Water Help Reforest the World?
The WaterBoxx needs just 3 inches of rainfall per year to deliver a slow and steady supply of water to plants or trees

From the land of dams and canals comes a new device billed as the savior of agriculture and reforestation in drought-plagued areas.

The "WaterBoxx" is the brainchild of Dutch businessman Pieter Hoff, who sold his lily-growing operation in 2003 to focus on water. Then he started tinkering with a polypropylene box, about the size of a laundry basket. It has a fluted lid and a wick extending from the bottom. The plant sits in a cylindrical opening in the center that goes all the way through the box.

The mechanism is almost suspiciously simple. The box collects rainwater and condensation and funnels it to the plant. In spring 2009, Hoff partnered with Eduard Zanen, co-founder of the stroller company Bugaboo International, to finance experiments with the devices are now under way in Kenya, Morocco, Spain and the United States. Eight hundred of the boxes have been installed in Joshua Tree National Park, where they are nourishing native mesquite and saltbush plants.

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FWC teaches children how to fish at summer camps

The children of this state are the future of hunting and fishing. They are the ones who will become the next generation of sportsmen and continue the traditions we enjoy today.
To make sure these kids are introduced to fishing, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is holding summer fishing camps that will teach students how to be self-sufficient fishermen.

During these camps, the children go through a series of biology lessons that include the scientific procedures of fish dissection, how to determine the age of fish as well as scaling, skinning and filleting their catch. They learn fish facts that include fish identification, distinguishing characteristics, habitats, feeding preferences and bag limits.

Rod and reel assembly, cane pole use, tackle types, knot-tying, bait selections for specific species of fish, and catch-and-release techniques round out the fishing lessons. The students also receive boating safety information and get a tackle box of their own, which they use when they are taught how to fish from the bank and a boat.

The FWC surveys each camper before and after the program. All parents have agreed to have their child participate in this study, which includes revisiting the child throughout the year as part of efforts to document again that children who go through this program have increased self-esteem and made better grades in school.

One thing I want to emphasize here is that hunters and anglers helped pay for these fishing camps when they purchased their fishing and hunting licenses. Everyone who purchases a license has the opportunity to donate for the purpose of developing youth programs.

I am very proud of our dedicated staff who are making this happen, but the credit belongs to all the hunters and anglers who contributed. They are investing in the future of wildlife and fisheries conservation.

Unfortunately, many people don’t know about this program. I’ve spoken to people who admitted they declined to donate because they didn't believe the money would be spent on youth programs. Folks agree that if they had known programs like ours would receive the money, they would have given.

These donated dollars are going to good use. Eight camps were held in June. Here are the dates and locations of the remaining camps:
July 19-23 and July 26-30 – Beau Turner Youth Conservation Center (BTYCC) in Monticello.
July 26-30 – Oldsmar, City of Oldsmar Parks and Recreation.
July 26-30 and Aug. 9-13 – Ocala/Horseshoe Lake, Marion County Parks & Recreation.
There are spots available for campers at the BTYCC camps. The Oldsmar and Ocala camps have been filled.

For the $200 registration fee, kids between 9 and 15 years old get a week at the day camp, a rod and reel and a tackle box loaded with the things they’ll need to get started. To sign your child up for one of the camp sessions, call Rae Waddell at 850-933-4322.
To help support the camps, just say “yes” when a license vendor asks if you’d like to donate $5 to the FWC’s youth education programs.

Let’s make sure that our future fishermen get the chance to learn their craft.