Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote."
Benjamin Franklin, 1759

There’s breaking news out of Washington, DC
The White House has announced that President Obama has reversed his previous plans, announced in March, to expand oil drilling in the eastern Gulf closer to Florida’s coast. This is a great victory in the three decades long battle to keep Big Oil from “rigging” Florida’s future.

Salazar Appoints Shannon Estenoz Director of Everglades Restoration Initiatives Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar has announced the appointment of Shannon Estenoz to be the department’s Director of Everglades Restoration Initiatives, his senior representative in South Florida for Everglades restoration.

Estenoz succeeds Terrence C. “Rock” Salt, who is now the principal deputy assistant secretary of the Army (civil works).“Shannon brings to this position more than a decade of experience, leadership and passion for Everglades restoration,” Secretary Salazar said. “With her vast knowledge of Everglades issues and long involvement in South Florida water management issues, she is the right person to keep the federal and state partnership moving ahead to achieve our restoration goals.”

Estenoz will develop departmental policy for the Everglades and coordinate the work of the three Interior agencies - the National Park Service, Fish and Wildlife Service, and U.S. Geological Survey - that are involved in the restoration effort. She will also work with the South Florida Ecosystem Restoration Task Force, which was established by Congress in 1996 to facilitate intergovernmental collaboration among the federal, state, tribal and local governments.Estenoz will report directly to Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Fish and Wildlife and Parks Tom Strickland, who chairs the task force.

“I am pleased that Shannon is joining our team,” Strickland said. “Her experience on the South Florida Water Management District Governing Board gives her a unique perspective to understand the challenges facing the state and federal partners as we move forward to restore the Everglades. Shannon’s pragmatic approach to problem solving will be invaluable as we fashion win-win solutions to benefit the environment and economy of South Florida.

”A Florida native and resident of Plantation, Estenoz holds degrees in civil engineering and international affairs and has more than a decade of experience in restoring the Everglades. She has served in appointed positions under Florida Governors Lawton Chiles, Jeb Bush and Charlie Crist, with her most recent service as a member of the Governing Board of the South Florida Water Management District. In that capacity she chairs the South Florida Water Management District’s Water Resources Advisory Commission and the Broward Water Resources Task Force.Estenoz previously headed up the Suncoast Regional Office of the National Parks Conservation Association and served as the World Wildlife Fund’s Everglades Program Director.

Everglades Coalition Announces 26th Annual Conference
The Everglades Coalition is pleased to announce its 26th Annual Conference to be held January 6- 9, 2011 at the Hyatt Regency Bonaventure Resort and Spa in Weston, Florida. Hosted by the Defenders of Wildlife, Florida Wildlife Federation and National Wildlife Federation, the theme for the upcoming conference is “Renewal of Life for the Everglades: Moving Forward Together.”

The Coalition's Annual Conference seeks to raise critical, timely issues for in-depth debate in an open, accessible forum. Community leaders and political figures come to discuss their positions, pledge their support and offer challenges to the community. The Conference is attended by decision-makers from federal, state, local and tribal governments, agency representatives, stakeholders and a vast array of public and private interests including scientists, educators, contractors, conservationists, the media, students and the general public. Conference sessions will focus on topics such as Florida’s role in restoration, clean water and wildlife issues, wetlands regulation, and the economy.

Confirmed to attend are: US Senator Bill Nelson; Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman-Schultz; Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works Jo-Ellen Darcy; and former Senator Bob Graham. The following have also been invited to deliver comments: Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar, Assistant to the President for Energy and Climate Change Carol Browner, Deputy EPA Administrator Bob Perciasepe, and Governor-Elect Rick Scott.

The deadline for early registration is December 10, 2010 to receive the discounted registration rate of $150 ($100 for one day registration). After December 10, registration is $190 ($110 for one day registration).

Register online now or download a registration form at www.evergladescoalition.org/conference. If you would like a registration form faxed or mailed to you, please contact us at (305) 371-6399 x136 or e-mail patricia.k.carr@gmail.com.

South Florida Audubon Society’s monthly membership meeting will be held December 16, at Ann Kolb Nature Center on Sheridan Street in Hollywood. Guest speaker will be Cameron Jaggard who is an Associate of the Pew Environmental Group. He will present a program about the Bluefin Tuna in the Gulf of Mexico and there is a possibility that Captain Dan Kipnis will be on hand to offer a short program afterward. It should be a fun informative night and we look forward to seeing you all there.

FWC meets in Weston: Hunting and fishing rules, Addition Lands highlight agenda
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission meets Wednesday and Thursday at the Hyatt Regency Bonaventure Conference Center, 250 Racquet Club Rd., Weston. The meeting begins both days at 8:30 a.m. and is open to the public.

The agency's seven commissioners will consider a number of rules. Of interest to hunters Wednesday are proposals that would require deer to be tagged and reported to the FWC, create youth turkey hunts on wildlife management areas and change hunting seasons on WMAs to align them with the earlier seasons implemented this year on private land. Commissioners also will receive an update on the final plans for the Big Cypress National Preserve Addition Lands.

Thursday's agenda features updates on proposals made by the federal South Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Councils, some of which affect red snapper, red grouper and spiny lobster. The FWC will consider modified rules for permit, pompano and African pompano, including size and bag limits and closed seasons. And Broward County manatee rules will be discussed.

Future Events and Activities

Thursday, December 02, 2010 NatureScape Quarterly Meeting
3:00 PM-5:00 PM
Old Davie School House 6650 Griffin Road Davie
For directions to the Old Davie School House, call 954-797-1044.
Quarterly meeting to discuss NatureScape Broward objectives.
Call Diana Guidry at 954-519-0317 for more information.

Wednesday December 8, 2010 Plants of the Bible
7:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Wilton Manors Library 500 NE 26 Street Wilton Manors
David McLean, former professor and curator of the Nova Southeastern University Medicinal Garden, will share his knowledge about biblical plants and their medicinal properties. Call the library at 954-390-2195 for more information. This event is free.

Thursday January 6- Sunday January 9, 2011 Renewal of Life for the Everglades: Moving Forward Together
The 26th Annual Everglades Coalition Conference
Hyatt Regency Bonaventure Weston, Florida
Hosted by Defenders of Wildlife, Florida Wildlife Federation & National Wildlife Federation
For more information see http://www.evergladescoalition.org/Conference.htm

Monday January 10- Friday January 14, 2011 National Wildlife Federation Habitat Steward Training
Habitat Steward Volunteers are individuals with a keen interest in the environment, and a willingness to volunteer their time and expertise to help others create or restore wildlife habitat. Habitat Stewards need to be able to commit to providing 30 hours of service to the National Wildlife Federation within a year of completing their training.
Call Diana Guidry, NatureScape Outreach Coordinator, NWF Host, 954-519-0317 for more information.

SAVE THE DATE!
Saturday, March 12, 2011 9th Annual Water Matters Day
9am-3pm
Tree Tops Park Davie, Florida

Read the current issue of Audubon's Advocate

Let's get to work on Everglades restoration to sustain the South Florida economy
A number of not-for-profit organizations have calculated the economic benefits of restoring the Everglades and similar ecosystems. Payoff starts with benefits that exceed implementation costs by 4:1 and more, with a lot of job creation short and long-term.

Gov. Crist was right in his 2008 initiative to restore the missing link and revitalize the "River of Grass." This will fully restore the Everglades ecosystem functions for the benefit of all Floridians. Let's get to work to continue this initiative.

JOHN ARTHUR MARSHALL

Chairman,
Arthur R. Marshall Foundation
West Palm Beach

Count Down to the Annual Christmas Bird Count.
Citizen scientists throughout the hemisphere are gearing up for Audubon's 111th Christmas Bird Count. The longest-running Citizen Science survey in the world will take place from December 14, 2010 to January 5, 2011. Last year’s count shattered records. More than 2,100 counts and 60,753 people tallied 2,319 species and 55,951,707 total birds. That's nearly 56 million birds. Citizen Scientists spotted 200 more species than during the previous year's CBC.

Counts took place in all 50 states in the U.S., all Canadian provinces, plus several Central and South American countries, Guam, Mariana Islands, Bermuda, Bahamas, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. Colombia, which encompasses some of the most important bird habitat in the hemisphere, now has more CBC circles than any other country outside the US and Canada. Luis Miguel Renjifo reports that in Columbia the census "is becoming the most important monitoring system for biodiversity in the country".

Dear Fellow Birders, Thank you for participating in the 2009 Ft. Lauderdale Christmas Bird Count and I hope you can join us for the 2010 count which will take place on Saturday December 18th. This a day earlier than in previous years and I hope this doesn’t cause any inconvenience. If you wish to participate please contact me by email at bryantroberts@earthlink.net or by phone at 954-583-2355. Bryant RobertsDavie, FL

Big O Birding Festival - March 23-25; This year's bird "mascot" is the Swallow-tailed Kite
See the flyer

Click here to see wildlife news from around the world.

Birds

Wood stork's status U.S. to review wood stork's status The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced it will review the endangered status of the wood stork under the Endangered Species Act. The decision to initiate a status review is the result of a 90-day finding in response to a petition seeking to reclassify the American wading bird to threatened. The service has determined that reclassification may be warranted.

This finding triggers a more thorough review of available biological information for the species throughout its range. In recent years, the stork's U.S. breeding population has expanded from Alabama, Florida, Georgia and South Carolina to include portions of Mississippi and North Carolina. It is the only stork and the largest wading bird that breeds in the U.S.

The Pacific Legal Foundation and Biological Research Associates submitted the petition to reclassify the stork on behalf of their client, the Florida Home Builders Association. The groups' supporting information included the Service's 2007 Wood Stork Five-Year Review, which recommended reclassification to threatened status.

To ensure the status review is thorough, the Service is soliciting all existing scientific and commercial data and other information regarding the wood stork throughout its range in the Southeastern United States. The information must be received by Nov. 22.

Threatened Species Up for Review by Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
In October 2010, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission announced a new classification rule for the state’s imperiled species and would be reviewing each species on that list. This review will determine whether species will remain on the new State Threatened list or be reclassified.

On November 17th, the Commission released their preliminary review findings of the species currently listed as state endangered, threatened or species of special concern (SSC) in Florida.

Audubon was gratified to see that the majority of the birds currently on the list—even those previously listed as SSC—cleared the bar to be classed now as state Threatened…even species like Burrowing Owl, Least Tern, Tricolored Heron and Little Blue Heron that some suggested were likely contenders for demotion. Only four birds—Limpkin, Brown Pelican, Snowy Egret, and White Ibis—were identified as warranting delisting.

These initial biological status reviews (BSRs) still require peer review and Audubon will be closely evaluating the BSRs on these four species. Additionally, we will be active on the stakeholder groups creating management plans for all of these species, including those that will be coming off Florida’s Threatened species list.

Take Part in the Rusty Blackbird Blitz; January 29 thru February 13th, 2011
The Rusty Blackbird has been steeply declining, with estimates of an 85-99% population drop over the past 40 years. We need your help in mobilizing a "blitz" to locate Rusty Blackbirds and create a map of wintering Rusty Blackbird "hot spots" that will help focus research, monitoring and conservation attention.

Learn more at http://nationalzoo.si.edu/scbi/migratorybirds/research/rusty_blackbird/blitz.cfm

Backyard Conservation booklet available in English and Spanish
Audubon co-produced a beautiful 28-page color booklet showing how farm and ranch conservation practices can be adapted for use in any size backyard. Ten conservation practices highlighted include mulching, composting, terracing, and pest management. The booklet has an extensive list of websites and places to get additional conservation information and assistance and is available for free (in boxes of 150 for the English version or 175 for the Spanish version) through the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service at http://landcare.sc.egov.usda.gov/search.aspx?keywords=lcp$.

Oasis for birds: STA 5 is one of the best birding spots in all of South Florida.
Read the article

Thousands of birds fall victim to our thoughtless behavior
November 2010: A graylag goose that was rescued on the Black Lough, Co Armagh, earlier this month was lucky. Every year thousands of birds, seals, fishes and other unique and endangered wildlife fall victim to our thoughtless behavior when we litter.

'The goose had its beak stuck in a beer can,' said Stephen Philpott, Director, USPCA. 'It was eventually rescued and is now recovering. But it was the one that got away, others unfortunately are not so lucky. Every year we come across scores of birds and other marine wildlife, not to mention other domestic animals and pets, which have suffered long and painful deaths due to the disgusting habit of littering.'

Dr James Robinson, director at the RSPB, also added: “Littering and illegal dumping on land or at sea doesn't only pollute these fragile habitats, it poses a real threat to individual animals as well. Dissections of marine birds like fulmars that have died of malnutrition reveal that there can be as many as 20 or 30 bits of plastic and rubbish in their guts. The birds fill up on indigestible plastic and eventually die of starvation. We ask people to wise up to the dangers of killer litter - it affects everyone.”

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Microburst blamed in birds' demise
A Middle Keys wildlife expert speculated that a freak weather condition may have brought down a flock of birds found -- many dead, some alive -- Tuesday in the Gulf of Mexico off Marathon.

The birds may have been circling on thermals several hundred feet in the air when a microburst slammed them into the water, Marathon Wild Bird Rescue Center Director Kelly Grinter said.

"This was not a disease that killed these birds," Grinter said. "These were healthy birds. ... They probably came down and hit the water hard, probably caused by wind shear."
A microburst is a violent, short-lived, localized downdraft that causes extreme wind shear at low altitudes. In some cases, microbursts have pushed airplanes to the ground.

About 30 dead and 13 live turkey vultures and one live broad-winged hawk were found in the water five miles north of Marathon. A necropsy on one of the vultures showed it had a serious head injury and its lungs were full of blood, Grinter said.
Of the vultures brought to the center, seven were treated and released by Thursday. The hawk was still being treated.

The center has received reports of more than 100 dead vultures littering the Gulf between Marathon and the Everglades, as well as Key Biscayne, Grinter said.

Two years ago in nearly the same exact location, Grinter and others responded to about 100 downed turkey vultures, she said.

Sixty of the birds were dead and 40 were rescued, treated and released. Those birds also had severe head and lung trauma, Grinter said.

They’re back. Florida's Bald Eagles are returning and many pairs are busy refurbishing or rebuilding their nests in preparation for egg-laying. Most nesting will occur in December, with a new generation of eaglets hatching in January. Of course, eagles don't use a calendar, so some pairs have already settled into parenting mode and may already be on eggs.

On November 6th, the Center's 407th Bald Eagle was released in Cedar Key. Releasing eagles during nesting season is very tricky, since eagles are very territorial and do not take kindly to intruders. This eagle was most likely involved in a dispute with another eagle, so great pains were taken to release her in an area that no other eagles called home.

If you are interested in locating nests near your home, use the FWC's eagle nest locator at www.myfwc.com. Better yet, if you would like to be an official EagleWatch monitor, contact Lynda White at lwhite@audubon.org or 407-644-0190. For an up close and personal encounter with Bald Eagles, you are always welcome to visit Trouble, Francis, Paige, TJ and Prairie - our resident eagles here at the Audubon Center for Birds of Prey.

Little wren speaks with a big voice If you've ever wondered which bird sings the familiar, loud "doodalee, doodalee, doodalee" song, it is one of the most common backyard birds in Florida, the Carolina wren.

The Carolina wren is a lively little bird that often fluffs itself into a puffy, round shape to appear larger than its 6- or 7-inch body.

For its size, the male has one of the loudest voices of all birds. This songbird can sing 27 to 47 different tunes and usually sings one repeatedly before switching to another. The male and female often sing together. If the birds feel scared or angry, their voice descends in sound, and they give a sharp "chirp!"

Carolina wrens are rusty brown on their upper body and wings and are light orange to tan on their underbelly. They have a white line above their eyes, almost like an eyebrow.
These birds aren't shy around humans, so they build their nests almost anywhere - in shrubs, tree cavities, vines, potted plants and even empty boxes or mailboxes.

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Invasive species

Wildlife trade brings tarantulas, pythons, cobras
They arrive from Amazon rainforests, central African savannahs and south Asian jungles, crated passengers in the cargo holds of airliners.Spitting cobras, common death adders, Zanzibar dwarf geckos, green iguanas, chinchillas, emperor scorpions and hundreds of other non-native species enter the United States each year to serve the demand for unusual pets.

A lot of time has gone into the unsuccessful campaign to clear the Everglades of Burmese pythons, just one of the non-native species to find a congenial home in South Florida. But the federal government continues to allow wide-open imports of a vast range of wildlife, conducting few screenings for disease and permitting most shipments to enter without inspection. A report on wildlife imports by the General Accountability Office this month found "gaps that could allow the introduction of diseases into the United States."

Read the article

Invasive fish are problem in Keys
The inaugural Keys lionfish derbies are done and the numbers are in — in three events, 53 teams of divers eliminated 654 of the venomous non-native fish from Keys waters.

The count:
Upper Keys, Sept. 11 (27 teams): 534 lionfish.
Middle Keys, Oct. 23 (five teams): 21 lionfish.
Lower Keys, Nov. 13 (21 teams): 109 lionfish.

Natives of the Indo-Pacific, lionfish have become the dominant fish on reefs in the Bahamas and Caribbean; in the United States, lionfish have been documented on the east coast from Rhode Island to Florida.

In January 2009, a diver off Key Largo documented the first lionfish in the Keys; within a year, the species had spread throughout the island chain.

Lionfish were probably introduced to the region through the aquarium trade, intentional or accidental releases of captive fish; another possibility is that lionfish arrived in ships’ ballast water.

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Florida Panthers

Florida panther on Hendry County road is 13th killed by vehicles in 2010
"The remains of FP176, a 4-5 year old male panther, were collected on 17 November 2010 on Keri Rd approximately 660 m (0.41 miles) west of the Ok Slough SF headquarters. The cause of death was trauma associated with a vehicle collision. The carcass is at the FWC Naples Field Office and will be sent to the FWC Wildlife Research Lab in Gainesville for necropsy. The remains will be archived at the FL Museum of Natural History. This is the18th panther mortality and the 13th road mortality for 2010."


About 100 Florida Panthers survive in the wild – clinging to less than five percent of their historic range. Their entire remaining habitat is located in a handful of South Florida Counties. It is the last of the eastern cougars which once roamed across the southern U.S., and is the last species of large cat east of the Mississippi River.

Over the past two decades the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has approved every development proposal in panther habitat. The last rejection came in 1993. More development brings more roads dissecting Florida panther habitat and with those roads -- more cars and trucks. That results in more panther deaths each year. In 2009, a record 17 panthers were killed by vehicle collisions.

Florida panther attacks on livestock are on the rise again in Golden Gate Estates Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission biologists say in the past week one or more of the endangered wildcats has killed two goats on Fourth Street Northeast and four goats and a chicken on Freyre’s 10 acres on Sixth Street Southeast.

After the first attacks Friday night, Freyre, 71, tried to reinforce his pen and erected a stuffed dummy along the fence to try to ward off predators but with no success.
The panther returned Sunday night. Freyre said he thinks the panicked goats broke out.
“Then when he was out, he got him,” Freyre said Monday.

Two goats also were killed on the night of Nov. 15 on Fourth Street.

The attacks are happening in a different part of the Estates than the locations of this summer’s rash of panther attacks on livestock. Biologists said a mother panther roaming the Estates with her kittens was responsible for those attacks.

The more recent attacks could be the work of one of those young panthers breaking out on its own, panther biologist Mark Lotz said Monday.

Lotz, who surveyed the damage at Freyre’s livestock pen, said the kills point to inexperience on the panther’s part, including leaving kills unhidden and uneaten.
Lotz said he’s put out trail cameras to try to catch an image of the panther, and biologists have found tracks of a young male panther at both sites.

Scientists say between 100 and 120 panthers are left in the wild, up from as few as 30 before a genetic restoration project in the 1990s.
The increased population is running out of room, though, as roads and subdivisions encroach on their habitat.

The Conservation Commission advises livestock owners take steps to predator-proof their pens with higher fences and sturdy, roofed enclosures for the animals at night.
Freyre said he intends to take the advice, but he still worries about the panthers’ risk to humans.

Lotz said the panther is not exhibiting signs that it is a threat. “The human danger is still low at this point,” he said.

Endangered Species

Haiti on brink of mass extinctions Haiti is on the brink of an era of mass extinctions similar to the time when dinosaurs and many other species suddenly disappeared from the Earth, a leading biologist is warning.

Announcing the at the establishment of a rescue program for Haiti's threatened frogs and other species, including captive-breeding and gene-preservation efforts, Blair Hedges, Professor of Biology at Penn State University said: ‘During the next few decades, many Haitian species of plants and animals will become extinct because the forests where they live, which originally covered the entire country, are nearly gone.

‘Frogs are especially vulnerable, so their decline is a biological early-warning signal of a dangerously deteriorating environment, just as a dying canary is an early-warning sign of dangerously deteriorating air in a coal mine,' added Hedges, who is also one of the world's foremost authorities on amphibians and reptiles. ‘When frogs start disappearing, other species will follow and the Haitian people will suffer, as well, from this environmental catastrophe.'

Read more

Saving Snail Kites, One Endangered Species at a Time
In the continental United States, Snail Kites are found only in Florida and their numbers are dropping. So when Center staff received a telephone call in August about a juvenile Kite in need of help, Audubon responded immediately.

The call came from specialists at the Miami Museum of Science Bird of Prey Center. They had received a juvenile Snail Kite with a past they knew little about. The federally endangered bird had been dropped off at a small local attraction before being transported to the Miami Bird of Prey Center. The caller explained that they thought the young Kite had imprinted on its captures because every time the bird saw humans it vocalized a baby call, wanting to be fed.

Imprinting is a natural process that is part of the bird’s normal development. As a chick begins to open its eyes and become aware of its surroundings, it begins to associate these stimuli with warmth, food and security. Once the chick is able to distinguish between what it considers its “family”, i.e. food source, and those that do not fit that image, it is imprinted. The social identity that is developed within the imprinting period is thought to be irreversible and lasts the bird’s entire lifetime. Birds that are truly imprinted on humans should not be released back to the wild since they have lost their natural wariness of humans and do not socialize with their own kind. At times it is difficult to distinguish the behavioral differences between a bird that is habituated or simply familiar with human interaction.

After speaking with specialists at the Miami Museum of Science, it was decided that the bird would be brought to Audubon for evaluation. The Snail Kite arrived at the Center, was examined and found to be in excellent health. It was placed in a rehabilitation cage away from public view, with Stella, Audubon’s resident adult female Snail Kite.

On their first day together, the young Snail Kite was observed attempting to socialize with Stella. From that moment on the bird never vocalized to humans again and Center specialists determined the young Kite was not imprinted on humans. Within the day of arrival, the bird was observed attempting to socialize with Stella. From that moment on the bird never vocalized to humans again; it was determined the bird was not imprinted on humans.

The next task was to prepare this inexperienced bird for life in the wild. Audubon called upon Snail Kite researchers from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Cooperative Research Unit at the University of Florida to help develop a plan. The researchers had observed young Snail Kites foraging along Lake Tohopekaliga, in the Kissimmee area, attempting to feed on exotic apple snails.

They explained that the larger exotic apple snails were difficult to open for inexperienced young kites. The plan was to teach the young bird to open these large exotic snails on its own, so Stella and the young kite were moved into a large flight enclosure with a water pond. The researchers supplied the Center staff with all sizes of exotic apple snails and once the bird was opening the larger ones consistently on its own, the bird was banded and released on Lake Tohopekaliga, where the young kites had been spotted.

This was a wonderful outcome and the Center thanks all who were involved in giving this one endangered species an opportunity to be wild and free.

Illegal Blue-fin tuna fishing and rule breaking threaten tuna survival
New data seen by WWF and Greenpeace reveal that the 2010 fishing activities for Atlantic bluefin tuna in the Mediterranean Sea have been as riddled with rule-flouting and traceability shortcomings as ever before. The conservation organizations urge international fisheries regulators meeting next week in Paris to put an end to the depletion of this key species.

The data, made available to contracting parties of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT), the fisheries body tasked with managing the species, focus on results of the organization’s new joint international inspection and regional observer schemes. ICCAT observers were present on board industrial purse seine fishing vessels and in tuna fattening farms in the Mediterranean throughout the 2010 fishing season.

Lack of compliance with fishing rules and reporting obligations, and traceability shortcomings, were seen across the industrial purse seine fishery and tuna farming industry throughout the season.

One case, for example, shows how deliberate misreporting enabled a catch of 18 tons of bluefin tuna made by a Turkish vessel to entirely escape ICCAT's documentation system. Meanwhile, of 23 observers in Spanish and French purse seine vessels 15 encountered difficulties in estimating the amount of tuna in the cages, in most cases acknowledging this was "simply impossible" and were left having to accept an estimate by the vessel skipper or divers on tugboats. Of the eight who did not report such problems, three were on board vessels that did not make any catch.

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FWC installs manatee camera at Three Sisters Springs
In its continual efforts to protect the Florida manatee, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) has implemented a new strategy. In coordination with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the FWC has installed a camera at the entrance to Three Sisters Springs in Crystal River.

Three Sisters Springs attracts a large number of manatees during the colder months and is therefore a popular spot for manatee viewing. To protect the manatees, the USFWS has established several areas around the springs where entry is prohibited. Additionally, the FWC set up a camera that streams live video to a public website, allowing remote viewing of manatee activity.

“The FWC gets many complaints regarding manatee harassment,” said Lt. Col. Bruce Buckson of the FWC’s Division of Law Enforcement. “Now, officers and dispatch can check the live, online video if complaints come in regarding Three Sisters Springs.”
FWC biologists will also be able to monitor concentrations of manatees and people visiting the springs to see them.

The camera is fully solar-powered and will operate only from dawn to dusk.

Members of the public can view the video, but there are also a few technical details to know first. Only 30 people can access the website at one time. If additional people try to access it, they will receive an error message until spaces open up. Visitors will be prompted to install ActiveX controllers the first time they visit the website. Viewers can also click on the camera icon to take a snapshot of the video.

The public can see the live images by visiting the following link and clicking on the “Single” tab at the top of the page: http://manateecam.viewnetcam.com/.

It may take several minutes after clicking the “Single” tab before visitors are prompted to install ActiveX.

Everglades and Water Quality Issues

Read the Audubon "Restore" Every 3 years, a major piece of the restoration planning for the largest lake in the southeastern United States, Lake Okeechobee, comes up for review.

Audubon is again working closely with government officials and lake managers to ensure policymakers have the most current and trusted science available to make the best choices for the long-term health of our beautiful lake.

Lake Okeechobee provides important habitat for migratory waterfowl, wading birds, and a variety of threatened and endangered plant and animal species. Acting as the heart of the ecosystem, water from the lake flows south through the southern Everglades. When the water quality is at a healthy level, it nourishes the ecosystem. However, when the water quality has high levels of phosphorus, toxic algal blooms can develop in the lake and the coastal estuaries, poisoning the water, killing wildlife, and endangering the health of people swimming and boating in these areas.

In the attempt to control the dangerously high amounts of phosphorus entering the lake, the Florida Legislature passed the Lake Okeechobee Protection Act (LOPA) in 2000. The Florida Legislature amended LOPA in 2007, including protection of the Caloosahatchee and St. Lucie watersheds, as well as making it mandatory to reevaluate the LOPP plan every three years to identify whether further phosphorus reductions are needed to comply with the Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) target set by the Florida Legislature. Under this plan, the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD), Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS), and Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) must work cooperatively in the rehabilitation of the lake and its estuaries.

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WATER POLLUTION: Supreme Court declines to take Fla. water transfer case The Supreme Court decided today not to intervene in a Florida case concerning the strongly contested question of whether the Clean Water Act requires permitting in order to pump water from one body of water to another.

At issue is whether South Florida water managers can pump water from a canal into a lake without applying for a permit.

The legal issue was once before the Supreme Court but was not resolved.

By declining to take up the case, Friends of the Everglades v. South Florida Water Management District, the Supreme Court has again left the question unanswered.
The court does not explain why it denies petitions, but the most likely reason is that U.S. EPA is currently considering whether to revise its 2008 regulation exempting "water transfers" from permitting.

Justice Elena Kagan did not participate in the court's consideration of the case, most likely due to her previous role as U.S. solicitor general, the Obama administration's top legal advocate.

The South Florida water district has three pumping stations that pump water from canals into Lake Okeechobee.

Friends of the Everglades and other environmental groups argued that a permit should be required because the water is contaminated with various chemicals and the lake is a drinking water reservoir.

The water district maintained that no permit is required because the pumping stations are not the source of the pollution.

Court Rules on US Sugar Land Purchase
The Florida Supreme Court has approved financing for the state's purchase of 46,200 acres from U.S. Sugar Corp. for Everglades restoration.

The justices Thursday ruled that the South Florida Water Management District can use a form of bond financing known as certificates of participation. They rejected arguments by the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians that the land deal won't serve a public purpose.

The financing was originally proposed for 73,000, acres but the district since then has bought 26,800 acres with cash. The high court, though, ruled an option to buy additional land in the future doesn't serve a public purpose and, therefore, certificates of participation can't be used for those expenses.

The Supreme Court also said the district can't substitute other lands for those specified in the deal...

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Everglades finance plan a victory for some, setback for others The Florida Supreme Court unanimously approved a financing plan on Thursday, November 18, that will allow the South Florida Water Management District to purchase a chunk of Everglades land from U.S. Sugar. The “Sugar Deal,” as it has come to be known, has been scaled back considerably since its inception. The original proposal would have allowed the district to buy 73,000 acres with $536 million in bonds. Last month, the agency bought only 27,000 acres with $194 million in cash.

Thursday’s ruling will allow for the use of bonds to buy more than 46,000 acres of land to restore the Everglades. The Miccosukee Tribe of Indians had argued that the deal would not serve a public purpose, a claim that Justice Peggy Quince shot down in her court ruling: “The district has authority to acquire land to further the objective of conserving and protecting water and water-related resources. This objective has been deemed a ‘public purpose’ by the Legislature.”

Florida Crystals Corp. and the Sugar Cane Growers Cooperative of Florida also argued against the ruling, saying it would only divert resources from Everglades restoration. In a statement to Sunshine State News, Gaston Cantens, a senior executive at Florida Crystals Corp., expressed his displeasure with outgoing Gov. Charlie Crist’s hand in the ruling: “We have over 11 percent unemployment. Instead of building projects and creating jobs, the governor is going out and spending money on land he doesn’t even know what we’re going to do with.”

In a statement, Crist spoke of his approval of the high court’s ruling:
I am pleased that the Florida Supreme Court today upheld the South Florida Water Management District’s authority to issue Certificates of Participation for the purchase of 73,000 acres from U.S. Sugar. Florida continues its steadfast commitment to the restoration of America’s Everglades and the entire South Florida ecosystem.

The Supreme Court’s decision allows for the potential acquisition of additional lands, as provided for in its order, beyond the 26,800 acres purchased in October, needed to restore this complex natural system, provide long-term benefits for our environment and maintain a high quality of life for millions of Floridians.

Statement from Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Secretary Mimi A. Drew Regarding EPA Promulgation of Nutrient Criteria for Inland Streams, Rivers and Lakes in the State of Florida
“In August 2009, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) signed a settlement agreement setting a firm schedule to federally promulgate numeric nutrient criteria for Florida. Today EPA released those criteria.

“I am pleased that EPA has responded to our request for additional time to implement numeric nutrient criteria in Florida by setting an effective date 15 months beyond the date of promulgation. This extra time will allow everyone to reach a better understanding of the criteria and develop implementation strategies. “Controlling nutrients is essential to protecting Florida’s inland streams, rivers and lakes, and our local governments, businesses and agricultural sector have already invested hard work and financial resources in the effort. The issues are complicated and discussions with EPA have been intense and involved but, in the end, constructive. EPA has responded to many DEP and stakeholder concerns by using DEP data and analyses in developing the criteria.
After extensive back-and-forth with DEP, providing time for Florida to implement the criteria in conjunction with our stakeholders; and including a method for establishing alternative criteria to account for the varying impacts of nutrients on different types of waterbodies under site-specific circumstances.

“DEP will now analyze and address the remaining legal and scientific issues, as well as the policy considerations associated with moving forward on nutrients, to assure that the benefits are worth the costs to Floridians.”

Bipartisan push for WRDA
Despite concerns over federal spending, senators yesterday said they will push for a Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) next year that would boost investment in inland waterways, harbor maintenance and levee safety.

Senate Environment and Public Works Chairwoman Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) and ranking member James Inhofe (R-Ok.) said such a bill could win bipartisan support, just as the last WRDA to pass Congress did in 2007. Strong congressional backing overrode President George W. Bush's veto of that bill, which swelled to $23 billion as lawmakers piled on pet projects.
"We built overwhelming bipartisan support," Boxer said at an EPW Committee hearing. "If we're going to grow America, we've got to make sure we keep up with the infrastructure. That's the bottom line."

A new WRDA is supposed to pass every two years, but the bill prior to the 2007 act was passed in 2000. Although lawmakers had hoped to push one through this year, Boxer and Inhofe conceded that would be impossible before the current session of Congress ends."I don't think we'll be able to do it this month, this year, but I think we will when we come back for the next session," Inhofe said.

Florida officials team up to protect water polluters
Rick Scott, Pam Bondi and the rest of Florida's newly elected Republican leadership teamed up the other day for a shameful cause — dirtier streams, lakes and drinking water. The pair joined a host of incoming Republican officeholders to blast the new clean water rules announced this month by the Environmental Protection Agency.

These leaders need to get their facts — and their priorities — straight. Polluted water endangers public health, threatens the golden geese of property values and tourism and destroys the very environment that attracts residents here. The state should welcome the new standards and work with polluters to clean up the public's waterways.

The new rules are hardly an example of an activist federal government overstepping its authority. The EPA told the states in 1998 to limit nutrient pollution in surface waters by 2004 or it would do the job for them. But 2004 came and went. Finally, in 2008, environmental groups sued the EPA, calling on the agency to intervene in Florida under the Clean Water Act. Last year, the agency settled the case under the stipulation that it adopt specific pollution standards for Florida waterways. The EPA unveiled those standards — for lakes, river and springs — this month. A separate proposal for coastal waters is due by November 2011.

Florida's political and business leaders decried the move as an unprecedented reach and a costly mandate that could stall Florida's recovery — totally ignoring that the EPA and state had dragged their feet for more than a decade while waterways deteriorated further. Industry groups said the measure could cost agriculture, municipal and industrial wastewater plants and pulp and paper manufacturers $12 billion a year. Barney Bishop, who heads Associated Industries, the powerful business lobby, blamed "radical left-wingers" for imposing regulations that the state might not even need.

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Former Adversaries Cooperate To Clean Up Water
It took, as Jim Handley with the Florida Cattlemen’s Association says, “over-communicating.” Add to that, says Sarah Lynch with the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), lots of time and patience and collaboration and perseverance and plain hard work.

But the result, says Jimmy Wohl, with Rafter T Ranch at Okeechobee, FL, was well worth the heartburn, because the result is a win-win for central Florida ranchers and the environmental health of the Everglades ecosystem. Here’s what “it” is: the Northern Everglades Payment for Environmental Services Program, an initiative that Lynch says generates the environmental services of water retention and phosphorus-load reduction that are critically needed in south-central Florida. “We did that in such a way that the people who can produce that product are cattle ranchers in the northern Everglades eco-region. We did this through a payment for environmental services approach,” she says.

In short, the program reverses 100 years of water-management philosophy. Instead of draining the 54 in. of rain that falls on the region every year, ranchers can be paid for retaining the water and rehydrating the once sprawling wetlands that feed the vast Everglades region.

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The bulldozers are set to crank up in early 2011 for the next phase of the restoration of Picayune Strand State Forest in Collier County.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has awarded a $79 million contract to build the largest of the three pumps — all about the size of a chain drug store and four stories tall — that will harness water flowing down canals through Golden Gate Estates north of Interstate 75 and into the Picayune.

The project, part of the larger Everglades restoration plan, calls for tearing out more than 200 miles of roads, plugging canals and returning natural water flows to some 55,000 acres south of Interstate 75 once planned for a huge subdivision.

The new contract puts more momentum behind a project that has survived fits and starts for four decades and still has its critics. “It’s huge that we’re moving forward with construction and already seeing progress being made,” said Capt. Erica Lager, the Picayune project manager.

Work began earlier this year on a $53 million project to build the Merritt Canal pump station, which will have a capacity of 800 cubic feet per second.

The new contract will pay for work on the Faka Union Canal pump station, which will have a capacity of 2,630 cubic feet per second. A groundbreaking is set for late February.
The Merritt Canal station is expected to take until 2012 to complete, and the Faka Union project is scheduled to take until 2014.

A third pump is planned for the Miller Canal, but it has yet to be funded.

The entire Picayune Strand project won’t be finished until 2018, according to current timetables.

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Nine-year, $20-million effort to restore Collier's Lake Trafford hits milestone.
After years of fits and starts, a project to remove tons of lake-choking muck from the bottom of Lake Trafford in Immokalee is wrapping up.

Crews finished dredging the lake in mid-November and now have only to tidy up the banks of the lake and the muck disposal site before declaring the job done.
Over-budget bids, redone engineering, permitting delays, hurricanes and a drought dealt the $20 million project setback after setback since 2001.

Lake Trafford Marina owner Ski Olesky, who has had a shoreline seat to the slow-motion restoration, said he can see the early signs of the lake returning to its former glory.
"It's been a struggle, but it's worth it," he said.

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Wildlife and Habitat

New species found every three days over last decade
In the lush rainforests of the Amazon, scientists have discovered a blue-fanged bird-eating spider, a black and blue-colored poison dart frog, a pink river dolphin and a camouflaged anaconda. These and thousands of other species were discovered in the Amazon between 1999 and 2009, at the average rate of one new species every three days, according to a new WWF report.

See the slideshow

Coyotes: The New Kid on the Block
People curse them, trap them, even shoot them, but Coyotes continue to thrive. In fact, their range has expanded greatly in the last fifty years.

These distinctive canids can be found across the East Coast from Maine down to South Carolina—far beyond their initial range in the West and Canada.

What’s brought Coyotes east?

Read on to find out…

Cold Storage- Going North For The Winter
Not everyone heads south when the temperature drops. A few species move in other directions. The Gray Bat is one such contrarian.

Want to know why? Click here to learn more about this creature’s fascinating life and its unique way of dealing with winter’s chill.

Phosphate lawsuit: In hard-hit Hardee County, it's wetlands vs. jobs
After a hitch in the Navy and work handling psychiatric patients in lockdown, Billy Griffis held a prized job in this corner of rural Central Florida.

Mosaic Fertilizer paid him $42,000 last year as "wrencher" laying big pipes and fixing pumps at its South Fort Meade phosphate mine. Griffis, 35, didn't worry about job security. Fertilizer prices soared in recent months, and the world's largest phosphate fertilizer producer hadn't laid off a worker during the mine's 15-year history.

That changed in September. After the Sierra Club and two Florida environmental groups won a federal court ruling to stop work on new section of the mine, Mosaic warned that hundreds of jobs were at risk, and then cut 60.

The company blamed the Sierra Club. Environmentalists shot back that Mosaic was playing hard-ball to sway public opinion. The two sides worked out a deal that will bring all the employees back for a while.

But neither is ready to quit. Too much is at stake. Mosaic says it could run short of Florida phosphate without the Fort Meade expansion. Workers worry they'll be back out of work in a drum-tight job market if the environmental groups win in court. Environmentalists hope a rare court victory will force mining regulators to get tougher with the state's powerful phosphate business.

The groups sued the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on June 30, challenging a permit it gave Mosaic to destroy 500 acres of wetlands in an extension of the mine into Hardee County. The next day, U.S. District Judge Henry Lee Adams Jr. ordered a temporary ban on mining wetlands on the 10,855-acre site.

[President Clinton, while in office, signed an executive order that stipulated that there be “no net loss of wetlands”. Since the signing of the order, Florida has lost more than 84,000 acres of wetlands and developers apply for permits to build in our wetlands almost daily. And then there were none.]

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Global Warming and Climate Change

EPA Webcast - "Climate Change Adaptation
EPA is hosting a free webcast re: Climate change Adaptation Tools addressing Water Issues on Thurs Dec. 2 from 1 - 3 pm EST.

Plan to fight global warming could create blooms of toxic algae, researchers say
An experimental plan to fight global warming could cause blooms of poisonous algae in seafood-rich stretches of the open ocean, researchers say.

For more than 20 years, scientists have discussed whether adding iron to the sea could effectively keep carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere by causing the increased growth of phytoplankton, a tiny ocean plant that absorbs the greenhouse gas from air.

But recent research shows that putting more iron in the ocean also could cause an explosion in growth of toxic algae.

A recent report by researchers from the University of South Carolina, the University of California-Santa Cruz and Louisiana State University says they have documented the toxic algae in sections of the open Pacific Ocean, a finding believed to be the first of its kind. Previously, the toxin had been known almost exclusively along the immediate coast, near beaches and harbors.

South Carolina professor Claudia Benitez-Nelson, a member of the research team, said adding iron to the sea might help curb global warming - but not without a potentially caustic side effect.

"This study has shown that when you add nutrients to the ocean, sometimes you have organisms grow that are really bad for you," Benitez-Nelson said.

While many species harvested for seafood come from near shore waters, others can be found in the deep ocean. Anchovies, for instance, are harvested well out to sea off the coast of Mexico, Central America and California.

The concept of adding iron to the ocean dates to at least 1990. The idea is that since iron stimulates plant growth, ocean plants, which use carbon dioxide, could draw it into the sea, rather than let it rise into the atmosphere. Carbon dioxide in the atmosphere helps to trap heat, which causes Earth's temperatures to rise.

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Green Wise
Publix Super Markets has stressed sustainability since the 1970s, when it became one of the first supermarket chains in the nation to implement a recycling program. The effort has grown over the years to include saving electricity and fuel, conserving water, cutting the use of plastic bags and producing less trash. Recently, the 1,023-location chain reached a sustainability milestone: It now makes more money from recycling its cardboard and plastics than it spends on hauling away its non-recyclable waste.

"It's an interesting concept, to think of a company that usually sells groceries, and they're also selling garbage in a way," says Tim Center, director of Sustainable Florida and the vice president of sustainability initiatives for the Collins Center for Public Policy. "They've taken what used to be an expense and have actually been able to make it a revenue producer for them."

Publix is making sustainability pay in other ways, too. The company saved $2 million a year during a pilot program at 110 stores, where lighting fixtures were retrofitted with more efficient components. An initiative to more efficiently route trucks reduced trucking miles by more than 28,000 per week, saving the company $670,800 a year.

Maria Brous, director of media and community relations, says the truck rerouting also cut the company's greenhouse emissions by 2,200 tons. In all, she says, Publix cut greenhouse gas emissions by about 43,240 tons in 2009 - positioning Publix well for any future cap-and-trade environment. "We have looked into various voluntary carbon credit markets," Brous says. "But at this time, we have no plans to certify or trade any carbon credits."....

http://www.floridatrend.com/

Offshore & Ocean

Netted tar balls close deepwater shrimp fishing
An area off the Gulf Coast hit hard by the BP oil spill was closed Wednesday to fishing for a deepwater shrimp species after a skipper hauled up tar balls in his net, federal regulators said.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said it was closing 4,213 square miles to royal red shrimping "out of an abundance of caution." Royal red shrimp are caught by only a handful of fishermen and they are not one of the main species found on tables across the Gulf Coast. The closed area is one of only a handful of spots where fishermen catch royal red shrimp.
The closed area is off the coasts of Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama and lies just north of the BP PLC well that leaked more than 170 million gallons of oil into the Gulf. The leak was set off by an April 20 oil rig explosion that killed 11 workers.

An Alabama skipper reported finding about a half-dozen tar balls in his net Nov. 20, said Karrie Carnes, a NOAA spokeswoman. It took several days to confirm the findings and issue an emergency closure, she said. During that period, she said royal red shrimp fishermen were told about the pending closure and officials made sure no royal red made it to market.
NOAA said the Coast Guard was analyzing the tar balls to determine if they came from oil spilled after the Deepwater Horizon rig explosion.

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EPA: Consider rising ocean acidity
States with coastal water that is becoming more acidic because of carbon dioxide should list them as impaired under the Clean Water Act, the U.S. Environmental Agency said.
The federal agency's memo Monday to states recognizes carbon dioxide as not only an air pollutant but a water pollutant, and notes the serious impacts that ocean acidification can have on aquatic life.

Ocean acidification refers to the decrease in the alkalinity of oceans, which is caused by the absorption of excess carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. As water becomes more acidic, scientists have raised concern about dissolving coral reefs and potential effects on fish and other sea life.

"Ocean acidification is one of the biggest threats to our marine environment," said Miyoko Sakashita, a senior attorney at Center for Biological Diversity. This EPA action "really gave the green light to using the Clean Water Act to address ocean acidification," she said.

The EPA's memo stems from a legal settlement with the Center for Biological Diversity, which sued the EPA last year for not requiring Washington state to list its coastal waters as impaired by rising acidity.

The memo said in 2012, states should begin to list bodies of water that suffer from ocean acidification as impaired, but it also acknowledged there's currently not enough information in many states to support listings for that reason.

Currently, about 40,000 bodies of water are listed nationwide as impaired.

[It is not just carbon dioxide that forms carbonic acid in our oceans. We also acidify our waterways through the atmospheric combining of water droplets with nitrates which form nitric acid, sulphur compounds that form sulfuric acid and hydrogen that forms hydrochloric acid. Elements such as nitrogen, carbon, sulphur and hydrogen further combine in the presence of a catalyst such as heat, to form oxides, dioxides and tri-oxides that return to earth and our waterways as acid rain. The effects of acid rain are many and varied, but the effect on our waterways is of chief concern.]

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Energy

Growers Ready to Put Marginal Lands to Better Use
US - Growers are ready and willing to produce biomass for biopower and advanced biofuels, and have the land to do so. These are the results of a survey by energy crop developer Ceres.
A company survey of US growers showed that 71 per cent of respondents were very interested or interested in growing dedicated energy crops. Moreover, 77 per cent said they had under-utilized land on which to establish energy grasses like switchgrass, sorghum and miscanthus.

Agricultural producers said that the ability to diversify their current operations was the most appealing benefit of energy grasses.

They were also keen on making better use of their marginal land and spending less time, money and resources on crop management.

In what is considered good news for end-users, growers were solidly supportive of long-term contracts with customers.

More than 70 per cent were very interested or interested in growing under contract, and 48 per cent they would anticipate putting at least half their acreage in long-term contacts. "This is one of the areas where we were interested in learning more about, since reliable feedstock supplies will be critical for new bioenergy facilities to obtain project financing," said Gary Koppenjan who directs communications and product marketing for Ceres.

"What constitutes a long-term contract will likely be an area for discussion, but it appears the suppliers and users are on the same page."Somewhat surprisingly, Mr. Koppenjan said growers showed little interest in owning a piece of the bioenergy facility and were more interested in incentives for quality and inflation adjustments, or prices linked to energy prices.

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Building Community Owned Wind on Coal River
It's been a long time since we've given an update on wind development in the Coal River Valley. Despite recent high-profile media attention, including a feature article in the New York Times, and widespread public support, Roland Land Company is allowing Massey Energy to tear apart Coal River Mountain for coal.

In the face of this set back on Coal River Mountain, we are pursuing a two-pronged strategy to develop our wind resources and save Coal River Mountain. We are moving forward with community-owned wind projects on ridge-tops owned by our neighbors, not absentee landholders like Roland Land Company.

Our goal is to develop a project where much of the revenue is kept in the community for small business development, weatherization, or other beneficial projects.

We are gaining ground locally and nationally in our efforts to abolish mountaintop removal and create sustainable jobs in the Coal River Valley. Locally, we are starting a project to develop wind resources on local landowners' land. Nationally, we are asking that the EPA stand up under pressure from the coal industry and uphold the rules they released last springWe are assessing the feasibility of these wind project on several sites near Coal River Mountain and on its finger ridges.

Our next step is to commission a wind resource assessment of the area that will help us select a site for putting up meteorological towers to gather a full year of wind data and give us a better sense of what size project we can develop. Stay tuned for an update next month with the results of that study!

Though it is important, our wind projects will provide clean energy to a wasteland if we do not stop mountaintop removal coal mining. The Environmental Protection Agency took an important step toward abolishing mountaintop removal coal mining when it issued draft guidelines that reduced the practice of "valley fills" last April. Valley fills have buried and continue to bury dozens of hollers in the Coal River Valley. As expected, the coal industry has been arguing that the rules are "too costly" and need to be overturned. Our own state government in West Virginia is suing the EPA over their new mountaintop removal regulations!

Coalition opposes nuclear expansion near Biscayne & Everglades National Parks
A coalition of citizens, civic organizations and public officials spoke out against FPL’s proposed expansion of two nuclear reactors between Everglades and Biscayne National Parks. The groups gathered in front of Homestead City Hall where a three-judge panel from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission heard arguments from several of the groups’ lawyers Friday.

Representatives of the Sierra Club Miami Group, Tropical Audubon Society, Southern Alliance for Clean Energy, 1 Sky Florida, Everglades Law Center, Save it Now, Glades!, National Parks Conservation Association and the South Florida Wildlands Association hosted the press conference.

Speakers ran through the litany of economic and environmental reasons why the new nuclear reactors should not be built.

Mark Oncavage, energy chair for the Sierra Club Miami Group and a personal litigant, said that the plant would cycle large amounts of partially-treated sewage through six cooling towers proposed for Turkey Point. He said the NRC “must accept all medical and financial responsibilities” should they approve the plant.

City of South Miami Mayor Phillip Stoddard said the new power plant would increase rates by 70 percent while only covering 10 percent of electric consumption. He called the FPL project which will cost rate payers $31 million starting in January 2011 an “economic scam.”

The two new reactors at Turkey Point would cost an estimated $22 billion and would increase water demands by more than 90 million gallons a day.

Sara Barczak of the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy said that increasing energy efficiency was a much better alternative that would create jobs.

Captain Dan Kipnis, another intervener and Chair of the Economic, Social and Health Committee for the Miami-Dade Climate Change Advisory Task Force, said the nuclear power plants would soon be underwater because of sea level rise “Don’t put it there,” he said. “You know it’s gonna flood.”

The plant expansion could impact more than 800 acres of wetlands and require office tower-tall transmission lines along the edge of Everglades National Park. Turkey Point is located on the edge Biscayne National Park, the continental United State’s largest underwater park, and minutes from Everglades National Park.

Three organizations gave legal arguments Friday. They included: the Everglades Law Center and Emory University School of Law’s Turner Environmental Law Clinic, CASE/Citizens Allied for Safe Energy and the Village of Pinecrest. The administrative judges must decide whether the litigants concerns warrant an evidentiary hearing in the future. A decision is expected by January of next year.

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Plans to replace an Enbridge oil pipeline under the St. Clair River are on track for next year.
The work could begin in early- or mid-January, assuming the company is granted the necessary permits, Joe Martucci, the project's spokesman, said in ane-mail. Once the project starts, it will take six to eight weeks to complete, he said.

Enbridge, based in Calgary, Alberta, announced plans for the project shortly after another portion of the pipeline sprang a leak in July, spilling 800,000 gallons of crude oil near Marshall.

The 30-inch pipeline was built in 1969 and runs from Griffith, Ind., to Sarnia.
Plans submitted to the U.S. Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration in October show 3,600 feet of the pipeline will be replaced in the coming project. The company discovered the dent beneath the St. Clair River in 2009 and reduced pressure in the pipeline.

Enbridge has been meeting with American and Canadian officials as plans for the work develop. Martucci said a technique called "horizontal directional drilling" will be used.
"The drill rig will be set up on the U.S. side on the existing Enbridge easement in Marysville," he said. "The pipe will be fabricated on the Canadian side and pulled through the hole created by the drill rig at a depth of about 35 feet below the bottom of the river."

Once the pipeline is in place, new valves will be installed and the new segment will be connected to the existing pipeline on both sides of the river. "The existing pipeline segment with the dent beneath the river will be decommissioned, according to regulations, and left in place," Martucci said.

Jeffrey Friedland, director of St. Clair County Emergency Management, said he's confident the project will be smooth. "Overall, it's something they do quite often," Friedland said. "I look at this as more of a routine maintenance project."

Land Conservation

Environmentalists Say Phosphate Mining Threatens Florida Wetlands, Farmland
The phosphate mined for more than a century in central Florida to make fertilizer has yielded thousands of jobs and countless harvests around the world.

But environmental groups are arguing in federal court that the cornucopia extracts too high a price in lost wetlands, spoiled water supplies and ruined farmland.

The Sierra Club and local environmentalists have slammed the brakes on an 11,000-acre mine extension planned by industry giant Mosaic Co. after securing a court injunction in July—the first such ruling in a state that supplies approximately 70% of U.S. phosphate rock for fertilizer. Mosaic is appealing the ruling.

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Proposal to protect areas in Big Cypress from off-roaders shrinks under new plan
Sportsmen and conservation groups are attacking a scaled-back proposal to put part of the Big Cypress National Preserve off-limits to off-roaders.

The proposal, announced Wednesday in a final management plan for part of the preserve known as the Addition Lands, would designate about 47,000 acres of wilderness compared with 86,000 acres in a draft plan earlier this year.

The wilderness designation, which only Congress can enact, would prohibit motorized vehicles and roads and is seen as next to impossible to overturn once in place.The National Park Service has been studying what to do with the Addition Lands since 1996, when it took over management of 147,000 acres added to the preserve in 1988.

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A Special Place: Land in Sand Hills region gets new Audubon designation
Standing on the beach of a lake more than three miles in circumference and 100 feet deep that replenishes the Floridan Aquifer, surrounded by six species of endangered plants and over the sound of several species of frogs croaking in a nearby bog, Audubon of Florida executive director Eric Draper on Saturday declared the Knight property a “special place.”

The 55,000 acre property in the Sand Hills region is the first location to earn the Audubon of Florida’s new designation. Each week a new location will be designated a “special place,” Draper said.The title holds no legal standing, but is designed to bring attention to Florida’s vast and unique land and water resources.

People can nominate locations as a “special place” and post photos, videos and information to the Florida’s Special Places Facebook.com page, he said.“We want to get people out and active and connecting with nature,” conservation campaign manager Jonathan Webber said.

In the past, conservation efforts placed emphasis on land acquisition, but as funds for land acquisition deplete, Audubon has been doing more to work with private land owners and help them plan for the future of their land, Draper said.

The Knight property is a privately held working forest with a series of streams and lakes and is home to a wide variety of plant and animal life. Large parts of the property are pristine and largely untouched by humans on a regular basis, Draper said. To make people understand the importance of protecting such a location, they first need to know it exists, he said.“We at Audubon want people to know this is what makes Florida special,” he said.

Several conservationists were on hand for Draper’s announcement of the new designation during a rare tour of the property on Saturday.“I’m so thrilled this is going to be first on Eric’s list,” field biologist Lisa Keppner said.

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Miscellaneous

FWC Commissioner selected as finalist for Budweiser Conservationist of the Year; public vote to determine winner
The Wildlife Foundation of Florida is pleased to announce that Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commissioner (FWC) Ronald Bergeron has been selected as one of four national finalists for the 2011 Budweiser Conservationist of the Year. Budweiser and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation are honoring individuals who have made exceptional contributions to the outdoors and to conservation.

The award winner selects a conservation organization to receive a $50,000 grant from Budweiser and the Foundation. The three runners-up each direct a $5,000 grant to a conservation organization of their choice.

“We are extremely excited that Commissioner Bergeron has been recognized as a finalist for this national award. It is a testament to his passion and his vast knowledge of the Florida Everglades,” said FWC Chairman Rodney Barreto.

Since being appointed to the Commission in 2007, Bergeron has made significant contributions to conserving the Florida Everglades and protecting the area’s fragile ecosystem, which is home to dozens of threatened and endangered species. In this role, he has worked to reduce the harmful impacts of high-water events on wildlife and has advocated for traditional use and public access in the Everglades and Big Cypress National Preserve. Most recently, Bergeron made national and international headlines when he helped assist FWC staff in finding solutions to reduce the Burmese python population in the Everglades.

From now until Dec. 17, the public can vote for the 2011 Budweiser Conservationist of the Year. People must be 21 or older to vote online. Go to http://budweiserconservationist.young-america.com/Register.aspx.

On this page, cast your vote, fill out the form information and click the Vote Now button at the bottom.

Votes also can be submitted via mail. On a 3-by-5-inch card or piece of paper, print your name, address, age and the name of your choice. Mail the card to 2011 Budweiser Conservationist of the Year, P.O. Box 750485, El Paso, TX 88575-0485.

2011 Florida Forever Calendar?
The beautiful Florida Forever 2011 Calendar is now available! The calendar features breathtaking photos of Florida's most beautiful and imperiled places. Calendar sales support educational outreach for conservation initiatives and Florida Forever advocacy through the Legacy Institute for Nature & Culture.

Click here to get your 2011 Florida Forever Calendar

The following 10 state-managed and designated Florida trails offer many unforgettable memories:

1. Marjorie Harris Carr Cross Florida Greenway - Crossing central Florida from the Gulf of Mexico to the St. Johns River, this 110-mile corridor offers a variety of trails and recreation areas. Home to the Florida Horse Park, one of the top equestrian destinations in the country, the Cross Florida Greenway offers an easily accessible and extraordinary opportunity to explore Florida’s wild beauty on horseback. Off-road biking enthusiasts can enjoy what the International Mountain Biking Association designated as an “Epic Ride” on the Greenway’s Santos trail network. Hikers can appreciate the gateway the Cross Florida Greenway offers to the Florida Trail, one of only eight congressionally designated National Scenic Trails in the United States.

2. Florida Keys Overseas Heritage Trail - The Florida Keys Overseas Heritage Trail is a developing, paved, multi-use trail that allows visitors to intimately experience the colorful Keys communities and take in views of shimmering Gulf and ocean waters. The scenic corridor, extending from Key Largo to Key West, connects the islands to create an alternative transportation route and recreational pathway for hiking, running, bicycling, in-line skating, sightseeing, fishing and kayaking. Twenty-three historic Flagler Railroad bridges form a central component of this multi-use trail which now features approximately 70 paved miles in segments along its 106-mile corridor.

3. Loxahatchee River Paddling Trail - The swift and twisting Loxahatchee River is worthy of its status as Florida’s first National Wild and Scenic River. Trapper Nelson’s cabin is a point of interest near the trail’s terminus in Jonathan Dickinson State Park near Stuart. The coffee-colored stream meanders through an unspoiled subtropical river swamp where bald cypress, pond apple, orchids, and ferns line the shores. The 8.5-mile paddling trail makes for an ideal day-long adventure for intermediate or experienced paddlers.

4. Nature Coast State Trail – Adventure awaits visitors on this history-rich trail. Providing an excellent opportunity to ride off the beaten path, this 32-mile trail consists of two primary alignments built along former rail lines that meet at Wilcox Junction. A historic train trestle carries the trail across the Suwannee River near Old Town. Trail users can cool off in 72-degree water in nearby Fanning Springs State Park or watch for more wildlife at Andrews Wildlife Management Area.

5. Tallahassee-St. Marks Historic Railroad State Trail - The State’s first rail-trail begins in Florida’s capital city, running for 16 miles through part of the Apalachicola National Forest to reach the coastal community of St. Marks. Trail users can enjoy fresh Florida seafood and fishing in the city of St. Marks and learn about the history of the area at the San Marcos de Apalache Historic State Park.

6. Wekiva River/Rock Springs Run Paddling Trail - Beginning just north of Kelly Park in Apopka, Rock Springs Run winds its way swiftly downstream for several miles to join the spring run flowing out of Wekiwa Springs State Park. Traveling through sand pine scrub, pine flatwoods, hammocks and swamps, paddlers can see a variety of wildlife, including river otters. Numerous islands, tributaries and lagoons provide opportunities for side trips and camping.

7. Suwannee River Wilderness Trail - The 170-mile Suwannee Wilderness Trail provides a kaleidoscope of wilderness and historical opportunities. Visitors can travel outward from the river to recreational hubs, trails, parks, museums, cultural sites and other nature and heritage attractions in adjacent cities, towns and rural landscapes throughout north Florida’s Suwannee River Valley. The river boasts more than 70 fresh water springs.

8. Withlacoochee State Trail - Running from Citrus Springs in Citrus County to Trilby in Pasco County, this trail is presently the longest paved rail-trail in Florida. The 46-mile trail corridor runs through small towns, ranches, the Withlacoochee State Forest and close to the Withlacoochee River. Springtime riders will enjoy an abundance of beautiful wildflowers. The trail will eventually join other trails in the region, becoming part of the Central Florida Loop. The trail’s annual bike ride the first Sunday of October and attracts 1,000-1,500 cyclists of all ages and skill level, making it one of the largest one-day bike rides in the Southeast.

9. Blackwater Heritage State Trail - Hikers, cyclists and equestrians who visit the state's westernmost rail-trail, originating in the quaint historic town of Milton, can explore the beautiful countryside of Florida's panhandle with a trail that crosses several creeks and features an array of native wildflowers. Among swamps, towering pine trees and pastureland, this paved trail provides a serene tour through rural Florida. At its northern terminus, this 8-mile paved trail joins the 1.5-mile Military Heritage Trail which is managed by the U.S. Navy.

10. Lake Okeechobee Scenic Trail - This paved and off-road trail, located atop the Herbert Hoover Dike, circles Lake Okeechobee, the second largest freshwater lake in the United States. The trail takes users through agricultural communities while offering endless fishing and wildlife viewing opportunities, including herons, egrets and various wintering waterfowl. For nearly 20 years this trail has been the site of a week-long 110-mile hike that takes place over Thanksgiving week and is hosted by the Florida Trail Association.

Touting Florida’s award-winning trails as a major tourism attraction alongside beaches, golf courses and theme parks, VISIT FLORIDA’s recently launched Trails-Tourism website features more than 100 trails and serves as a one-stop-shop for residents and guests looking to plan a nature-based vacation or simply take a day-trip down a paved or paddling trail. The website provides a gateway to nearby businesses, outfitters, restaurants and overnight accommodations to make any trail trip complete, and allows businesses to list their company on the website for free through June 2011. For more information about VISIT FLORIDA’s new trails and tourism website, visit trails.visitflorida.com.

About DEP’s Office of Greenways and Trails
In 2008, Florida was named by American Trails as “Best Trails State in America,” recognizing DEP’s Office of Greenways & Trails for its vision and leadership, which includes community assistance, land acquisition, public outreach and the management of eight state trails and the Marjorie Harris Carr Cross Florida Greenway.

The Greenway is Florida’s longest green corridor stretching 110 miles from the St. Johns River near Palatka to the Gulf of Mexico near Inglis. Of the eight state trails, six are rail-trails, which are railroad corridors converted to recreational trails for hiking, biking, skating, equestrian activities and alternative transportation. For more information about Florida’s trails, visit FloridaGreenwaysAndTrails.com.

National America Recycles Day was celebrated on November 15, bringing attention to the importance of recycling and buying products made with recycled materials. Across the state and throughout the nation, recycling was at the center of attention.

When it comes to recycling, DEP’s Southwest District Regulatory Office puts its green principles into practice year-round.

The District recycles aluminum, glass, plastic, batteries, paper and electronics. In the past two years, staff members have collected more than 660 pounds of aluminum cans, totaling more than $312. The recycling program is run by employees, for employees and the money collected is donated to local charities. Volunteers do all the work on their own time and even use their own vehicles. The District recycles about 400 plastic grocery bags a month, 400-500 batteries every six months and about 735 cubic feet of materials each year, including plastic bottles, glass containers and tin cans.

The District’s Employee Recycling Initiative continues to grow. They recently worked with the Department of Management Services to expand their efforts. The latest addition is the electronic and computer recycling program which allows staff members to bring recyclable items from home. State contractor Creative Recycling Systems, Inc. stops by monthly to pick up the items from the office. Depending on which items are collected, the company then pays the state for the materials retrieved. To date, the Southwest District has sent 11 computer monitors, seven desktop computers, five laptops, 29 printers/faxes/copiers, 10 telephones, 19 keyboards and a toothbrush – every little bit helps -- to the recycling center.

With a recycling program at the workplace, staff finds it easier and more convenient to recycle. It is a great way to set an example in the community about ways to reduce our impact on the environment which in turn helps protect Florida’s natural resources. By recycling these materials, District staff is helping to bring Florida one step closer to achieving the statewide 75 percent recycling goal by 2020!

To learn more about recycling, go to www.dep.state.fl.us/waste, www.abagslife.com or you can also visit www.earth911.org for other innovative recycling ideas.

Everglades projects halt after workers dig up major burial ground but don't tell
In May 2008, archaeologists began the tedious task of exhuming the remains of Native Americans at a remote site south of Lake Okeechobee and reburying them at another remote site, to make way for a man-made wetland needed to restore the Everglades.
The Miccosukee and Seminole tribes signed off on the project after being told that the archaeologists would carefully and respectfully re-inter the miscellaneous collection of bones and teeth that had been found.

But the more the archaeologists dug, the more they found. After nearly two years, the tribes learned that what they'd been told were some teeth and bones turned out to be partial remains of 56 men, women and children moved from an ancient burial ground so significant that it would have been eligible for listing on the National Registry of Historic Places.

The Seminoles are angry. They believe they should have been notified immediately when archeologists realized they were dealing with more than isolated bones and teeth. Now the Seminoles want all 901 bones and 245 teeth returned to their original resting place.
"We're not OK with relocating a burial ground," said Tina Osceola, the Seminole Tribe of Florida's Historic Resources Officer. "You're talking about too many individuals and that disturbs the balance between our ancestors and those who are walking today. We want them put back."

The controversy has created a nightmare for the South Florida Water Management District, the agency responsible for the Everglades Restoration. Construction near the four burial sites has stopped, delaying the vital project at a time when two angry federal judges are demanding the district speed up the cleanup.

Archeologists hired by the district to move the remains have said they may not be able to return them to their original burial sites because they don't know exactly where they reburied them. Even if they can be located, many of the remains could be damaged if moved again.
Returning the remains would mean engineers would have to redraft Everglades restoration plans, to avoid the burial sites or build structures such as berms, to protect the sites from flooding. That means permits must be modified or new permits issued, a process that can take months.

The controversy has further strained relations and eroded trust between the tribe and the agencies involved in restoring the Everglades. The timing could not be worse for the district, as more construction projects are starting in remote areas where more remains and artifacts likely will be discovered and the tribe's cooperation will be needed.

"As far as our confidence level is concerned, I can't say it's been shaken," Osceola said. "I can't say as a tribe we had any confidence in the government to begin with."
The Miccosukee Tribe, which raised the most concern when the project began, has said little about the controversy. The Miccosukee Tribe's lawyer did not return a call for comment.

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Pennekamp Marks 50th Anniversary
Beginning Dec. 1, Key Largo's John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park will celebrate its 50th anniversary with 11 days of activities, including a photography contest, a reef cleanup and a lionfish roundup.

For more information and a complete list of activities, go to www.fla-keys.com/pennekamp50.

Rookery Bay meeting to review management plan
Rookery Bay National Estuary Research Reserve will be holding a public meeting to review their draft management plan on Wed. Dec. 8 at 5:30 pm at Rookery Bay in Naples.

Wildlife area, award named after former FWC chairman
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) paused during Wednesday’s meeting to thank Hersey A. “Herky” Huffman for his steadfast commitment to the conservation and enjoyment of Florida’s fish and wildlife resources by naming a wildlife management area after him and establishing a youth-mentoring award in his name. Huffman served on the Commission for more than seven years, including a term as chairman in 2005.

“As chairman, Huffman demonstrated outstanding leadership, vision, dedication and true passion in support of Florida’s fish and wildlife resources, resulting in great progress for statewide conservation efforts,” said present FWC Chairman Rodney Barreto. “Huffman set a high standard for all present and future FWC commissioners, for how we should strive to address our state’s complex fish-and-wildlife issues.”

Huffman is a Volusia County resident and native Floridian. Throughout his adult life, he has promoted his love for fishing, hunting and youth conservation education to everyone he meets.

“I am grateful for this honor, but let’s all give credit to the staff behind us,” Huffman said. “We couldn’t do it without them.”