"The idea of wilderness needs no defense. It only needs more defenders."
Edward Abbey
Collier Audubon /Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary's "Feathers and Friends" Gala 2011 Please join the members and supporters of the Collier County Audubon Society and Audubon's Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary at their 2011 "Feathers and Friends" Gala.
The event will be held on Thursday, February 11th at 6pm - $125 per person - at the Hilton Hotel in Naples. This year's featured guest speaker is author Randy Wayne White. For a biography of the author and details on how you can attend this unique event, please download our invitation here. You can also learn more about this event at www.collieraudubon.org and www.corkscrew.audubon.org
Everglades Coalition "Moves Forward Together" The 53-member Everglades Coalition, led by co-chair and Audubon Senior Everglades Policy Associate Julie Hill-Gabriel convened in Weston last weekend for their 26th annual conference.
The theme of this year's conference, "Renewal of Life for the Everglades: Moving Forward Together" proved appropriate upon news announced by U.S. Department of the Interior Secretary Ken Salazar.
The promise of the establishment of a new National Wildlife Refuge south of Orlando at the headwaters of the northern Everglades resonated with Coalition groups and conference attendees. 50,000 acres are projected to be purchased by the federal government, while 100,000 additional acres of private lands would be protected by conservation easements. Preserving this vast amount of land would provide the opportunity for improving the quality of the water flowing into Lake Okeechobee.
Winter programs in full swing at Everglades National Park Guided walks, bike tours, boat tours and canoe tours are going on now at Everglades National Park.
For those who like to wade into the Everglades, there are slough slogs. The two-hour slogs take visitors age 12 and older into gator holes and other parts of the River of Grass.
Star gazers can get away from ambient light to view the constellations at Mahogany Hammock, about a 25-minute drive from the main park entrance near Homestead. The next New Moon Star Party is set for Feb. 5.
Among the most popular tours for park visitors is the guided Anhinga Amble, a walk along the Anhinga Trail near the main park entrance. This boardwalk over the marsh is where park visitors witnessed a non-native Burmese python fighting with an alligator. It's also a great place to photograph wading birds and alligators, especially when water levels drop.
Guided bicycle rides, or Bike Hikes, for ages 12 and older are available through the Ernest Coe Visitor Center near the main park entrance.
Boat tours are available at Flamingo and the Gulf Coast Visitor Center in Everglades City.
Ranger-guided canoe tours, also at Flamingo and Everglades City, are great for those who want to learn more about different parts of the sprawling national park. It's amazing how clear the water is after it has been filtered by the saw grass marsh just before it flows into Florida Bay.
Special this year is the Vintage Everglades Celebration, set for 11 a.m. on Feb. 5 at the Ernest Coe Visitor Center near the main park entrance. The living history event will include an ice cream social with actors portraying John J. Audubon, Ernest Coe and Marjory Stoneman Douglas.
Even if you don't take a guided tour, just driving through the park from the Coe Visitor Center to Flamingo, pausing along the way at various overlooks, makes for a great day. Once you're in Flamingo, you can take a boat tour or take a short hike and return to Palm Beach County, all in a day. Don't forget binoculars and a camera.
Winter programs at the park continue through March 31.
The main park entrance fee is $10 per car. Annual passes cost $25.
For more information, including virtual tours of the park, go to the Everglades National Park website
To reach Everglades National Park by telephone, call the main park number at (305) 242-7700. To reach the Flamingo Visitor Center, call (239) 695-3101. To reach the Gulf Coast Visitor Center in Everglades City, call (239) 695-2591.
'Feather Wars' - Surviving Fashion 1870-1920 The current rotating exhibit at the Historical Society of Palm Beach County should be of interest! The exhibit goes until June 2011 and the museum is open.
See the link to the exhibit and to the museum.
300 N. Dixie Highway, Downtown West Palm Beach, FL 33401
P.O. Box 4364, West Palm Beach, FL 33402
Admission to the Museum is Free
Hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday; closed on Sunday and Monday.
Handicap Accessible Entrance is located on the east side of the building on the ground level.
For more information: (561) 832-4164
Tours: Docents will lead guided tours at 2 p.m. every day the museum is open. Visitors can also walk through the Museum and restored Courtroom on their own. Groups of 10 or more may reserve a docent lead tour, please contact Paula Marcus at (561) 832-4164 ext. 110
Fishing for Success The Youth Environmental Alliance (YEA) is hosting "Fishing for Success", a fun day on February 19, 2011, from 8 AM to 1 PM at the lake adjacent to Dr. Paul Dog Park, Sportsplex Park, in Coral Springs
Fishing for Success Volunteers needed!
Fishing for success is a free one-day workshop and fishing event hosted by Youth Environmental Alliance and sponsored by the City of Coral Springs. Participants will rotate through stations learning basic fishing skills and environmental stewardship. Volunteers will assist participants at each station and during fishing event. Volunteers must attend 2 hour training on February 5th 2011 to volunteer for this event. Students will receive volunteer service hours for training and the event.
Volunteer Training: During training you will be assigned a station and will receive a script to follow. You do not have to have fishing experience. We will need help with check-in, handing out fishing poles, guiding groups through stations etc. Please visit our website and print out the Volunteer Application and bring it with you. Volunteer Form
If you have any questions please contact Cindy Davidson: cindy@yeafrog.org
DATE: 2/5/2011 (Sat 9:00AM - 11:00AM)
LOCATION: Dr. Paul's Dog Park 2575 Sportsplex Drive Coral Springs, FL 33065
Click here to register for training. http://www.signupgenius.com/go/fishing6
Visit our Website http://www.yeafrog.org/
Our mailing address is: Youth Environmental Alliance
6900 SW 21st Court, Suite 8
Davie, FL 33317
Birds
Pembroke Pines Eagles – not your ordinary football team Broward County's only pair of nesting eagles since 1972 has hatched one eaglet this year. The chick is approximately 2 weeks old and Ken Schneider has some great photos to share.
Invasive species
Genetically engineered alfalfa approved On January 27, Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack approved Monsanto's genetically engineered alfalfa for widespread planting this spring. This is outrageous and wrong, and it will hurt organic farmers.
The USDA decision to allow GE alfalfa to be planted unleashes another unnecessary genetically engineered crop into our environment and puts organic farmers at risk of widespread GE contamination. The agency did no real assessment of the harm that GE alfalfa could do, and caved to pressure from big agribusiness to approve this genetically engineered crop before the spring planting season.
In making the decision, Mr. Vilsack pulled back from a novel proposal that would have restricted the growing of genetically engineered alfalfa to protect organic farmers from so-called biotech contamination. That proposal drew criticism at a recent Congressional hearing and in public forums where Mr. Vilsack outlined the option.
Mr. Vilsack said Thursday that his department would take other measures, like conducting research and promoting dialogue, to make sure that pure, non-engineered alfalfa seed would remain available.
"We want to expand and preserve choice for farmers," he told reporters. "We think the decision reached today is a reflection of our commitment to choice and trust."
Genetically engineered crops have become invasive species in more than one instance and chances are high that GE alfalfa will escape into the wild and into surrounding farms.
Rooney introduces bill to protect Everglades from invasive snakes U.S. Rep. Tom Rooney Wednesday introduced legislation to protect the Everglades and surrounding communities from dangerous, imported snakes like African rock pythons and boa constrictors. Rooney's bill would restrict the importation of specific breeds of snakes, which continue to cause extensive damage to the Everglades, into the United States.
"Banning the importation of these dangerous snakes is critical to the survival of the Everglades and the surrounding ecosystems," said Rooney. "These invasive predators are causing severe damage to our native wildlife, and they need to be eradicated.
"People buy these snakes as pets, but as they grow larger and more threatening, many owners soon realize that they cannot care for them safely, and they release them into the wild. Unfortunately, our ecosystems cannot accommodate these massive predators, and our native wildlife suffers."
Over the last decade, tens of thousands of Burmese Pythons were imported into the United States. To date, approximately 1,000 Burmese Pythons have been removed from the Everglades. Recently, Vero Beach Police Animal Control Officers captured a 7-foot-long boa constrictor in a resident's back yard.
Rooney's bill would add the following species of snakes to the "Lacey Act," effectively banning them from importation into the United States: Burmese python, northern African python, southern African python, reticulated python, green anaconda, yellow anaconda, Beni or Bolivian python, DeSchauensee's anaconda, and boa constrictor.
Corkscrew Swamp: Winter Cold Fronts Put Small Dent In South Florida's Non-native Fish Population Even our pristine Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary isn't immune to the influx of non-native fishes that have moved into South Florida in recent decades. Currently, Southwest Florida is home to at least 17 species of non-native freshwater fishes. Most of these species have entered Florida as aquarium pets, while others were brought here to farm as exotic delicacies.
Often released (either accidentally or intentionally) into neighborhood canals or ponds, the localized flooding we experience during heavy summer rains coupled with South Florida's extensive canal system allow these opportunistic fish to move long distances relatively easily. Our interconnected waterways have allowed (and continue to allow) non-native fish to reach Southwest Florida from the large port cities north and east of us. Unfortunately, Tampa and Miami/Ft. Lauderdale are currently home to at least 23 additional non-native freshwater species that, in time, can potentially move into our area.
The non-native fish species that do especially well here are from tropical areas of Asia, Africa and Central and South America. These species (many of which are from the family of 'cichlids') are so well-adapted to our harsh aquatic environment that studies have shown some of them are better able to survive our dry-season, low oxygen conditions than our native fishes. Many of the non-natives are also larger and notably more aggressive than our native fishes. Studies conducted by Audubon biologists and others have shown marked decreases in native fish populations as non-native fish spread.
The proverbial chink in their armor, however, appears to be our winter cold spells. In addition to the manatees and snook that made news headlines, the record-breaking cold temperatures we experienced last January were responsible for killing a disproportionate number of non-native freshwater fish. In fact, Audubon's monitoring efforts in Big Cypress National Preserve have noted a marked absence of non-native fishes at several study sites since the January 2010 cold snap. Unfortunately, scientists anticipate the non-native fish population will quickly recover — perhaps even evolving more cold tolerance through time.
Because there are currently no effective methods of controlling the spread of non-native fishes once they become established, our native ecosystem is relying on us to stop the introduction and spread of these, and all non-native animals. As we learn from the consequences of Burmese pythons in the Everglades and Nile monitor lizards in Cape Coral, the importance of responsible pet ownership has never been more apparent here in Southwest Florida.
National Audubon Society has a 72-year continuous history of ecological research and recovery efforts in Florida and currently supports an active research program here in Southwest Florida. Audubon of Florida's Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary boasts a 2.25-mile boardwalk trail open every day of the year. The Sanctuary is located at the end of Sanctuary Road, 15 miles east of Interstate 5 off Immokalee Road (exit 111). For admission fees and hours, call (239) 348-9151 or visit www.corkscrew.audubon.org
Florida Panthers
Panther protection in the crosshairs House Agriculture and Natural Resources Appropriations Committee Chairwoman Trudi Williams (R-Ft. Myers) has suggested that Florida panthers no longer warrant endangered status and Representative Frank Artiles (R-Miami) has asked FWC director Nick Wiley how much money the agency spends on panther protection in these
tough economic times.Florida panther death toll already at 5 for this year The New Year continues to be deadly for endangered Florida panthers as two more were found dead today, bringing the total for January to five.
An 8-month-old uncollared male panther was found dead on the westbound lanes of I-75 (Alligator Alley) near mile marker 98 in Collier County, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
The second carcass was found in a Hendry County orange grove north of Sears Road. The 10- to 11-month old collared male was killed by intraspecific aggression.
The remains of the panther killed on the interstate were found about 1.9 miles east of a toll plaza. The cause of death was trauma associated with a collision with a vehicle, the third road-related death this year.
Both carcasses are being held at the Naples field office until they can be transported to the FWC Wildlife Research Lab in Gainesville for a complete necropsy.
On Jan. 13, a 1 1/2-year-old panther was also killed near the same mile marker of Alligator Alley as the first panther found Friday, but that one was on the eastbound lanes.
The other two panther deaths occurred in Hendry County.
An 8-month-old uncollared male panther was found dead this morning on the westbound lanes of I-75 (Alligator Alley) near mile marker 98 in Collier County, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
The remains of the panther were found about 1.9 miles east of a toll plaza. The cause of death was trauma associated with a collision with a vehicle.
The carcass is being held at the Naples field office until it can be transported to the FWC Wildlife Research Lab in Gainesville for a complete necropsy.
This is the fourth panther death of 2011 and the third road-related death.
In January 13, a 1 1/2-year-old panther was also killed near the same mile marker of Alligator Alley but on the eastbound lanes.
The other two panther deaths occurred in Hendry County.
New Estimate: Florida Panther Population could exceed 160 Cattle rancher Russell Priddy knew panthers roam his cow pastures south of Immokalee.
He had never tried to count them, but he and his wife, Liesa, started counting calves as they went missing from their JB Ranch last fall.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission confirmed at least two of the Priddys' calves and one on a neighboring pasture were killed by panthers and dispatched trackers to the Priddys' 9,000-acre ranch to try to get a handle on the problem.
Over six days in November, the team combed 3,000 acres southeast of Oil Well Road and State Road 29 and treed nine panthers, according to the trackers' report to the Conservation Commission.
"That number surprised even me," Priddy said.
Trackers said at least one of the panthers might have been counted twice, but the discovery added fuel to the debate about whether the Conservation Commission has been undercounting the number of endangered panthers in South Florida, their last holdout.
Now, in a "Statement on Estimating Panther Population Size" quietly released last week, the Conservation Commission has put a new number on the books_ 163.
State biologists say that is the upper limit of the panther's population range, replacing the old estimate of 100 to 120 panthers.
In the carefully worded statement, the Conservation Commission said the new number doesn't represent a sudden jump in the number of panthers and that the range of 100 to 120 panthers was always meant to be a minimum estimate.
Federal lawsuit contends panthers and other Florida species threatened by pesticides Two national environmental groups on Thursday filed a lawsuit claiming that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency had failed to consult with wildlife agencies on regulating pesticides that are harmful to endangered species, including the Florida panther.
The lawsuit, filed in San Francisco by the Center for Biological Diversity and the Pesticide Action Network, cites the regulation of pesticides that have been important to Florida farmers. A Florida Farm Bureau Federation representative said the lawsuit raises concerns for farmers.
The pesticides, according to the lawsuit, pose a threat to more than 200 species of endangered and threatened wildlife. They include the panther, the Key Largo woodrat, the Florida scrub jay, the piping plover, the Gulf sturgeon, the frosted flatwoods salamander, the eastern indigo snake and three mussel species found in the Apalachicola and Ochlockonee rivers.
The pesticides include the fumigant methyl bromide, which is used on strawberries, and atrazine, a weed-killer that is important to corn growers in the Midwest and sugar growers near the Everglades.
Atrazine, which has been banned in the European Union, has been found in 75 percent of tested streams and 40 percent of groundwater, according to the lawsuit. Atrazine also has been found in some residential lawn weed-killers.
"For decades, the EPA has turned a blind eye to the disastrous effects pesticides can have on some of America's rarest species," said Jeff Miller, a conservation advocate with the Center for Biological Diversity. "This lawsuit is intended to force the EPA to follow the law and ensure that harmful chemicals are not sprayed in endangered species habitats."
An EPA spokesman said the agency doesn't comment on litigation.
Methyl bromide use is declining because of increased restrictions, according to the agency. And in 2009, the EPA launched a review of atrazine's use. A scientific peer review of the atrazine study findings is pending.
Kevin Morgan, executive director of the Florida Farm Bureau Federation, said he could not comment in-depth on the lawsuit. But he did say wildlife will receive thorough consideration in the regulation of pesticides and whether they are safe if used according to label directions.
"Any lawsuit that threatens the safe use of pesticides is always a concern to farmers," Morgan said. "That is a tool in our arsenal to feed the world."
Endangered Species
Sea Turtles Win in FEMA Settlement A settlement announced Wednesday means endangered and threatened sea turtles will have a "voice" when it comes to development along parts of Florida's coast.
At issue was the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) practice of issuing federal flood insurance in coastal storm-surge areas. Conservation groups argued that the policy amounted to a federal subsidy of development in key turtle habitat. Under a court-approved agreement, FEMA will be required to consult with the Fish and Wildlife Service and other agencies under the Endangered Species Act on the National Flood Insurance Program. Manley Fuller, president of the Florida Wildlife Federation, hails the agreement.
"What's good for sea turtles is good for Florida's economy. Our beaches are world-renowned and we need to keep 'em clean and protect 'em."
Marine biologists say sea turtles that nest in Florida have had a particularly rough couple of years following two unusually cold winters and the devastating oil spill that led conservationists to relocate thousands of turtle eggs from the Gulf's oil-marred beaches.
A new report, released in conjunction with the settlement announcement, looks at other ways to increase sea turtle protection. Patty Glick, co-author of the report and senior global warming specialist at the National Wildlife Federation, says the state can begin by following the example laid out in the settlement.
"Florida can also address its own costly subsidies and incentives for coastal development under the Citizens Property Insurance Corp."
Glick adds that there is also room to improve programs that protect coastal areas in the state and increase ecosystem protections by making a serious commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Glick's report is available at www.nwf.org/seaturtlehomecoming
242 sea turtles released into the Gulf of Mexico Two hundred forty-two cold-stunned sea turtles removed from St. Joseph Bay this winter were released Wednesday into the Gulf of Mexico off Cape San Blas in Gulf County. All were green turtles. Twenty-five Kemp's ridleys, also rescued from the cold, will be released at a later date, along with green turtles that need additional rehabilitation.
Dedicated volunteers fanned out around the southern end of St. Joseph Bay Jan. 13-16 when a frigid cold front enveloped the South, triggering the third sea turtle cold-stunning event in the bay this winter. Local residents, University of Florida turtle researchers, and volunteers from the St. Joseph Bay State Buffer Preserve braved the cold to search marshy shorelines and inshore waters and to bring the immobile animals to safety. Rescuers took the turtles to Gulf World Marine Park in Panama City Beach, where they were evaluated and warmed. About half of the turtles were then moved to Florida's Gulfarium in Fort Walton Beach to provide them with more swimming space.
Dr. Allen Foley, a sea turtle biologist who oversees sea turtle rescues for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), said the cold-stunning event was triggered by the latest bout of cold weather, causing the shallow-water temperatures in the southern end of St. Joseph Bay to drop into the 40s.
"Sea turtles can tolerate water temperatures down to about 50 degrees, but when it drops below that, they're in trouble," Foley said. "St. Joseph Bay is a long bay that is open only at the north end, and turtles may become trapped when the water cools quickly."
Dr. Robbin Trindell, an FWC biological administrator who oversees sea turtle management efforts, offered high praise for the volunteers who scoured the bay, sometimes several times a day, and for staff at Gulf World Marine Park and Florida's Gulfarium.
"In addition to efforts by the volunteers and by the marine parks, Florida's sea turtles are regularly helped by the funds received from the sea turtle license plate program and by grants from the NOAA Fisheries Service, which provide funds needed for the supplies, equipment and transportation used to respond to these events," she said.
The public can help conserve and fund research for sea turtles by purchasing a specialty license plate or making $5 donations to receive a decal. Every dollar for the sea turtle plate helps sea turtles. Approximately 30 percent of the money goes to the Sea Turtle Grants program, which the nonprofit Sea Turtle Conservancy administers (visit www.helpingseaturtles.org for more information). The other 70 percent of tag revenue goes to the FWC's Marine Turtle Protection Program to support research and management activities related to sea turtles, such as the rescues during cold weather events.
Plates and decals are available at county tax collectors' offices.
To report sea turtles near the bay acting abnormally, call the FWC Wildlife Alert hotline: 888-404-FWCC (3922).
Imperiled species hint at troubled ecosystem; orchids' health speaks volumes. Deep in the silent and ancient spookiness of a cypress swamp in the Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge - complete with an 8-foot alligator - was a sight to make an orchid hunter's mouth water.
A half-dozen clamshell orchids and a dingy-flower star orchid grew on a pop ash; a few yards away, beyond a 600- to 800-year-old cypress tree, was a night-scented orchid. All three species were delicate, beautiful and endangered.
Refuge wildlife biologist Larry Richardson had waded into the cold, thigh-deep water to see how the orchids had fared during the freezes of December and January.
The verdict: They did just fine. These orchids are epiphytic, which means they grow on trees, and their host trees were growing in standing water.
"It's a simple concept," Richardson said. "Water collects solar radiation during the day and gives heat off at night to keep the orchids warm. It can be 32 degrees at night outside the swamp and 38 degrees 100 yards away in the swamp. That's enough to keep them alive."
Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge is home to 27 orchid species, 13 of which are endangered.
Keeping an eye on the health of the refuge's orchids is one task of the Florida Orchid Restoration Partnership, a cooperative effort between the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the University of Florida. Relying on graduate students from UF and Illinois College, the partnership's goal is to study, manage and preserve orchids in South Florida.
Among other things, researchers are looking at the refuge's orchid populations, orchid genetics and relationships between orchids and insects.
"Why should we worry about these little, dinky plants?" said Michael Kane, a professor in UF's Environmental Horticulture Department. "The issues are bigger than the plants. It's not just the plants. It's the pollinators and other insects that depend on specific orchid species.
"The plants are part of the overall fabric of their ecosystem. It can get pretty complicated."
The biggest reason for crashing orchid populations in the refuge, and, by projection, elsewhere in South Florida, is lack of water due to changes in hydrology.
After visiting the thigh-deep cypress swamp, Richardson drove to a dry swamp, called Unit 1 that historically held water at this time of year.
But canals dug during the construction of Interstate 75 drained the land, and Unit 1 has no water during the dry season, which also is the cold season.
As a result, orchids have no water to keep them warm - and alive - during a freeze.
"There were orchids here when there was year-round water," Richardson said. "There are no orchids now because they're freezing because there's no water because of the canals because of people like you and me."
Lack of water also has allowed cabbage palms to move in huge numbers into formerly wet areas.
These trees block sunlight, so terrestrial orchids - orchids that grown on the ground, such as pine pinks - don't flourish.
"I've found pine pinks out along road edges because that's where the sun was," Richardson said. "When we cleared cabbage palms from one area, pine pinks moved right in.
"Water is central to everything. Orchids tell us what's right and wrong about the ecosystem. If you have healthy orchid populations, you have a healthy ecosystem."
To help bring back orchid populations, researchers in the restoration partnership have learned how to grow orchids from seeds of refuge orchids.
Push is on to restore dying mangrove forest near Marco Island Mangrove experts have hatched a plan to rescue a dying mangrove forest on the edge of Marco Island.
Monitors have counted 64 acres of dead mangroves and another 209 acres of stressed mangroves along State Road 92 between Marco Island and Goodland. Another 200 acres of mangroves are at risk if something isn't done, they say.
What once was a lush green stand of mangroves providing nursery habitat for fish, and roosting and foraging spots for wading birds, has become a muddy moonscape of leafless tree trunks.
"It looks like a nuclear bomb went off if you drive out Route 92," said Marco Island resident Bob Olson, who is spreading the word about the problem and trying to raise money to fix it.
The die-off, on both sides of S.R. 92 about a mile west of Goodland, has been decades in the making, scientists say. The construction of S.R. 92 in 1938 cut off water flow into and out of the mangroves fed by Fruit Farm Creek. Heavy rains that came with Hurricane Andrew in 1992 flooded the forest. By 1995, the die-off was evident.
Too much water serves up a double-whammy. First, it essentially drowns the forest by covering parts of the black mangroves' root systems they need to deliver oxygen to the trees. Waterlogged soils lead to a buildup of toxins that causes a rotten-egg smell that wafts through nearby neighborhoods.
Last summer, crews cleaned out the existing culverts under S.R. 92 that had been clogged with dirt and blocked by a tangle of Brazilian pepper.
More needs to be done, said Central Florida-based mangrove restoration expert Robin Lewis. The restoration plan involves building three more culverts beneath S.R. 92 and cutting new tidal channels into three areas of the forest where mangroves are dead or dying. The work is estimated to cost $600,000, and there is no doubt that it will work, Lewis said.
"I would describe it as a slam dunk," he said.
Alamogordo Chimpanzee Move Postponed The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has confirmed that an aging colony of former research chimpanzees will not be returned to biomedical research for the time being. The 186 chimpanzees, which have lived free from invasive research for the past ten years while housed at a facility in Alamogordo, New Mexico, were to be moved this year to an active biomedical research laboratory in San Antonio, Texas.
According to NIH, the chimpanzees will remain at the Alamogordo facility pending "an in-depth analysis to reassess the scientific need for the continued use of chimpanzees to accelerate biomedical discoveries." The study will be conducted by the Institute of Medicine (IOM), the health arm of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS), and is expected to put the transfer on hold for approximately two years.
Dr. Jane Goodall, actor Gene Hackman, and others have strongly opposed the move. Retired New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson and Sen. Tom Udall (D-NM), along with Sens. Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) and Tom Harkin (D-IA), were instrumental in obtaining the in-depth analysis by the NAS.
In response to the recent news, Jane Goodall Institute President Maureen Smith stated, "We applaud the NIH for this decision. It is our hope that this announcement and subsequent study will lead to a broader conversation about the use of chimpanzees in invasive medical research."
Alaskan habitat designated for polar bears In good news for polar bears, the Obama Administration has designated more than 187,000 square miles along the north coast of Alaska as "critical habitat" for the bears. The important new safeguard was part of a settlement in an ongoing lawsuit brought by Natural Resources Defense Council, Greenpeace and the Center for Biological Diversity.
Under the Endangered Species Act, the federal government cannot allow any action that would harm or damage lands designated as critical habitat -- in this case, coastal lands and waters that are vital to the survival of the polar bear.
Alaska has already sued to overturn the habitat designation, even though the state's polar bears are increasingly threatened by global warming and Arctic oil development and could face extinction by 2050.
In a separate legal challenge also brought by NRDC and our allies, a federal judge is now considering whether polar bears should be granted the full-fledged endangered species protection they so urgently need.
At nearly one a day, Rhino poaching is at a shocking all-time high in South Africa The numbers are grim—rhino poaching in South Africa averaged nearly one a day in 2010. Of the 333 rhinos illegally killed last year, ten were critically endangered black rhinos, according to national park officials. This is the highest ever recorded in South Africa and nearly triple the number in 2009 when 122 rhinos were poached. Alarmingly, the new year began with another five rhinos lost to poaching.
"This is not typical poaching," said Dr. Joseph Okori, WWF African Rhino Program Manager. "The criminal syndicates operating in South Africa are highly organized and use advanced technologies. They are very well coordinated."
The current wave of poaching is being committed by sophisticated criminal networks using helicopters, night-vision equipment, veterinary tranquilizers and silencers to kill rhinos at night while attempting to avoid military and law enforcement patrols.
The recent rhino crime wave is largely attributed to the increased demand for rhino horn, which has long been prized as an ingredient in traditional Asian medicine. Its popularity increased in Vietnam after claims that rhino horn possesses cancer-curing properties, despite any medical evidence.
See what WWF is doing about rhino poaching
Everglades and Water Quality Issues
Local Elected Officials Kick Off Second Broward Leaders Water Academy Eighteen local elected officials and community leaders convened at Broward County's Government Center West in Plantation on January 19 to kick off the second Broward Leaders Water Academy. The Academy is a unique educational program that seeks to keep policymakers and business leaders informed on South Florida water management issues, and address specific Broward County water management challenges. The Academy was developed and launched as a collaboration between Broward County and the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD), and was first offered in 2008-2009.
Broward County Mayor Sue Gunzburger and SFWMD Director of Intergovernmental Programs Kim Shugar provided opening remarks at the first of five meetings of the second Academy. The initiative emphasizes the need for a cooperative approach between the County, municipalities, local water control districts and the SFWMD.
The first session opened with presentations and discussion of Broward County's water resources, followed by discussion of regional and urban water management systems, current and future water supply options and considerations, environmental implications of future water policies, planning for future growth and climate change, and a water utility perspective on water supply and pricing, including the value of conservation.
Among the issues that participants will learn about and discuss in future sessions are:
- Everglades restoration
- Water regulations
- Urban stormwater management
- Innovative water quality treatment
The final session on April 8 will conclude with a presentation of the activities, findings, and recommendations of the Broward Water Resources Task Force. The forum will allow for an idea exchange and discussion of strategies for meeting the County's long-term water supply needs and water resource goals.
Contact: Karen Moore, Manager, 954/519-0356, kamoore@broward.org
Everglades restoration pace could slow The state government's lack of liquidity could slow the pace of Everglades restoration projects aimed at expanding southern Florida's water supply.
"It's too soon to say what the prospects are," said Kirk Fordham, chief executive of the Everglades Foundation, a nonprofit that promotes rehydration of parched sections within the Everglades. "There are a lot of people making powerful arguments on behalf of education, road building, public health care," so the state's political leaders are facing "a lot of big priorities and an extremely tight [tax] revenue stream."
The state and the federal government have agreed to split the cost of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan, now estimated at $10.9 billion, up from the initial estimate of $7.8 billion. It's an ambitious, 30-year plan to acquire land, build reservoirs and complete other projects to direct clean water into the Everglades and allow less to flow into the ocean.So far, the state has provided $2.4 billion for CERP over the past decade, mostly for land acquisition, according to the state Department of Environmental Protection. But the annual appropriations have declined dramatically in recent years. "We've seen a pretty significant cut in funding for Everglades restoration appropriations in Tallahassee, from a high of $200 million in 2007 to $50 million last year," Fordham said. "Funding for Everglades restoration has taken a much bigger hit, percentage-wise, than other budget categories."
The Everglades Foundation sponsored a study by Mather Economics, a Georgia-based firm, showing that total planned CERP spending will produce an even bigger return in the form of increased economic activity across a wide range industries. "Even with a conservative estimation, you get a 4-to-1 return on investment," Fordham said. "This is really an economic imperative. If we're going to attract new businesses and create new jobs in the state, you have to be able to provide the most critical resource, and that's water."
Thirty-nine Florida groups seek to block federal water standards Representatives of 39 utility, development and agricultural groups on Tuesday sent a letter to Florida's senators and congressional representatives asking them to deny federal agency funding to implement new water quality standards.
The industry groups seem to be taking a harder line against the federal standards than some state agency officials. One state agriculture official told a House committee on Tuesday that the federal rule offered a "glimmer of hope" for some agricultural producers.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in November adopted standards for phosphorus and nitrogen in Florida's inland waterways. The agency says the specific numeric limits are needed to prevent toxic red tide at beaches and continued algal blooms in lakes and streams, costing the state tourism dollars.
But industry groups and wastewater utilities began fighting the standards more than a year ago -- before they were formally proposed. And on Tuesday, they asked Florida's senators and congressmen to deny funding for the EPA to enforce the standards, citing various studies suggesting that they will cost billions of dollars and will cause job losses.
"The rules will impact all of Florida's citizens, local governments and vital sectors of our economy," the letter said. It was signed by representatives of groups including Associated Industries of Florida, the Florida Farm Bureau Federation, the Florida Forestry Association, the Association of Florida Community Developers, the Florida League of Cities and the Florida Chamber of Commerce.
A Florida Department of Environmental Protection official in December told a House committee that the EPA had left enough flexibility in the rule to allow the state to decide whether to implement the standards. The EPA in November delayed implementation until early 2012, providing time for the state to work with industry and utility groups, said Jerry Brooks, director of DEP's Division of Environmental Assessment and Restoration.
On Tuesday, Rich Budell, director of the Office of Water Policy at the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, told the House Agriculture and Natural Resources Subcommittee that the rule offers at least a "glimmer of hope" because it allows approval of alternative pollution limits for specific waterways.
Prospects for new 'Glades plan far from certain As another grand plan to restore the Everglades fades to obscurity, a new one is emerging. But like others before in the nation's most expensive environmental restoration project, it, too, has questionable prospects for success.
Instead of trying to reconnect key segments of the historic Everglades system, the latest strategy resembles the piecemeal approach that has made only incremental progress over the last decade.
With renewed fanfare, federal officials this month announced a plan to preserve 150,000 acres in the Kissimmee River basin, north of Lake Okeechobee.
The news came months after Florida agencies acquired the fragments left from a huge land purchase plan that fell apart, largely because of the economy.
The plan to buy out one of the Everglades' biggest polluters had been touted only two years ago as the long-awaited answer for finally restoring the famous River of Grass.
Former Gov. Charlie Crist had proposed buying out U.S. Sugar's entire 187,000-acre empire in the heart of the historic Everglades ecosystem, which once stretched from near Orlando to Florida's southern tip.
But last fall, the state settled for buying just 26,800 acres.
Now, instead of reconnecting the severed link allowing water to flow between Lake Okeechobee and the rest of the Everglades farther south, officials will merely enlarge big water treatment marshes near Everglades National Park.
The shift northward to cleaning up ranch lands that flow into the lake is another in a long line of fits and starts in the protracted, $11.5 billion effort to repair a natural system considered one of the world's rare environmental gems.
Yet it fails to address two critical issues: the lake water is already far too dirty for the Everglades to handle and too much of it goes to agriculture and cities. While environmental groups view the 26,800-acre purchase and the plan to focus north as important incremental steps, they say still more needs to be done, especially with the sugar farms to the south.
"The area is being managed in complete opposition to the forces of nature," said Eric Draper, policy director for Audubon of Florida. "In the process, the rest of the Everglades is harmed against that backdrop."
Feds make splash on Everglades restoration The Obama administration's looking to improve on the federal government's awful record restoring the Everglades, proposing a $700 million program to protect 150,000 acres north of Lake Okeechobee, now producing runoff that flows south to the River of Grass.
The federal government would buy 50,000 acres for a refuge roughly in the Kissimmee River Valley. Another 100,000 acres there, much of it ranch land, would be conserved but remain in private hands, possibly with some Florida funding.
It's refreshing to see the feds make a splash: Despite an agreement in 2000 to split the restoration costs with Florida, the state's contribution has far outpaced Washington's.
Still, it's premature to fully embrace or to get too excited about the administration's effort. Its impact on the Everglades isn't clear, partly because the land buys' exact locations aren't known. And the Rick Scott administration in Tallahassee, and the cash-poor Legislature, might not help fund it.
The proposal's intriguing, however. And, as its details become known, it deserves the full consideration of Florida's policy makers.
Offshore and Ocean
Atlantic Fish Closures Aimed at Boosting Threatened Species A comeback is now underway off the Atlantic coast of Florida. That's the hope of Holly Binns with the Pew Environment Group, Tallahassee. Hers is one of several organizations praising new fishing rules that go into effect today with the goal of saving nine dwindling fish species.
"Coupled with a recently approved plan to protect severely depleted red snapper populations, this plan should put us on the right track toward a much healthier ocean ecosystem, robust fishing and recreational opportunities for the future."
The new restrictions are particularly important in a couple of cases, Binns adds.
"Two of the species, Warsaw grouper and speckled hind, are critically imperiled. It's urgent that we act now to save them."
These types of fish are frequently caught accidentally by anglers fishing for other species. Binns says the Warsaw grouper can weigh up to 400 pounds and grow to 8 feet in length, but its population has plummeted to just 6 percent of healthy levels.
Some anglers have called the new plan an example of fish taking priority over people, but Binns says it's a necessary step to preserve the species for the future. She points out that the plan is part of a larger effort to help end over-fishing, which has taken a toll on many southeastern fish species. The affected area stretches from North Carolina to the Florida Keys.
A map of the affected area is available at http://www.endoverfishing.org/
Energy
Genetically Engineered Trees (GE Trees) for Agrofuels: The Controversy Intensifies Two conflicting articles have addressed the use of trees, and especially GE trees, for the production of liquid agrofuels (cellulosic ethanol).
The first article Range Fuels Closing Cellulosic Ethanol Plant announced that Range Fuels is shutting down its Georgia-based cellulosic ethanol plant after completing only one batch of cellulosic ethanol (also known as second generation ethanol). The company cited the financial crisis and technological hurdles as the reason for shutting down despite $300 million in state, federal and private investments.
The second article, Court challenges stall new biofuel crops from the Des Moines Register, trumpets the advantages of trees for making second generation cellulosic fuels, but notes that restrictions on the use of genetically engineered trees is hampering their use.
One particularly interesting quote comes from John Heissenbuttel, co-director of the so-called Council for Sustainable Biomass Production, who states, "I do not see how we're going to make the advancements that we need to make without biotechnology."
Global Justice Ecology Project and the STOP GE Trees Campaign are collaborating with attorneys at the Center for Biological Diversity and the Center for Food Safety, as well as with the Dogwood Alliance and Sierra Club on a lawsuit to stop a field trials of GE eucalyptus trees that involve planting 260,000 GE eucalyptus trees across seven southern U.S. states. GE tree company ArborGen received permission for the field trials from the USDA in the summer of 2010, and we filed suit against the USDA on July 1st.
The USDA has, however, rejected ArborGen's request for deregulation of GE eucalyptus trees, which would have allowed ArborGen to sell the trees commercially. Despite these major hurdles with getting its GE tree "product' to the market, ArborGen is seeking investors for its GE tree breeding operations.
The fact that technological and financial hurdles have already forced one cellulosic ethanol plant to shut down should be another warning to investors about the volatility of the wood-based biofuel market.
GE eucalyptus trees and other GE versions of native trees like poplar and pine are being widely opposed in the U.S. and globally due to the potential for the GE trees to escape into native forests, damaging them and displacing wildlife. The Charlotte Observer likened GE eucalytpus to Kudzu in a damning editorial it wrote on the topic last year.
There are also concerns about human health impacts due to the toxic chemicals that would need to be used on the plantations. Use of these chemicals has already been found to contaminate soils and groundwater.
Methane gas generated by Smiths Creek, Michigan Landfill will be wasted no more. After several months of discussion and various proposals, the Michigan Public Service Commission on Thursday approved an agreement between DTE Energy and DTE Biomass, operating under the name Blue Water Renewables.
The agreement, which landfill manager Matt Williams, termed the "last big domino," allows Blue Water Renewables to move forward with the construction of a gas-to-energy generator on the Smiths Creek property.
"It was the last major hurdle for Blue Water Renewables to have in place to procure equipment and start plant design," Williams said of the agreement.
When the proper systems are installed by the end of the year, St. Clair County will be able to sell the methane to Blue Water Renewables. After converting the gas to electricity, Blue Water Renewables will sell the power to DTE Energy.
The Smiths Creek plan is among the first commercial-scale gas-to-energy productions in the country, said Scott Simons, a spokesman for DTE Energy.
"The county will get a royalty off of the gas sale," Williams said. "It will be an increased revenue stream that will benefit the county in general, but it depends on how much gas is produced."
Williams could not estimate how much the county stands to make from the deal, but said he was confident the revenue would be significant.
Simons said the generators to be installed at the landfill would produce 3.2 megawatts of electricity per hour, enough to power between 2,000 and 3,000 homes.
Williams said methane gas has been collected from the 44-year-old landfill since 2003. The landfill was producing about 350 cubic feet of methane per minute, which Williams said wasn't enough to be commercially viable to energy companies.
With the addition of a bioreactor two and a half years ago, methane output has increased significantly, Williams said. The bioreactor's addition of organic matter speeds up the decomposition rate of refuse in the landfill.
The new flow rate of 1,100 cubic feet per minute attracted 16 energy companies to the landfill's offer to sell the methane, Williams said, but Blue Water Renewables and DTE Energy won out.
Land Conservation
Everglades Headwaters Refuge; a 21st century approach to conservation In a state that regularly welcomes new residents to its abundant sunshine and pristine beaches, Cary and Layne Lightsey are links to Florida's history, the latest of six generations of Lightseys who have operated cattle ranches near the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes. They are also guardians of Florida's future.
Twenty years ago, the Lightseys recognized that their rural way of life was at risk as fast-paced development turned acres of grasslands, flat woods and marsh into buildings and asphalt. In addition, they worried that the state's great natural wonder, the Everglades, was slowly dying from altered water flows, excessive nutrients and other pollution.
"We could see what was happening to our state," Cary Lightsey said. "We were running out of green space and we were at risk of losing our heritage."
So the Lightsey family participated in an innovative conservation movement, granting what are called "conservation easements" for much of their land. In essence, they set aside 14,000 acres of their land for continued ranching and permanent protection from development.
Today, the Lightseys join other ranchers, conservationists, and federal, tribal, state and local agencies in supporting the proposed new Everglades Headwaters National Wildlife Refuge and Conservation Area. The initiative would conserve approximately 150,000 acres of vital habitat in Central Florida and ensure that rural working landscapes remain a vital part of Florida's economy.
When completed, the new refuge and conservation area will preserve the area's ranching heritage while conserving the headwaters of the Everglades by protecting and improving water quality north of Lake Okeechobee, restoring wetlands, and connecting existing conservation lands and important wildlife corridors.
Audubon: Park visitation numbers show need for Florida Forever funding The top nine most-visited parks all boasted more than 500,000 visitors in 2010. The most popular — Honeymoon Island, in Dunedin — welcomed more than 1 million. According to a 2008 Department of Environmental Protection study, for every 1,000 people attending a state park, the total direct impact on the local community is more than $43,000.
In a press release issued this morning, Audubon of Florida Executive Director Eric Draper said that the high attendance illustrates how vital Florida Forever funding is. Florida Forever is the state's largest conservation and recreation lands acquisition program.
"We are so fortunate that Florida's leaders have kept their commitment over the years to Floridians by continuing to make investments in public lands through the Florida Forever program," says Draper. "We look forward to working with the Legislature this year to continue funding for Florida Forever."
Though the Florida Forever program was allocated $300 million annually by the state legislature in 2008, the program was given only $15 million last year. And this year could see even less. The money from the program comes from deed and mortgage filing fees and, with the recession causing fewer and fewer mortgages to be recorded, the program sees fewer and fewer funds.
Draper says that the recession could, however, be a blessing in disguise for the program: "This is a wise time for the state to invest in land. … The real estate slowdown means that land is cheaper than it has been, more valuable pieces are available, and the state can get some great deals for taxpayers to preserve key conservation lands forever."
Tom Pelham: Calling DCA a 'job killer' unfair, unfounded The Department of Community Affairs (DCA), Florida's land-planning agency, is frequently blamed for the state's economic woes.
For example, during the recent election season, Gov. Rick Scott accused DCA of "killing jobs all over the state." Numerous Republican legislative candidates blamed DCA for "onerous" growth-management regulations and called for the abolishment or dismantling of the agency. Based on the campaign rhetoric, one would think DCA is responsible for the state, national and global economic collapse.
With all due respect to the critics, these accusations are contrary to the facts, do a disservice to DCA and mislead the public.
The "job killer" indictment is contrary to all evidence. The same basic growth-management system that is under attack now was in place during one of Florida's longest and biggest economic boom periods. DCA and the growth-management system did not prevent the real-estate bubble, they did not cause the bubble to burst and they will not prevent recovery.
Far from killing jobs, DCA has been facilitating future development and job creation.
During the past four years, DCA has approved local plan amendments covering 950,000 acres of land. These amendments created new unused development capacity of 600,000 residential units and nonresidential capacity of 1.5 billion square feet. These increases have occurred in all areas of the state and allow a wide range of development types such as inland ports, industrial parks, commercial centers, mixed-use projects, office parks, large and small residential developments and new towns.
Audubon of Martin County celebrates completion of Possum Long Nature Center wetland project Nathaniel P. Reed, former undersecretary of the Interior during the Nixon and Ford presidencies, addressed the approximately 200 attendees beside A.G.'s Pond along Hibiscus Avenue during the ceremony to dedicate the recently completed wetland sanctuary at Audubon of Martin County's Possum Long Nature Center on Sunday, Jan. 23.
Not the typical steep-sloped, sodded, chain-link fenced stormwater retention area, this project was designed to reduce runoff into the St. Lucie River, while simultaneously providing habitat for birds and other wildlife, and an opportunity for the enjoyment of nature by visitors.
The project was made possible by a matching fund grant from St. Lucie Rivers Issues Team, managed by the South Florida Water Management District, to fund a watershed improvement project on AoMC's property in Stuart. The grant was matched by funds from the City of Stuart to purchase and install bird-friendly upland trees and shrubs complementing the wetland project, funds from the Florida Division of Forestry and over 2000 hours of work by dozens of Audubon members and volunteers.
Scott: We "clearly need" better growth management Gov. Rick Scott on Wednesday said he supports growth management but says it needs to be improved.
Scott was among several Cabinet officials and legislative leaders along with U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla., who spoke at the Associated Press Florida Legislative Planning Session in the Capitol. They answered questions on a wide range of topics.
Scott's transition team last month recommended merging the Florida Department of Community Affairs, the Department of Environmental Protection and the Department of Transportation into a single "Department of Growth Leadership."
"I don't have a proposal today to merge those agencies," Scott said Wednesday.
"We are going to look at -- we clearly need -- growth management," Scott said. "But we ought to do growth management in a way that is not just merely slowing things down and killing jobs."
Department of Interior Announces New Safety, Environmental Oversight Offices; Much-Needed Step to Changing Industry Culture The Department of the Interior has announced the creation of two new offices - the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) and the Offshore Energy Safety Advisory Committee - that will oversee offshore oil and gas development and environmental safety. This restructuring of the Minerals Management Service follows the Commission on the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and Offshore Drilling's report on the BP disaster in the Gulf calling for widespread reform of the offshore drilling industry, including better safety regulations and more stringent enforcement by federal agencies.
Sierra Club Lands Protection Program Director Athan Manuel said, "The Deepwater Horizon tragedy showed just how flawed and broken our current regulatory system really is. The creation of specific safety and environmental oversight offices is a much-needed move to ensure that our workers, our oceans and our coastlines are protected from the interests of corporate polluters. Sadly, industry-wide disregard for the health and safety of its workers persists. We are encouraged, however, to see that the Department of Interior is already putting the Oil Spill Commission's recommendations into action.
A move away from the Minerals Management Service's traditional role as an agency whose narrow responsibilities included collecting funds and issuing permits is proof that the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement (BOEMRE) is taking significant steps to prioritize safety over corporate special interests. We look forward to working with the forthcoming chief environmental officer and taking part in an ongoing conversation about the safety of American workers and the protection of the environment.
We also call on Congress to address the funding needs of these new offices to ensure that these necessary safety and oversight efforts become an implemented reality. If we hope to learn the lessons of the BP oil disaster and prevent this tragedy from happening again, we will need to fully fund oversight and enforcement.
But the only real way to ensure we don't see another drilling disaster is to start reducing our dependence on oil now. We already have efficiency technology and clean energy solutions that will help move our nation beyond oil and make offshore drilling unnecessary.
Air Quality
Toxic Air Pollution Protections Delayed - Court Gives EPA Extension on Industrial Boiler Rule The Environmental Protection Agency today was given until February 21, 2011 to complete a safeguard for hazardous air pollution from industrial and commercial boilers and incinerators. The safeguard is designed to protect the 36 million Americans who live within three miles of these sources of air pollution by significantly lowering the releases of mercury, lead and other toxics that make people sick.
"Industry has done everything it can to delay these clean up measures," said Sierra Club Executive Director Michael Brune. "These polluters must be held accountable. Unchecked toxic air pollution from industrial plants is making our families sick."
The EPA's draft health safeguard for boilers and incinerators, proposed in June 2010 after a decade of delay, is expected to save nearly five thousand lives each year and prevent 3,000 heart attacks, 33,000 cases of aggravated asthma, and millions of acute respiratory problems. The benefits of the proposed health safeguard are projected to outweigh the costs by at least $14 billion every year. The safeguard could also result in the creation of up to 9,000 jobs as pollution controls and new technologies are installed, according to the National Association of Clean Air Agencies.
"Every day that industry succeeds in delaying these crucial protections equates to human suffering in the form of lives lost and worsened health," said Jim Pew of Earthjustice. "The rule undisputedly will prevent some of the unnecessary deaths and suffering caused by industrial boilers' and incinerators' uncontrolled emissions. Clean air saves lives, and it's time for the companies that operate these big industrial facilities to become better neighbors by keeping their toxic pollution out of our homes, our air, and our food."
Specifically, the health safeguard will reduce the amount of dioxins, soot and dangerous metals in the air. It will also slash toxic mercury pollution from these dirty plants.
Mercury is a dangerous neurotoxin that can impact a child's ability to walk, talk, read, write and learn. The mercury problem in the U.S. is so widespread that each year 300,000 babies are born at risk of learning disabilities, according to EPA. High mercury levels have also been linked to an increased risk of heart disease in men.
Cleaning up these industrial plants is just one part of efforts by the Environmental Protection Agency to lower toxic air pollution overall, addressing all of the major sources of hazardous air pollution. The EPA's action to control toxic emissions from industrial boilers and incinerators follows an Earthjustice lawsuit filed on behalf of Sierra Club. The agency has already finalized strong toxic air pollution safeguards for cement kilns, and the first ever toxic pollution limits for power plants are expected later this year.
Miscellaneous
Departing Tom Strickland leaves lasting legacy Denver lawyer Tom Strickland may have spent only two years as Interior Secretary Ken Salazar's chief of staff, but he left fingerprints all over the country. He announced last week that he would be stepping down in February and will likely return to the private sector and stay in Washington. Strickland's lasting legacy likely will be his work launching America's Great Outdoors, which is modeled after the popular and successful Great Outdoors Colorado program. It led to the passage of the 2009 public lands bill, which was heralded as one of the most important conservation measures in decades.
The two-time U.S. Senate candidate also was the architect of other important conservation projects, including the Everglades Restoration area. And when crisis struck the Gulf, and millions of barrels of oil gushed into ocean waters, Strickland made at least 20 trips to the area.
Less noticeable to the public, Salazar credits Strickland with bringing a "stellar" team to Interior. "For two years he probably gave us 80 hours a week," Salazar said.
End of "No More Wilderness" policy Last month, Interior Secretary Salazar issued a Secretarial Order ending the Bush-era "no more wilderness" policy, which prevented federal agencies from protecting wilderness-quality lands across the West from destructive oil and gas drilling.
More than 10 million acres of western lands have wilderness characteristics but have not been designated as wilderness, including Utah's Upper Desolation Canyon, Wyoming's Adobe Town and New Mexico's Otero Mesa.
In the wake of Secretary Salazar's order, it is hopeful that these spectacular lands will now be afforded the protection they need.
DEP Portal Provides Quick Click Answers The DEP website features an online Business Portal that provides easy access to a number of services – with just a click of the mouse. Both Florida residents and businesses can benefit from a variety of sites that simplify tasks such as obtaining permits and licenses, building docks and boat lifts, or removing asbestos.
Web visitors can use the site to pay DEP invoices and registration fees, or reserve park cabins. Also several maps are accessible – from those depicting ozone levels, sinkhole locations, cleanup sites and Florida's state parks and trails – to name just a few.
Several calendars are posted to bring public awareness about upcoming public meetings and workshops, and activities scheduled in Florida's 160 state parks. Air, waste and water quality reports are also easily accessible and storage tank contamination sites can be located by county.
Visit DEP's Business Portal to learn more about all the public access tools that are now available.
Another top Florida DEP official is on the way out The resignation of another top staffer has been accepted at the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, creating another high-level vacancy under new DEP Secretary Herschel Vinyard.
Janet Llewellyn, director of the Division of Water Resource Management, was told Friday that her resignation had been accepted, according to sources outside of the agency. Resignations were requested from department heads and division chiefs in December during the transition for Gov. Rick Scott.
DEP officials on Monday did not respond to requests for confirmation. A woman who answered the phone in the Division of Water Resource Management said Monday that Llewellyn no longer worked there. Llewellyn could not be reached for comment.
Thousands of dead fish in Lakes Erie and St. Clair Officials say cold weather and a fish virus likely are to blame for thousands of dead gizzard shad found recently in Lakes Erie and St. Clair, the St. Clair River and the Detroit River.
The Detroit Free Press and The Detroit News report that the weather and viral hemorrhagic septicemia, or VHS, are suspected in the fish deaths. Researchers from Michigan State University and the University of Toledo took samples of dead shad Thursday and Friday that showed signs of the fish virus.
Shad deaths are typical in the winter. It's expected to take a month to determine whether the fish had VHS.
Although not dangerous for humans, the virus has previously caused large fish kills in Lakes Ontario, Erie and Huron. It also has turned up in Lake Michigan.
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