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Eco-Voice Digest - News and Views for Oct. 12
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Eco-Voice Digest
- Spotlight - Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commisssion
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Managing fish and wildlife resources for their long-term well-being and the benefit of people.
The Florida Constitution authorizes the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to enact rules and regulations regarding the state's fish and wildlife resources. To do this, the 7 FWC Commissioners meet 5 times each year to hear staff reports, consider rule proposals and conduct other Commission business.
Stakeholder input is an important part of the FWC Commission meeting process. Because of this, FWC schedules Commission meetings at different locations across the state and offers individuals the opportunity to address the Commission about issues under consideration. FWC welcomes participation at these meetings from all stakeholders.
The FWC and its partners are working to increase and diversify participation in hunting and fishing throughout Florida in an effort known as R3 or recruitment, retention, and reactivation. For more information Florida's R3 Fishing Action Plan and Florida's R3 Hunting and Shooting Sports Action Plan
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SOUTH FLORIDA ECOSYSTEM RESTORATION TASK FORCE MEETING
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2022, 9:30 AM - 4:00 PM
CLICK HERE FOR DRAFT AGENDA
This meeting will held in person - U.S. Department of the Interior
1849 C Street, NW, Washington, DC 20240
Yates Auditorium at the Main Interior (Stewart Lee Udall) Building, Washington, DC.
Virtual participation option for members of the general public and agency staff is also available.
Click HERE to register in advance. THIS LINK IS ONLY FOR VIRTUAL ATTENDEES
After registering, you will receive email containing information about joining the meeting.
The South Florida Ecosystem Restoration Task Force (Task Force) brings together the federal, state, Tribal, and local agencies involved in restoring and protecting America’s Everglades. Information about regular Task Force meetings and operating procedures may be found here.
IDS update November 18, 2022
- South Florida Ecosystem Restoration Task Force Sponsored Integrated Delivery Schedule (IDS) Workshop
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SFWMD Seeking Public Input on Draft 2023-2028 Strategic Plan
The South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) is encouraging our partners, stakeholders and the public to provide comments on the SFWMD's Draft 2023-2028 Strategic Plan.
The plan serves as a blueprint for achieving balanced regional water resource management. The SFWMD updates the Strategic Plan annually to highlight its work to continue advancing Everglades restoration, protecting communities from flooding, meeting the region’s water needs, and engaging the public and stakeholders over the next five years.
Read the Draft 2023-2028 Strategic Plan.
The deadline to submit a comment is Friday, October 28, 2022. Comments can be submitted by completing an online public comment form.
The strategies and commitments outlined in the Draft 2023-2028 Strategic Plan will be put into action to make a positive and meaningful difference for the people and the environment of South Florida. The SFWMD encourages public participation and feedback on this important planning document.
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SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2022 AT 9 AM – 1 PM
Naples Zoo at Caribbean Gardens
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WildLandscapes
Kelly McDowell, Senior Project Manager with WildLandscapes, is the recipient of the 2021 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Division of Realty Land Legacy Award for his exceptional work with the National Wildlife Refuge System!
Kelly worked as a wildlife biologist and refuge manager for more than 30 years with the National Wildlife Refuge System, where he sought to protect special wild places through land protection, restoration, and management. In addition, he served as the Service’s lead for coordinating with the State of Texas to identify and implement land protection strategies to support recovery of wildlife and coastal habitats impacted by the Deep Water Horizon oil spill.
After he secured over $700 million in funding for wildlife conservation and helped to expand the Refuge System by almost 100,000 acres while working with diverse communities, it’s easy to say that Kelly has contributed more than his fair share to protecting the places that matter most. Congrats, Kelly!
Putting land under permanent protection — either acquiring in fee or through conservation easement — can take a while, so we are very proud to share that WildLandscapes will be closing two massive land conservation deals in the next few months.
Our last update from the Greater Everglades Ecosystem announced that a special appropriation of $35 million was included in the General Revenue Fund of the FY22 Florida Legislative Appropriations Bill to help us and our partner, Family Lands Remembered, acquire 11,142-acres of private land – and that will help to connect Everglades National Park, Fakahatchee Strand State Preserve, and Big Cypress National Preserve.
Since then, we’ve been working with the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) to finish the due diligence for this acquisition. This Autumn, the SFWMD Governing Board will meet to hopefully approve our acquisition, effectively protecting this parcel of land from development, and permanently connecting landscapes that are critically important to the Everglades’ wildlife. Protecting this parcel of land will create an important habitat corridor for Florida panther and black bear populations while helping to preserve the natural water flow of the Big Cypress Basin.
Our work in the Greater Everglades Ecosystem will not end with the closing on the 11,142-acre acquisition. WildLandscapes, in partnership with Family Lands Remembered, is actively working with stakeholders in the area to put mineral rights of Big Cypress National Preserve and Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge into public ownership, preventing drilling. Although Big Cypress National Preserve and Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge were established in the 1970s, the properties’ oil and gas rights weren’t included in the original acquisition, leaving the parks only partially protected. This created a bifurcated estate where the National Park Service and USFWS own the property’s surface rights, but don't have the legal authority to prevent the extraction of oil from these landscapes. Public acquisition of these subsurface rights is the only surefire way to permanently protect from drilling.
You can learn more about our efforts in Southwest Florida and donate to our acquisition funds here.
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Family Lands Remembered, LLC is an innovative land use and environmental consulting firm dedicated to conserving Florida’s rural lands and natural resources while promoting a more sustainable way of life.
Our expertise is in strategic planning, visioning, consensus building, permitting and other aspects of creative land use and environmental planning.
We facilitate the efforts of large landowners, conservationists, businesses and government agencies to work collaboratively and effectively to balance sustainable development with large-scale conservation of Florida’s cultural, agricultural and environmental resources.
We work on creative solutions - linking an expansion of Florida’s economy and new jobs to the protection of the natural environment for current and future generations of Floridians. Conservation and economic development go hand in hand, if properly done. Whether we are talking about land, water, energy or other resources, good conservation strategies - properly implemented - will result in lower cost and higher value for both the private and public interests.
For more information contact:
Ernie Cox
138 Santiago Drive
Jupiter, Florida
561-762-2282
[email protected]
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The lingering impacts of deadly Hurricane Ian have left Southwest Florida reeling; but a new menace has emerged this week as disease-carrying mosquitoes are blanketing the region.
With storm surge of more than 15 feet in some areas and more than 1 foot of rain in others, the landscape is soggy and saturated, perfect conditions for spreading West Nile and Dengue fever.
"They're really everywhere, all over," said Eric Jackson, spokesman for the Lee County Mosquito Control District....
What mosquitoes carry the West Nile virus and Dengue fever?
The culex variety of mosquitoes are the ones that carry West Nile virus. Aedis aegypti carry Dengue fever, which has reared its head in Southwest Florida already this year.
"We've only seen one horse with West Nile and nothing in our traps that we use to test for West Nile," King said. "(But Dengue fever) is pretty bad in Cuba right now and we've had a lot of travel cases coming in and out of Miami. And we had one local case confirmed here in August."
This mosquito only lives around humans, "and they only feed on us," King said.
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Annual Florida Groundwater Conference
RESCHEDULED!
NEW DATES: November 1 & 2, 2022
Florida Hotel and Conference Center
1500 Sand Lake Rd
Orlando, FL 32809
An American Ground Water Trust Program in cooperation with
the Florida Ground Water Association
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Our mission is to restore and maintain an ecological harmonious balance between Florida’s waterways and the human activities surrounding them. We are in the business of reducing the cost of nutrient removal, boosting the local economy by creating farm jobs and aquatic harvesting jobs, and saving Florida’s waterways at a lower cost to taxpayers than current conventional methods. https://www.agcutech.com/
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When does daylight saving time end?
Daylight saving time starts annually in the U.S. on the second Sunday in March, when clocks move ahead — or "spring forward" — by an hour, and the period ends on November’s first Sunday each year, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.
It ends — meaning clocks will "fall back" one hour — at 2 a.m. local time on Nov. 6 this year.
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Hurricane Ian left fingerprints on Everglades, but wasn’t a mangroves killer like Irma
BY ALEX HARRIS
From the air, the fingerprints of Hurricane Ian’s journey through the Everglades are easy to see: swaths of beach washed away on Cape Sable, a plume of coffee-colored water leaking into the teal of Florida Bay and a stray sailboat shoved violently ashore, taking down 10 feet of mangroves on the way. Ian’s Category 4 winds and record-breaking storm surge caused much misery in Southwest Florida, along with a death toll that passed 100 and continues to climb, but an initial visual survey of the southern Everglades, Florida Bay and Cape Sable revealed an ecosystem left largely intact. That’s good news for an area still recovering from Hurricane Irma’s wrath in 2017. That storm destroyed 40% of Everglades mangroves, NASA scientists found, and those still-decaying trees could be the source of a persistent algae bloom that is still troubling Florida Bay......
The most apparent mark of Ian’s surge on the Everglades was new deltas of light sand bursting out from what used to be contiguous shorelines, a sign that storm surge or intense rain blew out the natural barriers. These blowouts create new openings for saltwater to snake its way inland, where it can kill off freshwater plants and shift the ecosystem to a saltwater one, a process already accelerated by sea level rise. The two new ones spotted Monday appear to be minor. Mangroves along Florida Bay, Taylor Slough and Shark Valley Slough appeared to be in good shape, Davis said. But the scars from Irma were still visible. In many spots, the waterfront mangroves are green and thriving, but the inland mangroves are long dead and brown. “A lot of these trees were killed by Irma and now they’re just standing dead wood,” ....
An aerial survey of the Everglades after Hurricane Ian showed the mangroves along the southernmost coast of the Everglades were practically unscathed, although the beach suffered some erosion.
Read more at: https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/environment/article267115306.html#storylink=cpy
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Englander is sharing the latest scientific research and predictions on the coming effects from climate change and rising sea levels around the world— and what this coming coastal crisis means for you.
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More flooding King tides steadily add water to already inundated South Florida streets
BY WELLS DUSENBURY SOUTH FLORIDA SUN SENTINEL
Some parts of South Florida dealt with flooded roadways Monday with king tide season well underway. And the buildup of flood waters is likely to keep happening on and off during the next two months.....
Lauderdale saw a projected high tide of about 3.53 feet on Monday morning, the highest figure this month, according to data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Fort Lauderdale is predicted to see similar levels that will decrease over the next few days with 3.49 feet this morning, 3.39 feet on Wednesday morning and 3.25 feet on Thursday morning. That’s several inches higher than the full-moon tides of summer, which register around 3 feet, and more than a foot taller than smaller high tides of summer, which clock in closer to 2 feet. In winter, high tides might be as weak as 1.77 feet. There also were reports of flooding in Miami on Sunday with water pouring over the seawall by the river, said Robert Garcia, a senior meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Miami. .....
King tides will recur twice a month on the following dates: Today through Wednesday. Oct. 24 through Oct. 30. Nov. 6 through Nov. 9. Nov. 23 through Nov. 27. Dec. 23 through Dec. 24.
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Chris Cury - president of the Florida Association of Public Insurance Adjusters’ board of directors.
We are only beginning to get a sense of the damage Hurricane Ian brought to our state and the process of repairing that damage is beginning, as well. If you or your loved ones have experienced damage to homes and businesses, I urge you to exercise extreme caution as you document damage and estimate repairs. Do not rely on untrained people or companies to document your loss. Wait until the authorities give you the all-clear to return, and then take your own digital photos of the damages inside and outside of the home.
As president of the Florida Association of Public Insurance Adjusters (FAPIA), I have seen too many property owners who fell victim to fraud or made easy-to-miss mistakes that impacted their ability to properly recover losses and make necessary repairs.
If you have a loss, there are several steps you should consider.
Only work with state-licensed professionals. Too many of Florida’s insurance policyholders have been hurt by fraud and scams. Don’t be a victim. If any contractors, roofers or others who are not Florida licensed public insurance adjusters or attorneys offer to handle your claim, they may be engaging in criminal activity. Only public adjusters and lawyers can negotiate a claim with your insurance company, and anyone else who offers to do so may be committing a felony. Make sure any contractors or public insurance adjusters you do hire are licensed in Florida (go to www.beclaimsmart.com for easy verification),
Chris Cury is president of the Florida Association of Public Insurance Adjusters’ board of directors. He obtained his public adjusters license in Florida in 2008 and is focused on advocacy for insurance consumers.
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Which Wetlands Should Receive Federal Protection?
By Albert C. Lin
The U.S. Supreme Court opened its new session on Oct. 3, 2022, with a high-profile case that could fundamentally alter the federal government’s ability to address water pollution. Sackett v. EPA turns on a question that courts and regulators have struggled to answer for several decades: Which wetlands and bodies of water can the federal government regulate under the 1972 Clean Water Act?
Guest Column | September 30, 2022
Which Wetlands Should Receive Federal Protection? The Supreme Court Revisits A Question It Has Struggled In The Past To Answer
Wetlands like this one in California’s Morro Bay Estuary shelter fish, animals, and plants and help control flooding.
By Albert C. Lin, University of California, Davis
The U.S. Supreme Court opens its new session on Oct. 3, 2022, with a high-profile case that could fundamentally alter the federal government’s ability to address water pollution. Sackett v. EPA turns on a question that courts and regulators have struggled to answer for several decades: Which wetlands and bodies of water can the federal government regulate under the 1972 Clean Water Act?
Under this keystone environmental law, federal agencies take the lead in regulating water pollution, while state and local governments regulate land use. Wetlands are areas where land is wet for all or part of the year, so they straddle this division of authority.
Swamps, bogs, marshes, and other wetlands provide valuable ecological services, such as filtering pollutants and soaking up floodwaters. Landowners must obtain permits to discharge dredged or fill material, such as dirt, sand, or rock, in a protected wetland. This can be time-consuming and expensive, which is why the case is of keen interest to developers, farmers, and ranchers, along with conservationists and the agencies that administer the Clean Water Act — the Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
The Supreme Court has already shown a willingness to curb federal regulatory power on environmental issues. From my work as an environmental law scholar, I expect the court’s decision in this case to cut back on the types of wetlands that qualify for federal protection.
The U.S. has already lost more than half of its original wetlands, mainly because of development and pollution.
The Sackett Case
Idaho residents Chantell and Mike Sackett own a parcel of land located 300 feet from Priest Lake, one of the state’s largest lakes. The parcel once was part of a large wetland complex. Today, even after the Sacketts cleared the lot, it still has some wetland characteristics, such as saturation and ponding in areas where soil was removed. Indeed, it is still hydrologically connected to the lake and neighboring wetlands by water that flows at a shallow depth underground.
In preparation to build a house, the Sacketts had fill material placed on the site without obtaining a Clean Water Act permit. The EPA issued an order in 2007 stating that the land contained wetlands subject to the law and requiring the Sacketts to restore the site. The Sacketts sued, arguing that their property was not a wetland.
In 2012, the Supreme Court held that the Sacketts had the right to challenge EPA’s order and sent the case back to the lower courts. Now, after losing below on the merits, they are back before the Supreme Court. The current issue is whether the Sacketts’ property is federally protected, which in turn raises a broader question: What is the scope of federal regulatory authority under the Clean Water Act?
This graphic shows the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ jurisdiction over discharging dredged or fill material into wetlands under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act. Coverage of isolated wetlands without a surface connection to rivers, lakes, or harbors is less clear. USACE
What Are 'Waters of the United States'?
The Clean Water Act regulates discharges of pollutants into “waters of the United States.” Lawful discharges may occur if a pollution source obtains a permit under either Section 404 of the Act for dredged or fill material, or Section 402 for other pollutants.
The Supreme Court has previously recognized that the “waters of the United States” include not only navigable rivers and lakes, but also wetlands and waterways that are connected to navigable bodies of water. However, many wetlands are not wet year-round, or are not connected at the surface to larger water systems, but can still have important ecological connections to larger water bodies.
In 2006, when the court last took up this issue, no majority was able to agree on how to define “waters of the United States.” Writing for a plurality of four justices in U.S. v. Rapanos, Justice Antonin Scalia defined the term narrowly to include only relatively permanent, standing, or continuously flowing bodies of water such as streams, oceans, rivers, and lakes. Waters of the U.S., he contended, should not include “ordinarily dry channels through which water occasionally or intermittently flows.”
Acknowledging that wetlands present a tricky line-drawing problem, Scalia proposed that the Clean Water Act should reach “only those wetlands with a continuous surface connection to bodies that are waters of the United States in their own right.”
In a concurring opinion, Justice Anthony Kennedy took a very different approach. “Waters of the U.S.,” he wrote, should be interpreted in light of the Clean Water Act’s objective of “restoring and maintaining the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of the Nation’s waters.”
Accordingly, Kennedy argued, the Clean Water Act should cover wetlands that have a “significant nexus” with navigable waters — “if the wetlands, either alone or in combination with similarly situated lands in the region, significantly affect the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of other covered waters more readily understood as ‘navigable.’”
Neither Scalia’s nor Kennedy’s opinion attracted a majority, so lower courts have been left to sort out which approach to follow. Most have applied Kennedy’s significant nexus standard, while a few have held that the Clean Water Act applies if either Kennedy’s standard or Scalia’s is satisfied.
Regulators have also struggled with this question. The Obama administration incorporated Kennedy’s “significant nexus” approach into a 2015 rule that followed an extensive rulemaking process and a comprehensive peer-reviewed scientific assessment. The Trump administration then replaced the 2015 rule with a rule of its own that largely adopted the Scalia approach. The Biden administration has proposed a new rule that would deem waters of the United States present if either a significant nexus or continuous surface connection is present.
What's At Stake
The court’s ultimate ruling in Sackett could offer lower courts, regulatory agencies, and landowners clear direction on the meaning of “waters of the United States.” And it will likely affect the government’s ability to protect the nation’s waters.
A broad interpretation could include many agricultural ditches and canals, which might obligate some farmers and ranchers to apply for Section 404 permits. It could also ensure oversight of polluters who discharge pollutants upstream of federally protected waters.
The Sacketts assert that the permitting process imposes significant costs, delays, and potential restrictions on property use. In response, the Biden administration contends that most landowners can proceed under general permits that impose relatively modest costs and burdens.
In my view, this court’s anti-regulatory bent — and the fact that no other justices joined Kennedy’s concurring Rapanos opinion — suggest that this case will produce a narrow reading of “waters of the United States.” Such an interpretation would undercut clean water protections across the country.
If the court requires a continuous surface connection, federal protection would no longer apply to many areas that critically affect the water quality of U.S. rivers, lakes, and oceans — including seasonal streams and wetlands that are near or intermittently connected to larger water bodies. It might also mean that building a road, levee, or other barrier separating a wetland from other nearby waters may be enough to remove an area from federal protection.
Congress could clarify what the Clean Water Act means by “waters of the United States,” but past efforts to legislate a definition have fizzled. And today’s closely divided Congress is unlikely to fare any better. The court’s ruling in Sackett could offer the final word on this issue for the foreseeable future.
Albert C. Lin, Professor of Law, University of California, Davis
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
Free Water Online Newsletter
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Waters of the United States
What are "Waters of the United States"?
The 1972 amendments to the Clean Water Act established federal jurisdiction over “navigable waters,” defined in the Act as the “waters of the United States” (CWA Section 502(7)). Many Clean Water Act programs apply only to “waters of the United States.” The Clean Water Act provides discretion for EPA and the U.S. Department of the Army (Army) to define “waters of the United States” in regulations.
History of "Waters of the United States"
Clean Water Act Summary
Other CWA Policies and Guidance
“Waters of the United States” is a threshold term in the Clean Water Act and establishes the scope of federal jurisdiction under the Act. Clean Water Act programs, including Water Quality Standards, TMDLs, and sections 311, 402, and 404 address “navigable waters,” defined in the statute as “the waters of the United States, including the territorial seas.”
The Clean Water Act does not define “waters of the United States”; rather, it provides discretion for EPA and the U.S. Department of the Army to define “waters of the United States” in regulations.
Since the 1970s, EPA and the Department of the Army have defined “waters of the United States” by regulation. In the mid-1980s, both agencies promulgated a definition of “waters of the United States.”
Three Supreme Court decisions have addressed the definition of “waters of the United States.” In 1985, in United States v. Riverside Bayview Homes, Inc., the U.S. Supreme Court deferred to the Corps’ assertion of jurisdiction over wetlands adjacent to a traditional navigable water, stating that adjacent wetlands may be regulated as waters of the United States because they are ‘‘inseparably bound up’’ with navigable waters and ‘‘in the majority of cases’’ have ‘‘significant effects on water quality and the aquatic ecosystem’’ in those waters.
In Solid Waste Agency of Northern Cook County v. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (SWANCC) in 2001, the Court rejected a claim of federal jurisdiction over non-navigable, isolated, intrastate ponds that lack a sufficient connection to traditional navigable waters, noting that the term ‘‘navigable’’ must be given meaning within the context and application of the statute. The Court held that the use of “isolated” non-navigable intrastate ponds by migratory birds was not by itself a sufficient basis for the exercise of federal regulatory authority under the Clean Water Act. In 2001 and again in 2003, the agencies developed guidance to address the definition of “waters of the United States” under the Clean Water Act following the SWANCC decision.
The Court most recently interpreted the term ‘‘waters of the United States’’ in Rapanos v. United States in 2006. A four-Justice plurality stated that ‘‘waters of the United States’’ ‘‘include[ ] only those relatively permanent, standing or continuously flowing bodies of water ‘forming geographic features’ that are described in ordinary parlance as ‘streams[,] . . . oceans, rivers, [and] lakes,’” and ‘‘wetlands with a continuous surface connection’’ to a ‘‘relatively permanent body of water connected to traditional interstate navigable waters.’’
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SFWMD public meeting
What: Governing Board Meeting
When: October 13, 2022 at 9:00 a.m.
Meeting information and materials sfwmd.gov/meetings.
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Navigation Notice
Boaters are encouraged to exercise caution on Kissimmee Lake/Kissimmee River (C-38 Canal) due to high water levels. Boaters may encounter rapidly flowing water and potential submerged hazards. Boaters are advised not to navigate near the State Road 60 Bridge toward the S-65 structure. There are possible obstructions in the water including debris and floating vegetation.
Recent rains from Hurricane Ian have increased regional water levels. Existing gates and navigation locks are being used to alleviate high water conditions in the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes.
Navigational Locks
The navigational locks listed below remain closed for public access until further notice. These locks will remain closed until high water conditions in the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes and Kissimmee River recede.
- Okeechobee/Glades County: S-65E, Kissimmee River
- Okeechobee/Highlands County: S-65D Boat Lock
- Osceola/Polk County: S-65A Boat Lock
- Osceola/Polk County: S-65, Lake Kissimmee
- Osceola County: S-61, Cypress Lake and Lake Tohopekaliga
To get the latest information on navigation through SFWMD structures and waterways, click HERE and follow SFWMD on Facebook and Twitter.
Anglers and boaters may also access local waterways through other public boat ramps. Visit FWC Boat Ramp Finder to find one near you.
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Federal Council to Support Hunting, Conservation Efforts
(T)he U.S. Departments of the Interior and Agriculture announced 18 members of the Hunting and Wildlife Conservation Council.
“Hunters, anglers and outdoor enthusiasts have some of the deepest connections to wildlife and form the bedrock of habitat conservation efforts,” said Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland. “I look forward to working with the Council as we advance efforts to expand access to the great outdoors, address climate change , and safeguard the wildlife and health of the natural systems that supply our food, water and other resources. This kind of engagement is at the heart of the America the Beautiful initiative and the Biden-Harris administration’s broader conservation strategy.”
“This group of sportsmen and women will provide USDA and DOI vital insight in how we can strengthen wildlife conservation, expand recreational access, and promote rural economic development,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “They are a critical partner in preserving America’s wildlife and hunting heritage and advancing our work to protect our nation’s precious lands and waters. The Biden-Harris administration is committed to conserving, connecting and restoring America’s lands, waters and wildlife, and I look forward to working with members of the council to help achieve these objectives.” ...
For more information about the Council, visit the Hunting and Wildlife Conservation Council webpage.
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The Smithsonian Institution and E.O. Wilson Biodiversity Foundation present
Our Shared Future,
a celebration of Half-Earth Day
October 13, Washington, DC
12pm - 5:30pm EDT
Baird Auditorium, Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History
a free live event featuring
the Gullah/Geechee nation, Audubon, Smithsonian Institute, National Geographic Society, Bezos Earth Fund, WRI, American Prairie and more!
Distinguished scientists, educators and activists will discuss global conservation priorities for species and people, equitable conservation practice, 30x30, biodiversity and climate, and more.
Register
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About Florida's Springs
Check out this new documentary, created by Erika Clesi at the University of Florida. Featuring interviews from our executive Director Dr. Robert Knight, Florida Defenders of the Environment executive director Jim Gross, Alachua County Commissioner Ken Cornell, and local farmer and rancher Edward "Eddy" Roberts, this short film is full of rich imagery and important information.
You can find and share Erika's video from the UF library, here: https://original-ufdc.uflib.ufl.edu/AA00090038/00001
Watch Now
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Interactive Florida Springs Atlas
Outstanding Florida Springs have special status and protections through the Florida Springs and Aquifer Protection Act. Featuring exquisite photography from Florida Nature Photographer John Moran, historic images from the State Archives of Florida, Blue Water Audit maps, and links to data and reports, this is a one stop shop for learning about these special places. Explore all 30 Outstanding Florida Springs through our new Interactive Florida Springs Atlas: www.floridasprings.org
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The LWCF State Assistance Program was established by the LWCF Act of 1965 (Public Law 88-578) and is enacted as positive law at 54 U.S.C. § 200301 et seq. (hereinafter, “the LWCF Act”). Its purpose is to stimulate a nationwide action program to assist in preserving, developing, and assuring accessibility to all citizens of the United States of present and future generations, and visitors who are lawfully present within the boundaries of the United States, such quality and quantity of outdoor recreation resources as may be available and are necessary and desirable for individual active participation in such recreation; and to strengthen the health and vitality of U.S. citizens. The program provides matching grants to States and through States to local units of government, for the acquisition and development of public outdoor recreation sites and facilities. | |
COMMITTEE ON INDEPENDENT SCIENTIFIC REVIEW OF EVERGLADES RESTORATION PROGRESS (CISRERP)
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South Florida Ecosystem Restoration Task Force:
2020 Biennial Report Report
Purpose - The Biennial Report satisfies the requirements of the Water Resources Development Act of 1996 to report biennially on South Florida Ecosystem Restoration Task Force activities and progress made toward restoration. The reporting period for this edition is July 1, 2018 – June 30, 2020.
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News by The Seminole Tribune -
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville District, is scheduled to release the latest working draft of its Everglades restoration progress – called the 2022 integrated delivery schedule (IDS).
In a news release, the Corps said partners, stakeholders and the public are invited to watch a Zoom presentation about the IDS updates Oct. 19. The presentation is part of a daylong meeting of the South Florida Ecosystem Restoration task force in Washington, D.C.
“The IDS provides the roadmap for sequencing, planning, design, construction and operations of both federal and state projects related to Everglades restoration,” the release said, including “new or emerging issues relevant to Everglades restoration.”
Congress established the South Florida Ecosystem Restoration task force in 1996 to “ensure consistent strategies among all the partners working towards Everglades restoration.”
Those who want to join the virtual presentation are required to preregister online. A draft agenda and working draft of the IDS are also available.
The Corps said the release and presentation of the final 2022 IDS is scheduled for Nov. 18.
More information is available here.
Read Offline: Download PDF
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SFER Task Force – 2022 IDS Working Draft (updated)
The Integrated Delivery Schedule (IDS) is a forward-looking snapshot of upcoming design and construction schedules and programmatic costs at a “top” line level for the South Florida Ecosystem Restoration (SFER) Program. It includes Modified Water Deliveries to Everglades National Park, Critical Projects, Kissimmee River Restoration, non-Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP) Central and Southern Flood (C&SF), and CERP projects. The Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP) focuses on the “getting the water right.” CERP—the largest aquatic ecosystem restoration effort in the nation, spanning over 18,000 square miles—is designed to improve the health of more than 2.4 million acres.
The IDS reflects the sequencing strategy for planning, design, and construction and does not include costs for completed work or land acquisition. The IDS does not require an agency action and is not a decision document.
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Great American Outdoors Act
This landmark conservation legislation will use revenues from energy development to provide up to $1.9 billion a year for five years to provide needed maintenance for critical facilities and infrastructure in our national parks, forests, wildlife refuges, recreation areas, and American Indian schools. It will also use royalties from offshore oil and natural gas to permanently fund the Land and Water Conservation Fund to the tune of $900 million a year to invest in conservation and recreation opportunities across the country.
National parks host more than 325 million visitors every year, and the infrastructure cannot keep up without significant repairs. The network of roads, trails, restrooms, water treatment systems, and visitor facilities are aging, and many are exceeding the capacity they were designed to support.
The National Parks and Public Lands Restoration Fund will provide funding for priority projects that address the maintenance backlog at NPS facilities, including campgrounds, picnic areas, roads, trails, and other critical infrastructure.
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It features environmental education topics including watersheds, habitat, and sustainable fishing as well as fun activities for kids to learn and explore the Florida outdoors.
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Eco-Voice.org
We invite, need, members of the "green" community - NGOs, individuals, and green for-profits, to help support Eco-Voice. The suggested sponsorship donation is $100 annually, or $250 for three years, for NGOs and individuals and $250 annually or $500 for three years for for-profits. $100 to promote your "green" event of regional interest. Donations can be made online via the secure link on our website. Every dollar helps us continue this effort.
www.Eco-Voice.org
A COPY OF THE OFFICIAL REGISTRATION AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE DIVISION OF CONSUMER SERVICES BY CALLING TOLL-FREE (800-435-7352) WITHIN THE STATE. REGISTRATION DOES NOT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT, APPROVAL, OR RECOMMENDATION BY THE STATE.'' REGISTRATION# CH31394.
Checks to support Eco-Voice can be sent to Post Office Box 50161, Fort Myers, Fl 33994.
Eco-Voice has 501c3 status with the IRS.
Click on headlines, illustrations, or BOLD print for links to source of copyrighted materials and opportunities to subscribe or purchase access to more content. Eco-Voice follows "fair use" guidelines. Please also do so in comments on our Facebook page.
The opinions posted on this site are not necessarily those of the site managers or all of our sponsors.
Eco-voice can not verify the accuracy of facts asserted in commentaries but does not knowingly post articles which have serious errors.
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Eco-Voice.org
Eco-Voice, Inc. is a non-partisan, independent communication portal for individuals interested in the issues impacting the south Florida environment.
www.facebook.com/EcoVoice.org
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