|
Videos on Sarasota County Planning and Zoning:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=voM6y6iXqYo overview of the Zoning, Rezones and Special Exceptions and the hearing process. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kuOJsGkEmGE&t=40s overview of the department. |
Resources for students interested in environmental issues:
Getting Involved in Environmental Law Going Green On Campus Green Career Guidebook Green Careers Beyond Solar Student's Guide to Global Warming |
October 25, 2018 - Hillsborough County Up in Arms Over Clay Waste Imports
Christopher O'Donnell, Staff Writer for the Tampa Bay Times reported in the October 9th edition of the TBT that some 40 people attended a special hearing in Hillsborough County to oppose a proposal by Mosaic to begin shipping clay wastes from Hardee County to Hillsborough, reneging on a previous agreement with the county to refrain from dumping any more clay waste in Hillsborough than it produced from its operations there..
See O'Donnell's article here:
As reported in 3PR News of September 10th... Mosaic, finding it necessary to bow to "global economic pressures," is scaling back mining in neighboring Hardee County, withdrawing two of its 3 draglines and closing its beneficiation operations located at Fort Green.
"Beneficiation" is a euphemistic term used by the industry to describe the separation of sand and clay from the phosphate matrix which yields the coveted "gray gold," or phosphate pebbles, Once the clay and sand is separated it can never be recombined, and it is forever contaminated by the infamous chemical reagents used to facilitate the separation or "float" process. These chemical reagents, mostly fuel oil, as well as sulfuric acid and "amines." remain in the clay and sand. The clay is deposited into vast containment areas called CSA's. These containments are typically 60 feet above grade in the active stage, and compose 40% of the total mine site area. In the proposed 18,000 acre DeSoto Mine, for example, over 4000 acres would be dedicated to clay waste containment. There the clay is left to leach in the sun as it gradually, but never completely, solidifies or consolidates.
If one were to drive through "reclaimed" phosphate land, as, for example, from Fort Green to Bradley Junction via the mythical Stream Song resort (a world-class golf course Mosaic constructed a few years ago to prove that even old phosphate mines have commercial potential) you would observe miles upon miles of these abandoned CSAs. They never subside to the original grade of the land. Their banks are overgrown with cat-tails and Cogon Grass, an invasive Asian grass considered to be world's most pernicious weed. The surface of the clay solidifies but the lower layers remain sticky and plastic, unlike any natural soil compound. Therefore they do not support normal agricultural use. The CSA's, like most formerly mined land, show elevated levels of radio-activity, and are not suitable for residential development.
The water that accumulates at the surface of these waste clay containments is recirculated throughout the mine, combined with ground water, and used by the high pressure hydraulic jets that produce the slurry which allows the phosphate ore to be pumped and transported from the mine cuts through a network of pipelines to the the float plant.
Is it any wonder that the rural population of Hillsborough County would not relish the prospect of receiving greater quantities of this hideous witches' brew from another county, of seeing the clay waste containment areas looming far above the natural lay of the land, while the unnatural and polluted contents become more and more impervious to natural absorption, and more and more susceptible to breaching their banks over the years, long after the phosphate industry has dismantled its operations and moved on to greener pastures?
Christopher O'Donnell, Staff Writer for the Tampa Bay Times reported in the October 9th edition of the TBT that some 40 people attended a special hearing in Hillsborough County to oppose a proposal by Mosaic to begin shipping clay wastes from Hardee County to Hillsborough, reneging on a previous agreement with the county to refrain from dumping any more clay waste in Hillsborough than it produced from its operations there..
See O'Donnell's article here:
As reported in 3PR News of September 10th... Mosaic, finding it necessary to bow to "global economic pressures," is scaling back mining in neighboring Hardee County, withdrawing two of its 3 draglines and closing its beneficiation operations located at Fort Green.
"Beneficiation" is a euphemistic term used by the industry to describe the separation of sand and clay from the phosphate matrix which yields the coveted "gray gold," or phosphate pebbles, Once the clay and sand is separated it can never be recombined, and it is forever contaminated by the infamous chemical reagents used to facilitate the separation or "float" process. These chemical reagents, mostly fuel oil, as well as sulfuric acid and "amines." remain in the clay and sand. The clay is deposited into vast containment areas called CSA's. These containments are typically 60 feet above grade in the active stage, and compose 40% of the total mine site area. In the proposed 18,000 acre DeSoto Mine, for example, over 4000 acres would be dedicated to clay waste containment. There the clay is left to leach in the sun as it gradually, but never completely, solidifies or consolidates.
If one were to drive through "reclaimed" phosphate land, as, for example, from Fort Green to Bradley Junction via the mythical Stream Song resort (a world-class golf course Mosaic constructed a few years ago to prove that even old phosphate mines have commercial potential) you would observe miles upon miles of these abandoned CSAs. They never subside to the original grade of the land. Their banks are overgrown with cat-tails and Cogon Grass, an invasive Asian grass considered to be world's most pernicious weed. The surface of the clay solidifies but the lower layers remain sticky and plastic, unlike any natural soil compound. Therefore they do not support normal agricultural use. The CSA's, like most formerly mined land, show elevated levels of radio-activity, and are not suitable for residential development.
The water that accumulates at the surface of these waste clay containments is recirculated throughout the mine, combined with ground water, and used by the high pressure hydraulic jets that produce the slurry which allows the phosphate ore to be pumped and transported from the mine cuts through a network of pipelines to the the float plant.
Is it any wonder that the rural population of Hillsborough County would not relish the prospect of receiving greater quantities of this hideous witches' brew from another county, of seeing the clay waste containment areas looming far above the natural lay of the land, while the unnatural and polluted contents become more and more impervious to natural absorption, and more and more susceptible to breaching their banks over the years, long after the phosphate industry has dismantled its operations and moved on to greener pastures?
News from the Florida Conservation Coalition
FCC News Brief - October 25, 2018By Haley Burger on Oct 25, 2018 08:00 am
Read President Trump signs law authorizing reservoir to cut Lake Okeechobee discharges - “Building the reservoir to cut Lake Okeechobee discharges is now federal law. President Donald Trump signed the federal Water Resources Development Act Tuesday. WRDA includes a nationwide list of water projects that included the reservoir south of the lake. The law authorizes but doesn't allocate money for the feds to pay their half of the $1.6 billion Everglades Agricultural Area Reservoir. The appropriation process could take a couple of years to get money rolling. In late spring 2017, the Florida Legislature approved, and Gov. Rick Scott signed into law, both the proposal to build the reservoir and a mechanism to pay for it. With 'consistent funding,' designing and building the 16,600-acre project will take nine to 10 years, said South Florida Water Management District spokesman Randy Smith.” Tyler Treadway, Ali Schmitz report for the Treasure Coast Newspapers.
Read Lake Okeechobee reservoir is a point of agreement and contention - “Daniel Andrews, with Captains for Clean Water, is questioning the motives of U.S. Sugar in the midst of the SWFL water quality crisis. ‘Sugar often likes to put blame on north of the lake,’ Andrews said. ‘It kind of gives them a way to pass the blame, but really the Everglades agriculture area sits in the way of sending water south,’ This comes after U.S. Sugar said the 16,000 acre reservoir being built south of the lake will not impede harmful Lake Okeechobee discharges. 'It was a good thing for the Everglades,' Malcom Wade, senior vice president for U.S. Sugar, said. 'It had a minor benefit for the estuary discharges. It wasn’t the primary purpose and now it’s turning into a primary purpose.' Both candidates for governor in the state of Florida, Mayor Andrew Gillum and former Congressman Ron DeSantis, have been big supporters of the reservoir. Both candidates for governor in the state of Florida, Mayor Andrew Gillum and former Congressman Ron DeSantis, have been big supporters of the reservoir. 'I was the one that got White House approval for the federal component of the southern reservoir, which we will get online,' DeSantis said. 'We were billed because what you need to do is you need to send water into that reservoir, clean it and send it south to the Everglades and Florida bay, so you’re not discharging the polluted water into the Caloosahatche and St. Lucie estuaries. 'I’ll be able to get that done,' DeSantis said. 'Not only is it agriculture that plays a role, but it’s also some of the hyper developments taking place north of Lake Okeechobee,' Gillum said. 'We need to deal with all that in the state.' But Wade said we should focus mainly on the north. 'We’ve got to figure out how we stop that water from coming in,' Wade said, 'and having to be discharged from out of the lake.' But Andrews disagrees. 'We can’t stop the water from flowing into Lake Okeechobee,' Andrews said. 'That’s the way it’s always flowed; that’s the way it always will.” Brendon Leslie and Michael Mora report for WINK News.
Read Here are key environmental differences between Gillum, DeSantis -“What do you do when two opposing candidates tell you what you want to hear? In Florida’s governor’s race, both candidates have told us they hate toxic algae and love the Everglades and our estuary. They have both checked YES to the key questions in the Bullsugar survey. Both promised not to take Big Sugar money. For Ron DeSantis, it turns out that only applies to direct contributions to his campaign. Associated Industries of Florida and the Florida Chamber of Commerce political action committees, with heavy support from Big Sugar, will be involved in the campaign against Andrew Gillum. Tracing all of the PAC influence on either campaign is difficult to impossible. They differ in philosophy. DeSantis has promised to dismantle regulations that burden business and to veto any tax increases. Gillum has promised strict enforcement of regulations and a resumption of the corporate income tax to raise teachers’ pay and meet the state’s environmental challenges. They differ in background. DeSantis has been in Congress fighting for deregulation as part of the Freedom Caucus. His ratings by national conservation organizations run from 0 to 2 percent. Gillum has been mayor of Tallahassee. The city was named a Green City for protecting natural resources.The city's parks and recreation department was selected 'Best in America.' Mayor Gillum also spearheaded a 120-acre solar farm that provides clean, affordable power for residents of Tallahassee. They differ decidedly on whether they are continuing Florida’s legacy of successful environmental programs or are promising dramatic change in the face of mounting environmental problems… Gillum’s platform states, 'Decades of mismanagement, under-funding and ignoring science have led to catastrophic results for our coastal communities, lakes and rivers.' DeSantis' new campaign chair, on loan from Ballard Partners — which lobbies for U.S. Sugar — announced: 'I think Ron DeSantis can build on the legacy that Rick Scott has built for eight years in Florida.' The starkest difference between the two is on climate change. That difference may be critical to Florida’s future... The candidates appear to differ on how much water we need to send south. DeSantis has applauded the small EAA reservoir proposed by the South Florida Water Management District. Scientists have questioned it. Now that Congress has authorized an EAA reservoir as part of the Water Resources Development Act, we need to listen to hydrologists and enlarge the reservoir to make it work for all of us. Gillum has promised to follow science and make sure the EAA component of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan sends enough clean water south to meet CERP goals and the challenge of climate change. Those of us who have watched for the last decade know that continuing Florida’s current legacy will make things worse. Facing the challenge of change and making Florida a leader in caring for its environment seems like a better way to go.” Maggy Hurchalla writes Opinion for the TCPalm.
Read This South Florida haunted house stages a real-life horror: environmental apocalypse - “What’s scarier than a world where an environmental apocalypse has destroyed all we hold dear? This Halloween, Space of Mind, a homeschooling center in Delray Beach, will produce an educational, dystopian haunted house titled Planet SOS that displays an environment ravaged by wasteful humans. 'The goal [of Planet SOS] is to educate and inspire, not just scare… It’s supposed to scare people into changing their habits,' says Ali Kaufman, founder and CEO of Space of Mind. 'We’re going to tell the story through the lens of our own experience, so everyone here [in South Florida] can relate to it. We look at sea level rise, rising temperatures, the impact of toxic chemicals in the air, [and] what happens if the food supply and ecosystem are depleted.' Space of Mind’s academic theme this year is 'Our Planet, Our Health.' For Halloween, the students learned about environmental risk factors in their science classes, creating research reports and using evidence-based research skills. The reports were then turned into scripts and storyboarded to make science documentaries, which will be featured at the haunted house. In the humanities classes, students translated the scientific facts they gleaned from research and wrote horror stories for Planet SOS. This is Space of Mind’s fifth-annual haunted house, and while earlier events earned a reputation as frightening, Kaufman says this version may be the scariest yet: 'The reality is — and this is supported by this year’s climate report — that it’s down to ten years to solve this problem. This year’s haunted house is based on the present and the future, and the real facts are superhauntingly real,' she says...Despite the evidence, which is documented unequivocally in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s report released earlier this October, many in the current U.S. government continue to deny the effects of climate change. Kaufman wishes all politicians, Republican and Democrat, could come to Planet SOS. 'For those who do not believe the evidence is real, the kids can educate them on how they learned research skills and gathered facts and why they are not made up,' she says. 'And the politicians on the side of environmental science will be proud of the kids and how they communicate this message.” Read Minhae Shim Roth reports for the Miami New Times.
Read Conservation groups file lawsuit to protect Florida bonneted bats- “They’re called bonneted bats because their broad ears extend over their forehead like a bonnet. They’re endangered and several conservation groups say federal officials aren’t doing enough to protect them. This week, three conservation groups sued U.S Fish and Wildlife Service to protect the Florida bonneted bats. The species is at the brink of extinction due to urban and agricultural sprawl and climate change, according to Center for Biological Diversity. In the lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., the groups allege that although the bats received protection under the Endangered Species Act in 2013, the Fish and Wildlife Service has failed to designate habitat to save the species. 'We can’t save Florida bonneted bats without protecting the places where they live and forage,' said Rachael Curran, a Center for Biological Diversity attorney based in Florida, in a news release. 'If these bats are to have any chance at surviving sea-level rise, federal wildlife officials need to protect their remaining habitat now.' Protecting their habitat will also help save other species, including butterflies, moths and skippers, the groups said. Florida bonneted bats live in old tree cavities and artificial structures. They eat insects over open spaces like fresh water and wetlands. There are about 26 colonies of these bats at 11 different sites in southern and southwestern Florida. But the projected sea-level rise could flood nine of the 11 sites, according to the Center for Biological Diversity. Studies show federally-protected species are more than twice as likely to recover from an endangered status.” Naseem S. Miller reports for the St. Augustine Record.
FCC News Brief - October 25, 2018By Haley Burger on Oct 25, 2018 08:00 am
Read President Trump signs law authorizing reservoir to cut Lake Okeechobee discharges - “Building the reservoir to cut Lake Okeechobee discharges is now federal law. President Donald Trump signed the federal Water Resources Development Act Tuesday. WRDA includes a nationwide list of water projects that included the reservoir south of the lake. The law authorizes but doesn't allocate money for the feds to pay their half of the $1.6 billion Everglades Agricultural Area Reservoir. The appropriation process could take a couple of years to get money rolling. In late spring 2017, the Florida Legislature approved, and Gov. Rick Scott signed into law, both the proposal to build the reservoir and a mechanism to pay for it. With 'consistent funding,' designing and building the 16,600-acre project will take nine to 10 years, said South Florida Water Management District spokesman Randy Smith.” Tyler Treadway, Ali Schmitz report for the Treasure Coast Newspapers.
Read Lake Okeechobee reservoir is a point of agreement and contention - “Daniel Andrews, with Captains for Clean Water, is questioning the motives of U.S. Sugar in the midst of the SWFL water quality crisis. ‘Sugar often likes to put blame on north of the lake,’ Andrews said. ‘It kind of gives them a way to pass the blame, but really the Everglades agriculture area sits in the way of sending water south,’ This comes after U.S. Sugar said the 16,000 acre reservoir being built south of the lake will not impede harmful Lake Okeechobee discharges. 'It was a good thing for the Everglades,' Malcom Wade, senior vice president for U.S. Sugar, said. 'It had a minor benefit for the estuary discharges. It wasn’t the primary purpose and now it’s turning into a primary purpose.' Both candidates for governor in the state of Florida, Mayor Andrew Gillum and former Congressman Ron DeSantis, have been big supporters of the reservoir. Both candidates for governor in the state of Florida, Mayor Andrew Gillum and former Congressman Ron DeSantis, have been big supporters of the reservoir. 'I was the one that got White House approval for the federal component of the southern reservoir, which we will get online,' DeSantis said. 'We were billed because what you need to do is you need to send water into that reservoir, clean it and send it south to the Everglades and Florida bay, so you’re not discharging the polluted water into the Caloosahatche and St. Lucie estuaries. 'I’ll be able to get that done,' DeSantis said. 'Not only is it agriculture that plays a role, but it’s also some of the hyper developments taking place north of Lake Okeechobee,' Gillum said. 'We need to deal with all that in the state.' But Wade said we should focus mainly on the north. 'We’ve got to figure out how we stop that water from coming in,' Wade said, 'and having to be discharged from out of the lake.' But Andrews disagrees. 'We can’t stop the water from flowing into Lake Okeechobee,' Andrews said. 'That’s the way it’s always flowed; that’s the way it always will.” Brendon Leslie and Michael Mora report for WINK News.
Read Here are key environmental differences between Gillum, DeSantis -“What do you do when two opposing candidates tell you what you want to hear? In Florida’s governor’s race, both candidates have told us they hate toxic algae and love the Everglades and our estuary. They have both checked YES to the key questions in the Bullsugar survey. Both promised not to take Big Sugar money. For Ron DeSantis, it turns out that only applies to direct contributions to his campaign. Associated Industries of Florida and the Florida Chamber of Commerce political action committees, with heavy support from Big Sugar, will be involved in the campaign against Andrew Gillum. Tracing all of the PAC influence on either campaign is difficult to impossible. They differ in philosophy. DeSantis has promised to dismantle regulations that burden business and to veto any tax increases. Gillum has promised strict enforcement of regulations and a resumption of the corporate income tax to raise teachers’ pay and meet the state’s environmental challenges. They differ in background. DeSantis has been in Congress fighting for deregulation as part of the Freedom Caucus. His ratings by national conservation organizations run from 0 to 2 percent. Gillum has been mayor of Tallahassee. The city was named a Green City for protecting natural resources.The city's parks and recreation department was selected 'Best in America.' Mayor Gillum also spearheaded a 120-acre solar farm that provides clean, affordable power for residents of Tallahassee. They differ decidedly on whether they are continuing Florida’s legacy of successful environmental programs or are promising dramatic change in the face of mounting environmental problems… Gillum’s platform states, 'Decades of mismanagement, under-funding and ignoring science have led to catastrophic results for our coastal communities, lakes and rivers.' DeSantis' new campaign chair, on loan from Ballard Partners — which lobbies for U.S. Sugar — announced: 'I think Ron DeSantis can build on the legacy that Rick Scott has built for eight years in Florida.' The starkest difference between the two is on climate change. That difference may be critical to Florida’s future... The candidates appear to differ on how much water we need to send south. DeSantis has applauded the small EAA reservoir proposed by the South Florida Water Management District. Scientists have questioned it. Now that Congress has authorized an EAA reservoir as part of the Water Resources Development Act, we need to listen to hydrologists and enlarge the reservoir to make it work for all of us. Gillum has promised to follow science and make sure the EAA component of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan sends enough clean water south to meet CERP goals and the challenge of climate change. Those of us who have watched for the last decade know that continuing Florida’s current legacy will make things worse. Facing the challenge of change and making Florida a leader in caring for its environment seems like a better way to go.” Maggy Hurchalla writes Opinion for the TCPalm.
Read This South Florida haunted house stages a real-life horror: environmental apocalypse - “What’s scarier than a world where an environmental apocalypse has destroyed all we hold dear? This Halloween, Space of Mind, a homeschooling center in Delray Beach, will produce an educational, dystopian haunted house titled Planet SOS that displays an environment ravaged by wasteful humans. 'The goal [of Planet SOS] is to educate and inspire, not just scare… It’s supposed to scare people into changing their habits,' says Ali Kaufman, founder and CEO of Space of Mind. 'We’re going to tell the story through the lens of our own experience, so everyone here [in South Florida] can relate to it. We look at sea level rise, rising temperatures, the impact of toxic chemicals in the air, [and] what happens if the food supply and ecosystem are depleted.' Space of Mind’s academic theme this year is 'Our Planet, Our Health.' For Halloween, the students learned about environmental risk factors in their science classes, creating research reports and using evidence-based research skills. The reports were then turned into scripts and storyboarded to make science documentaries, which will be featured at the haunted house. In the humanities classes, students translated the scientific facts they gleaned from research and wrote horror stories for Planet SOS. This is Space of Mind’s fifth-annual haunted house, and while earlier events earned a reputation as frightening, Kaufman says this version may be the scariest yet: 'The reality is — and this is supported by this year’s climate report — that it’s down to ten years to solve this problem. This year’s haunted house is based on the present and the future, and the real facts are superhauntingly real,' she says...Despite the evidence, which is documented unequivocally in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s report released earlier this October, many in the current U.S. government continue to deny the effects of climate change. Kaufman wishes all politicians, Republican and Democrat, could come to Planet SOS. 'For those who do not believe the evidence is real, the kids can educate them on how they learned research skills and gathered facts and why they are not made up,' she says. 'And the politicians on the side of environmental science will be proud of the kids and how they communicate this message.” Read Minhae Shim Roth reports for the Miami New Times.
Read Conservation groups file lawsuit to protect Florida bonneted bats- “They’re called bonneted bats because their broad ears extend over their forehead like a bonnet. They’re endangered and several conservation groups say federal officials aren’t doing enough to protect them. This week, three conservation groups sued U.S Fish and Wildlife Service to protect the Florida bonneted bats. The species is at the brink of extinction due to urban and agricultural sprawl and climate change, according to Center for Biological Diversity. In the lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., the groups allege that although the bats received protection under the Endangered Species Act in 2013, the Fish and Wildlife Service has failed to designate habitat to save the species. 'We can’t save Florida bonneted bats without protecting the places where they live and forage,' said Rachael Curran, a Center for Biological Diversity attorney based in Florida, in a news release. 'If these bats are to have any chance at surviving sea-level rise, federal wildlife officials need to protect their remaining habitat now.' Protecting their habitat will also help save other species, including butterflies, moths and skippers, the groups said. Florida bonneted bats live in old tree cavities and artificial structures. They eat insects over open spaces like fresh water and wetlands. There are about 26 colonies of these bats at 11 different sites in southern and southwestern Florida. But the projected sea-level rise could flood nine of the 11 sites, according to the Center for Biological Diversity. Studies show federally-protected species are more than twice as likely to recover from an endangered status.” Naseem S. Miller reports for the St. Augustine Record.
Earthjustice Newsletter 10/24/2018
Florida Today
Red tide eases in Brevard, but dead fish still wash upPublished Oct 24, 2018 by Jim Waymer
CLOSE Is it safe for my pet? Is it harmful to me? Learn the health risks associated with Red Tide. GINNY BEAGAN/TCPALM Wochit Red tide levels decreased slightly this week, but higher levels in Southwe…
View full article analysisDaytona Beach News Journal
FWC report: Red tide reaches Volusia CountyPublished Oct 20, 2018 by Dinah Voyles Pulver
Fish kills also were reported, but beach officials say they've seen no sign of red tide on local beaches Despite a report released Friday by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission stati…
View full article analysisFlorida Today
Tests confirm red tide on Brevard County beachesPublished Oct 17, 2018 by Jim Waymer
CLOSE Although test results to confirm red tide are not in yet, hundreds of dead fish are lining the shores of Indian River County beaches. GINNY BEAGAN/TCPALM Wochit Buy Photo The dog beach at Canova…
View full article analysisTCPalm
Clean water movement splitting along partisan lines as election draws nearerPublished Oct 19, 2018 by Gil Smart
CLOSE Blue-green algae and red tide. What's the difference. Wochit Buy Photo Local residents protest Lake Okeechobee discharges during a news conference held by Bullsugar and the River Warriors in thi…
View full article analysisSarasota Herald-Tribune
Green groups blast DeSantis endorsement by Everglades TrustPublished Oct 19, 2018 by Jim Turner News Service of Florida
Environmental groups expressed indignation this week after the Everglades Trust endorsed Republican gubernatorial candidate Ron DeSantis. But the support from the Everglade Trust, which backed DeSanti…
View full article analysisPolitico
Here's what happened during Florida's commissioner of agriculture debatePublished Oct 21, 2018 by Samantha J. Gross
Trump signs water projects bill; 1 aimed at Fla. toxic algaePublished Oct 23, 2018 by MATTHEW DALY
President Donald Trump on Tuesday signed a wide-ranging bill to improve the nation's water infrastructure, including a Florida project intended to reduce toxic algae blooms that have devastated coasta…
View full article analysisOrlando Sentinel
Bill Nelson, Rick Scott release new ads on environment and TrumpPublished Oct 19, 2018 by Steven Lemongello
Scientists to study red tide impact on humansPublished Oct 14, 2018 by The Associated Press
Scientists are studying whether red tide exposure impacts human health. Researchers from Florida Atlantic University's Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute are taking take nasal swabs, blood and urin…
View full article analysisTampa Bay Times
14-year-long spill in gulf could become worst in U.S. historyPublished Oct 22, 2018
By Darryl Fears NEW ORLEANS — An oil spill that has been quietly leaking millions of barrels into the Gulf of Mexico has gone unplugged for so long that it now verges on becoming one of the worst offs…
View full article analysisSarasota Herald-Tribune
Mote launches red tide institutePublished Oct 22, 2018 by Will Wang
Mote Marine Laboratory on Monday announced the launch of its new Red Tide Institute, backed by a $1 million donation from the Andrew and Judith Economos Charitable Foundation. The institute will focus…
View full article analysisTallahassee Democrat
FSU doc examines the endangered Apalachicola RiverPublished Oct 22, 2018 by Dave Heller
A powerful new film produced by Florida State University students, spotlighting a critically endangered river system near Tallahassee, premieres at 5 p.m. todayat FSU's Student Life Cinema. The one-ho…
View full article analysisSarasota Herald-Tribune
Return of red tide?Published Oct 22, 2018 by Carlos R. Munoz
SARASOTA - A relentless Florida red tide bloom could make its way back toward Sarasota-Manatee beaches before the weekend, according to weather experts, who predict three days of onshore winds. The bl…
View full article analysisSarasota Herald-Tribune
Hurricane Willa remnants could steer red tide toward Sarasota-ManateePublished Oct 22, 2018 by Carlos R. Munoz
Carlton: Reasons to support Amendment 9Published Oct 22, 2018 by Lisa Carlton, Guest Columnist
Florida voters concerned about clean beaches and unpolluted air will want to pay special attention to Amendment 9 on the general election ballot. Without doubt, Amendment 9 is Florida’s chance to leav…
View full article analysisTallahassee Democrat
‘If being green will get us elected, then, we’re green (cough!) for now’ | Carl HiaasenPublished Oct 23, 2018 by Carl Hiaasen, Tribune Content Agency
Hurricane Michael Offers More Climate Change EvidencePublished Oct 15, 2018 by Rising Up
Listen to story: FEATURING TANIA GALLONI – President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump visited areas of the Florida panhandle affected by Hurricane Michael on Monday. Trump told reporters he was goin…
View full article analysisfloridapolitics.com
Environmental groups’ ad batters Rick Scott on red tidePublished Oct 23, 2018 by Scott Powers
New players have entered the gathering of outside groups seeking to sway Florida voters in the U.S. Senate race, with two national environmental committees launching a TV commercial Tuesday battering …
View full article analysisfloridapolitics.com
Environmental group spends big on Andrew Gillum pitchPublished Oct 22, 2018 by Danny McAuliffe
Red Tide Continues in Northwest FloridaPublished Oct 18, 2018 by Jennie McKeon
Red tide blooms continue to be present in Northwest Florida. According to its midweek update issued Wednesday afternoon, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) reported that bloom…
View full article analysisThe News-Press
Floridas environment is at historic crossroads, and its leaders must act decisivelyPublished Oct 19, 2018 by USA TODAY Network-Florida ial Boards
CLOSE Aerial view of toxic algae bloom flowing in a canal Friday, July 14, 2018 in Cape Coral, Florida. news-press.com, news-press.com As the effects of red tide linger in Southwest Florida, a dead fi…
View full article analysis
Florida Today
Red tide eases in Brevard, but dead fish still wash upPublished Oct 24, 2018 by Jim Waymer
CLOSE Is it safe for my pet? Is it harmful to me? Learn the health risks associated with Red Tide. GINNY BEAGAN/TCPALM Wochit Red tide levels decreased slightly this week, but higher levels in Southwe…
View full article analysisDaytona Beach News Journal
FWC report: Red tide reaches Volusia CountyPublished Oct 20, 2018 by Dinah Voyles Pulver
Fish kills also were reported, but beach officials say they've seen no sign of red tide on local beaches Despite a report released Friday by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission stati…
View full article analysisFlorida Today
Tests confirm red tide on Brevard County beachesPublished Oct 17, 2018 by Jim Waymer
CLOSE Although test results to confirm red tide are not in yet, hundreds of dead fish are lining the shores of Indian River County beaches. GINNY BEAGAN/TCPALM Wochit Buy Photo The dog beach at Canova…
View full article analysisTCPalm
Clean water movement splitting along partisan lines as election draws nearerPublished Oct 19, 2018 by Gil Smart
CLOSE Blue-green algae and red tide. What's the difference. Wochit Buy Photo Local residents protest Lake Okeechobee discharges during a news conference held by Bullsugar and the River Warriors in thi…
View full article analysisSarasota Herald-Tribune
Green groups blast DeSantis endorsement by Everglades TrustPublished Oct 19, 2018 by Jim Turner News Service of Florida
Environmental groups expressed indignation this week after the Everglades Trust endorsed Republican gubernatorial candidate Ron DeSantis. But the support from the Everglade Trust, which backed DeSanti…
View full article analysisPolitico
Here's what happened during Florida's commissioner of agriculture debatePublished Oct 21, 2018 by Samantha J. Gross
Trump signs water projects bill; 1 aimed at Fla. toxic algaePublished Oct 23, 2018 by MATTHEW DALY
President Donald Trump on Tuesday signed a wide-ranging bill to improve the nation's water infrastructure, including a Florida project intended to reduce toxic algae blooms that have devastated coasta…
View full article analysisOrlando Sentinel
Bill Nelson, Rick Scott release new ads on environment and TrumpPublished Oct 19, 2018 by Steven Lemongello
Scientists to study red tide impact on humansPublished Oct 14, 2018 by The Associated Press
Scientists are studying whether red tide exposure impacts human health. Researchers from Florida Atlantic University's Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute are taking take nasal swabs, blood and urin…
View full article analysisTampa Bay Times
14-year-long spill in gulf could become worst in U.S. historyPublished Oct 22, 2018
By Darryl Fears NEW ORLEANS — An oil spill that has been quietly leaking millions of barrels into the Gulf of Mexico has gone unplugged for so long that it now verges on becoming one of the worst offs…
View full article analysisSarasota Herald-Tribune
Mote launches red tide institutePublished Oct 22, 2018 by Will Wang
Mote Marine Laboratory on Monday announced the launch of its new Red Tide Institute, backed by a $1 million donation from the Andrew and Judith Economos Charitable Foundation. The institute will focus…
View full article analysisTallahassee Democrat
FSU doc examines the endangered Apalachicola RiverPublished Oct 22, 2018 by Dave Heller
A powerful new film produced by Florida State University students, spotlighting a critically endangered river system near Tallahassee, premieres at 5 p.m. todayat FSU's Student Life Cinema. The one-ho…
View full article analysisSarasota Herald-Tribune
Return of red tide?Published Oct 22, 2018 by Carlos R. Munoz
SARASOTA - A relentless Florida red tide bloom could make its way back toward Sarasota-Manatee beaches before the weekend, according to weather experts, who predict three days of onshore winds. The bl…
View full article analysisSarasota Herald-Tribune
Hurricane Willa remnants could steer red tide toward Sarasota-ManateePublished Oct 22, 2018 by Carlos R. Munoz
Carlton: Reasons to support Amendment 9Published Oct 22, 2018 by Lisa Carlton, Guest Columnist
Florida voters concerned about clean beaches and unpolluted air will want to pay special attention to Amendment 9 on the general election ballot. Without doubt, Amendment 9 is Florida’s chance to leav…
View full article analysisTallahassee Democrat
‘If being green will get us elected, then, we’re green (cough!) for now’ | Carl HiaasenPublished Oct 23, 2018 by Carl Hiaasen, Tribune Content Agency
Hurricane Michael Offers More Climate Change EvidencePublished Oct 15, 2018 by Rising Up
Listen to story: FEATURING TANIA GALLONI – President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump visited areas of the Florida panhandle affected by Hurricane Michael on Monday. Trump told reporters he was goin…
View full article analysisfloridapolitics.com
Environmental groups’ ad batters Rick Scott on red tidePublished Oct 23, 2018 by Scott Powers
New players have entered the gathering of outside groups seeking to sway Florida voters in the U.S. Senate race, with two national environmental committees launching a TV commercial Tuesday battering …
View full article analysisfloridapolitics.com
Environmental group spends big on Andrew Gillum pitchPublished Oct 22, 2018 by Danny McAuliffe
Red Tide Continues in Northwest FloridaPublished Oct 18, 2018 by Jennie McKeon
Red tide blooms continue to be present in Northwest Florida. According to its midweek update issued Wednesday afternoon, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) reported that bloom…
View full article analysisThe News-Press
Floridas environment is at historic crossroads, and its leaders must act decisivelyPublished Oct 19, 2018 by USA TODAY Network-Florida ial Boards
CLOSE Aerial view of toxic algae bloom flowing in a canal Friday, July 14, 2018 in Cape Coral, Florida. news-press.com, news-press.com As the effects of red tide linger in Southwest Florida, a dead fi…
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