Florida continues fight with environmentalists
over conservation spending (7/17/2019)
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Sierra Florida to FDEP: Sarasota wastewater management system is in disarray
Letter from Sierra Club to FDEP regarding Sarasota County's wastewater treatment failures: Sierra Club Florida supports the original mitigation in FDEP’s draft consent order requiring that Sarasota County upgrade their wastewater treatment plans to meet advanced wastewater treatment (AWT). We oppose Sarasota County’s (County) counter offer to delete this mitigation requirement in favor of connecting more wastewater flows from onsite sewer treatment and disposal systems (OSTDS). In fact, the state of Sarasota County wastewater management system is in such disarray with excessive discharges, nutrient concentrations, and spills that we would support FDEP limiting any additional flows being accepted from OSTDS or new development until the County has at least committed to upgrade to AWT. Full Letter Here County must upgrade wastewater facilities - “Sarasota County government conducted an informative, first-rate “summit” on water quality Wednesday, providing elected officials, appointed staffers and members of the public with clear data and inspirational testaments to the value of preserving and protecting the natural environment. But earlier in the week, behind the scenes, the Sierra Club sent the Florida Department of Environmental Regulation a letter that should remind everyone: The county’s actions speak louder than its words at a community gathering. The letter — from Cris Costello, a local manager of the private-sector environmental-protection group, to the DEP — concerns the department’s actions against Sarasota County and failures of the county’s utility system, including spills and discharges of inadequately treated wastewater...Prior to the summit, the County Commission heard a substantive report from its staff on how the quality of treated sewage, stormwater runoff and septic tank discharges can be improved — with a particular focus on reducing the amount of nitrogen in the liquids. The staff cited three main contributors to nitrogen-laden waters: runoff from watersheds; septic systems in areas with high water tables or near waterways; and public wastewater-treatment plants. As we have written previously, each area must be part of any comprehensive approach, but improvements in sewage treatment should be the short-term priority. In light of the DEP’s regulatory actions and a lawsuit over sewage-plant failures, upgrades to AWT (advanced wastewater treatment) would provide a substantial return on financial investments and decreases in nitrogen loads. Yet, according to the Sierra Club’s letter, Sarasota County has offered a counterproposal to the DEP that would make some progress but fail to pursue the AWT standards…” From the Herald-Tribune Editorial Board.
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Current NewsFlorida Today
Meeting to answer questions about drinking water Published Jul 25, 2019 by Jim Waymer Rep. Randy Fine plans to clear the air about Melbourne's drinking water, which some customers say smells strange, lately, like mold. So on Tuesday, Fine will host a town hall meeting he set up to get … View full article analysis TCPalm Algal blooms: House committee approves Rep. Masts bill requiring federal study Published Jul 24, 2019 by Tyler Treadway CLOSE Mary Radabaugh, manager of Central Marine Stuart, shares a summary of the marina's frequent fight with toxic algae-filled summers. Leah Voss,leah.voss@tcpalm.com Legislation calling for the fir… View full article analysis National Geographic Songbirds are being snatched from Miami’s forests Published Jul 25, 2019 by Karine Aigner, National Geographic Even as three armed officers closed in on the small wooden cage, its occupant sang out. The call was that of a young male indigo bunting, high-pitched and simple. The bird was too young to have perfec… View full article analysis Orlando Sentinel Orlando outshines other Florida cities in clean-energy report Published Jul 25, 2019 by Kevin Spear Orlando, at nearly 100 feet above sea level, was ranked best in the Southeast for clean energy by an environmental group, while Jacksonville, Miami, Tampa and St. Petersburg got lower grades despite r… View full article analysis Sun Sentinel State gives Florida homeowners bad advice about stanching iguana invasion | Fred Grimm Published Jul 19, 2019 by Fred Grimm Put it down to desperation, this awful advice, bordering on malpractice, issued by a beleaguered state wildlife commission up to its wazoo in invasive reptiles and bereft of strategies to rid of them.… View full article analysis Tampa Bay Times Breeding Florida panthers with cougars saved the state animal from extinction, new study says Published Jul 20, 2019 In 1995, Florida's state animal was on the brink. No more than 30 Florida panthers were left, and several suffered from genetic defects caused by inbreeding. Desperate, state officials tried something… View full article analysis Daytona Beach News Journal Researchers link seaweed blooms to pollution in ocean water Published Jul 21, 2019 by Dinah Voyles Pulver Massive mounds of seaweed piled up along Florida’s east coast beaches in October 2017, a smelly mess that made it difficult to walk on the beach, much less enjoy the stroll. Was it coincidence those p… View full article analysis Florida Today Green algae fouls Lake Washington Published Jul 19, 2019 by Jim Waymer MELBOURNE — Mark Maida cast his bait beyond pea-green streaks of slime near the banks of Lake Washington, where a potentially toxin-producing algae lingers in the main source of drinking water for mor… View full article analysis Tampa Bay Times People are using FaceApp to talk about climate change in Florida Published Jul 19, 2019 by Elizabeth Djinis If you’ve been on the Internet at all this week, you’ve probably seen FaceApp, a mobile app that offers a glimpse at what you might look like in old age. But talk on social media quickly turned to the… View full article analysis Sun Sentinel Opening electricity market may lower power bills in Florida. But it’d break up system as we know it. Published Jul 19, 2019 by Marcia Heroux Pounds Imagine electric companies competing on price for your business and being able to choose 100 percent renewable energy such as solar power. That’s happening in Texas and some other states, and electric… View full article analysis www.gainesville.com Editorial: Uphold true meaning of Amendment 1 Published Jul 23, 2019 by The Daytona Beach NewsJournal In 2014, Amendment 1 was one of those constitutional amendments that the Legislature didn't much like. Which is why it was before an appellate court panel last week. And why the judges need to remind View full article analysis www.gainesville.com Proposed Florida amendments may bring big changes - News - Gainesville Sun - Gainesville, FL Published Jul 21, 2019 by John Kennedy They could increase the minimum wage, ban assault weapons, expand Medicaid, open primary elections to all voters and clarify that only citizens can vote. Proposed Florida amendments may bring big chan… View full article analysis Tallahassee Democrat Triumph misleading organizations, public about how it's spending oil spill funds Published Jul 23, 2019 by Jack Rudloe, Your Turn The Gulf Coast Triumph Committee needs to be audited about how it is spending - or more like not spending - the $1.5 billion dollars from the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Fund. They have not been hones… View full article analysis ECOSWF support of Sierra Club Position:
RE: CONSENT ORDER TO SARASOTA COUNTY UTILITIES Dear Mr. Iglehart, This correspondence is in SUPPORT OF Sierra Club Florida letter dated June 3, 2019. The Environmental Confederation of Southwest Florida (ECOSWF) submits these additional comments: 1. Under Sarasota County’s Comprehensive Plan, future developments are to be supplied with treated wastewater for outdoor irrigation. As you may remember, during the “Water Wars” of the 1980s, excess groundwater usage was causing saltwater intrusion and upconing of poorer mineralized water. To combat that problem, reuse water became a commodity rather than a disposal problem. The high nitrogen and phosphorus content was determined to be a “plus”. No studies were conducted to determine the agronomical rates of the vegetation on which the reuse water was applied. Toilets flush several times a day, but grass does not need that volume of water daily. 2. As stated in the Sierra Club’s letter, the nitrogen levels in Sarasota’s bays has increased over the last twenty years as reuse projects continued to come online. 3. Advanced Waste Water Treatment of the waste stream would not only eliminate the excess nitrogen and phosphorus loading but would provide the opportunity for Sarasota County to provide “gray water” lines for all new developments that require reuse water for outdoor irrigation. This would “close the loop’ for reuse water. Having the water generated available for reuse when WWTF are upgraded to AWT in gray lines for toilet use. Thank you for considering this additional information. Becky Ayech President Environmental Confederation of Southwest Florida J |
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TC Palm
With toxic blue-green algae bloom, don't eat Lake Okeechobee fish, Audubon biologist says People shouldn't eat fish caught anywhere in Lake Okeechobee after a blue-green algae bloom near the center tested positive for hazardous toxin levels, an Audubon Florida biologist said Monday. A bloom sampled June 5 in the open water about 10 miles southwest of Port Mayaca contained the toxin microcystin at a level of 17.6 parts per billion, according to test results the Florida Department of Environmental Protection released Monday. Fox 4 Toxic algae found in Lake Okeechobee and Collier County A sample of blue-green algae in Lake Okeechobee was tested positive for toxins, according to Florida's Department of Environmental Protection. In a sample collected June 5 near the eastern side of the lake, the DEP said test results measured Microcystin toxins at 17.6 parts per billion. The Environmental Protection Agency says swimming in concentrations at 8 parts per billion or higher can be harmful to your health. So the EPA said the toxins tested are both dangerous and unsafe to swim in. |
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 |
