30 Days in Florida; Environment News

Environmental News for Florida; the last 30 days

This Florida News briefing made possible from the sale of Green License Plates and EarthRehab

Florida has been a hot spot for Environmental News over the last 30 days. I would like to highlight and link to a few great moments.

June 24, 2008- Governor Crist tells US Sugar to pack their bags and buys back a section of the “River of Grass.”
The Sugar Deal

July 7-11, 2008- To kick off the 11th International Coral Reef Symposium, Governor Charlie Crist signed a bill to close all of the sewage pipes that pump 300 million gallons of untreated sewage into the Atlantic Gulf-stream. Ed Tichenor and Reef Rescue of the Palm Beaches get the hard won victory and credit.
The Sewage Deal

July 16, 2008- Surfrider Foundation and the City of Lake Worth join in a lawsuit to stop the useless Dredge and Fill projects that suffocate the Reefs.
The Dredge Lawsuit

July 16, 2008- Ciguatera Outbreak, 5 cases reported in Florida. Ciguatera is a disease caused when you eat reef fish that have consumed Harmful Algae Blooms.
The Ciguatera Outbreak

July 17, 2008- EarthJustice files a lawsuit for Clean Water Act enforcement in Florida vs. Harmful Algae Blooms.
The Clean Water Lawsuit

Help celebrate Environmental Victories and support Nature Research with the 100% Bright Blank Recycled Green License Plate by EarthRehab.
Check out the photos.

Floridians for Clean Water Act of 1972 enforcement

Citizen Enforcement

The drafters of the Clean Water Act foresaw failures in 1972.
The CWA allows citizens to sue the EPA for not doing their own
work or making sure the states do theirs. If the state agency
is failing to stop water pollution and permit violations,
citizens can file an 118a complaint letter to the commissioner
of DEP or EPA reporting the violation. The commissioner is
obligated to look into the lack of enforcement and report.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Trying to save a Coral Reef is an exciting move, and one that I face everyday. The problem is that we pollute too much of the Oceans Waters.

We could send 10,000 Eco-divers to remove the bad bacterium and algae from your Reef but without proper Water Quality Monitoring and Pollution Control it would be a huge waste of time. Sign the Declaration of Reef Rights and the Enforce the Federal Clean Water Act petition online. http://www.reefcheck.org/petition/petition.php http://apps.facebook.com/petitions/view?pid=139396069

In Florida a steady Black River of Death and Pollution stretch to the Gulfstream Atlantic everyday from every port.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I met with the President/Founder of Reef Check Dr.Gregor Hodgson at the Green Living Expo in LA. and we talked Ocean Pollution.

As well at the Expo was Mary Luna the NGO coordinator for the International Year of the Reef 2008, we talked Ocean Pollution.

I met with the Executive Director of Perry Institute for Marine Science Dr. John Marr at my beach cleanup in Florida and we talked Ocean Pollution.

Then I drove over the Roosevelt Bridge that stretches over the St. Lucie River from Stuart to Jensen Beach and saw a Black River of Death and Pollution as far as eyes could see. This prompted me to (a) find out who is responsible and report the pollution (b) draft a petition to Enforce the Federal Clean Water Act (DEP) and (EPA). http://apps.facebook.com/petitions/view?pid=139396069 http://www.socialactions.com/node/36299

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/enforce-the-federal-clean-water-act

Many States have had success with inviting the EPA to Enforce their States disposition, not Florida, too much work, not enough staff....

Let the EPA know that you are concerned for the Future of our Oceans by investigating the Water Quality that exits to the Gulfstream Daily.

Sign this petition online, or download the Original.