Environment Archives - WMNF 88.5 FM: Recent Episodes
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Listen:One of the rarest butterflies in the country, the Schaus’ Swallowtail Butterfly, is benefitting from an event many people dread.
A new study from the Florida Museum of Natural History shows hurricanes have positive impacts on the butterflies.
Jaret Daniels is a curator at the Florida Museum of Natural History. He said the Schaus’ Swallowtail butterfly benefits because storms open up the canopy in the butterfly’s habitat.
“That allows sun to penetrate to the forest floor, creates sort of an abundance of new growth of the host plants of the butterfly, and also enables , sort of nectar, resources to sort of proliferate,” Daniels told WMNF.
That’s good news for the endangered butterfly. It’s native to South Florida and occurs exclusively on conservation lands.
Sarah Steele Cabrera is a PhD Candidate at the University of Florida.
“We had noticed, noticed this trend that a few years after a hurricane, even a very severe storm like Hurricane Andrew in 1992, there were lots of butterflies a few years later. And so it was exciting and rewarding to see those anecdotal observations born out in the data,” Cabrera said.
She and others made the discovery after combing through 35 years of data.
Cabrera called the findings exciting.
“This is perhaps a call to look at it from a slightly, from a non-human centered perspective that you know, the plants, other animals, everything in this system is really adapted for hurricanes,” Cabrera said.
Cabrera and Daniels say their goal is to protect and grow the endangered butterfly.
The post Endangered Florida butterfly species actually benefits from hurricanes, data shows appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
On Friday NOAA announced that it is delaying protections for pillar coral. The 60-day delay means that the effective date of the pillar coral uplisting from threatened to endangered will now be Mar. 21, 2025.
“I’m outraged that the Trump administration is delaying protection for a species clearly on the brink of extinction and hit hardest by the warming waters of climate change,” said Elise Bennett, Florida and Caribbean director at the Center for Biological Diversity in an emailed statement. “Coral reefs provide vital support for fish and protect our coasts from storm surge. Trump’s reckless campaign to gut and stymie the important work of our federal agencies is hurting us along with incredibly important species like pillar coral.”
Below is WMNF’s original story from December 17, 2024:The National Marine Fisheries Service issued a final rule on Monday to change the status of one coral species from threatened to endangered under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). We spoke about what this means for the pillar coral with Elise Bennett, the Florida and Caribbean director at the Center for Biological Diversity.
As of 2020, only an estimated 20 individuals of pillar coral existed in Florida waters.
Listen to this full show here:“Oh, pillar coral are what every five-year-old dreams a mermaid castle to be. They grow in these golden tan rounded pillars that reach up towards the water’s surface and a really particularly large colony can be almost stately. And then the polyps have these tentacles that are often exposed that give them kind of a soft glow. They’re really beautiful corals and and truly distinct from many of the other corals you might see in the waters around Florida and like some of the other corals, there are really a lot of stressors on pillar corals,” Bennett told WMNF.
“When the pillar coral was originally listed as threatened back in 2014, experts recognized that this species is already inherently vulnerable to extinction. And that’s because it’s a naturally rare species. It has relatively low reproduction and it has a reduced ability to recover from mortality events that might be driven by coral bleaching or disease and this vulnerability was projected to increase in the future. And so at that time, the National Marine Fisheries Service determined that the species wasn’t in danger of extinction now, but likely to become in danger in the foreseeable future.
“Well, that determination changed after a review that was published in 2022. And in that review, the agency took a deeper look back when they listed the species in 2014, they found there wasn’t a lot of information about declines of populations that we knew existed. And they also thought that the coral would be resistant to coral bleaching at least in some areas across its range.
“But this 2022 assessment showed that those assumptions really weren’t true that they found that population trends were decreasing, looking at studies in Florida and in Columbia, they found that the range had diminished with the loss of almost all of the wild colonies in Florida, which is pretty serious here for our state. They also found that the species was highly susceptible to disease, like one called stony coral tissue loss disease, which has really devastated populations in the northern Caribbean.
“And following the impact of this disease, the agency had determined that it’s likely functionally extinct here in Florida, which means it still exists in the wild, but they’re concerned about its ability to reproduce and it’s really not a significant feature of the ecosystem any more.
“And then finally, I think many folks are familiar with the impacts of coral bleaching and they found that the susceptibility is higher than we had thought. And this threat is driven by climate change and warmer ocean temperatures.”
– Elise Bennett on WMNF’s Tuesday Cafe
Also on Tuesday Café (Dec. 17) – Tampa Bay SDS says USF is violating Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964The activist group Tampa Bay Students for a Democratic Society or SDS has a rally Tuesday to announce that it is accusing the University of South Florida of violating its members’ civil rights.
We talked about that and what led up to it with our guests, Vicky Tong, a member of Students for a Democratic Society and Collin Poirot, their lawyer.
“Last week on December 11th, we filed a complaint with the Office for Civil Rights asking them to investigate USF for its discrimination against SDS and other students due to their associations with Palestinians and other students of color on campus and their ongoing campaigns to defend DEI programs as well as multiple demands related directly to Palestine such as divesting from Israel’s genocide.
“The Title VI: it’s Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Basically, what it says is if you’re an individual who is trying to participate in a program or activity that receives federal funding, you are protected from being denied the benefits of participation in that program, being denied equal access to that program or being subjected to discrimination within that program or activity on the basis of race, color or national origin.
“So our argument here is, you know, half of USF’s funding for research comes directly from the federal government, from federal grants. All of that money requires that us f not discriminate, not prevent students from accessing education on an equal basis, not harass, not retaliate against students based on their national origin or association with students of a particular national origin.
“So that’s what we’re asking the, the Office for Civil Rights to investigate and, and hopefully we’ll be able to reach some, some remedies that can improve the conditions on campus for these students.”
– Collin Poirot, lawyer for Tampa Bay SDS
Also on Tuesday Café (Dec. 17) – the economics of the Rays stadium dealWe spoke with WMNF Assistant News Director Meghan Bowman about her story on the economics of the Rays’ stadium deal.
WMNF’s Tuesday CaféTuesday Café hosted by WMNF news director Seán Kinane airs live weekly on WMNF beginning at 10:06 a.m. ET.
You can listen live on 88.5 FM in Tampa Bay, on wmnf.org or on the WMNF Community Radio app.
You can watch replays on TBAE Network channels at 8:00 a.m and 2:00 p.m Tuesdays on Spectrum 636, Frontier 34 and watch.tbae.net. Or on demand.
You can listen anytime on demand on wmnf.org or by subscribing to the Tuesday Café podcast on your favorite podcast platform.
https://open.spotify.com/show/311qfxLFcO8F7ZvnjgZogD – WMNF’s Tuesday Café with Seán Kinane.information from the Associated Press was used in this report
The post Update: NOAA delays listing pillar coral as “endangered” appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Listen:Wrecked or sunken boats and other marine vessels can cause environmental hazards to marine life and pose threats to public safety.
State legislators met Thursday to speak with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission about these derelict vessels.
The FWC’s Deputy Director Lt. Colonel Rob Rowe fielded questions from legislators at a House subcommittee meeting.
Democratic Representative Allison Tant asked Rowe about the timeline for cleanup for derelict vessels – marine vessels in disrepair.
“I was in Bradenton for a wedding towards the end of the year, and there were several vessels in the water sunk, you know, partially upside-down. Obviously, from Hurricane Milton – that haven’t been picked up,” Tant said.
“It usually happens between three to six months, this year is a little different because we had several hurricanes back to back,” Rowe responded.
Rowe says recent additional staffing means they are getting more shipwrecked boats out of the water than ever before.
But – he also says certain counties are prioritized, and some counties have more resources available than others.
On Wednesday, Governor Ron DeSantis announced a legislative proposal he called the Boaters Freedom Initiative Act
Among other things, the proposal would repeal the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s authority to conduct random vessel safety inspections without probable cause.
Rowe addressed the matter while answering a question at the subcommittee meeting.
“Currently, you don’t have to have probable cause to issue or conduct a boater safety inspection But, I can say that the overwhelming amount of officers on the water do use probable cause – it’s good law enforcement practice to do that,” Rowe said.
In a press release, DeSantis said the act would protect boaters from “unwarranted searches” or “heavy-handed local government”.
The post Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission faces questioning on shipwrecked boats, marine debris appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Republican lawmakers in Florida want to investigate chemtrails. A bill advanced during Tuesday’s meeting of the Senate Environment and Natural Resources committee.
State Senator Ileana Garcia sponsored Senate Bill 56 to investigate concerns about chemicals being released into the atmosphere…
“…for the express purpose of affecting the temperature, the weather, or the intensity of the sunlight.”
Global Wellness Forum founder Marla Maples is the ex-wife of President Donald Trump, and mother to his daughter Tiffany Trump, and spoke in support of the bill. Similar legislation passed recently in Tennessee, but Maples said that they have not determined who is responsible for the alleged chemical releases.
“and they are looking to see who is actually behind it now. I’m not privy to that information what the most recent investigations have shown, but I’m definitely going to get back to them.”
Democratic Senator Tina Polsky said air quality is more of a federal issue, but she thinks that with Maples involved, there could yet be hope on that front.
“Do you know anyone in the federal government who might be able to help us with this problem?”
“I sure do, and I believe I’m going to do everything I can. This is my goal. There’s a reason behind everything, and I’m so happy to be able to stand here today and say, ‘yes, yes, yes!’”
“Great, well spread the word. You know how to get to the top.”
“I sure do, thank you.”
Following several hurricane impacts in Florida last year, conspiracy theorists, and elected officials have blamed Democrats for using weather modification to both create hurricanes, and attempt to prevent climate change.
Chemtrails have long been conflated with condensation caused by airplane exhaust, but supporters of the bill allege that chemicals containing heavy metals such as aluminum are being released by aircraft. Supporters of the bill also claimed that chemical trails in the sky are the result of deliberate cloud seeding, a theory that suggests silver iodide and other substances are being used to intentionally modify the weather.
Polsky questioned Garcia over the notion that anyone would want to use chemicals to dim the sky to fight climate change, or even create more rain, but Garcia would not name any specific group.
The bill advanced on a 6 to 3 vote along party lines and will now go on to the Senate Criminal Justice Committee followed by the Senate Rules Committee.
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Florida Public Radio Emergency Network (FPREN) Storm Center | By Irene Sans
Red Tide is a harmful algal bloom caused by a naturally occurring alga (a plant-like microorganism) called Karenia brevis or K. brevis. When K. brevis appears in large quantities – typically in the Gulf of Mexico – it can turn ocean water red, brown, or green.
Red Tide is not new to Florida. A prolonged Red Tide event in 2018 lasted over 10 months. During this period, the Red Tide was extreme, killing thousands of fish, manatees, dolphins and turtles. Once these toxins occur, there is not much we can do about them, at least in the short term.
When it is present in the water, its contaminants suppress its oxygen, making it a fatal habitat for its in-water and waterfront residents and visitors. Red Tide can have debilitating effects on marine life. If the microorganisms are concentrated at over 10,000-cell-per-liter rate, fish of all kinds can start dying.
Karenia brevis (light micrograph). Karenia brevis is a single-cell organism belonging to a group of algae called dinoflagellates. Karenia brevis is known as the Florida Red Tide organism. In large numbers, it causes red tide along Florida’s coastline. Karenia brevis can be found in Gulf waters any time of the year, but most commonly in the fall.The toxic algae start building at microscopic scales well offshore. Warm waters and nutrients feed these microorganisms, and they often grow to high concentrations in the spring and summer months. The winds and currents drive the micro-organisms to the coast, and when they grow to big blooms, winds and currents can drive them for miles along the coast. While Red Tide appears almost every year, the severity varies by year. This Red Tide is unusual because it is winter when Red Tides are typically absent or minimal. Warmer-than-usual temperatures are likely a significant factor contributing to toxic algae bloom.
Red Tide is also not limited to ocean waters. The toxic bloom has sometimes grown in canals, the Intracoastal, and other waterways. If the conditions allow the microorganism to survive and thrive, it will grow and impact the water… and surroundings.
Currently, the highest samples of Red Tide are found across Southwestern Florida, with high concentrations found in San Carlos Bay and Pine Island Sound and to the south near Fort Myers Beach. Although not high, many samples with low concentrations were found across Charlotte Harbor. Hundreds of dead fish have washed up in a canal near Sanibel, staying and coming up to canals. Residents have complained about the foul smells and how it affects their respiratory systems.
It impacts humans and nearby businesses, too.Although not recommended, most people can safely swim in Red Tide. However, it can cause skin irritation and burning eyes. Inhaling the toxins can lead to coughing, sneezing, and teary eyes, though those symptoms are typically temporary. People with chronic respiratory issues like asthma are advised to avoid Red Tide. While the medical effects on humans generally aren’t serious, the Red Tide is affecting the local economy in Florida: some small businesses have temporarily closed in past years. In seasons where the algae blooms have been extensive in distance and time, many tourists have either changed destinations or canceled plans to visit the west coast of Florida.
How long is the Red Tide expected to last?It’s hard to predict how long the Red Tide will remain; although the forecast calls for a temperature drop in the coming week, they won’t be cold. It is just a drop to closer to normal temperatures. Also, La Niña is present, bringing warmer-than-normal temperatures to Florida and its surroundings. Limiting harmful fertilizers across the state, even over inland areas, could also help limit the growth of the toxic algae. More nutrients and runoff can make these harmful algae blooms grow faster and more prominent.
The University of South Florida also has a model that predicts and tracks the Red Tide on the West Florida Shelf. You can see it here.
NOAA also has a Gulf Harmful Algal Bloom Forecast, which states that over the next 36 hours, some beaches may experience a moderate risk of respiratory irritations from Red Tide in Lee County. Along with other areas of the Southwest region, the onshore flow could bring moderate to high risks of respiratory irritations. See the latest algal forecast here.
The post Red tide stretches from Tampa Bay to the Florida Keys: what is it? appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Today Florida lawmakers unanimously advanced a bill to prevent golf courses, pickleball courts, hotels and other developments that do not promote conservation from being built in state parks. The bill is a response to last year’s proposed “Great Outdoors initiative,” which stoked anger among residents.
Republican State Senator Gayle Harrell sponsored the bill which would now give the public 30 days to weigh in on potential changes to state parks, compared to the 6 days offered by DeSantis’ proposal last year. Harrell highlighted how the bill would delineate which allowed activities would be considered “conservation-based,”
“ and includes things such as fishing camping, bicycling, hiking, nature studies, swimming, boating, canoeing, horseback riding, diving, birding, sailing, jogging, and other similar kinds of activities.”
But by listing only specific activities as excluded leaves parks vulnerable to development that may not be clearly listed in the bill, according to Gil Smart, who is with Friends of the Everglades. He advocated for further amending the bill.
“We would advocate for a specific section in the bill on prohibitions, saying, you know, that things like golf courses aren’t going to be allowed, and neither would other courts, facilities, or playing fields, for athletic sports, overnight lodging for more than six guests, and this is key, we would also propose that ‘any other uses or development activities that, including the building or alteration of structures which may cause a disturbance to the material resources of the state park be prohibited.’ This is the crux of the issue. This is the hinge upon which all this swings.”
The bill progressed through the Senate Environment and Natural Resources Committee today, it must go through two more committees, and also the House prior to going up for a vote by the whole legislature.
The post Park preservation bill approved by Florida State Senate’s environmental committee appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Join Anni Ellis on this week’s Sustainable Living Show as she discusses springs and natural shoreline restoration with local expert Tom Ries. Tom is a nationally known ecologist with more than 40 years of experience restoring natural systems in the Southeast. His work has garnered numerous environmental awards and resulted in the restoration of more than 3,800 acres of wetlands and coastal communities. He is a recognized expert in nature-based shoreline stabilization techniques and has implemented over 50 living shorelines in the Tampa Bay area. In 2003, he founded a non-profit, now known as the Ecosphere Restoration Institute, to advance restoration activities through innovative public-private-partnerships. Tom graduated from the University of South Florida with degrees in Biology and Geology.
Topics discussed include:
-what is a living shoreline and why are they important
-approaches to shoreline restoration
-spring restoration
-what is a public-private-partnership (p3)
-what is the Ecosphere Restoration Institute and what are the current projects
-water ecology
-how do living shorelines and spring restoration support the surrounding ecosystem
and more!
Find out more about Tom Ries and the projects, fundraisers and events of the Ecosphere Restoration Institute here.
If you love what we do on Sustainable Living, don’t forget to tune in every Monday at 11am on WMNF 88.5fm or listen to past episodes in the archives. If you’d like to donate to show your support, head over to the donations page and direct your pledge to the Sustainable Living Show.
The post Springs and natural shoreline restoration with Tom Ries appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
13 hrs ago ©2025 The News Service of Florida
A Senate committee next week is scheduled to take up a bill that would prevent the development of such things as golf courses, pickleball courts and lodges in state parks.
The Senate Environment and Natural Resources Committee is scheduled Feb. 11 to take up the bill (SB 80), filed by Sen. Gayle Harrell, R-Stuart.
The bill follows a controversy last year after the state Department of Environmental Protection released plans for what was called the “Great Outdoors Initiative.”
The plans would have led to projects at nine parks and included such things as adding golf courses at Jonathan Dickinson State Park in Martin County — the home county of Harrell.
Other parts of the initiative that drew heavy criticism included proposals to construct lodges with up to 350 rooms at Anastasia State Park in St. Johns County and Topsail Hill Preserve State Park in Walton County.
Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration paused the plans after bipartisan opposition.
Rep. John Snyder, R-Stuart, has filed an identical bill (HB 209) in the House.
The bills are named the “State Park Preservation Act.”
Lawmakers are holding committee meetings to prepare for the annual legislative session, which will start March 4.
The post A ‘park preservation’ bill is teed up in the Florida Legislature appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
A major project in South Florida is in the works to address environmental challenges in the Everglades.
However, opinions are divided on whether the plan will help the region.
The Southland Water Resource Project is backed by the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD), as well as private entities Florida Crystal, U.S. Sugar Corp, and Phillips and Jordan.
The project seeks to excavate as much as 9.4 million tons of sand and limestone annually. Once the operation is complete, the proposal plans to build a water reservoir in its place.
Supporters promote the reservoir as a proposed benefit, but some environmental scientists don’t agree with the sentiment.
Eve Samples, executive director at Friends of the Everglades said without proper filtration, the reservoir is of no benefit to the region.
“We’ve studied this application, and we see no meaningful water quality component of it,” Samples said. “You can store water in an 8000-acre reservoir pit in the ground, but if you’re not cleaning it, it is not going to be beneficial to the Everglades.”
Samples was also critical of the involvement of the three private organizations. The three entities have contributed to Florida politicians, including a 100,000 donation to Governor Ron Desantis’s “Florida Freedom Fund” in November.
Samples said she believes the corporations are the only ones who will benefit from the project. Conservation group Captains for Clean Water estimated the mining operation could result in a $800 million profit.
With the project progressing to fruition, Samples said she urges the governor to step in and intervene for the sake of the Everglades and Floridians.
“Governor DeSantis has proclaimed to be a proponent of the Everglades, and he has every ability to stop this rock mine if he wants to,” Samples said. “This is not a good deal for taxpayers and not a good deal for the citizens of Florida who have demonstrated they really care about clean water.”
WMNF reached out to the involved parties, but they did not respond by the time of publication.
This story was first reported by independent journalist Jason Garcia.
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Several environmental groups have intervened in a lawsuit that is challenging local protections for the Florida scrub jay.
On Tuesday Cafe, we learn about the Florida scrub jay, how its habitat is in danger, and about a lawsuit that’s trying to undo federal Endangered Species Act protections for the threatened bird species.
We speak with Elise Bennett with the Center for Biological Diversity, one of the groups.
A partial transcript is below.
Listen to the full show here:Watch this interview:Transcript of this interview:EB: [Florida scrub jays] are these beautiful, brilliant blue songbirds. They’re actually Florida’s only endemic bird, which means that these birds are found nowhere else on Earth. They really are part of what makes Florida so special. If you’ve heard of a Florida scrub jay, you’ve probably heard about them because they’re incredibly gregarious. They’re inquisitive. They live in family groups. And when you take a hike through their territory, you’ll see their little heads popping out of the scrub oaks watching you. They’ve been known to land on people’s hats. And because of that gregarious nature, people come from far and wide to see our scrub jays.
SK: I read a little bit on Audubon.org. Some of the things that they say is that they breed in cooperative flocks and each nestling territory is occupied by an adult pair and often by 1 to 6 helpers. And the pairs often are the offspring from the previous years, and these additional birds help in defending the territory and feeding the young. And as far as the population goes as in the early 1990s, the total population was estimated at about 4000 pairs. That’s probably a reduction of more than 90% from the original members and loss of habitat has been the main problem. So tell us about where scrub jays live and what’s happening to their habitat?
EB: Well, that’s exactly right. Florida scrub jays live in the same high dry ground that humans like to build on, and their habitat is really unique, and uniquely beautiful. They live in these scrub oaks, which are kind of low-growing oak trees that grow right out of the beautiful, brilliant white sands that we find on the historic coastal ridges along Florida. So they’re beautiful places to visit.
The scrub itself is actually quite endangered as well, and so you can see as the scrub becomes more and more endangered, so too does the scrub jay. About 10 years ago, Charlotte County, which is south of Sarasota, came up with a scrub jay habitat conservation plan.
SK: Why did they do that and what does that plan do?
EB: Well, because Florida Scrub Jays face extinction and because they’re listed under the Federal Endangered Species Act, people aren’t allowed to kill or capture or harass or harm them without a permit, and harm can include destroying areas of habitat that they use. And so, rather than have each person in the county go through a permitting process one by one, which can have some regulatory uncertainty. And for an individual could be a more overwhelming process. The county decided to come up with a habitat conservation plan and get a county-wide permit for take of these Florida scrub jays.
That habitat conservation plan was created in 2013. And this concept is intended to benefit the scrub jay. But I think what also is really remarkable about it is it provides regulatory certainty to landowners. When they move into the area, they know or should know that this habitat conservation plan exists. And the habitat conservation plan means that if a developer — if the landowner — wants to develop land that’s in the scrub, they have to pay a fee.
SK: Tell us about that fee and what it would be used for once it’s collected.
EB: That’s right. The habitat conservation plan requires a fee as well as in some circumstances, additional on-site mitigation. Or basically protecting habitat on the site where development is occurring. And that the fee itself is intended to actually go towards the county acquiring other areas of habitat to protect them in perpetuity as well as to manage the habitat. Because these habitats actually require what would be natural management by lightning-caused fires. They can actually be maintained by prescribed fires. So people will go out and actually burn these sites to keep them healthy.
SK: The fees and the other rules that were part of Charlotte County’s habitat conservation plan for the scrub jays. Well, that ruffled the feathers of a group called the Pacific Legal Foundation. What do we know about them?
EB: Well, we know that they consider themselves to be a private property rights group. So that’s the gist of the kinds of cases that PLF brings. And in this particular scenario, it’s a similar kind of case we might expect. It’s a landowner that moved into the county, bought a piece of property that was subject to this conservation plan, and now objects to these fees. And so they filed a lawsuit last year in response to the Charlotte plan.
SK: And they want to remove Endangered Species Act protections from the scrub jay and do away with this habitat conservation plan?
EB: That’s right. Among other things, this case alleges that the county’s program is unconstitutional. And they’re arguing that protecting a species that’s found in only one state goes beyond Congress’s authority under the Constitution. That’s a really concerning argument, but it’s also an argument that has been shot down in courts time and time again. So the reason that we moved to intervene in this case is to make that very point.
SK: You can imagine that if this does succeed, that, essentially it would put the Endangered Species Act really under the microscope if this one case succeeds?
EB: Well, nearly a third of all endangered species live in only one state, and that’s either because they’ve already been extirpated in the other states where they lived because of harms that humans have caused, or because they require really specific and narrow habitat, like the Florida scrub Jay. And the Endangered Species Act is designed and Congress intended it to protect all of America’s species and all of the biodiversity we rely on for our own health and well-being as well.
As I mentioned, the landowner’s argument has lost imports across the country. And if it were to succeed here, it would strip protections not only from the scrub jay, but also other iconic endemic species like the Florida panther, the Key deer, or the Florida bonneted bat, which may be other species people are familiar with here.
SK: So what was it in those court cases? What did those courts say that the arguments that they agreed with — the arguments of environmental groups, let’s say, that were defending the Endangered Species Act from this claim that Congress can’t make laws that protect species that only live in one state?
EB: Right, the overarching gist of it is simply that the protection of endangered species does have a substantial effect on our interstate commerce. This argument is raised under the commerce clause, and so for that reason, because of the significant national interest, the law could stand.
SK: That brings us to your action last week. You’re part of a coalition of groups intervening in the lawsuit. What are the groups and what are your arguments?
EB: So we have joined the Florida Wildlife Federation and others, and we are represented by Earthjustice, and we’ve moved to intervene in this case on the side of the government to help uphold these laws that protect scrub jays and that protects so many other species.
SK: So what would be the next step?
EB: Well, we’ve asked for the court’s permission to intervene in the case, and so now it’s up to the court to rule on our part — our proposed intervenor’s request. After that happens, the case will move forward like any other. At this stage, we have a complaint and an answer, and, and, the facts will be developed. And ultimately the court will make a decision of law based on this complaint that was filed.
Also on Tuesday Café (Feb. 4) – Ron DeSantis’ proposed budgetWe also heard from Florida Governor Ron DeSantis who spoke about his proposed budget.
WMNF’s Tuesday CaféTuesday Café hosted by WMNF news director Seán Kinane airs live weekly on WMNF beginning at 10:06 a.m. ET.
You can listen live on 88.5 FM in Tampa Bay, on wmnf.org or on the WMNF Community Radio app.
You can watch replays on TBAE Network channels at 8:00 a.m and 2:00 p.m Tuesdays on Spectrum 636, Frontier 34 and watch.tbae.net. Or on demand.
You can listen anytime on demand on wmnf.org or by subscribing to the Tuesday Café podcast on your favorite podcast platform.
https://open.spotify.com/show/311qfxLFcO8F7ZvnjgZogD – WMNF’s Tuesday Café with Seán Kinane.The post Environmental groups rally to keep protections for the Florida scrub jay appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
©2024 The News Service of Florida
The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services on Thursday announced a $4.145 million deal that will prevent development on a 754-acre cattle ranch in Hendry County.
The deal, part of the state’s Rural and Family Lands Protection Program, will establish a conservation easement on land owned by the Howard Cattle Corp.
An easement allows ranch operations to continue while shielding the property from development.
The land, which will be included in the Florida Wildlife Corridor, is next to the Spirit of the Wild Wildlife Management Area and the Okaloacoochee Slough State Forest.
The post A deal will conserve Florida Wildlife Corridor land in Hendry County appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Listen:An aquaculture project is planned for the Gulf of Mexico off of Sarasota County. There’s pushback from environmental groups and a deadline is fast approaching for the public to comment on modifications to the permit.
The not-yet-built aquaculture project by Hawaii-based company Ocean Era would raise red drum fish off the coast of Sarasota. The modified permit submitted to the Enviromental Protection Agency allows for the discharge of waste, among other changes.
Although the EPA public comment is only for the modification, Glenn Compton from environmental group Manasota 88 wants the EPA to reverse their decision to approve the project in the first place.
“Because it’s in open water, it’ll be virtually impossible to detect whether or not there’s a plume of pollution that comes from this, and by the time they are able to determine that there is a problem, chances are it’ll be too late to do anything about it.” Compton told WMNF.
But founder and CEO of Ocean Era Neil Anthony Sins said the location of the project will do the opposite.
“As we move out into deeper water, further offshore, with stronger currents, more vigorous currents, better water movements, it’s actually going to have minimal environmental impacts.”
Sins said Ocean Era will be working with the University of Miami to monitor water quality around the project.
Here’s how to submit public comment.
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An appeals court will hear a case about restrictions on medical treatment for transgender Floridians A federal appeals court will hear arguments in January in a battle over Florida’s restrictions on treatments such as puberty blockers and hormone therapy for people with gender dysphoria.
2024 Hurricanes impacted sea turtle nesting in PinellasAfter a series of hurricanes left beaches and dunes flooded, sea turtle nesting season was cut short, but conservationists still documented more nests in Pinellas County than last year.
$51 million park and stormwater project opens in Tampa The City of Tampa cut the ribbon on a new 48-acre park in South Tampa. The $51-million project is more than a park, it also provides flood relief.
Groundbreaking on new USF stadiumThe University of South Florida Tampa campus broke ground recently on its new football stadium. The 35-thousand-seat stadium is scheduled to open in Fall of 2027.
Environmental Protection Agency seeks comments on fish farm offshore of SarasotaThe Environmental Protection Agency is asking people to comment on modifications to the permit for an aquaculture project planned for the Gulf of Mexico off of Sarasota County. The deadline to comment to the EPA is November 25th.
The Scoop: Tampa Bay & Florida headlines by WMNFThe Scoop producer Kiley Petracek
WMNF anchors Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane
WMNF News Director Seán Kinane
WMNF reporters Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane, Colleen Cole
Special thanks to Taylor Lovejoy and Corey Beltran.
Theme music, Fresh06, by Stian via archive.org – CC-BY-NC-SA 2.5
The Scoop logo by Robin Milcowitz / Greener Pixels / greenerpixels.com /
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Listen:The City of Tampa cut the ribbon on a new 48-acre park in South Tampa. The 51-million dollar project is more than a park — it also provides flood relief.
City leaders celebrated the opening of the MacDill 48 Park on the hot morning.
Tony Mulkey is Tampa’s Parks and Recreation Director.
“This park is not just a park, it’s not just a place for recreation, to get out and enjoy nature a little bit, a break from the city. That urban relief and that natural habitat restoration is so important – but it also serves a function for resiliency and sustainability,” Mulkey said.
The park also will alleviate flooding by storing stormwater runoff in a pond.
And it will treat the runoff and remove pollutants to improve water quality.
But, to make the park, unhoused people were moved.
Jean Strohmeyer, president of the Inner Bay/ South of Gandy Neighborhood Association, says the Tampa Police helped “clean” the site of homeless people.
“Nobody would come in because there’s homeless here and whatnot. Once I became the neighborhood association president, we started cleaning up the homeless,” Strohmeyer said.
This year, Governor Ron DeSantis signed a law banning unhoused people from sleeping in public.
The park is open now, the stormwater project should be fully completed by next spring.
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Sea turtlesWe spoke with Clearwater Marine Aquarium’s Sea Turtle Conservation Program Manager, Carly Oakley about the nesting success of sea turtles on Pinellas County beaches this season and how sea turtle nests were impacted by the hurricanes.
Oakley said that for the first time, conservationists found a leatherback sea turtle nest on Pinellas County beaches – and many of the eggs hatched. It was the first nesting season with three species of sea turtles nesting on Pinellas beaches: including loggerheads and two green sea turtle nests.
Listen to the full show here:Watch this interview:Also on Tuesday CaféAffordable Care Act marketplaceOpen enrollment for the Affordable Care Act’s health insurance marketplace is underway.
On WMNF’s Tuesday Café we talked about how you can get help from a navigator to choose the Obamacare plan that’s best for you and to find out if you are eligible for financial assistance.
Our guest was Katie Roders Turner, the executive director of the Family Healthcare Foundation.
Mosquito control in FloridaWe heard a story about the ways that Florida municipalities deal with mosquitoes.
WMNF’s Tuesday CaféTuesday Café airs live weekly on WMNF beginning at 10:06 a.m. ET.
You can listen live on 88.5 FM in Tampa Bay, on wmnf.org or on the WMNF Community Radio app.
You can watch replays on TBAE Network channels at 8:00 a.m and 2:00 p.m Tuesdays on Spectrum 636, Frontier 34 and watch.tbae.net. Or on demand.
You can listen anytime on demand on wmnf.org or by subscribing to the Tuesday Café podcast on your favorite podcast platform.
https://open.spotify.com/show/311qfxLFcO8F7ZvnjgZogD – WMNF’s Tuesday Café with Seán Kinane.The post Sea turtle nesting on Pinellas County beaches had good and bad news in 2024 appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Listen:61 out of 67 counties in Florida overwhelming voted in favor of Amendment 2 on election night. The measure preserves the right to forever hunting and fishing, and one environmental group is concerned.
Environmental Advocacy group Friends of the Everglades are critical of Amendment 2. Gil Smart is the policy director.
“This wasn’t something, you know, citizen-led initiative. This was placed on the ballot by the legislature. We’re just sort of really dubious as to the rationale for this in the first place and how this is ultimately going to be used,” Smart said.
He said the group’s biggest concern is gill nets being used – the entanglements are a wall of netting used to catch fish in the water and are prohibited in the state’s constitution.
“I think a lot of people, just off the top of their head, ‘sure I’ll have the right to hunt and fish,’, That sounds good, you know, that sort of thing. But, you know, our position all along was that this is not necessary. It’s not you know, Floridians right to hunt and fish is not under threat,” Smart said.
A backer of the amendment, the Congressional Sportsmen Foundation, says the claims are unfounded.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration say gill nets are a major source of mortality for sea turtles, and endangers other marine life.
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Vince Beiser – Power Metal – The Race For The Resources That Will Shape Our FutureAn Australian millionaire’s plan to mine the ocean floor. Nigerian garbage pickers risking their lives to salvage e-waste. A Bill Gates-backed entrepreneur harnessing AI to find metals in the Arctic.These people and millions more are part of the intensifying competition to find and extract the minerals essential for two crucial technologies: the internet and renewable energy. In Power Metal, Vince Beiser explores the Achilles’ heel of “green power” and digital technology – that manufacturing computers, cell phones, electric cars, and other technologies demand skyrocketing amounts of lithium, copper, cobalt, and other materials. Around the world, businesses and governments are scrambling for new places and new ways to get those metals, at enormous cost to people and the planet. Beiser crisscrossed the world to talk to the people involved and report on the damage this race is inflicting, the ways it could get worse, and how we can minimize the damage. Power Metal is a compelling glimpse into this disturbing yet potentially promising new world.
Vince Beiser – The World In A Grain – The Story of Sand and How It Transformed Civilization Did you know that after water and air, sand is our most consumed natural resource? Have you ever realized how deeply sand defines and makes possible our lives? Every concrete building and paved road on Earth, every window, computer screen and silicon chip, is made from sand. This humble material is in everything from light bulbs to glasses – and we are running out of it. Award-winning journalist Vince Beiser explains how vital sand is in its many forms, from construction sand to silica to high-purity quartz. Beiser writes, “Sand has become one of the twenty-first century’s most sought-after commodities, sparking violence and destruction around the world.”
Vince Beiser in addition to being a favorite, informative guest, a succinct, proficient writer he also publishes a Newsletterwe recommend.
Bohren & Der Club Of Gore – Destroying AngelsFrom the album, Black Earth, the German all-instrumental quartet self-describe themselves as “doom-ridden jazz music”. A foreboddin description for such charming music. Originally they were called Bohren (German for drilling), they emerged from hardcore punk and metal bands during the late 1980s, these musicians sought and discovered a new direction that reveled in sheer unhurried lethargy, a music persistently sedate, modally performed, and harmonically minimal. The album was first released in 2004, then rereleased on the important Belgium label, PIAS (Play It Again Sam) in 2016. Definitely worth investigating.
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Mara Hvistendahl, a The New York Times reporter who wrote “The Panda Factories”, an extraordinary piece of investigative journalism probing the impact of China’s gambit nearly 30 years ago to send pandas to zoos in other countries, hoping the visiting animals would breed, ultimately resulting in pandas that could be returned to the wild–recounts the genesis of the story.
On the path to revealing a raft of important information, “The Panda Factories” presents a fundamental fiction about the “conservation” efforts that many zoos tout: It’s baloney—animals born at zoos are rarely, or never, released into the wild.
We discuss how this is a core element of the piece, Hvistendahl explaining how, over the course of her reporting, not only did the conservation outcome of the panda program fail to materialize, but widened out into something more nefarious and mercenary.
I raised the notion of certain animals at zoos functioning as marquee attractions, noting that for many zoos–for many years–elephants served that role.
But in the last generation or so, the zoo industry has had something of a reckoning regarding displaying elephants, with multiple zoos realizing that’s no way for elephants to live, and sending their elephants to sanctuaries. (It happened again this week: the Oakland Zoo, despite having a relatively large and lauded elephant habitat, sent its elephant, Osh, to The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee.)
Hvistendahl responds to my inquiry about whether she foresees a time where there might be a similar reckoning whereby zoos re-assess the pros and cons of making deals to exhibit pandas.
On the subject of “making deals,” and how much of the panda picture appears to be characterized by a “money talks” ethos, at all levels,
Hvistendahl addresses the fee zoos pay for the right to exhibit a pair of pandas for a year ($1.1 million), the additional dough charged if that pair has a cub ($600k), ranging to the bonuses paid to breeding centers in China for every cub that lives to six months ($1400), as well as the esoteric remuneration for “special achievements” ($7050).
With so much cash at stake for the birth of baby pandas, it probably shouldn’t be surprising that artificial insemination has become central to the panda program. But it is disturbing, with the procedure sometimes carried out in sloppy fashion, and on occasion, it was downright painful for the pandas, as detailed in Hvistendahl’s piece and discussed in our conversation.
Listen Here:The post Talking Animals: New York Times reporter discusses her extraordinary exposé on China’s Panda Program appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Listen:A busy storm season left many Pinellas County beaches wrecked, but Clearwater’s mayor says theirs are in good shape. Officials pled for tourists who might be second-guessing their beach vacations to come back.
A small amount of people enjoyed another beautiful sunny and breezy day at Clearwater Beach.
And despite power outages and ongoing debris cleanup, Clearwater Mayor Bruce Rector encouraged more people to visit.
“Whether you’re coming in from Tampa Bay or you’re coming in from anywhere around the country, you’re going to have the same, to similar, fantastic experience staying on Clearwater Beach that you’ve already had,” Rector said.
But now the Tampa Bay region faces a threat of red tide – something the back-to-back storms may have fueled.
While Clearwater mayor Bruce Rector wants to see visitors return, he’s urging caution.
“If you’ve been here for any length of time, you understand that things get mixed around in the water during a storm, and just to use good judgment about getting in the water,” Rector said.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission found high concentrations of red tide offshore Pinellas, but closer to shore, the beaches were free of red tide.
Data released Friday also showed medium concentrations near Sarasota and Manatee counties.
Commissioner Brian Scott says tourism is a top driver of the economy in Pinellas. He says the storm’s impacts extend to service workers.
“They’re hurting right now. They need visitors, they need to get back to work. We need to get those folks back to work. So, we need visitors to do that.” Scott said.
Since Milton, officials say about 80 percent of hotels and restaurants are back in business.
However, many of the hotels now house displaced residents and recovery response workers.
To report storm damage, click here.
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In this two-part special Charles meets with Emmanuel Roux, the founder of 15th St Farm, a nonprofit in the heart of downtown St. Petersburg FL. With a rich 50+ year history of organic agriculture and food services, Emmanuel helps bring to focus the link between our optimum health and the soil beneath our feet.
You can learn more about 15th St Farm at:
15thstfarm.com
Recorded 01/2023
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Joe Dalessio is the founder of Meacham Urban Farms, Downtown Tampa’s hidden vegetable farm. Joe is a first-generation urban farmer and entrepreneur.
You can learn more about Meacham Farms at:
MeachamFarm.com
Recorded: 02/2023
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Join Tanja and Anni to discuss everything about bats with experts Shannon Carnevale and Tom West. Shannon Carnevale is an Extension Agent in Polk County, FL, where she leads the Natural Resources and Conservation Extension program addressing issues related to watershed ecology & restoration, invasive plant management, and forest resource management. Tom West is the District Manager of TruTech Wildlife Service’s Tampa Bay team. He also holds a certificate in entomology.
Topics discussed:
-debunking common myths about bats… are they really spooky?
-types of bats in Florida and their habitats and behaviors
-the bat’s role in ecology
-how to know and what to do if there are bats in your home
-the benefits of bats for humans
and more!
Visit Shannon’s website to learn more about her and her work and find Tom West at his company’s website TruTech Wildlife Service.
If you love what we do on Sustainable Living, don’t forget to tune in every Monday at 11am on WMNF 88.5fm or listen to past episodes in the archives. If you’d like to donate to show your support, head over to the donations page and direct your pledge to the Sustainable Living Show.
The post All about bats with Shannon Carnevale and Tom West appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
By Jim Saunders ©2024 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — In a case that started after a dramatic increase in manatee deaths, a federal judge has rejected a lawsuit aimed at requiring the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to take another look at water-quality standards in the Indian River Lagoon.
U.S. District Judge Carlos Mendoza last week issued a 23-page decision that sided with the EPA in a lawsuit filed in 2022 by the Save the Manatee Club, the Center for Biological Diversity and Defenders of Wildlife.
The lawsuit came after a record 1,100 manatees died in 2021 in Florida, many because a lack of seagrass — a key food source — led to starvation. The most deaths, 358, were in Brevard County, which includes a large part of the Indian River Lagoon.
The environmental groups, represented by the Earthjustice legal organization, sought to require the EPA to undertake what is known as “consultation” with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service about water-quality standards in the lagoon. That would include looking again at standards approved in 2013.
Florida developed the standards, which needed approval from the EPA under the federal Clean Water Act, Mendoza wrote.
In 2021, the environmental groups notified the EPA that they intended to sue because the standards did not adequately protect manatees, which are classified by the federal government as a threatened species.The groups said the EPA needed to start a consultation process with the Fish and Wildlife Service.
Later, the groups also called for consultation with the National Marine Fisheries Service because of concerns about threatened or endangered species such as green turtles, loggerhead turtles and smalltooth sawfish, according to Mendoza’s ruling.
The EPA, however, did not move forward with consultation. That resulted in the lawsuit, which alleged violation of the federal Endangered Species Act.
“Manatees and other ESA-protected species in the Indian River Lagoon are suffering and will continue to suffer until water quality in the lagoon improves,” the lawsuit said. “Plaintiffs therefore ask this court to compel EPA to reinitiate consultation with the (Fish and Wildlife and National Marine Fisheries) services to protect ESA-listed species that depend on the lagoon’s fragile habitat, as the Endangered Species Act requires.”
But Mendoza wrote last week that the EPA argued the problems stemmed from Florida’s enforcement of the water-quality standards — not the standards themselves. Siding with the EPA, Mendoza said he needed to look at whether “new information reveals effects” of the 2013 standards that are different than what had previously been considered.
“Plaintiffs have not shown that the Indian River Lagoon’s current impairment constitutes new information on the effects of the water quality standards because the parties agree that the 2013 water quality standards have not been achieved by Florida,” the Orlando-based judge wrote.
Also, he wrote that the environmental groups did not show that the EPA’s actions “were arbitrary, capricious, an abuse of discretion, or otherwise not in accordance with law.”
The ruling came after Mendoza last month refused to dismiss a separate lawsuit alleging that Florida has violated the Endangered Species Act because of sewage discharges into the Indian River Lagoon that have helped lead to manatee deaths.
Also last month, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposed expanding designations of “critical habitat” for Florida manatees in various parts of the state.
After the record number of deaths in 2021, Florida had 800 manatee deaths in 2022, before the number dropped to 555 in 2023, according to Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission data. The state had 462 manatee deaths this year as of Sept. 20.
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©2024 The News Service of Florida
The Florida Department of Environmental Protection has completed a $34.5 million purchase of 1,361 acres of ranchland in southeastern Seminole County through the Florida Forever program.
The department said this week that the property will provide a link in the Florida Wildlife Corridor to other conservation lands, such as Little Big Econ State Forest.
The property is expected to be managed as an addition to the state forest.
The purchase was one of three Florida Forever acquisitions approved at a March 26 state Cabinet meeting.
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This Monday, Dr. Noris Ledesma, tropical fruit genetics expert, joins Tanja and Anni to discuss 10 new varieties of mangos.
Dr. Ledesma is the Chairman of the Florida State Horticultural Society, a horticulturist specialist in tropical fruits. Her work experience includes throughout Latin America, Asia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Africa, India, Oman and Saudi Arabia. She is a CURT-a-SEE ( courtesy) professor at the University of Florida, Tropical Research and Education Center, Homestead FL. Currently works as a consultant with mango industry in Peru, USA, Mexico and the Middle East. Noris has received multiple awards from her research and dedication. She has authored over a hundred scientific and popular articles on fruit culture in the last decade, as well as coauthor of three books, and numerous scientific publications and popular articles.
Topics discussed include:
-why Dr. Ledesma chose mangoes to study and what it means to her
-what makes the “perfect” commercial production mango
-tropical fruit and climate change
-breeding new varieties
-grafting
-tips for varieties and techniques to grow in Florida
and more!
Some new mango varieties:
Rapoza Hawaii Selected – similar to Kent – more color & disease resistance.
Angie dwarf and disease resistant, ripens early.
Mallika fragrant – unripe flavor is like a banana, garlic, durian. Ripe flavor is like caramel.
Kesar
Rosigold dwarf early mango – similar to Hayden, disease resistance in South Florida.
Mahachanock big winner ripens mid season July. Large tree – needs heavy pruning, disease resistance, middle season ripening, similar to Nom Doc Mai from Thailand but with Florida blood, red tones on skin.
If you love what we do on Sustainable Living, don’t forget to tune in every Monday at 11am on WMNF 88.5fm or listen to past episodes in the archives. If you’d like to donate to show your support, head over to the donations page and direct your pledge to the Sustainable Living Show.
The post New varieties of mango with Dr. Noris Ledesma appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
By Jim Saunders ©2024 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — Federal wildlife officials have proposed expanding designations of “critical habitat” for Florida manatees, potentially bolstering protections in areas ranging from Wakulla Springs in Northwest Florida to the upper St. Johns River in Northeast Florida.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is expected Tuesday to publish a proposed rule that would lead to 1.9 million acres being designated as critical habitat, nearly double the amount designated in the past.
The proposal came after the Center for Biological Diversity, Defenders of Wildlife and the Save the Manatee Club filed a lawsuit in 2022 to try to force upgraded habitat protections. The federal agency later reached a settlement and agreed to propose revised critical habitat for manatees by this month.
“For too long, we have degraded and destroyed the Florida manatee’s habitat through pollution, dredging and blocking access to the natural warm water springs vital to its winter survival,” Jane Davenport, a senior attorney at Defenders of Wildlife, said in a prepared statement Monday. “When finalized, the proposed critical habitat expansion will give federal, state and conservation groups the information and impetus to ensure the beloved Florida manatee’s full recovery.”
The proposal involves 12 coastal and inland areas of the state and focuses on places where manatees go for warm water in the winter and on relatively nearby areas where they forage for food.
“Florida manatees require stable, long-term sources of warm water, such as natural springs, during colder months to survive,” the proposal said.
The federal government classifies manatees as a “threatened” species, and the sea cows drew widespread attention in 2021 when a record 1,100 died. Many died of starvation caused by the decline of seagrass beds that are prime foraging areas.
The state had 800 manatee deaths in 2022, before the number dropped to 555 in 2023, according to Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission data. As of Sept. 13, the state had totaled 451 manatee deaths this year,
The Fish and Wildlife Service said in the proposed rule that it designated 965,394 acres of critical habitat in 1976, based on where large concentrations of manatees were known to occur. But environmental groups have long sought to get the agency to expand the designated habitat.
A news release Monday from the Center for Biological Diversity said federal agencies that fund or permit projects in areas of critical habitat are required to consult with the Fish and Wildlife Service to make sure the habitat would not be harmed or destroyed. The proposed rule said critical habitat includes waters up to what is known as the “ordinary high-water line.”
The proposal cited issues for manatees such as natural springs having declining water quality and water flow and algae blooms causing seagrass losses.
“Examples of special management considerations or protection that could reduce the threat of warm-water habitat loss may include (but not be limited to): establishing and maintaining minimum flows and levels for springs, lakes, and rivers; conducting spring run restoration projects (e.g., remove excess sediment, stabilize creek banks) and removing or modifying dams and locks to improve access; and enhancing existing warm-water refuges or creating alternate warm-water refuges,” the proposal said.
Other examples of potential protections in the proposal include such things as “improving water quality through reductions in nutrient inputs from stormwater, septic tanks, and fertilizers.”
The proposal targets certain inland waterways and coastal waters in the 12 areas of the state.
Generally, they are the Wakulla Springs area in Wakulla County; the Manatee Springs and Fanning Springs areas of Dixie, Gilchrist and Levy counties; areas from Withlacoochee Bay to the Anclote River in Levy, Citrus, Hernando, Pasco, and Pinellas counties; areas of Tampa Bay in Pinellas, Hillsborough and Manatee counties; areas from Venice to Estero Bay in Sarasota, Charlotte, Lee, Hendry, and Collier counties; areas from Rookery Bay to Florida Bay West in Collier, Monroe and Miami-Dade counties; an Upper Florida Keys area in Monroe and Miami-Dade counties; areas from Biscayne Bay to Deerfield Beach in Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties; areas from Boynton Beach to Fort Pierce in Palm Beach, Martin and St. Lucie counties; areas from Vero Beach to the northern Indian River Lagoon in Indian River, Brevard and Volusia counties; areas of the upper St. Johns River in Lake, Seminole, Volusia, Marion and Putnam counties; and the Silver Springs area of Marion County.
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A federal judge found Piney Point’s operators liable for the major spill of toxic wastewater into Tampa Bay in 2021.
HRK Holdings LLC was ordered to pay a fine of $846,900 on Wednesday. But the company went belly-up over a decade ago.
The judge’s orders gave the company the maximum civil penalty per day for the fifteen-day event, during which 215 million gallons of contaminated water was dumped into Tampa Bay.
The Center for Biological Diversity said the hazardous discharge resulted in “a deadly red tide that killed more than 600 tons of marine life in Pinellas and Hillsborough Counties.”
The Center’s Ragan Whitlock said it was “one of the worst events of environmental pollution in Tampa Bay’s history.”
Three years ago, regulators found a leak in the facility’s reservoir liner and ordered the release to prevent a larger collapse and flooding event.
Whitlock said the regulators took a “reckless gamble” in allowing the facility to operate without a permit for two decades.
“It is the failure of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection to do their job,” he said. “Frankly, I’m not surprised that a corporate polluter polluted. I’m surprised that our state regulators allowed it to happen.”
Following the discharge event, a Manatee County Circuit Court issued an order appointing Herb Donica as the official receiver, or the person overseeing the management and closure of the facility.
“We are happy that the immediate threat to human health and safety in the environment from Piney Point is abated,” Whitlock said. “We do not expect there to be another massive spill from this facility now that it is under the receivership.”
“Receiverships care and there is proper money allocated to its closure,” he added. “But make no mistake, phosphate facilities will always pose an environmental threat.”
In July, the FDEP agreed to a draft Clean Water Act permit designed to enhance the monitoring of the Piney Point facility.
But Whitlock said since the devastating spill, no regulations have been changed to guard against something like Piney Point happening in the future.
“Frankly, the amount of destruction in Tampa Bay, the amount of life lost within Tampa Bay’s waters truly is incalculable,” he said. “No amount of money can ever make up for what happened in the Tampa Bay region will be reeling from this for years to come.”
The payments are part of an environmental restitution for hazardous wastewater spill, and the money will go back to the U.S. Treasury. But Whitlock said the amount “pales in comparison” to the burden taxpayers have paid to clean up the site.
“Tampa Bay will be reeling from this event,” he said. “For years, the amount of seagrass lost, the amount of nutrient inundation, the amount of endangered species in Florida, manatees and sea turtles who were harmed from this event is going to be something that will take a long time for the state of Florida to truly wrap their heads around.”
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By Jim Saunders ©2024 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — A federal judge this week refused to dismiss a lawsuit alleging that Florida has violated the Endangered Species Act because of sewage discharges into the Indian River Lagoon that have helped lead to manatee deaths.
U.S. District Judge Carlos Mendoza issued a 30-page ruling that rejected a motion by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection to toss out the lawsuit filed in 2022 by the environmental group Bear Warriors United.
Bear Warriors United contends that the department has not adequately regulated sewage-treatment plants and septic systems, leading to discharges that killed seagrass — a vital food source for manatees — in a northern stretch of the Indian River Lagoon. Manatees have died in recent years because of starvation.
The state raised a series of arguments in seeking dismissal, including that Bear Warriors United did not have legal standing to pursue the case. But Mendoza wrote, for example, that the group is seeking a series of steps to curb manatee deaths and that he can “easily conclude that if this court were to find in favor of plaintiff, it is likely that fewer protected manatees would be harmed by pollutive sewage.”
“FDEP (the department) is responsible for regulating, permitting, and revoking (septic systems) and wastewater treatment facilities,” Mendoza wrote. “FDEP has designed and implemented remediation plans to address the nutrient pollution problem in the North IRL (Indian River Lagoon). The (lawsuit) alleged that FDEP’s ongoing failure to use its authority to regulate the sewage more efficiently continues to harm manatees, and thus constitutes an unlawful taking. Therefore, plaintiff has met its causation requirement for standing purposes because its alleged injury is fairly traceable to defendant’s action or inaction.”
The ruling does not resolve the underlying issues in the lawsuit. Bear Warriors United and the state in June filed competing motions for summary judgment. If Mendoza grants summary judgment to either side, it would short-circuit the need for a trial.
In its motion for summary judgment, Bear Warriors United said the department “has known for decades that the septic tanks and wastewater plants it authorizes release human nitrogen” that causes such problems as algae blooms in the lagoon.
“DEP thus authorizes the destruction of the lagoon’s ability to sustain seagrass and other macroalgae which are essential food sources for the manatees’ survival,” the group’s attorneys wrote. “As such, DEP’s regulatory regime for septic tanks and wastewater plants directly and indirectly results in the ongoing unlawful ‘take’ of manatees, in violation of (a section of the Endangered Species Act), and this court must issue an injunction requiring compliance with the ESA (Endangered Species Act) to prevent further take of manatees.”
But in the department’s motion for summary judgment, attorneys wrote that the state has taken steps in recent years to try to reduce discharges into the lagoon and disputed that it has violated the Endangered Species Act. The motion said the department’s “actions are not the proximate cause of any harm” to manatees, which are classified as a threatened species.
“The record shows that DEP has not authorized or entitled any party to cause a violation of water quality standards,” the state’s motion said. “It has, instead, worked diligently to restore an impaired water. There is no proximate cause. DEP is entitled to judgment as a matter of law because with no dispute of material fact, it has not violated the ESA.”
The lawsuit involves part of the Indian River Lagoon from the Melbourne Causeway in Brevard County to Turnbull Creek in southern Volusia County.
Florida had a record 1,100 manatee deaths in 2021, with the largest number, 358, in Brevard County, the focus of the lawsuit.
The state had 800 manatee deaths in 2022, before the number dropped to 555 in 2023, according to Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission data. As of last week, the state had totaled 451 manatee deaths this year, with the most, 76, in Brevard County.
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By Jim Saunders ©2024 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — Florida this week argued a federal appeals court should overturn a ruling about permitting for projects that affect wetlands, contending that “disastrous consequences flow” from the ruling.
Attorneys for the state late Monday filed a 74-page brief at the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia in the battle about a 2020 decision by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to shift permitting authority to the state.
Siding with environmental groups that filed a legal challenge, U.S. District Judge Randolph Moss in February vacated the 2020 decision. Moss ruled that actions by the EPA and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in approving the shift violated the federal Endangered Species Act.
The ruling returned the permitting authority to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which had it before the shift. But the state’s brief late Monday, in addition to disputing Moss’ legal conclusions, warned of “disastrous consequences” for permitting under what is known as Section 404 of the federal Clean Water Act.
“The Corps’ resources dedicated to processing permits in Florida do not compare to those Florida has dedicated to its program,” the brief said. “All the while, the staffing and infrastructure set up for Florida’s program — and the regulated community — suffer the consequences of the district court’s ruling, as delays have now pervaded Section 404 permitting in the state.”
The EPA approved the transfer of the permitting authority in December 2020, about a month before former President Donald Trump’s administration ended. The move made Florida only the third state, after Michigan and New Jersey, to receive the authority, which involves dredge-and-fill permits.
The legal organization Earthjustice filed a lawsuit in 2021 against the federal government on behalf of the Center for Biological Diversity, Defenders of Wildlife, the Sierra Club, the Conservancy of Southwest Florida, the Florida Wildlife Federation, Miami Waterkeeper and St. Johns Riverkeeper. The state later intervened to defend the transfer.
Moss’ February ruling focused, in part, on whether the Fish and Wildlife Service properly prepared a biological opinion and what is known as an “incidental take statement” as part of the process of approving the transfer. Incidental takes are situations in which threatened or endangered species could be killed or harmed as a result of what are allowed activities.
Moss said a biological opinion and incidental take statement did not comply with the Endangered Species Act and another law known as the Administrative Procedure Act. He wrote that because the biological opinion and incidental take statement that the Fish and Wildlife Service “issued in this case were facially and legally flawed, the EPA unreasonably relied on those documents in approving Florida’s assumption application.”
But the state’s brief and a separate brief filed Monday by federal-government attorneys disputed Moss’ conclusions. Among other things, they pointed to a “technical assistance” process that involves the state sending permit applications to the Fish and Wildlife Service for review and potential conditions.
The state’s brief said that in the three years after the permitting shift was approved, “Florida processed thousands of permit applications, issued over 700 individual permits, and denied over 300 applications, all under continuous, permit-by-permit federal oversight. Florida also routinely revised permits and accepted Fish & Wildlife’s proposed mitigation recommendations, consistent with the technical-assistance process.”
Also, the state argued that Moss’ ruling improperly required an “upfront accounting of all species- and site-specific effects and numerical take limits — something Fish & Wildlife determined was scientifically impossible for Section 404 program approval and the unknowable permitting decisions it triggers.”
The federal government’s brief Monday largely agreed with the state’s arguments that Moss’ ruling should be overturned. But it said federal officials conceded that the EPA had erred by failing to consult with another agency, the National Marine Fisheries Service, before approving the permitting shift.
The state disagreed, saying Moss “erred by second-guessing EPA’s findings on marine species.”
The federal-government attorneys said the case should be sent back to Moss — and the Corps of Engineers should continue handling permitting until the issue about the National Marine Fisheries Service is resolved.
“In this circumstance, where plaintiffs’ success on their full complement of claims remains uncertain, but the disruptive consequences of … (permitting) jurisdictional ping-pong are clear, the appropriate course is for the district court’s vacatur of EPA’s assumption to remain in place for the limited duration of district court proceedings on remand,” the federal brief said.
Attorneys for the environmental groups face a Nov. 1 deadline for filing a response to the state and federal briefs.
The state’s efforts to defend the transfer have been backed by groups such as the Florida Chamber of Commerce, Associated Industries of Florida and the Association of Florida Community Developers. In a February court filing, the state said Moss’ ruling could affect permit applications for a wide range of projects, including roads, housing and construction of hospitals and schools.
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©2024 The News Service of Florida
Florida officials on Tuesday added oceanic whitetip sharks (Carcharhinus longimanus) to the list of shark species prohibited from being harvested or harmed in state waters.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s action brings the state in line with federal regulations protecting the migratory species, which has a distinctive pattern of mottled white markings on the tips of dorsal, pectoral, and tail fins.
NOAA Fisheries earlier this year prohibited the commercial and recreational harvest of oceanic whitetip sharks in U.S. waters of the Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean, according to a memo sent to the commission this month by Jessica McCawley, the state director of Marine Fisheries Management.
Oceanic whitetip sharks are listed as threatened by federal officials, and are among more than two-dozen other shark species also protected under state law.
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Residents of Hillsborough County were buzzing with excitement on Saturday.
People stopped by Northdale Park and Recreation Center for the county’s last giveaway in 2024 to pick up an all-natural mosquito preventative: Gambusia Holbrooki, otherwise known as the eastern mosquitofish.
The fish in question is a small, native freshwater fish that eats mosquito eggs and larvae.
Hillsborough’s free giveaways happen annually. This year, more than 5,000 fish were bred and readied to distribute for the event.
Paolo Pecora is a Senior Environmental Scientist with the county.
“Gambusia Holbrooki stocked in locations where they’re in low numbers or not naturally occurring retention ponds, small water basins, stormwater basins, ditches where they’re holding water longer than normal,” he said.
As far as environmental concerns over the fish, Pecora said in Australia the fish has threatened smaller native species.
“There are cons to utilizing this fish as a biological control agent in certain environments, but for Hillsborough County, they’re pretty effective, and more or less, they’re the most common fish and the local species,” Percora said.
The mosquito fish is a small part of Hillsborough County’s efforts to “take back neighborhoods from the more than 40 species of mosquitoes,” according to its website.
In 2023, the county reported it gave the public over 24,000 fish. Hillsborough also treated over 120,200 acres of water for larval mosquitoes, among other initiatives.
Some members of the area said they think this approach is a step forward in the right direction. But Hillsborough resident Karen Skop thinks the county could do more.
“I think this is great, but I think they need to do more, especially for the mosquito population and then the freshwater lakes. They got to do something to protect our waterways,” she said.
As a homeowner, Skop said she feels the weight of mosquitos in her backyard.
“They (Hillsborough County) collect a lot of property taxes, especially with the influx of population. So they need to do something to keep our waterways safe, keep our people safe, and they (mosquitos) carry disease,” she said.
As of Monday, Sept. 16, there have been 386 cases of dengue fever in Florida. Graphic provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.One of the driving forces in preventing mosquito population growth is the spread of disease.
Adult mosquitoes can spread diseases like dengue fever, the Zika virus, West Nile virus, malaria and Chikungunya virus to humans, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Listen to the Midpoint podcast’s breakdown of the mosquito and bird related diseases plaguing Florida.
Residents were provided with printed handouts with information about why the mosquitofish is being used against mosquitos.
“You actually get to talk to people and they explain things that you get… You learn a little bit more. It’s not just the government will take care of you. No, no, we’re all in this together and let’s all work together,” Hillsborough resident Frank Stalzer said.
The Florida Department of Health in Hillsborough recommends draining standing water from outside to reduce mosquito breeding.
If you want Hillsborough County Mosquito Management to host an event like this near you, let the department of public works know.
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Anita Camacho, founder of the Tampa Bay Butterfly Foundation, is one of many local educators participating in Hope In Action Sept. 14 and 15, a weekend for people of all ages to join forces in protecting Tampa’s environment. It’s hosted by the Roots and Shoots Alliance of Tampa Bay, the local affiliate of the organization created by Dr. Jane Goodall in 1991 to bring together young people from preschool to college age to work on environmental, conservation, and humanitarian issues.
This weekend’s events include a Youth Education Summit at Tropicana Field on Saturday followed by a lecture by Jane Goodall. Then on Sunday is a day of action where young people and adults can get their hands dirty making a difference.
Camacho operates nature camps at her Little Red Wagon Native Nursery that correspond to the Hillsborough County schools calendar. Camp activities take place in botanical gardening, butterfly nursery and bug zoo, where Camacho teaches the value of bugs in the garden.
“”If there aren’t bugs eating your plants, you aren’t part of the ecosystem. Bugs and plants evolve together. There’s a symbiosis there,” Camacho said. “Plants need them for pollination.”
Camacho said she opened the nursery four years ago after her mother was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, which research shows is connected to pesticides in the environment.
“That’s our bottom line here. We’re chemical free, we’re pesticide free,” she says.
To hear the entire interview, which aired before a live interview with state House candidate Ashley Brundage, click the link below or go, to the WaveMakers archives or search for WMNF WaveMakers wherever you listen to podcasts.
https://cdn.wmnf.org/sound/2024/wmnf_240910_110600_wvm1_461.MP3?_=1
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James Gaddis, the Florida Dept. of Environmental Protection employee who blew the whistle on DeSantis’ plan to privatize, plunder, and profit from letting developers put hotels, golf courses, and pickleball courts in our last remaining Florida wild lands, and Max Chesnes, the Tampa Bay Times reporter who broke the State Parks story, and Anders Croy, from the DeSantis Watch accountability project, all joined MidPoint on Sept. 11, 2024, to discuss the revelations about the administration’s plans to develop the state parks, who would benefit from the plan and the public outcry against it.
You can listen to our show here, on the app, or as a WMNF MidPoint podcast wherever you get your podcasts.
The post The Florida State Parks Whistleblower and the Public Outcry appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
The Great Outdoors Initiative is off the table.
Earlier this month, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection announced a controversial plan to build pickleball courts, golf courses, and lodging at state parks.
At a press conference in Polk County Wednesday, Governor Ron DeSantis, who heads up the FDEP, says he’d “rather not spend any money” on the plan.
“They’re not doing anything this year, they’re gonna go back and basically listen to folks. A lot of that stuff was just half-baked and not ready for prime time,” DeSantis said.
This comes after hundreds of people have rallied against development in parks across the state, including a protest yesterday at Honeymoon Island in Dunedin.
Cris Costello is the senior organizing manager for Sierra Club Florida. She calls this a victory for wildlife in the state.
“Everyone was in an outrage, and they came out, and called on DeSantis to call it off, and look what he did!” Costello said.
Costello says advocates will keep fighting to protect Florida’s parks.
“We will do it again, we will kill it again if anyone dares to raise it from the dead.” Costello said.
The plan got bipartisan pushback, including state senate president Kathleen Passidomo and senators Marco Rubio and Rick Scott.
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More than 100 people braved the hot Florida weather to protest a proposed development of pickleball courts at Honeymoon Island State Park on Tuesday.
Concerned citizens and elected officials held signs, chanted, and even sang their opposition to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s “Great Outdoors Initiative.”
FDEP’s proposal would place disc golf courses, pickleball courts, or lodging at eight state parks.
Kira Barrera is the Suncoast Sierra Club’s conservation chair. She also emceed the protest.
“This is not about enhancing our parks or increasing access. This is about turning them into profit-driven ventures at the expense of our environment,” Barrera said. “The overwhelming outcry we’ve heard from every corner of our state speaks volumes. Floridians do not want our parks paved.”
Suncoast Sierra Club Conservation Chair Kira Barerra emceed the protest at Honeymoon Island State Park. She spoke and led the crowd in chants. Photo by Meghan Bowman for WMNF News (2024). Barrera said the plans for Honeymoon Island – which would place up to four pickleball courts in the park – are a bad idea.
“We fought off the development of Honeymoon Island back in 2011 and were successful,” she said. “And we will defend our parks today, next week, and until we know they’re safe and preserved.”
More than 1,000 people showed up to a hearing in Dunedin over a decade ago to oppose FDEP’s proposal for a private company to build and operate a campground at Honeymoon Island.
While Barrera doesn’t want to see development at the park, she is not opposed to pickleball courts in the county.
“Pickleball has certainly a place for recreation. There are a lot of places people can do that in Pinellas County,” Barrera said. “We’re not opposed to people enjoying the outdoors, but it needs to be in an appropriate place and that is not our state parks.”
Honeymoon Island is the only state park in Pinellas County and preserves one of the last virgin pine forests in Florida. Barrera said the park is vital to protecting natural resources and imperiled and endangered species.
Heather Presley attended the rally with a simple blue sign that read “Green not greed.” She said she’s worried development won’t stop with just pickleball courts.
“Once they’re in, they’re going to be in, they’re going to develop further,” Presley said. “It’s going to further erode the ecosystem. This is why people come to Florida not to play pickleball. They’re here to appreciate the beauty that we have.”
Kim Begay is vice president of the Clearwater Audubon Society. She said there was an “obvious lack of transparency” when the FDEP announced public meetings for the initiative.
“It just doesn’t seem like they’re conducting the government in accordance with the Sunshine Laws, they’re supposed to be giving people ample time to respond and not having all of the meetings at exactly the same time over the different areas of the state,” she said. “And during a work day where people are working, it just doesn’t seem like it was done in the spirit of wanting the citizens to speak up. And that’s troublesome.”
Protesters rally at Honeymoon Island State Park against Gov. DeSantis’ park development plans. Photo by Meghan Bowman for WMNF News (2024).Due to the large pushback, FDEP announced it would reschedule the public meetings for all the parks in venues that would accommodate larger crowds.
Despite the cancellation, people still organized to meet at Honeymoon Island, including Erik Cantie.
“We’re still ready to speak today and let them know that you can just go ahead and cancel the next meeting,” he said. “We’re ready. We’re like, we’re ready for this to die on the vine.”
Cantie said when he found out about the state’s “Great Outdoors Initiative,” it was like a slap in the face.
He took to Facebook and started a Honeymoon Island group that now has over 5,000 members and counting.
Lauren Gay is an adventure travel content creator. She said it’s humanity who must protect and restore as much wild natural habitat as possible.
“And it seems to me that the FDP has somehow forgotten that the P is for protection, not profit,” she told protesters.
She added people should hold state leadership accountable to protect the parks and limit unnecessary development.
“We will not stand down and we will not shut up. Keep Florida wild!” Gay said.
Most rallygoers said this protest was just the beginning. And they’ll continue to brave the heat and protest the initiative until the state calls it all off.
Public advocacy has worked to stop plans at Jonathan Dickinson State Park. Earlier this week, the proposal for a golf course from the Tuskegee Dunes Foundation was withdrawn.
“We have received clear feedback that Jonathan Dickinson State Park is not the right location. We did not understand the local community landscape and appreciate the clarity. We will not pursue building in the beloved Jonathan Dickinson State Park,” Tuskegee’s website said.
Begay said public advocacy is how they will defeat the FDEP’s plans.
“What stops these officials is the citizens rising up in numbers and making a lot of noise,” she said. “And so far, everyone is doing an amazing job.”
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Pinellas residents protest development proposal at Honeymoon Island State ParkWMNF’s Meghan Bowman reports on the protest of the proposed development of pickleball courts at Honeymoon Island State Park.
Hillsborough Schools ponder changing policy on emotional support animalsWMNF’s Chris Yong reports how getting an emotional support animal on a Hillsborough Public School’s campus may become more difficult.
Sloth fever is in FloridaU.S. health officials say more than 20 people returning to Florida from Cuba have been infected by Oropouche virus disease or sloth fever.
WMNFThe Scoop producer Leah Burdick
WMNF anchors Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane
WMNF News Director Seán Kinane
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Special thanks to Taylor Lovejoy and Corey Beltran.
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This Monday, Anni and Tanja discuss protecting Florida’s green spaces with a special focus on the current FDEP proposal for changes throughout some Florida parks. Florida House Representative, Anna Eskamani joins the show to discuss the controversial Florida Department of Environmental Protections proposed plans to include golf courses, pickle ball courts and buildings, along with how the public can stay informed and voice their opinions. Also joining Tanja and Anni on today’s show is native plant expert Bruce Turley. Bruce serves on the board of directors for the West K Klosterman Preservation Group as Vice President and has also served on a variety of other environmental organizations such as the Pinellas Chapter of the Native Plant Society, the Florida Association of Native Nurseries, and the Native Plant Horticulture Foundation. Listen in for an educational episode on current issues and how you can participate.
Find out more about the FDEP proposal and how you can take action at the Florida Wildlife Federation website as well as the website of our guest, Florida House Rep. Anna Eskamani here.
Learn more about guest Bruce Turley and his current project to save a local 14 acre preserve from development, by visiting the WK Preservation Group.
You can also stay up to date on community action for the current FDEP proposal on the Sustainable Living Show’s FB page.
If you love what we do on Sustainable Living, don’t forget to tune in every Monday at 11am on WMNF 88.5fm or listen to past episodes in the archives. If you’d like to donate to show your support, head over to the donations page and direct your pledge to the Sustainable Living Show.
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Environmental groups are pushing back against a controversial plan called the “Great Outdoors Initiative.”
The Florida Department of Environmental Protection released details last week to build pickleball courts, disc golf courses, and lodging at nine state parks, including Honeymoon Island in Pinellas County and Hillsborough River State Park in Hillsborough.
1,000 Friends of Florida is a statewide environmental advocacy organization. The group focuses on strengthening community planning at both the local and state levels.
They are providing the public with as much up-to-date information to educate and engage the communities impacted. In an email, the group called the plans “bad proposals for our beloved state parks.”
“Honestly, the (plans) that have been proposed, we’d like to see them go away,” Communications Director Haley Busch said.
One of the main reasons the group has gotten involved was the state’s short notice for public engagement, according to Busch.
And even though FDEP has postponed the public meetings, people are still waiting for the new times to be released. Busch said quick notices make it hard for the community to get involved in the discussion.
“If they announce them one week from today, that’s still difficult for the average person to try and make plans to attend these meetings,” she said. “So, I’d like to see a more meaningful attempt at real public participation.”
Before FDEP initially postponed meetings originally slated for Tuesday, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio and Rick Scott penned a letter to Gov. Ron DeSantis and Florida’s Acquisition and Restoration Council board members urging them to hold more substantial public comment periods for Jonathan Dickinson State Park.
“It is also imperative that FDEP give the citizens of Palm Beach and Martin counties every opportunity to have their voices heard on the topic. An hour-long meeting on a weekday afternoon when most people are at work will not suffice,” the letter signed by more than a dozen lawmakers said.
Following the bipartisan scrutiny, the developer Tuskegee Dunes Foundation pulled its proposal for a golf course at a state park in South Florida.
“We have received clear feedback that Jonathan Dickinson State Park is not the right location. We did not understand the local community landscape and appreciate the clarity. We will not pursue building in the beloved Jonathan Dickinson State Park,” Tuskegee’s website said.
Developers and FDEP are starting to feel the pressure as well, according to Busch.
“Advocacy is working here. We’re seeing the public pressure coming in,” she said. “We’re kind of through the grapevine hearing that the EPA is frustrated by this, that the governor’s office is frustrated, and I think that’s appropriate. I think Floridians are putting the pressure on.”
Busch said the agency’s plans have a higher level of impact on the environment – like total development of a site and leveling areas for more parking lots and asphalt.
She added one of the great things about state and national parks is their low-impact accessibility.
“So you’re able to bring the public to nature without destroying nature. (It’s) the reason that folks are there in the first place,” Busch said. “You’ve got to make efforts to protect wildlife with as minimal disruption as possible.”
FDEP posted to X, formerly Twitter, about the efforts of the development plans. The agency said the rescheduled meetings are expected to be during the week of Sept. 2.
There is A LOT of confusion out there about the 2024-25 Great Outdoors Initiative & our efforts to increase public access, recreation & lodging throughout @FLStateParks. We love #TheRealFlorida as much as you do, so we want to clear some things up… pic.twitter.com/ntaSvk9ZRF
— Florida DEP News (@FLDEPNews) August 22, 2024
Despite Tuesday’s canceled meetings, some groups are still mobilizing and will protest Tuesday, Aug. 27:
- Emerald Coast State Parks, 5 p.m., front steps of FDEP Headquarters, 3900 Commonwealth Blvd., Tallahassee, 32399
- Oleta State Park, 10:30 a.m., 3400 N.E. 163rd St., North Miami Beach, 33160
- Jonathan Dickinson State Park, 2 p.m., 201 SW Flagler Ave., Stuart, 34994
- Honeymoon Island State Park, 2 p.m., 1 Causeway Blvd., Dunedin, 34698
Public comment for the “Great Outdoors Initiative” is still open and available here.
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Listen:Famous Chimpanzee expert and conservationist Jane Goodall is speaking in St. Petersburg in September. The two-day event comes as Florida faces the national spotlight for environmental issues.
Dr. Jane Goodall’s discovery in 1960 that chimpanzees make and use tools is considered one of the greatest achievements of twentieth-century scholarship.
She will speak at an event called “Hope in Action” at the Tropicana Field.
A “Day of action” with service projects around Tampa Bay, including cleanups, will follow Goodall’s speech.
Anna Rathmann is the executive director of the Goodall Institutes’ U.S. office.
Rathmann said the organization calls the region a “basecamp,” and invests significant resources in this area in particular.
“The community of Tampa Bay has really shown up with their commitment to the environment. You know, we could come up with a bunch of different reasons why, but it’s a beautiful community because it has terrestrial and marine environments we could really dive into,” Rathman said.
All this comes as the state is under increased scrutiny after Governor Ron DeSantis received bipartisan backlash after proposing putting pickleball courts and golf courses in state parks.
Bonnie Eaton is a coordinator for Roots and Shoots, a youth organization founded by Goodall.
“We would want to put nature first in these situations, and we’ll work with the other organizations in the area to help have that message heard,” Eaton said.
In a statement sent to WMNF, the organization said they “do not hold a stance on the issue” and it’s “out of the scope of their conservation work.”
See event details here.
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State park development meetings postponedThe Florida Department of Environmental Protection delays public meetings to discuss the new amenity additions in the state’s parks.
Group pulls out of controversial park developmentThe proposal to build a golf course on Jonathan Dickinson Park has been withdrawn.
National Park Services receives largest grant in its historyThe National Park Service will use the $100 million grant to help transform the country’s national parks.
Hillsborough superintendent says drivers’ behavior near school buses is ‘shocking’It’s “shocking” how unsafe drivers are around school buses, according to Hillsborough Schools’ Superintendent Van Ayres.
Gas prices and travel costs are down in time for Labor DayFlorida saw its lowest daily average of gasoline prices in two months on Sunday.
The Scoop: Tampa Bay & Florida headlines by WMNFThe Scoop producer Lia Marsee
WMNF anchors Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane
WMNF News Director Seán Kinane
WMNF reporters Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane, Colleen Cole
Special thanks to Taylor Lovejoy and Corey Beltran.
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Pat Kemp is beyond busy these days. After a career that started in the office of U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor, she was first elected to Hillsborough County Commission in 2016 where she is now term-limited. Now, Kemp, who once chaired the Hillsborough County Democratic Party, is running to unseat Republican U.S. Rep. Laurel Lee’s seat in Florida’s 15th Congressional District.
She joined The Skinny to talk about the issues on commission, and polls that show that Lee might not be sitting as pretty as pundits might think when it comes to the November ballot.
On the second half of the show, Ryan Smart, a water policy expert and Executive Director of Florida Springs Council, joined in to talk in advance of public meetings where the state will hear feedback on its controversial plan to develop nine of Florida’s state parks—including Hillsborough River State Park and Honeymoon Island.
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First Amendment group supports suspended UF studentsThe Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, or FIRE, is advocating for University of Florida students suspended after a pro-Palestine protestin April.
Expect flooding this weekendThere is to be an increased risk of flooding over the next couple of days. Some parts in the area are still facing flooding in the street.
Pushback against park proposals ramps upThere is a lot of concern amongst Floridians regarding DeSantis administration’s proposal to add lodges, pickleball courts, and golf courses within the state’s park system.
WMNFThe Scoop producer Lia Marsee
WMNF anchors Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane
WMNF News Director Seán Kinane
WMNF reporters Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane, Colleen Cole
Special thanks to Taylor Lovejoy and Corey Beltran.
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By Jim Turner ©2024 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — Some Republican lawmakers are criticizing a controversial proposal to add lodges, pickleball courts and golf at state parks, as Gov. Ron DeSantis’ office on Thursday defended the idea of making the sites “more visitor-friendly.”
The Florida Department of Environmental Protection this week announced the proposal, dubbed the “Great Outdoors Initiative,” and said eight meetings will be held Tuesday to review management plans for nine parks, from Miami-Dade County to the Panhandle.
Environmental groups quickly criticized the initiative and were joined Thursday by Republican lawmakers including Senate President Kathleen Passidomo, who is a chief proponent of creating a statewide wildlife corridor.
“We have worked hard to improve our state parks with the goal of protecting and preserving natural habitats, and enhancing access to passive recreational activities like hiking, biking, or canoeing,” Passidomo, R-Naples, said on the social-media site X. “Our vision did not contemplate the addition of golf courses and hotels, which in my view are not in-line with the peaceful and quiet enjoyment of nature. I am open to other ideas, but from what I know at this time, the proposal should not move forward in its current form.”
Sen. Jay Trumbull, a Panama City Republican whose Northwest Florida district includes three of the targeted state parks, called the proposal “unnecessary development.”
The initiative proposes a lodge of up to 350 rooms, along with four pickleball courts and a disc golf course at Topsail Hill Preserve State Park in Walton County. Plans for Camp Helen State Park in Bay County and Grayton Beach State Park in Walton County each include the addition of 10 cabins. Camp Helen State Park could also get a “glamping” area. Glamping is essentially a combination of the words glamorous and camping.
“I stand in strong opposition to the proposed expansion of state parks to include golf courses and associated facilities in our state parks, particularly in Camp Helen, Topsail Hill Preserve and Grayton Beach State Parks, which have been targeted in the initial expansion and hold a place of enormous importance to our district,” Trumbull posted. “Our state parks should not be in the business of competing with private enterprise to provide lodging or other commercial amenities.”
But DeSantis spokesperson Jeremy Redfern said “multiple phases” of public discussion will be held to get feedback. He said the proposed changes might not all be approved and that the Department of Environmental Protection is looking at ways to make parks “more visitor-friendly.”
“Teddy Roosevelt believed that public parks were for the benefit and enjoyment of the people, and we agree with him,” Redfern said in a statement. “No administration has done more than we have to conserve Florida’s natural resources, grow conservation lands, and keep our environment pristine. But it’s high time we made public lands more accessible to the public.”
DeSantis, an avid golfer, touted his environmental record Thursday during an appearance in Titusville.
“We have done more in our tenure, in terms of Everglades restoration, in terms of improving water quality — what we’re doing with the Indian River Lagoon, nobody’s done. It’s historic,” DeSantis said. “We also (have) done things to help beach renourishment. All these different things. And we have this massive increase in conservation, and we have this massive Florida Wildlife Corridor that we’ve created in the center part of our state, which was never done before.”
But groups such as 1000 Friends of Florida, Friends of the Everglades and Vote Water implored members to voice opposition to the proposal and attend the meetings Tuesday.
Rep. Adam Anderson, R-Palm Harbor, issued a statement that said a proposal to add up to four pickleball courts to Honeymoon Island State Park in Pinellas County “is not just foolhardy — it’s wrong.”
“These acts could aggravate ongoing environmental challenges, harm our vulnerable coastlines and estuaries, and increase the likelihood of red tide events along the Gulf (of Mexico),” Anderson said.
Republican Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson expressed a need to be careful about “building infrastructure in state parks.”
Also, Nicklaus Companies, a golf course design firm that was involved when a similar proposal was briefly put before the Legislature in 2011, sought to distance itself from the new plan.
“Nicklaus Companies and Nicklaus Design only learned of these proposed changes to our state parks through news reports and have no involvement in any current proposals,” Nicklaus Companies said in a statement. “A prior proposal put forth by legislators in 2011 was abandoned in the face of understandable environmental and community concerns. In any event, such concerns should be addressed in an open and public process.”
The state proposal calls for a golf course at Jonathan Dickinson State Park in Martin County.
The initiative also proposes 10 additional cabins, four pickleball courts and a disc golf course at Oleta River State Park in Miami-Dade County; a lodge with up to 350 rooms at Anastasia State Park in St. Johns County; four pickleball courts at Dr. Von D. Mizell-Eula Johnson State Park in Broward County; and a disc golf course and up to four pickleball courts at Hillsborough River State Park in Hillsborough County.
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Mark Devries–the documentary filmmaker who specializes in exploring the realm of animals and animal welfare—expands on the final line (the fate of our kin is up to us) of his new film, “Humans and Other Animals.”
Laying out an eloquent and philosophical operating principle—which permeates his new film, as it did his debut doc, “Speciesism: The Movie,” —Devries notes that the number of animals dwarfs the tally of humans globally, hoping for a time where “non-human animals” will be taken more seriously, and treated much better.
He explains why a core section of “Humans and Other Animals” is devoted to investigating factory farming, an echo of a major exploration he undertook in the first doc—though, in the new flick he’s outfitted for this quest with high-tech equipment, including sophisticated drones, special hidden cameras, and robotic devices custom-created for Devries.
He discusses what he uncovered through these surveillance efforts, while acknowledging the low-key gumption of simply knocking on the doors of some of the operations resulted in an employee actually showing him factory records.
Observing that in “Humans and Other Animals,” he spoke with a vast array of notable figures–a big battalion of animal welfare leaders, scientists, authors, researchers, academics, and entrepreneurs—I inquire what things he learned from these conversations he found most surprising.
His answer (incidentally, I felt the same way) involved the research spotlighting the scientist and professor, Con Slobochikoff, who’s studied prairie dogs for 30-plus years at Northern Arizona University, discovering that these animals communicate in a complex language, complete with nouns, verbs, and adjectives.
We also discuss the passage in the new doc devoted to addressing corvids (crows, ravens, etc.) and the birds supreme intelligence, their acute problem-solving skills, and uncanny ability to remember human faces for years. We also see their winsome playfulness when, on a snowy day, a crow converts an object into a snowboard of sorts, taking multiple runs down the roof of a building.
“Humans and Other Animals” is now available to stream on Amazon Prime, Apple TV, and Google Play.
Listen Here:The post Talking Animals: Filmmaker’s New Doc Explores The Realm of Animals and Animal Welfare, Yielding Some Surprising Results appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
New College of Florida trashes library booksThe New College of Florida dumped LGBTQ and religious study books at a landfill yesterday.
Residents frustrated over Manatee Lake Manatee dam releases during DebbyResidents say that officials knew about the aging dam for years and didn’t take effective measures during Debby.
UPS workers are still waiting on heat protectionsAs summer weather continues to break records, UPS workers are feeling the heat. WMNF’s Chris Young reports that drivers and warehouse workers are still waiting on heat protections that were promised to them last year.
Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office jail deputy arrested for assault and batteryCourt documents claim that he beat his neighbor with his bicycle handlebars and fists.
Florida revamps its gun lawsuit saying there’s lower attendance at gun showsThe lawsuit challenges a law which requires vendors at gun shows to run background checks on buyers. State lawyers say that the rule has led to a decrease in attendance and less tax revenue for the state.
The Florida Commission on Ethics is updating rulesThe updates now accommodate a law involving ethics complaints on public officials.
Nearly 700 acres in Levy County will be shielded from potential developmentFlorida is set to pay $691,000 on a conservation easement for 691 acres of land.
The Scoop: Tampa Bay & Florida headlines by WMNFThe Scoop producer Lia Marsee
WMNF anchors Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane
WMNF News Director Seán Kinane
WMNF reporters Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane, Colleen Cole
Special thanks to Taylor Lovejoy and Corey Beltran.
Theme music, Fresh06, by Stian via archive.org – CC-BY-NC-SA 2.5
The Scoop logo by Robin Milcowitz / Greener Pixels / greenerpixels.com /
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Tanja and Anni are joined on this Monday’s Sustainable Living Show by Courtney Wright and Cara Woods Serra. Courtney Wright, LEED GA serves as a Senior Planner for the Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council. She is the Program Manager for the Environmental Protection Agency’s Climate Pollution Reduction Grants (CPRG) Program and assists in the planning and technical support for the Resiliency Coalition through the Regional Resiliency Action Plan. Cara Woods Serra, AICP, CFM serves as the Director of Resiliency for the Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council. Her current role with the Council involves disaster preparedness, hazard mitigation planning, and resiliency policy.
Both women are part of the Clean Air Tampa Bay program which is an initiative of the Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council (TBRPC) focused on tracking and reducing greenhouse gas emissions, funded by the US. Environmental Protection Agency.
Topics discussed include:
-what is the Clean Air Tampa Bay program and what are it’s goals/initiatives in the future
-transportation and energy
-emissions standards
-enhancing carbon sinks in the community
-across county line government cooperation and why it’s important
-air quality monitoring (who/where/how)
-community engagement
and more!
To learn more about Clean Air Tampa Bay, head over to their website. You can also send them an email with questions or concerns at CPRGTampaBay@gmail.com.
If you love the Sustainable Living show and want to help us stay on air, head over to the tip jar and direct your donation to Sustainable Living. Don’t forget to tune in every Monday at 11am on the best little radio station on planet earth, 88.5fm, or listen to past episodes in the archives.
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Rebecca Reid– Director of Education at Busch Wildlife Sanctuary, a multifaceted operation (wildlife refuge, veterinary hospital, rehabilitation facility, education center) in Jupiter Farms, Florida—discusses the readily observable love for her job, and its probable roots in her passion for animals, and being outdoors, while growing up in New Jersey.
Reid recalls it was a childhood joyously replete with catching salamanders, hanging with rabbits, and playing with the family dog. This would seem to foreshadow her work with animals at Busch Wildlife—and it eventually would, but there was an initial period when she was working in restaurants, not going to school—followed by a time, when she was attending college, dovetailing with her discovery of Busch Wildlife Sanctuary, where she began volunteering.
After a time, Reid moved into Busch’s Education department, and a while after that, the woman leading that department left the Sanctuary, opening the opportunity for Reid to become Director of Education. She’s held that position for more than eight years now.
Remarking that Busch Wildlife offers a sprawling array of education programs, presented not only at the Sanctuary, but offsite, too, I note that they clearly place a premium on education.
Reid quickly concurs, explaining that it’s a central facet of their mission, in that 90% of their rehabilitation cases currently involve human interaction with those animals—the hope is that their educational efforts will decrease those human-animal interactions (well-meaning as they may be) reducing the number of the Sanctuary’s rehab cases.
Reid assesses the ways in which the education programs have evolved, expounding on how she has devised a significant revision to the format of school field-trip visits—making good use of the additional, larger facilities that exist at the new, almost 20-acre spread they relocated to this year from the previous, six-acre campus.
Her aspiration for the revised format, slated to be implemented in October, will be a much more interactive program for the students, cultivating, Reid hopes, “little scientists.” This reinvented approach is no small matter, in that it involves a towering number of young students—Reid leads a team of educators who greeted upwards of 12,000 schoolchildren to the Sanctuary last year.
Reid explains another facet of their education programming that’s enormously important: instructing disadvantaged students—more than 2500 annually—who, in some cases, find it impractical to travel from their schools, so Reid and her colleagues commute to some of those campuses, to give their Busch Wildlife talks.
Putting her on the spot a bit, I ask Reid about being named a finalist in Palm Beach Illustrated’s annual “Educator of the Year” award—you can vote for her, through July 30, here:
https://www.palmbeachillustrated.com/education-awards-voting/
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It won’t be easy to unseat Republican Congresswoman Anna Paulina Luna, who represents much of Pinellas County and part of Hillsborough. Still, these five Democrats hope to do just that in a district with at least 50,000 more registered Republicans than Democrats.
- Sabrina Bousbar
- Liz Dahan
- Whitney Fox
- John Liccione
- Mark Weinkrantz
Last week on The Skinny, the candidates were on-air at WMNF Tampa 88.5-FM to debate about Joe Biden, getting rid of the filibuster, funding for Ukraine, immigration, Israel and more.
The post Meet the Democrats hoping to unseat Congresswoman Anna Paulina Luna appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Tanja and Anni were joined by guests Bryan and Saucha on the Sustainable Living Show this week to talk about ecological construction methods.
Bryan Roberts is a Florida Certified General Contractor, specializing in sustainable development and the owner of Eco-Tech Construction, a General Contracting firm specializing in natural building, zero energy construction, alternative energy, and closed-loop community development.
Saucha Atma Ananda is the owner of Atma Construction and is currently building the first straw bale house and participating in the build of the first hemp house in Franklin County, Virginia.
Topics discussed include:
-why green building
-types of green building (straw bale, hempcrete, cobb, rammed earth, repurposing etc…)
-thermal dynamics in green building (envelope efficiency)
-what makes green building different than general construction
-types of green building that work in different regions and why
-sourcing local materials and upcycling
and more!
If you love what we do on Sustainable Living, don’t forget to tune in every Monday at 11am on WMNF 88.5fm or listen to past episodes in the archives. If you’d like to donate to show your support, head over to the donations page and direct your pledge to the Sustainable Living Show.
The post Eco Construction with Bryan Roberts and Saucha Atma Ananda appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
City of St Petersburg announces that there will be extra days for residents to pick up sandbags during non-emergency hours.
According to a press release from City of St. Petersburg, sand bags will now be available on the second Saturday of the month at the Pavement and Traffic Operations Building located at 1744 9th Ave. N. The next event will be held on Saturday from 7am to 3:30pm.
Each household is able to receive a maximum of 10 sandbags and residents must show proof of residence to pick up their sandbags.
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The Florida Aquarium is joining a coalition of other zoos and aquariums across North America in a month-long event to reduce single-use plastic.
The Plastic Free Ecochallenge is an event during the month of July to help promote sustainable living and reduce plastic pollution.
By participating in this challenge, officials at the aquarium said they hope the staff and community will join The Florida Aquarium’s Team and commit to activities that reduce the use.
Each location is a team, and The Florida Aquarium’s team has 141 members participating in it.
Along with this challenge, the aquarium has found other ways to reduce plastic.
It partnered with beverage, retail, and food service providers who will help with the cause.
Some of the initiatives include:
- Plastic-free beverages
- Sustainable food and catering
- Shop sustainability
- Community cleanups
The aquarium’s restaurant Café Ray is transitioning from selling single-use plastic beverage bottles to recyclable glass and aluminum. They partnered with Coca-Cola Beverages Florida to make it happen.
Guests will see reusable jars, bottles, washware, and no more straws and lids.
The SSA Group or the Service Systems Association, is an award-winning provider of visitor amenities. It is also helping with food and catering services.
By partnering with the SSA, the aquarium will help source food, wine, beer, and coffee from 13 nearby vendors. Officials said the partnership helps support local businesses and reduce fuel emissions.
The SSA group also plans to help the aquarium with an increased focus on partnerships with women and minority-owned businesses and regular donations to Feeding Tampa Bay.
Event Network is a retail provider partnering with the aquarium to eliminate plastic waste in the gift shop.
This partnership offers reusable cloth bags, which can save 750,000 single-use plastic bags from landfills, and stuffed animals from 100% recycled plastic bottles.
The aquarium also hosts community cleanups to keep motivation in reducing pollution and single-use plastics outside July.
From April to June 8, it removed nearly 4,000 pounds of trash from local parks and waters.
The aquarium is committed to “using a science-based, impact-driven approach to address conservation issues,” according to its website.
“They have always been pushing plastic out and bringing in other things and they would continue doing that in my five years there,” Florida Aquarium volunteer Sondra Scholl said.
That is one reason she is participating in the Plastic Free Ecochallenge again.
“I would do it every year and I will continue. I was talking to some of my friends and they said I have done everything and I’m like, I don’t think I could go that way. I think no I haven’t done everything, I can still do more,” she said.
Scholl says since she started volunteering five years ago, the aquarium has been practicing the basic tenets of recycling.
“Reduce, reuse, recycle, and that is what set me on my pattern because we do it daily,” she said.
Officials at the Florida Aquarium say the challenge’s aim is reducing single-use plastics.
It said the hope of participating is to create small habit shifts in everyday life that can create permanent changes.
Last year, the aquarium ranked sixth in the competition. Currently, the Florida Aquarium Team is ranked seventh out of 135 teams.
The post The Florida Aquarium joins the Plastic Free Ecochallenge appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Trump speaks to voters in DoralThousands of former President Donald Trump supporters gathered at the Trump National Doral last night to rally for the presumptive Republican nominee.
Buses in St. Petersburg are going electricWMNF’s Chris Young reports that the city received almost 28 million dollars in federal funds to make public buses electric.
Textbook authors asked to change “climate change” referencesThe Orlando Sentinel reports that public school textbook authors for Florida were told in June to change climate change references to gain approval.
Hurricane projections updated after Beryl slams into TexasColorado State University increased its storm projections for this hurricane season. The University Department of Atmospheric Science added named storms and a major hurricane to its forecast.
Christmas in July aims to provide low-cost activities for kids this summerWMNF’s Tyler Oldano reports how one non-profit works to find summer activities for kids without breaking the bank.
The Scoop: Tampa Bay & Florida headlines by WMNFThe Scoop producer Leah Burdick
WMNF anchors Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane
WMNF News Director Seán Kinane
WMNF reporters Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane, Colleen Cole
Special thanks to Taylor Lovejoy and Corey Beltran.
Theme music, Fresh06, by Stian via archive.org – CC-BY-NC-SA 2.5
The Scoop logo by Robin Milcowitz / Greener Pixels / greenerpixels.com /
The post The Scoop: Weds. July 10th, 2024 Tampa Bay and Florida headlines by WMNF appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Egmont Key, a 250-acre island at the mouth of Tampa Bay, is rich in history and wildlife but is threatened by sea level rise.
A volunteer group is trying to mitigate that and is looking for volunteers to help.
As recently as the 1970s the island was about 550 acres, said Matt Bane, a board member of Take More Action for Regeneration, or Take MAR, a non-profit group carrying on the legacy of of the Egmont Key Alliance, which was formed in 1991 to support Egmont Key but dissolved about a year ago. The island is losing about four acres every year, said Michelle Ellena, also a co-founder of Take MAR.
Egmont Key is considered a microcosm of Florida history, Bane said. It was first charted by the Spanish in the 1700s. Seminole Indians were imprisoned there in the latter half of the 1850s before being forcibly removed to Oklahoma on the Trail of Tears. Some never made it off the island, and their graves are still there.
The island was held both by Confederate and Union troops during the Civil War. When it was in federal hands, it was a magnet for runaway slaves and a staging area for a battle in Hillsborough Bay off Ballast Point in Tampa. Fort Dade was built in the 1890s during the Spanish-American War. Teddy Roosevelt and the Rough Riders were stationed at Fort Dade briefly before being deployed to Cuba. Egmont during the 1920s was where federal agents tried to capture rum runners during prohibition. Many buildings were burned down in a misguided fire set to ward off rum runners, Bane said.
The island includes the ruins of Fort Dade, but because of erosion, “part of the fort is underwater already,” Ellena said. That section is now a popular snorkeling area, she said.
Not only is Egmont Key rich in history, but it’s a critical habitat for gopher tortoises, sea turtles and birds. It’s both a state park and a federally protected wildlife refuge. One of Take MAR’s goals is highlighting Egmont Key’s fragile environment and educating voters and visitors on protecting it. Boaters, for example, need to follow the rules for where to anchor and avoid the roped-off bird sanctuaries.
Take MAR plans to hold an Impact Day at Egmont Key on July 20 with various activities including guided tours, clean-ups and relaxation.
Take MAR is looking for volunteers for that event and for the other work it does, including tree plantings in Pinellas and Hillsborough. Find out more about the July 20 event and the group by visiting its website, Takemar.org.
Hear the entire conversation by clicking the link below, going to the WaveMakers archives or by searching for WMNF WaveMakers wherever you listen to podcasts.
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Tanja and guest host Grace are joined by Dr. Gary Mitchum of USF and Lauren Wolf of the Office of Resilience and Asset Management for Pinellas County, to discuss sea level rise in the Bay Area on this week’s Sustainable Living Show.
Dr. Gary Mitchum is a Professor and Associate Dean in the College of Marine Science at the University of South Florida specializing in sea level rise, climate change, tides and El Nino/La Nina. Lauren Wolf is the Sustainability and Resiliency Coordinator and the Office of Resilience and Asset Management for Pinellas County who is a trained urban planner specializing in community development, administration and water management.
Topics discussed include:
-what is sea level rise and why does it occur
-climate change and the greenhouse effect
-the Pinellas County Sea Level Rise and Storm Surge Vulnerability Assessment (survey link )
-issues that occur along with seal level rise such as increased rain events, storm surges, erosion etc…
-how is Pinellas County taking action to mitigate the effects locally
-where/what/who does the data come from and what is it used for
-how individuals and communities can take action
and more!
One important thing you can do if you live in Pinellas County is let them know your experience with flooding by filling out the survey for the Sea Level Rise & Storm Surge Vulnerability Assessment, which helps them plan for the future impact of flooding in the community. Read more about the assessment and access the survey and the link in the list above or at their website.
You can reach out the Lauren Wolf directly at her email LWolf@pinellas.gov or find out more at the Pinellas County Flood Map Service Homepage.
If you have questions or would like to know more about Dr. Gary Mitchum of the USF College of Marine Science, you can reach out to him at Mitchum@usf.edu or visit the USF Marine Science website.
If you love the Sustainable Living Show, make sure to tune in every Monday at 11am on 88.5fm or listen to past episodes in the archives here. You can also stay up to date with show happenings on our Facebook page. Head over to the tip jar and direct your donation to Sustainable Living to show your monetary support. Remember, it takes a community to build a community.
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By Jim Turner ©2024 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — Environmental groups and the state have reached a settlement to end a federal lawsuit over management of a former phosphate plant site that leaked millions of gallons of wastewater into Tampa Bay in 2021.
The Center for Biological Diversity, Tampa Bay Waterkeeper, Suncoast Waterkeeper, Manasota-88 and Our Children’s Earth Foundation and the state Department of Environmental Protection filed a joint notice of settlement Monday involving the Piney Point site in Manatee County.
The environmental groups said in an announcement that the settlement includes the Department of Environmental Protection drafting a Clean Water Act permit “that will require more robust oversight of pollution from the Piney Point phosphate facility.” Also, the state will pay $75,000 for the Tampa Bay Estuary Program to monitor water quality in the area where Piney Point’s discharges enters Tampa Bay.
The lawsuit, filed by the groups in May 2021 in the federal Middle District of Florida, alleged the Department of Environmental Protection and other defendants long mishandled the site.
“A strong, enforceable Clean Water Act permit for Tampa Bay’s most problematic polluter is long overdue,” Ragan Whitlock, an attorney for the Center for Biological Diversity, said in a prepared statement Monday. “It shouldn’t have taken a disastrous pollution event and legal action to prompt our state regulators to do their job, but we’re hopeful this permit is a step toward eliminating the looming threat this site has posed for decades.”
Abbey Tyrna, executive director of Suncoast Waterkeeper, said in a statement that the settlement sets “a new standard of transparency for the water quality exiting the plant.”
“Additionally, it imposes critical restrictions on key pollutants, ensuring a more sustainable and healthier future for our bay,” Tyrna said.
The lawsuit was filed after the discharge of about 215 million gallons of wastewater into Tampa Bay because of fears about a potentially catastrophic breach of a reservoir at the site. The lawsuit said the discharges, in part, caused harmful algae blooms and fish kills. Also, nearby residents had to be temporarily evacuated because of fears of a breach.
Lawmakers in 2021 decided to spend $100 million to help clean up the site.
Piney Point includes hazardous phosphogypsum stacks, a byproduct of phosphate production, which took place at the site from 1966 to 1999. Associated wastewater is stored at the site.
The lawsuit alleged violations of the Clean Water Act and a law known as the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act. The department denied the alleged violations.
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Hurricane Beryl is passing Jamaica todayThis major storm is going across southern Jamaica today. Beryl is forecasted to hit the Cayman Islands tomorrow.
St. Petersburg family says they are unfairly facing evictionWMNF’s Chris Young reports how protesters outside a low-income housing complex denounced mistreatment from a property manager.
How the Supreme Court decision will impact GOP calls for Garland to testifyThe U.S. House voted for Attorney General Merrick Garland in contempt last month, due to not releasing tapes of Special Counsel Robert Hur’s interview with the president. But, the whole thing might be over after Monday’s ruling on presidential immunity.
Flood experts say people should get prepared before a storm hitsWMNF’s Tyler Oldano reports experts say heavy downpours can overwhelm drainage systems and cause flooding.
The Scoop: Tampa Bay & Florida headlines by WMNFThe Scoop producer Leah Burdick
WMNF anchors Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane
WMNF News Director Seán Kinane
WMNF reporters Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane, Colleen Cole
Special thanks to Taylor Lovejoy and Corey Beltran.
Theme music, Fresh06, by Stian via archive.org – CC-BY-NC-SA 2.5
https://archive.org/details/jamendo-001084/02.mp3
The Scoop logo by Robin Milcowitz / Greener Pixels / greenerpixels.com /
The post The Scoop: Weds. July 3rd, 2024 Tampa Bay and Florida headlines by WMNF appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
On Monday July 1st, Tanja and Anni are joined on Sustainable Living by Laura Oldanie, to discuss waste stream diversion. Laura is a green living and money coach who helps people explore money and lifestyle choices from a sustainable viewpoint for a sustainable future. She holds a certificate in permaculture design and has been featured on CNBC, Yahoo! Finance and Forbes.
Topics discussed include:
-dumpster diving
-curbside finds
-waste stream diversion
-turning trash into treasure
-opportunities for savings with free and/or overlooked resources
-developing a regenerative mindset
and more….!
To find out more about Laura Oldanie and her work, head over to her website Rich and Resilient Living. You can also check out her book Growing FREE: Building the Life of Your Dreams Without Losing Your Soul or Destroying the Planet.
If you love what we do on Sustainable Living, don’t forget to tune in every Monday at 11am on WMNF 88.5fm or listen to past episodes in the archives. If you’d like to donate to show your support, head over to the donations page and direct your pledge to the Sustainable Living Show.
The post Waste Stream Diversion with Laura Oldanie appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
©2024 The News Service of Florida
Gov. Ron DeSantis on Wednesday vetoed a bill that would have required the Florida Department of Health to take steps — including possibly preventing people from swimming in water off beaches — if water quality did not meet standards.
DeSantis’ office announced Wednesday night that he had vetoed four bills, including the water-quality measure (HB 165), which was unanimously approved by the Legislature in March.
The bill, in part, would have required the department to issue health advisories if water quality off beaches and in other water bodies, such as lakes and rivers, did not meet standards, according to a House staff analysis.
It would have required the department to close access to such waters if deemed necessary “to protect the health, safety, and welfare of the public.”
But DeSantis, in a veto letter, objected to the amount of authority that would have been given to the Department of Health.
“Health departments like DOH can serve a valuable function, but they should not be vested with the power to supersede local jurisdictions regarding the operation of beaches,” the veto letter said. “I have made water quality and protecting Florida’s natural resources a priority and my administration will continue to do so, but this grant of power to DOH over Florida beaches is ill-advised.”
Other vetoesIn addition, Gov. DeSantis vetoed three other bills yesterday.
An email news release from the governor’s office says those other bills involved public records, cybersecurity liability and professional license requirements for barbers and cosmetologists.
Three bills are signed into lawThe governor signed three bills into law.
Those had to do with chiropractic medicine, U.S.-produced iron and steel in public works projects as well as easements that affect real estate owned by the same person.
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Anni and Tanja were joined on Monday June 24th, by Eric Fiske, Ph. D to discuss sustainability in education. Dr. Fiske is an Assistant Professor of Political Science at Hillsborough Community College. His personal belief and interest in sustainability and environmentalism led him want to bring these pertinent issues to his students and to the HCC campus.
Topics discussed include:
-HCC campus Sustainability Committee for faculty and staff to promote sustainability
-how political science intersects with sustainability and environmental issues
-student projects and student-centered actions and how they can promote sustainability
-sustainability projects initiated and growing on HCC campuses (Dale Mabry, Ybor and Brandon)
-Dr. Fiske’s doctoral dissertation (regarding the 2010 Hillsborough County Transit Referendum)
-how the general public can get involved
and more….!
To learn more about Dr. Eric Fiske Ph.D and the sustainability projects and opportunities on HCC campuses, visit HCC’s website here. You can also see what’s new by checking out their instagram here.
If you love the Sustainable Living Show, tune in every Monday at 11am on WMNF 88.5fm or listen to past episodes in the archives. Find your way over to the tip jar and direct your donation to Sustainable Living to show your financial support and keep us on the air.
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By Jim Saunders ©2024 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — While Florida has sought to speed up the case, an appeals court battle about permitting authority for projects that affect wetlands likely will not be resolved until late this year — at the soonest.
The U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia on Tuesday issued an order that gave a schedule for the state, the federal government and environmental groups to file briefs in the case. The earliest briefs will be filed in August, and final briefs will be filed in November.
The order also did not set a date for oral arguments, with the court saying it will inform the parties later.
Florida in May filed a motion seeking “expedited” consideration of the case, which is being closely watched by business and environmental groups. Florida is seeking to overturn a ruling by a district judge that vacated a 2020 decision by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to shift permitting authority from federal officials to the state.
In requesting expedited consideration, the state made a series of arguments, including that Florida “has suffered — and will continue to suffer — an irreparable injury from having its … program stripped away during lengthy appellate proceedings.”
But the federal government and environmental groups opposed speeding up the appeal. They said, in part, that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is handling the wetlands-related permitting after U.S. District Judge Randolph Moss vacated the shift of the authority to the state. The Army Corps also had the authority before the 2020 shift.
“There is no evidence that the regulated community is ‘in disarray’ because the (Army) Corps has resumed authority over the program and is presently reviewing and issuing permits,” lawyers from the Earthjustice legal organization, which represents the environmental groups, wrote in a June 3 court document. “And there is no evidence that the public requires expedited resolution of the appeal since the Corps is fully capable of permitting projects where the public is a beneficiary.”
Tuesday’s order setting the schedule was in response to the state’s motion to expedite the case.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency approved the transfer of the permitting authority to Florida in December 2020, about a month before former President Donald Trump’s administration ended. The move made Florida only the third state, after Michigan and New Jersey, to receive the authority.
Earthjustice filed the lawsuit in 2021 against the federal government on behalf of the Center for Biological Diversity, Defenders of Wildlife, the Sierra Club, the Conservancy of Southwest Florida, the Florida Wildlife Federation, Miami Waterkeeper and St. Johns Riverkeeper. The state later intervened to defend the transfer.
In a February ruling, Moss found that actions by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in approving the shift violated the federal Endangered Species Act, and he vacated the transfer. In April, Moss issued a final judgment that cleared the way for appeals.
The state quickly appealed. Meanwhile, the federal government and the environmental groups filed notices of appeal this month. While Moss sided with the environmental groups in vacating the transfer of authority, the groups are appealing parts of his ruling that dismissed issues in the case.
Before seeking expedited consideration of the appeal, the state in April also sought a stay of Moss’ ruling while the appeal plays out. But a three-judge panel of the appeals court issued an order in May that said Florida “has not satisfied the stringent requirements for a stay.”
The post The fight over Florida wetlands permitting authority will continue for months appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
On Monday, June 24th, Tanja and guest host Grace, were joined on the Sustainable Living Show by Laura Starkey of Heartwood Preserve and Sarah Lasswell of Moss and Thistle Farm to discuss green burials.
Laura is the founder and executive director of Heartwood Preserve Conservation Cemetery, a natural cemetery and nature preserve located in Trinity, Florida and Sarah is a willow casket weaver in the Appalachian foothills of North Carolina as well as the executive director of The Sophia Center for Life Studies, a non-profit that provides education and support for community-based deathcare.
Topics discussed include:
-what is green burial and why is it a more ecological option
-embalming (what, how, why & is it necessary)
-options for green burials
-willow casket weaving
-community based death care
-the ecological impact of conventional burial
-death and grief as a societal taboo
and more!
To learn more about the work of Heartwood Preserve check out their website here. Follow these links to see more of Sarah’s willow weaving and to learn about her non-profit (The Sophia Center).
If you love the Sustainable Living show and want to help us stay on air, head over to the tip jar and direct your donation to Sustainable Living. Don’t forget to tune in every Monday at 11am on the best little radio station on planet earth, 88.5fm, or listen to past episodes in the archives.
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Citizens property insurance rates might go upState insurers could see their rates increase by hundreds of dollars when they renew next year. The corporation’s board of governors approved a proposed 14% rate increase overall for its policies.
Security is high for the St.Pete Pride paradeMore than 200,000 people are expected at the parade this weekend. The trans-march will kick things off at 5:30 and then the parade begins at 6 p.m.
Tropical weather systems to watchTropical storm Alberto has formed in the western Gulf of Mexico and is expected to hit landfall today. Meanwhile, forecasters at The National Hurricane Center are monitoring another disturbance near the Bahamas.
The mother of a transgender teenager involved in an investigation at a Broward high school speaks outJessica Norton was one of five employees at Monarch High School reassigned to non-school work sites. Six months later Norton says she and her family have been unfairly treated.
Ten Commandments in Louisiana schoolsMike Hempen reports that Louisiana has become the first state to require the 10 Commandments to be displayed in every public classroom.
The Scoop: Tampa Bay & Florida headlines by WMNFThe Scoop producer Leah Burdick
WMNF anchors Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane
WMNF News Director Seán Kinane
WMNF reporters Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane, Colleen Cole
Special thanks to Taylor Lovejoy and Corey Beltran.
Theme music, Fresh06, by Stian via archive.org – CC-BY-NC-SA 2.5
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The post The Scoop: Thurs. June 20th, 2024 Tampa Bay and Florida headlines by WMNF appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
The Taking of Bears law, or HB 87, has been a debate over the past few months as it has passed through legislation and now onto the desk of Gov. Ron DeSantis.
If the governor signs it, then a person can legally kill a bear in self-defense.
“A person is not subject to any administrative, civil, or criminal penalty for taking a bear with lethal force,” according to the bill’s language.
To kill a bear lawfully, people will need to follow the list of regulations that sit alongside the bill, including:
- A person reasonably believed that their action was necessary to avoid an imminent threat of death or serious bodily injury to themselves or others, to pets, or damage to property
- A person did not lure the bear with food or attractants for an illegal purpose, including, but not limited to, training dogs to hunt bears
- Did not intentionally or recklessly place themselves or a pet in a situation in which they would be likely to need to use lethal force
- Notified the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) within 24 hours after using lethal force to take the bear.
The Sierra Club is the oldest and largest environmental advocacy organization in the nation. The Florida chapter is one of many that want to see the bill vetoed.
The group said the bill is “built upon the falsehood that Florida faces an epidemic of ‘crack bears,'” according to a press release.
“Crack bears” is a term that Rep. Jason Shoaf used in a debate back in Jan. to describe bears that are not afraid of humans, break into houses, and have other erratic behaviors towards humans.
“This bill is not about bears, we love bears, they are cute and cuddly and an amazing creature. This is about a nuisance bear that has become conditioned to coming into people’s homes,” Shoaf said in a video of a Jan. meeting from OutDoorLife.
Sierra Club Florida’s Political Director Javier Estevez said he wants DeSantis to veto the bill because there are more important issues facing Floridians.
“A Republican Legislator stood up in a debate and talked about crack bears. Taking fictional villains from a movie and passing legislation for a problem that doesn’t exist. When real problems (exist) for everyday Floridians”
Estevez said people can already protect themselves against bear attacks, so he doesn’t understand why the law is needed.
“It doesn’t negate anything or better anything it just expands the rights of someone to kill wildlife and bears in particular,” he said.
Estevez said there have been less than 40 bear/human incidents in the state since 2006 and no fatal bear attacks have been recorded.
“It’s a dangerous solution for a problem that doesn’t exist,” he said.
The Sierra Club said the extended bill could have negative consequences, like allowing people to kill bears unnecessarily.
Bear killings have been a controversial topic in the state for years, especially after the “bear hunt of 2015,” when about 300 bears were killed in two days.
The black bear is now considered a recovered species, according to the Florida Wildlife Federation (FWF).
However, they are protected by the Bear Conservation Rule:
“It is illegal to take, possess, injure, shoot, collect or sell black bears or their parts or to attempt to engage in such conduct except as authorized by Commission rule or by permit from the Commission. There are only a few exceptions to this rule, which are found in the Common Law Defense of Necessity,” according to the FWF.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) classified the black bear as a threatened species from 1974 through 2012. Populations of the mammal increased from 2015 to 2017, according to data from the FWC.
If DeSantis signs the bill, it will go into effect July 1.
The post Wildlife activists say kill the bear bill, not the bears appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
By Jim Saunders ©2024 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — The Florida Department of Environmental Protection and an environmental group are battling in a federal lawsuit about whether the state violated the Endangered Species Act because of sewage discharges into part of the Indian River Lagoon that is a key area for manatees.
Attorneys for the department and the group Bear Warriors United filed competing motions for summary judgment Friday in the lawsuit, which began in 2022.
Bear Warriors United contended in its filing that the department has not adequately regulated sewage-treatment plants and septic systems, leading to discharges that killed seagrass — a vital food source for manatees — in a northern stretch of the Indian River Lagoon. The filing said the department “has known for decades that the septic tanks and wastewater plants it authorizes release human nitrogen” that causes such problems as algae blooms in the lagoon.
“DEP thus authorizes the destruction of the lagoon’s ability to sustain seagrass and other macroalgae which are essential food sources for the manatees’ survival,” the group’s attorneys wrote. “As such, DEP’s regulatory regime for septic tanks and wastewater plants directly and indirectly results in the ongoing unlawful ‘take’ of manatees, in violation of (a section of the Endangered Species Act), and this court must issue an injunction requiring compliance with the ESA (Endangered Species Act) to prevent further take of manatees.”
But in their motion, attorneys for the department said the state has taken a series of steps in recent years to try to reduce discharges into the lagoon and disputed that it has violated the Endangered Species Act. The motion said the department’s “actions are not the proximate cause of any harm” to manatees, which are classified as a threatened species.
“The record shows that DEP has not authorized or entitled any party to cause a violation of water quality standards,” the state’s motion said. “It has, instead, worked diligently to restore an impaired water. There is no proximate cause. DEP is entitled to judgment as a matter of law because with no dispute of material fact, it has not violated the ESA.”
Florida had a record 1,100 manatee deaths in 2021, with many of the deaths linked to starvation because of a lack of seagrass. The largest number of deaths, 358, were in Brevard County, the focus of the lawsuit.
The state had 800 manatee deaths in 2022, before the number dropped to 555 in 2023, according to Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission data. As of May 31, a reported 315 manatees had died this year.
U.S. District Judge Carlos Mendoza has scheduled a November trial in the lawsuit. But if Mendoza grants either side’s motion for summary judgment, it would short-circuit the need for a trial.
The lawsuit involves part of the Indian River Lagoon from the Melbourne Causeway in Brevard County to Turnbull Creek in southern Volusia County. The Bear Warriors United filing Friday alleged that manatee “starvation and death from lack of food is a direct result of DEP’s regulatory regime for human wastewater and violates the ESA.”
But the department’s lawyers wrote, for example, that the agency only assumed oversight of a septic-tank regulation program in 2021. The program had been managed by the Florida Department of Health.
“Plaintiff cannot point to any instance where DEP’s supervision has been inadequate, or where any alleged omission in its supervision has caused harm to a protected species,” the state motion said. “To the contrary, DEP has presented record evidence showing that it has fully and diligently implemented its responsibilities after it assumed the … program.”
The post The state and an environmental group are battling over whether Florida violated the Endangered Species Act when it comes to manatees appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
©2024 The News Service of Florida
Gov. Ron DeSantis and the state Cabinet on Wednesday will consider proposals to spend more than $40 million to limit development on four ranches.
The proposals would purchase more than 12,100 acres of conservation easements in DeSoto, Hardee, Highlands and Okeechobee counties.
Conservation easements allow property owners to continue using land for agriculture but place restrictions on future residential and commercial development.
The largest deal involves spending $16.587 million to conserve 5,700 acres in DeSoto County, with the property owned by Deer Creek Ranch, LLC and Deer Creek Family Ranch, LLC.
The property is about 10 miles southeast of Arcadia.
Also, the state would spend $9.849 million for a conservation easement on 2,650 acres owned by Quail Creek Farms, Inc. in Hardee County.
Another $7.938 million is proposed for 1,977 acres owned by Dark Hammock Legacy Ranch, LLC in Highlands County.
Located about seven miles southwest of Sebring, the Highlands County land is expected to complete part of a statewide wildlife corridor from Avon Park to Lake Okeechobee.
The fourth proposed deal involves spending $6.475 million for an easement on 1,801 acres owned by Clemons Oak Creek, LLC in Okeechobee County.
All four parcels have ties to the evolving wildlife corridor.
Money for the deals in DeSoto, Hardee and Highlands counties would come from the Florida Forever preservation program.
The Okeechobee County deal would be covered by the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ Rural and Family Lands Protection Program.
The state anticipates $2.8 million of the Okeechobee County purchase would be covered by the federal government for providing a buffer for the Avon Park Air Force Range.
The post The Florida Cabinet will consider Florida Wildlife Corridor land conservation deals on Wednesday appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
©2024 The News Service of Florida
Gov. Ron DeSantis’ office on Friday announced that Florida and South Korea’s National Institute of Environmental Research have reached an agreement aimed at trying to curb algae blooms.
The agreement, known as a memorandum of understanding, is expected to last five years.
It is designed, in part, to allow Florida and South Korea to exchange research about algae blooms, which have plagued waters in some parts of Florida in recent years.
Florida Department of Environmental Protection Secretary Shawn Hamilton signed the agreement May 7.
Hanseung Kum, president of the National Institute of Environmental Research, had signed it earlier.
The post Florida and South Korea sign an agreement to share research on algae blooms appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
What is NIL, how has it changed college sports and why are schools under investigation?Collegiate sports, largely unchanged for more than a century, has experienced unprecedented change in less than one year. Much of that change has been centered around name, image and likeness (NIL).Amateurism has been part of the fabric of collegiate sports since the NCAA’s earliest inception. To oversimplify it: Players could not be paid to play. Student-athletes received only scholarships. But in June 2021, the Supreme Court unanimously ruled against the NCAA in NCAA v. Alston that the NCAA could not limit education-related payments to student-athletes. The NCAA then deferred to state laws on NIL — and, in states that hadn’t passed laws, the schools themselves. Two things remained verboten, per the NCAA: No pay-for-play, and no quid pro quo. Athletes weren’t supposed to receive compensation tied to performance, and recruits weren’t supposed to sign deals contingent on going to a certain school.
Article credited to By The Athletic College Football Staff
The post Fire and Ice Host Interviewed local business owner and youth coach: Mike Trigg on the education of name, image, and likeness(NIL) appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
3 of the 13 USF protestors pled guiltyWMNF’s Chris Young reports that Pro-Palestine activists gathered outside a Tampa courthouse during arraignments of the 13 arrested during the USF protest.
Burn Ban in Manatee CountyThe Manatee Board of County Commissioners enacted a burn ban during the hot and dry conditions of the area. Those who violate the ban could face fines of up to $500.
Electric school buses in Hillsborough CountyHillsborough County was one of five districts that received rebates for new electric school buses. The federal funding is for 20 school buses.
Extremist group The Proud Boys are self-governingThe Proud Boys are now a self-governing chapter in more than 40 states– including a chapter in west central Florida. Some members say they are prepared to go physical for former president Donal Trump this election.
A criminal investigation is underway for an Okaloosa County SheriffThe Mother of a U.S. airman who was fatally shot by an Okaloosa County sheriff’s deputy in Florida, speaks up about the deputy termination. The mother agrees firing is a step in the right direction, but does not believe just has been served.
The Scoop: Tampa Bay & Florida headlines by WMNFThe Scoop producer Leah Burdick
WMNF anchors Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane
WMNF News Director Seán Kinane
WMNF reporters Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane, Colleen Cole
Special thanks to Taylor Lovejoy and Corey Beltran.
Theme music, Fresh06, by Stian via archive.org – CC-BY-NC-SA 2.5
https://archive.org/details/jamendo-001084/02.mp3
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The post The Scoop: Tues. June 4th, 2024 Tampa Bay and Florida headlines by WMNF appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Florida Public Radio Emergency Network (FPREN) Storm Center | By Leslie Hudson
During the summer, residents and vacationers head to Florida’s beaches, waterways, and the ocean.
The National Safe Boating Council wants to remind boaters to brush up on their boat safety skills and prepare for boating season. According to the U.S. Coast Guard, roughly 4 out of every 5 recreational boating deaths was from drowning. And 85% of those who drowned were not wearing life jackets. Wearing a life jacket is the simplest and most effective way any boater can stay safe on the water and have fun!
Safe boating decisionsOfficials say there are a handful of simple steps that can take that will make all the difference. It starts and ends with safe boating decisions.
Float planFirst and foremost, have enough life jackets to go around for everyone and always file a float plan. A float plan lets others know where you’re going and when you plan to get back. Give your float plan to a family member or a friend. It should include info on your boat as well as what equipment you have on board, including safety equipment.
Other important tipsAlso, always pay attention and maintain full visibility when operating a boat, take a safe boating course, and never boat under the influence. Also, beware of carbon monoxide poisoning. Be sure to install and maintain a working CO detector. Lastly, always prepare for the unexpected.
Check the weatherChecking the weather is a key step to having a great boating excursion as well. That includes knowing the water temperature, the latest marine weather forecast, and keeping a regular check for changing conditions.
CommunicationLastly, before you head out and enjoy the waterways, be sure to keep in touch. Communication devices can be the most important piece of equipment on a boat, especially in an emergency. Be sure to have and know how to use at least two communication devices that work when wet, such as satellite phones, emergency position indicating radio beacons (EPIRB), VHF radios, and personal locator beacons (PLB)
National Safe Boating Week is a global awareness effort that encourages boaters to make the most of their boating adventure by being responsible. Officials are warning you to know what to do before getting on a boat or other watercraft.
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Listen:Five conservation organizations petitioned the Environmental Protection Agency Thursday to set limits on algae bloom toxins. The blooms threaten the health of Floridians and wildlife.
Jason Totoiu is the senior attorney with the Center for Biological Diversity. Growing up on Florida’s Treasure Coast, he says he’s only seen algal blooms get worse.
“Florida has kind of the unfortunate, probably status of being one of the worst- if not the worst – place for harmful algal blooms in America.”
The organizations are seeking standards for what are known as “cyanotoxins”, which are released during an algal bloom. They say such rules are needed to meet requirements of the federal Clean Water Act.
“We want true transparency and accountability, and we think we can get there by having these quantitative standards in place.”
Toxins from the blooms can cause various issues. For humans, effects can include skin or eye irritation. Scientists are concerned about linkage to liver disease. It can also cause aquatic life to leave an area or die.
This week, Pasco County issued a Blue Green Algae alert.
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©2024 The News Service of Florida
The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services on Wednesday announced a $2.837 million deal to preserve 470 acres at a cattle ranch in Hardee County.
The deal involves purchasing a conservation easement on what is known as the Limestone Creek Ranch property.
A conservation easement allows property to continue to be used for such things as agriculture but prevents residential or commercial development.
The ranch encompasses 2,082 acres. The conservation deal is part of the state’s Rural and Family Lands Protection Program.
Lawmakers in March passed a budget for the 2024-2025 fiscal year that includes $100 million for the conservation program.
The Legislature has not formally sent the budget to Gov. Ron DeSantis for his signature and vetoes.
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©2024 The News Service of Florida
Florida has asked a federal appeals court for “expedited” consideration of a legal battle about permitting authority for projects that affect wetlands.
Attorneys for the state filed a motion Thursday asking the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia to move quickly in Florida’s appeal of a ruling that vacated a 2020 decision by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to shift permitting authority from federal officials to the state.
The appeals court last week rejected a request by the state for a stay of the ruling by U.S. District Judge Randolph Moss.
In the motion Thursday seeking expedited consideration, the state made a series of arguments, including that Florida “has suffered — and will continue to suffer — an irreparable injury from having its … program stripped away during lengthy appellate proceedings.”
It said Florida had successfully administered the program for more than three years.
“Removing that program from Florida’s control constitutes a classically irreparable harm by impinging on Florida’s sovereign interests in the conservation and management of water resources, land use, and wildlife — areas of traditional state responsibility,” the motion said.
Attorneys from the Earthjustice legal group filed the lawsuit in 2021 against the federal government on behalf of the Center for Biological Diversity, Defenders of Wildlife, the Sierra Club, the Conservancy of Southwest Florida, the Florida Wildlife Federation, Miami Waterkeeper and St. Johns Riverkeeper.
The state later intervened to defend the transfer.
Moss’ ruling focused, in part, on whether the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service properly prepared a biological opinion and what is known as an “incidental take statement” as part of the process of approving the transfer.
Moss said a biological opinion and incidental take statement did not comply with the Endangered Species Act and another law known as the Administrative Procedure Act.
He wrote that because the biological opinion and incidental take statement that the Fish and Wildlife Service “issued in this case were facially and legally flawed, the EPA unreasonably relied on those documents in approving Florida’s assumption application.”
The plaintiffs and the federal government oppose the state’s motion for expedited consideration of the appeal, according to the state filing.
The post Florida seeks a fast track for its wetlands permitting case appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
NOAA forecast calls for up to 25 named stormsThe National Ocean Atmospheric Association reported as many as 25 named storms for this year’s storm season. Warm waters are creating what some experts call a rapid intensification of storms.
Pass-a-Grille Beach sand renourishment projectOver the next few months, Pinellas County will begin replenishing sand at Pass-a-grille Beach. WMNF’s Meghan Bowman spoke with a resident who has concerns.
Judge reconsiders scope of blocking Florida immigration lawWhat was initially a statewide injunction is now being reconsidered as federal judge Roy Altman invites “further briefing on the proper scope of the injunction.” The injunction would’ve prevented the process of transporting undocumented immigrants becoming criminalized.
TECO customers speak out against rate hikesTampa Electric and its Canadian parent company, Emera, gathered for their annual shareholders meeting yesterday. WMNF’s Chris Young reports that on the same day, concerned TECO customers and community leaders met to discuss the impacts of energy costs and rate increases.
Trump and DeSantis reconcileFlorida Governor Ron Desantis and Former President Donald Trump announced to major donors yesterday that they want to end their rivalry to prevent President Joe Biden from winning a second term.
Teen arrested after Zephyrhills shootingA 15-year-old and a 23-year-old were arrested in relation to a shooting that happened on Tuesday. Nobody was hurt in the shooting, and authorities are describing it as an isolated incident.
The Scoop: Tampa Bay & Florida headlines by WMNFThe Scoop producer Tyler Oldano
WMNF anchors Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane
WMNF News Director Seán Kinane
WMNF reporters Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane, Colleen Cole
Special thanks to Taylor Lovejoy and Corey Beltran.
Theme music, Fresh06, by Stian via archive.org – CC-BY-NC-SA 2.5
https://archive.org/details/jamendo-001084/02.mp3
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The post The Scoop: Fri. May 24th, 2024 Tampa Bay and Florida headlines by WMNF appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Pinellas County will start a months-long project to refill the shoreline at Pass-a-Grille Beach on June 3.
The sand will come from the Grand Canal.
The Pass-a-Grille Beach nourishment project is split into two phases: first work will start on the south section of the beach, and once completed, then work will begin on the north side.
Listen here:
Each section will take a few months to complete, during which that section of the beach will be temporarily closed.
Pinellas County Coastal Management Coordinator John Bishop spoke to reporters about the project near Paradise Grille on Wednesday.
“We need to try and get as much protection as we can, prior to the next storm season since it’s supposed to be a very active storm season,” he said. “So I think this is very well timed.”
The work begins just three days after hurricane season begins. One that forecasters said will be “very, very busy.”
Jan Martin relocated to the Pinellas beaches in 2020. She has doubts about the project’s effectiveness.
“Its probably not a good idea because you’re gonna have to go back out and do it again,” Martin said. “Because (the sand will) go back out.”
But Bishop said it’s vital to get the sand placed now to protect the coast against the next big storm.
“This project really has to happen now,” he said. “It may be peak season, but it’s also before the hurricane season.”
The renourishment should take about 4 to 5 months for both sections of the beach. Approximately 140,000 cubic yards of sand will be placed on the shoreline. Once complete, the beach will be about 165 feet wide.
Bishop said that was the width in 2014, but erosion has narrowed the width to about 20 feet. Even less in some places.
He added that contractors are being mindful of sea turtle nests as well. Workers will monitor the beach and safely relocate any nests they find.
Visit St. Pete/Clearwater CEO Brian Lowack told reporters the project is vital to tourism in the area as well.
“We know that our visitors come down here for America’s best beaches – this being one of them. But also for our local residents,” he said. “It’s because of those visitors that continue to come visit our beaches that we can invest those tourist development tax dollars into keeping our beaches pristine.”
Pinellas County Commissioners allocated $4.4. million for the project on Tuesday, but officials said the total cost of the project will be roughly $6 million.
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Teen arrested for bringing gun to schoolA 10th grader at Gibbs High School was charged with having a gun on campus yesterday. The boy will be charged with possession of a firearm on school property.
Wetlands PermittingAn appeal court refused to put on hold a U.S. district judge ruling in a battle about permits for projects that affect Florida wetlands. The court rejected arguments by the state and business groups. The three-judge panel said that Florida had not satisfied the requirements for a stay.
Schools celebrate federal fundsHillsborough County Public Schools celebrated a large investment of federal and community funding earlier today. WMNF Jimmy Rosilio reports the money will go into trade career programs.
2,500 COVID-19 deaths in Florida this yearFlorida reported over 2,500 deaths related to COVID-19 this year according to the Department of Health website. These numbers have gone down compared to the last four years.
Transgender teacher wins a legal battleIn April a federal judge ruled that a transgender Hillsborough County teacher can use her preferred pronouns. WMNF’s Chris Young reports that the teacher considers this a win.
Do age limits violate strippers’ rights?Governor Ron DeSantis signed a bill last week preventing strippers under age 21 from performing in adult-environment establishments across Florida. In July, people under 21 will not be able to work as exotic dancers and will be charged with second-degree felony if establishments continue to do so.
The Scoop: Tampa Bay & Florida headlines by WMNFThe Scoop producer Leah Burdick
WMNF anchors Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane
WMNF News Director Seán Kinane
WMNF reporters Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane, Colleen Cole
Special thanks to Taylor Lovejoy and Corey Beltran.
Theme music, Fresh06, by Stian via archive.org – CC-BY-NC-SA 2.5
https://archive.org/details/jamendo-001084/02.mp3
The Scoop logo by Robin Milcowitz / Greener Pixels / greenerpixels.com / WMNF
The post The Scoop: Tues. May 21th, 2024 Tampa Bay and Florida headlines by WMNF appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Listen:The proposed redevelopment of Tropicana Field and the area around it would be the biggest project in St. Petersburg history. An advocacy group wants more environmental protections in the deal.
Michael McGrath is the lead organizer for Sierra Club Florida. He says the group isn’t against the deal, but wants to see it improve.
“As it currently stands, we don’t feel like the development agreement goes far enough to be able to address some of the concerns we have around climate resiliency, around trying to steward and also protect our natural environment, and also trying to do things around securing clean energy that the city desperately needs.”
He cites St. Petersburg 2016 pledge to transition to clean energy by 2035.
“After all, St. Pete is the sunshine city in the sunshine state. This stadium, and also all of the associated development, should be powered by solar energy and by clean and renewable energies.”
He says the St. Petersburg City Council has been receptive towards the Sierra Club and other groups concerns.
“So we’re really getting close towards this thing being finalized, and we’re very encouraged and hopeful that some of the key votes on council will be able to make amendments to the development agreement that gets us a fair and better deal for residents.”
On Thursday afternoon, the Sierra Club joined other organizations on the steps of City Hall to voice their dissatisfaction.
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©2024 The News Service of Florida
Florida and two dozen other states Thursday filed a legal challenge to a new U.S. Environmental Protection rule aimed at reducing carbon emissions from power plants.
The states filed a petition at the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia that alleged the EPA overstepped its legal authority.
“Petitioners will show that the final rule exceeds the agency’s statutory authority and otherwise is arbitrary, capricious, an abuse of discretion, and not in accordance with law,” the petition said. “Petitioners thus ask that this court declare unlawful and vacate respondents’ final action.”
The rule was published Thursday in the Federal Register.
Information posted on the EPA website said “the final limits and emission guidelines are based on proven pollution control technologies that can be applied directly to power plants and can achieve substantial reductions in carbon pollution at reasonable cost.”
Other states filing the challenge were West Virginia, Indiana, Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia and Wyoming.
The post Florida joins a legal challenge against a new EPA rule to reduce power plant carbon pollution that is contributing to global warming appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
©2024 The News Service of Florida
Environmental groups Monday urged a federal appeals court to reject Florida’s request for a stay of a district judge’s ruling in a battle about permitting authority for projects that affect wetlands.
Attorneys from the Earthjustice legal organization filed a 37-page brief at the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia disputing Florida’s arguments that the ruling by U.S. District Judge Randolph Moss should be put on hold while an appeal plays out.
Moss ruled in February that a 2020 decision by the federal government to shift permitting authority to the state violated the Endangered Species Act.
Moss vacated the shift, giving authority to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
The Army Corps administers the permitting program in most states and administered it in Florida before the 2020 shift.
Florida, backed by major business groups, filed a motion for a stay of Moss’ ruling, citing what it called “irreparable injuries” and “permitting chaos.”
But in the filing Monday, the Earthjustice attorneys pushed back, in part saying that Florida’s “claims of economic loss are hyperbolic, unsupported, and unfounded.”
The brief also pointed to the Army Corps’ “long-established” administration of the permitting program.
“A stay would revert … authority once again to a state program that does not comply with the ESA (Endangered Species Act), putting listed species at risk of irreparable harm,” the brief said.
Earthjustice filed the lawsuit in 2021 against the federal government on behalf of the Center for Biological Diversity, Defenders of Wildlife, the Sierra Club, the Conservancy of Southwest Florida, the Florida Wildlife Federation, Miami Waterkeeper and St. Johns Riverkeeper.
The state later intervened to defend the transfer.
The post Environmental groups fight a Florida request in the case of wetlands regulating authority appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Susan Glickman has been involved in environmental policy-making for decades.
In January she was named Vice President of Policy & Partnerships of the CLEO Institute, aka Climate Leadership Engagement Opportunities. The Miami-based nonprofit calls itself “the only women-led nonprofit, nonpartisan organization in Florida exclusively dedicated to climate education, advocacy, and engagement.”
Glickman talked about President Joe Biden’s approach to climate change, and zoomed into issues that affect the Tampa Bay area including proposed rate changes, and Florida’s HB1645 the so-called “energy omnibus” bill awaiting a signature from Gov. Ron DeSantis.
On the second half of The Skinny, Peabody Award winning investigative journalist, and past Democratic Nominee for Congress, Alan Cohn talked about the Bay area’s TV news ecosystem.
Download audio from the show via wmnf.org. Listen via podcast services like Apple Music, TuneIn, and Spotify.
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©2024 The News Service of Florida
State conservation officials agreed Wednesday to move forward with a Central Florida land swap that could lead to part of a mitigation area for gopher tortoises and wetlands being used for a road extension.
Over the objections of area residents and local officials, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission directed Executive Director Roger Young to finalize agreements with the Central Florida Expressway Authority that would result in 160 acres of the Split Oak Forest Wildlife and Environmental Area in Osceola County being exchanged for 1,550 acres in the region.
The expressway authority is also expected to provide about $41 million to help manage land going to the wildlife commission and for additional land acquisitions.
Split Oak Forest is a 1,689-acre conservation area in Orange and Osceola counties.
The expressway authority is looking at the land to extend the Osceola Parkway.
The wildlife commission holds what are known as conservation easements on the property.
Commission staff members estimated that about 60 acres of Split Oak Forest would be directly affected by the road.
Commission Chair Robert Barreto said the agency will get about 25 acres in return for each acre directly affected by the road and warned that the expressway authority could seek to acquire the land through eminent domain “and we get nothing.”
Commissioner Gary Lester said the job of the commission isn’t to “manage growth in the state.”
Meanwhile, “We’ve got staff coming to us telling us that this is a net benefit to what we’re charged with, which is fish and wildlife,” Lester added.
But Commissioner Gary Nicklaus said that “before we do anything, it should have the support of the people it’s going to effect.”
Orange County Commissioner Emily Bonilla said the expressway authority needs to reconsider the path of the road.
“The conservation easements established were meant to protect Split Oak Forest in perpetuity,” Bonilla said. “To alter these without considering the full environmental costs and against the explicit will of the people would undermine the very purpose of our agreement.”
The county commission in November sided with voters who in 2020 overwhelmingly backed protecting the forest against the expressway authority’s road plan.
The county commission had previously supported the road plan.
The post Controversial land swap moves forward for an expressway to be built through Split Oak Forest appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
©2024 The News Service of Florida
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officials hope they are seeing decreased incidents of what are described as “erratically spinning fish” and smalltooth sawfish deaths in the Florida Keys.
Gil McRae, director of the commission’s Fish and Wildlife Research Institute, told commissioners Wednesday that a decrease in incidents of spinning fish the past two weeks could be a sign “we’re on the tail end of this event.”
But the cause of the erratic behavior, believed to be related to an increase in sawfish deaths, remains unclear, McRae said.
“Right now, everything is pointing to what is likely a naturally occurring species or multiple species of algae that produce low levels of toxins. These are neurotoxins that would be consistent with the behavioral changes that we’ve seen in the fish,” McRae said. “As I said, we’re not sure why the sawfish are disproportionately affected. In fact, these large sawfish that we have coming in, normally would be offshore at this time of year. So, there’s still a lot of things to figure out.”
The first reports of spinning fish came in the Fall of 2023, with sawfish deaths beginning in January.
McRae said red tide and dissolved oxygen issues have been ruled out, as samples have been taken from more than 300 fish and necropsies have been conducted on 32 of the 45 dead sawfish.
The post FWC says there’s a decrease in ‘spinning’ fish and sawfish deaths in Florida appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Listen:The 2024 City Clean Energy Scorecard evaluates 75 major U.S. cities on clean energy efforts, including transportation initiatives. Tampa and St. Petersburg face challenges due to outdated zoning codes and insufficient data collection. WMNF’s Kerilyn Kwiatkowski reports the importance of addressing these gaps.
Recent evaluations have shown that Tampa and St. Petersburg scored below 10 out of 70 points in transportation. Stefen Samarripas, the Senior Local Policy Manager at the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, stresses the importance of tackling emissions.
“Thinking about transportation emissions is going to be important because this is going to be jumping off the page if you’re looking at your emissions state. Everything from thinking about investing more in electric vehicles and charging infrastructure, providing incentives for folks to get access to those vehicles, especially low-income communities.” – Stefen Samarripas
In 2023, St. Petersburg updated its zoning regulations and mandated Level 2 EV charging stations in new developments, but lags in data collection. Tampa’s zoning codes remain unchanged lacking mandates for EV charging stations.
“Updating your zoning code so you’re thinking about how development is being laid out in the city. If you’re growing a lot, think very carefully about ways in which you can incentivize folks to live near where they work.” – Stefen Samarripas
The Clean Energy Scorecard underscores the changes these cities must make as they transition to clean energy.
The post Transportation is among Tampa’s and St. Petersburg’s clean energy challenges: Insights from the 2024 scorecard appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Spinning fish linked to algae bloom toxinsToxic algae blooms in Florida waters from the Keys to Boynton Beach are causing fish to spin themselves to death. Scientists, led by Florida Fish & Wildlife Section Leader Caroline Gorga, are investigating the toxins involved.
UF cracks down on student protestsStudent protesters advocating for Palestine at the University of Florida now face the risk of suspension for their activities during campus protests.
DeSantis signs two billsThe first mandates disclaimers on certain political ads generated using artificial intelligence, aiming for transparency in digital campaigning. The second bill regulates vape products, addressing concerns over their use and potential health risks. Margie Menzel has the details.
Musician Noan PartlyFollowing Beyoncé’s genre-defying album release last month, WMNF’s Chris Young sheds light on a local Tampa folk artist who similarly blends genres and challenges conventional norms.
The Scoop: Tampa Bay & Florida headlines by WMNFThe Scoop producer Kerilyn Kwiatkowski
WMNF anchors Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane
WMNF News Director Seán Kinane
WMNF reporters Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane, Colleen Cole
Special thanks to Taylor Lovejoy and Corey Beltran.
Theme music, Fresh06, by Stian via archive.org – CC-BY-NC-SA 2.5
https://archive.org/details/jamendo-001084/02.mp3
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African farmers look to the past and the future to address climate change
Host, Walter L Smith II, declares The Forum is the place to analyze the work of Tampa’s new Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
Also, bringing information, holding the powers that be accountable for their stewardship of the environment.
Announcing the Black Earth Day podcast.
Listen in archives.
The post A Voice for the Truth Commission, Energy Crisis appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
©2024 The News Service of Florida
Environmental groups Thursday urged the Florida Supreme Court to take up a long-running legal battle over state conservation funding.
Attorneys for the groups filed a brief arguing the 1st District Court of Appeal erred in February when it upheld the dismissal of the case, which stems from a 2014 constitutional amendment that requires setting aside a portion of real-estate documentary stamp tax revenues for conservation efforts.
Environmental groups said the money, which is put in what is known as the Land Acquisition Trust Fund, is supposed to go to buying and managing additional property and have contended in the case that the state improperly diverted money to other expenses.
The allegations involve state budget decisions for the 2015-2016 fiscal year.
In February’s ruling, a three-judge panel of the appeals court agreed with a 2022 decision by Leon County Circuit Judge J. Lee Marsh that the case had become moot.
“Key to our analysis is the narrow scope within which the plaintiffs consistently framed their claims,” the appeals court ruling said. “They alone controlled their pleadings, and they challenged only the validity of specific 2015-16 appropriations, asking the trial court to order those funds returned to the LATF (Land Acquisition Trust Fund). Once those appropriations were completed or reverted and the fiscal year ended, however, no remedy remained within reach of the active complaint as pleaded, through no fault of the defendants. The claims were moot.”
But in the brief Thursday at the Supreme Court, attorneys for the environmental groups disputed that the issues are moot.
In part, the brief said the “appropriations recur every year including in the 2024 legislative session that just concluded.”
The groups are the Florida Wildlife Federation, St. Johns Riverkeeper, the Environmental Confederation of Southwest Florida and the Sierra Club.
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Listen here:The City of Clearwater is giving out free trees to residents tomorrow, it’s in celebration of Arbor Day.
The annual tree giveaway event will take place at the Public Works Complex on Arcturas Avenue from 8 AM to 1 PM. You need to show proof of residency to receive a free tree; this may include a Florida driver’s license, voter’s registration card, or a recent utility bill. Participants can choose up to two trees in 3-gallon containers.
Different tree varieties include:
- Crape Myrtle (White Natchez, Lavender Muskogee, Pink Sioux, Red Tuscarora)
- Red Cluster Bottlebrush
- Simpson Stopper
- Walter’s Viburnum
- Silver and Green Buttonwood
- Red Maple
- Pignut Hickory
- Pecan
- Catalpa
- Sugarberry
- Mayhaw
- Persimmon
- Green Ash
- Dahoon Holly
- Yaupon Holly
- Southern Red Cedar
- Sweetbay
- Southern Magnolia
- Blackgum
- Slash Pine
- Pinus Palustris
- Sycamore
- Chickasaw Plumb
- Live Oak
- Baldcypress
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By Jim Saunders ©2024 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — Pointing to what it called “irreparable injuries,” Florida has asked a federal appeals court to put on hold a district judge’s ruling as a legal battle continues to play out about permitting authority for projects that affect wetlands.
Attorneys for the state filed a motion late Thursday at the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia seeking a stay of ruling by U.S. District Judge Randolph Moss. Moss’ ruling rejected a 2020 decision by the federal government to shift permitting authority to the state.
Florida last week appealed Moss’ ruling. But Moss on Tuesday denied a request by the state for a stay while the appeal plays out — leading to Thursday’s motion for a stay at the appellate court.
Siding with environmental groups, Moss in February vacated the transfer of permitting authority because he said federal officials had not followed the required steps before making the 2020 decision. Moss followed up this month by entering a final judgment that cleared the way for the state’s appeal.
In Thursday’s motion for a stay, the state’s attorneys argued that Moss’ ruling “eviscerates Florida’s sovereign interests in the conservation and management of water resources, land use, and wildlife — areas of traditional state responsibility.”
“Vacatur (of the transfer of permitting authority) has also thrown Florida’s regulators and regulated community into permitting chaos, deprived Florida of the benefits of years of effort and investment into a comprehensive state program, put over 1,000 pending permit applications into regulatory limbo, blocked Florida agencies from performing legal duties and deprived the state of significant permitting efficiencies obtained from consolidating federal and state wetlands-permitting requirements,” the motion said.
But in denying the state’s stay request Tuesday, Moss wrote that Florida “failed to demonstrate that it is likely to suffer an irreparable injury if the court declines to grant a stay.” In part, Moss said the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is prepared to review permits, as had been the case before the authority was transferred to the state.
“In the state’s view, it would promote efficiency for a single regulator to administer the federal and state permitting programs — but that is a question of efficiency, not sovereignty,” he wrote.
The case has been closely watched by business and environmental groups, with organizations such as the Florida Chamber of Commerce, Associated Industries of Florida and the Association of Florida Community Developers backing the state’s position.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency approved the transfer of the permitting authority in December 2020, about a month before former President Donald Trump’s administration ended. The move made Florida only the third state, after Michigan and New Jersey, to receive the permitting authority,
Attorneys from the Earthjustice legal organization filed the lawsuit in 2021 against the federal government on behalf of the Center for Biological Diversity, Defenders of Wildlife, the Sierra Club, the Conservancy of Southwest Florida, the Florida Wildlife Federation, Miami Waterkeeper and St. Johns Riverkeeper. The state later intervened to defend the transfer.
In the February ruling, Moss found that actions by the EPA and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in approving the shift violated the federal Endangered Species Act.
The ruling focused, in part, on whether the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service properly prepared a biological opinion and what is known as an “incidental take statement” as part of the process of approving the transfer. Incidental takes are situations in which threatened or endangered species could be killed or harmed as a result of what are allowed activities.
Moss said a biological opinion and incidental take statement did not comply with the Endangered Species Act and another law known as the Administrative Procedure Act. He wrote that because the biological opinion and incidental take statement that the Fish and Wildlife Service “issued in this case were facially and legally flawed, the EPA unreasonably relied on those documents in approving Florida’s assumption application.”
In Thursday’s motion for a stay at the appellate court, the state’s attorneys contended that Moss’ ruling conflicted with a 2018 decision by the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Also, they argued that the ruling “gravely undermines the federalism principles that pervade” the Endangered Species Act and the federal Clean Water Act, another law involved in the case.
But in denying the stay request Tuesday, Moss wrote that “Florida has failed to identify any theory of appeal on which it is likely to prevail or that even raises a serious legal question.”
The post Florida seeks a stay in its wetlands permitting fight appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Jada Alexander, a marine ecologist from UCSB takes a deep dive into her life as a scientist, mental health in STEM fields and her experience as a Black woman in marine biology
Hosted by: Deidric Davis
The post Black Nerds Matter: Jada Alexander appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Last week the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency officially set limits on six hazardous so-called forever chemicals, known as PFAS, in our drinking water. PFAS stands for a large family of toxic man-made chemical compounds. These chemicals have been used in many consumer and industry products since the 1940s. They are in fire-fighting foam, non-stick cookware, clothing, upholstery, carpets, microwave popcorn bags, pizza boxes, and even dental floss. They’ve now been linked to negative health effects. Exposure to certain levels of PFAS can impact the body’s ability to fight infections and lead to reproductive effects or an increased risk of cancer. They are found everywhere at this point, so they inevitably end up in our water supply. In the Tampa Bay region, PFAS chemicals have been detected in amounts above the EPA limits in some of the water supplied by water utilities from both the City of Tampa Water, and Tampa Bay Water which supplies drinking water to Hillsborough, Pinellas, and Pasco counties, the cities of New Port Richey and St. Petersburg. But, according to the water quality experts who appeared on MidPoint Wednesday, there is no need to panic. The utilities plan to bring in new technology that will make it easier to filter out these PFAS chemicals.
No Need to Panic!Tampa Bay Water gets its water supply from multiple sources, including groundwater, surface water, seawater desalinization, and some wells, and the amount of PFAS over the EPA limits in these water sources is small, according to Steve Fleischacker, Water Quality Services Senior Manager for Tampa Bay Water. Since July 2023, Tampa Bay Water has been testing the regional drinking water supply for the six regulated PFAS, alongside its member utilities, during EPA’s nationwide study. The regional utility has completed three of four quarters of PFAS testing so far. In fact, Tampa Bay Water can measure more PFAS chemicals and amounts smaller than the limits set by the EPA which were selected based on the kind and amount of PFAS that most utilities around the country can test for. Tampa Bay Water will continue to monitor and test for PFAS and work to remove even the small excess amounts of regulated PFAS that have shown up in the water from only one of their regional delivery sites in South Hillsborough County as they plan to address the new regulations. In 2023, Tampa Bay Water completed a study on the effectiveness of treatment technologies that address total organic carbon. These water treatment methods are recommended by the EPA to address PFAS and other constituents of emerging concern. Their study provides a framework for using the technologies recognized by EPA as the most effective for treating PFAS and developing the treatment systems necessary to put the technologies in place.
The City of Tampa gets its water from the Hillsborough River which is filled with organic matter. Tampa did find slightly elevated levels of two of six PFAS in its drinking water supplies. According to Sarah Burns, the City of Tampa’s Water Department Capital Improvement Program Director, the City of Tampa is well ahead of the curve in addressing this as they have already been testing for PFAS for more than a year. Now, they will likely be the very first utility in the nation to bring in new filtration technology from the Netherlands called SIX or Suspended Ion Exchange. SIX removes organic matter like decaying vegetation from the water which allows the SIX system to better filter out PFAS chemicals. Tampa’s water department would be the first in the country to have this system and put it into operation. Tampa Bay Water will also benefit from the City of Tampa’s pioneering efforts to utilize the SIX system in its smaller water quality treatment efforts as the larger regional utility develops and prioritizes its treatment systems for its many regional water delivery sites.
Who Pays for This Remediation?Brandon Moore, the spokesperson for Tampa Bay Water, acknowledges that water utility rates will probably be increased to accommodate the new technologies and treatment required to remove PFAS chemicals from our water. The utility is also part of a lawsuit against manufacturers of PFAS, like 3M and DuPont, to recover the cost of removing the chemicals that have been manufactured and sold by these companies. The City of Tampa water customers are already paying for the planned new treatment system and will continue to do so with rate increases through 2040 as it is part of an infrastructure improvement plan already approved by the City Council. But, this technology is also expected to be more efficient and save the City money in the long run. Both utilities also will rely on federal infrastructure grants to fund these improvements as well.
You Can Help TooDeveloping these systems and constructing the facilities to remove PFAS from our water will take time. Our experts suggest that in the meantime, home water filtration systems can help with our water quality. They suggest visiting the EPA website to find filters that are EPA-certified to remove PFAS from the water. You can also visit toxicfreefuture.org and PFASCentral.org for more information on consumer products and packaging that incorporate PFAS and try to avoid them, along with finding those products that are PFAS-free.
The whole show is available for listening on demand from our archives at WMNF.org/midpoint, on the WMNF app, or as a WMNF podcast wherever you get your podcasts.
The post Treating Tampa Bay’s “Forever Chemicals” in Our Drinking Water appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Listen:A new report shows improvements in air quality nationwide. But, despite seeing improvements, the Tampa Bay area still faces air quality issues.
The American Lung Association’s “State of the Air” report grades exposure to unhealthy levels of ground-level ozone air pollution, and short term and year round particle pollution.
Overall, the nation continued improvements in air quality, partly because the implementation of the Clean Air Act in 1963. Ashley Lyerly is the Senior Director of Advocacy for the American Lung Association.
“I think specifically for the Tampa Bay area, certainly we’ve seen improvements in air quality, but unfortunately, our sort of top line around ozone for the Tampa Bay area s, while we saw the best ever ranking, we did see the Tampa Ozone level ranking third worst in the southeast.”
Both ozone and particle pollution can lead to asthma and heart attacks, preterm births, and more. The report also found that people of color are more than twice as likely as white people to live in areas with poor rankings of air quality.
However, Lyerly says there’s things people can do to help improve air quality.
“Carpooling when you can, or taking mass transit, if it’s available to you. If you can afford it – making a transition to a zero-emission vehicle, and just sort of paying attention to how your actions may be impacting our air quality.”
Read the full report here.
The post Despite progress, Tampa Bay still grapples with air quality challenges appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Earth Day 2024 bring increased activism from U.S. President Joe Biden to young, Black Environmentalists.
Earth Day is also the birthday of Vladimir Lenin, the first socialist president of the old Soviet Union. In light of Florida’s new anti-socialist education push the law comes off as just an indoctrination and mis-education propaganda attempt.
Listen to the full program in the archives.
Patró Mabíli dedicates “Earth Song” to Black Farmer’s Collectives.
https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/99e11d7faacfefa0abf1b17e2f3a8ef5-3.mp4The post Earth Day 2024: Black Liberation Through Food Sovereignty appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Elliot Mcphatter, a Marine ecotoxicolgist from Eckerd College discusses his upbringing in the midwest, the role his family plays in his scientific career and the importance of networking.
Hosted by: Deidric Davis
The post Black Nerds Matter: Elliot Mcphatter appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
By Jim Saunders ©2024 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — Florida has quickly launched an appeal after a U.S. district judge rejected a 2020 decision by the federal government to shift permitting authority to the state for projects that affect wetlands.
Attorneys for the state filed a notice Monday that is a first step in challenging the decision by U.S. District Judge Randolph Moss at the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia.
The notice also said the state will seek a stay of Moss’ decision while the appeal plays out. As is common, the notice did not detail arguments the state’s attorneys will make in the appeal.
The Washington, D.C.-based Moss on Friday issued a final judgment on almost all issues in the case. That came after a February ruling in which Moss vacated the transfer of permitting authority because he said federal officials had not followed the required steps before making the 2020 decision.
The case has been closely watched by business and environmental groups, with the state saying in a court filing that Moss’ February ruling could affect “pending permit applications for roads and bridges, hospital construction projects, school buildings and facilities, affordable housing, military base projects, power grid reliability projects (including construction of new power generation facilities and transmission lines), and various projects necessary to improve water quality in the Everglades, just to name a handful of examples.”
The state sought a partial stay of Moss’ Feb. 15 ruling, but the judge wrote Friday that a stay would be “neither workable nor desirable.” He also wrote that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is prepared to review permits, as had been the case before the authority was transferred to the state.
Moss anticipated the appeal, saying the final judgment would help clear the way for the dispute to move forward.
“Although the court’s (Moss’) decision is unlikely to result in the dire consequences that Florida proffers — as noted … the Corps stands ready, willing, and able to issue … permits in Florida, as it did for decades before the EPA approved Florida’s assumption application and as it does in 47 other states — Florida nonetheless has a legitimate and substantial interest in obtaining prompt appellate review of a decision and order that set aside a program to which it has devoted extensive time and effort,” Moss wrote. “Florida may or may not prevail on appeal, but there is no just reason to delay its ability to seek review.”
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency approved the transfer of the permitting authority to the state in December 2020, about a month before former President Donald Trump’s administration ended. The move made Florida only the third state, after Michigan and New Jersey, to receive the permitting authority,
Attorneys from the Earthjustice legal organization filed the lawsuit in 2021 against the federal government on behalf of the Center for Biological Diversity, Defenders of Wildlife, the Sierra Club, the Conservancy of Southwest Florida, the Florida Wildlife Federation, Miami Waterkeeper and St. Johns Riverkeeper.
The state later intervened, and groups such as the Florida Chamber of Commerce, Associated Industries of Florida and the Association of Florida Community Developers have backed the state’s position.
In the February ruling, Moss found that actions by the EPA and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in approving the shift of authority violated the federal Endangered Species Act.
The ruling focused, in part, on whether the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service properly prepared a biological opinion and what is known as an “incidental take statement” as part of the process of approving the transfer. Incidental takes are situations in which threatened or endangered species could be killed or harmed as a result of what are allowed activities.
Moss said a biological opinion and incidental take statement did not comply with the Endangered Species Act and another law known as the Administrative Procedure Act. He wrote that because the biological opinion and incidental take statement that the Fish and Wildlife Service “issued in this case were facially and legally flawed, the EPA unreasonably relied on those documents in approving Florida’s assumption application.”
As of Tuesday morning, the federal government had not filed a notice of appeal, according to an online court docket.
The post Florida appeals in the fight over wetlands permitting appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Wetlands permittingA U.S. district judge has finalized his rejection of a 2020 decision by the federal government to transfer permitting authority for projects affecting wetlands to Florida.
Rally for Gaza in SarasotaPro-Palestinian demonstrators gathered in Sarasota on Saturday, calling for a cease-fire in Gaza. Although the march remained peaceful, tensions were palpable amidst the ongoing conflict in the region.
New laws support copsGovernor Ron DeSantis recently signed contentious bills aimed at support for law enforcement.
East Tampa rec centerTampa’s parks and recreation department has embarked on a major endeavor with the commencement of a new recreation complex in East Tampa.
The Scoop: Tampa Bay & Florida headlines by WMNFThe Scoop producer Kerilyn Kwiatkowski
WMNF anchors Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane
WMNF News Director Seán Kinane
WMNF reporters Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane, Colleen Cole
Special thanks to Taylor Lovejoy and Corey Beltran.
Theme music, Fresh06, by Stian via archive.org – CC-BY-NC-SA 2.5
https://archive.org/details/jamendo-001084/02.mp3
The Scoop logo by Robin Milcowitz / Greener Pixels / greenerpixels.com / WMNF
The post The Scoop: ,Mon. April 15, 2024 Tampa Bay and Florida headlines by WMNF appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
This morning on WMNF-Tampa 88.5-FM, public affairs program The Skinny welcomes Tampa Bay Times reporter Shauna Muckle, who published a story about equity for Florida’s Black farmers who—after the passage of HB 387—were granted licenses to enter the field of medical marijuana cultivation.
In the second half of the show, The Skinny is joined by doctors Jeannie Mounger and Nicole Brand who’ll update listeners on the state of the USF Forest Preserve—a gingerbread man-shaped, roughly 500 acre patchwork of wetland and sandhill habitat on the northeastern side of the school’s Tampa campus.
Listen to The Skinny on WMNF Tampa 88.5-FM from 11:06 a.m.-12:01 p.m. on the radio, online at wmnf.org. We’ll update this post with show audio later today.
The post Equity for Florida’s Black marijuana farmers, and the state of the USF Forest Preserve, today on WMNF appeared first on WMNF.
Listen:https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/NEWS_SarasotaLandweb.mp3A couple is fighting a plan for thousands of new homes near their rural northeastern Sarasota County neighborhood. WMNF’s Chris Young reports that the couple has taken legal action and is awaiting a decision from the courts.
Michael Hutchinson lives in northeastern Sarasota County. His calm, rural neighborhood has horses, very little traffic, and an overall slow pace. But he fears new developments not far away may threaten what makes the area unique.
“We’re really nervous that when this comes in, it will change everything for us.”
Sarasota County Commissioners approved Lakewood Ranch to build a community of up to 5,000 homes on 4100 acres near the neighborhood.
So Hutchinson, and his wife, Eileen Fitzgerald, sued Sarasota County.
He says the fight has been happening since last February when Lakewood Ranch presented the idea to county commissioners.
“It’s a different lifestyle living on five-, ten-acre parcels. It’s different for a lot of different reasons. A lot of the homeowners that have that property have it for horses. They’re into horses one way or another.”
A ruling is expected this month.
The post Sarasota couple fights to protect rural neighborhood from nearby development appeared first on WMNF.
Robin Broad and John Cavanagh are passionate about their cause. The story they tell in The Water Defenders – How Ordinary People Saved A Country From Corporate Greed tells the inspirational story of a community that took on an international mining corporation at seemingly insurmountable odds and won not one but two historic victories. In the early 2000s, many people in El Salvador were at first excited by the prospect of jobs, progress, and prosperity that the Pacific Rim mining company promised. However, farmer Vidalina Morales, brothers Marcelo and Miguel Rivera, and others soon discovered that the river system supplying water to the majority of Salvadorans was in danger of catastrophic contamination. With a group of unlikely allies, local and global, they committed to stop the corporation and the destruction of their home. Based on over a decade of research and their own role as international allies of the community groups in El Salvador, Robin Broad and John Cavanagh unspool this untold story—a tale replete with corporate greed, a transnational lawsuit at a secretive World Bank tribunal in Washington, violent threats, murders, and—surprisingly—victory. The husband-and-wife duo immerses the reader in the lives of the Salvadoran villagers, the journeys of the local activists who sought the truth about the effects of gold mining on the environment, and the behind-the-scenes maneuverings of the corporate mining executives and their lawyers. The Water Defenders demands that we examine our assumptions about progress and prosperity while providing valuable lessons for those fighting against destructive corporations in the United States and across the world.
Show 435
The post A Blueprint For Global Action appeared first on WMNF.
https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/The_Scoop_230831.mp3Idalia’s wakeAssessment and cleanup are continuing today in north Florida and across the Bay area following Hurricane Idalia. Hours after Idalia struck Florida’s Big Bend area yesterday, Governor Ron DeSantis suggested that residents would shoot people who were looting in the town of Steinhatchee, as he has after some previous emergencies.
Flooding, deaths, and outagesWater levels on the Steinhatchee River rose more than 9 feet in about two hours and a bridge leading into Steinhatchee was not passable. State Road 24 leading into Cedar Key in Levy County was also inaccessible yesterday afternoon. Over 150,000 Floridians are still without power. At least 3 weather-related deaths have been reported.
Linking gun access to hate crimeA gun safety group is making the link between easy access to guns in the U.S. and violent hate crimes. GIFFORDS research director Kelly Drane spoke with Sean Kinane this week on WMNF’s Tuesday Café about the link between violent hate crimes and America’s easy access to firearms.
Medicaid eligibility mandateThe Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services sent a letter to all 50 states and U.S. territories with a specific mandate: Identify and fix systemic problems for determining Medicaid eligibility, especially for children.
Students rally for gun lawsA crowd of about 600 students and gun safety advocates rallied last night for stricter state gun laws in North Carolina after a school shooting that left one faculty member dead and terrorized students at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Students were urged to take their pain to the ballot box.
https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/The_Scoop_230831.mp3Information from the Florida Public Media, News Service of Florida, and Associated Press was used in this report.
The Scoop: Tampa Bay & Florida headlines by WMNF SUBSCRIBE!
The Scoop producer Corey Beltran
WMNF anchors Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane
WMNF News Director Sean Kinane
WMNF reporters Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane, Ta’Leah Van Sistine, Colleen Cole, Taylor Lovejoy
Special thanks to Taylor Lovejoy, Justin Seecharan, Novia Levy, Camilla Carrero, Kayla Allen
Theme music, Fresh06, by Stian via archive.org – CC-BY-NC-SA 2.5
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The Scoop logo by Robin Milcowitz / Greener Pixels / greenerpixels.com / WMNF
The post The Scoop: Thurs., August 31, 2023 Tampa Bay & Florida headlines by WMNF appeared first on WMNF.
CDC of Tampa is a social service organization that is responsible for making society better by providing skills for the modern workforce, real estate for low to affordable housing, and youth programs. This CDC organization focused is on East Tampa.
The post Episode 19: Earnest Coney Chief Executive of CDC of Tampa appeared first on WMNF.
If your business needs resources; loans, networking, and collaboration with other businesses you should be there at the CEO Experience events.
CEO Experience event has keynote speakers from the business community local and state.
The post Episode 20: Drew Ware owner of CEO Experience/The Ultimate Networking for Entrepreneurs’ Events appeared first on WMNF.
BP oil-spill money will be used to help the Port of Pensacola become a training base for American Magic, a yacht-racing team.
The post Pensacola training base for a New York-based yacht racing team will get funds from BP oil disaster settlement appeared first on WMNF.
Augustine Sedgewick – Coffeeland: One Man’s Dark Empire and the Making of Our Favorite Drug What do you know about coffee? A wonderful new book will change how you look at – or taste coffee again. Augustine Sedgewick takes us on an extraordinary adventure of discovery, revealing details and history, even the most ardent coffee... Read more »
The post Coffeeland. Restoring Eden. appeared first on WMNF.
Dan May Island receives conservation funds Dan May Island is a 72-acre island on Florida’s west coast, north of Cedar Key, accessible only by boat or seaplane. Friday, the Department of Environmental Protection Acquisition and Restoration Council voted to approve conservation funds for the island. Outrage festers over African American history standard Florida’s new... Read more »
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The Forum responds to various issues including the undemocratic suspension of State Attorney Monique Worrel of Orlando, FL as well as new rules on the disposal of coal combustion residuals. There was some analysis of the culture war outbreak in the Montgomery Riverboat brawl compared to the stabbing of a dancer at a gas station.... Read more »
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Listen: Dan May Island is a 72-acre island on Florida’s west coast, north of Cedar Key, accessible only by boat or seaplane. On Friday, the Department of Environmental Protection Acquisition and Restoration Council voted to approve conservation funds for the island. The property is surrounded by the Lower Suwannee National Wildlife Refuge. It is set... Read more »
The post Small west-coast Florida island to be added to conservation program appeared first on WMNF.
Orange County prosecutor suspended Orange County State Attorney Monique Worrell railed against Gov. Ron DeSantis in a press conference yesterday. DeSantis accused Worrell of “neglect of duty and incompetence”. U.S. Rep. Maxwell Frost, whose district includes Orange County, called Worrell’s suspension a “blatant abuse of power and fascism”. Demonstrators rally for Tampa 5 Demonstrators... Read more »
The post The Scoop: Thurs., August 10, 2023 Tampa Bay & Florida headlines by WMNF appeared first on WMNF.
While Polk County will abandon its curbside recycling program next year, the Pinellas County Commission on Thursday will discuss ways to expand to universal curbside collection in unincorporated areas. Those changes are part of the evolution of recycling in the Tampa Bay area, two recycling experts told WMNF WaveMakers with Janet on Tom on Tuesday... Read more »
The post Pinellas weighs expanded recycling while Polk retreats appeared first on WMNF.
The Host calls in with updates on environmental dangers including coal ash fallout and the use of phosphogypsum, the radioactive waste from processing phosphate ore into phosphoric acid which is predominantly used in fertilizer. EPA has determined that phosphogypsum poses a cancer risk from its radon emissions. Federal workers denounce violence-speak on the campaign trail... Read more »
The post Dangers in Politics, Economy and Environment appeared first on WMNF.
Environmental advocates and Wakulla County residents are protesting proposed changes that may threaten a state attraction. Locals are rallying support to try to protect Wakulla Springs ahead of a meeting that could jeopardize its future. Listen: Wakulla Springs is one of the largest and deepest freshwater springs in the world. Novelist Jeff VanderMeer has been... Read more »
The post Locals, environmentalists prepare to defend Wakulla Springs ahead of upcoming meeting appeared first on WMNF.
Donald Trump to surrender to federal authorities Donald Trump is scheduled to surrender to federal authorities in Washington this afternoon. He will be booked and fingerprinted before being escorted to his arraignment, which has been set for 4 pm. Trump has been charged based on his attempt to overturn his 2020 election defeat. A local... Read more »
The post The Scoop: Thurs., August 3, 2023 Tampa Bay & Florida headlines by WMNF appeared first on WMNF.
Scorching ocean temperatures have caused most Florida corals to bleach; and scientists expect a mass coral die-off this summer. WMNF’s Josh Holton asked Congress member Kathy Castor about what can be done to avert a marine life disaster. Castor is the former chair of the House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis and helped put... Read more »
The post Climate change is killing coral, and Congressmember Kathy Castor says the GOP isn’t helping the issue appeared first on WMNF.
Listen: St Petersburg was awarded over 20 million dollars from the state towards infrastructure improvements, and this means lower-than-expected utility rates for St. Pete residents in the future. The funding is from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. It’s going towards mitigating flooding and improving St. Pete’s utility service. Claude Tankersley is the Public Works... Read more »
The post New St. Petersburg grants means lower utility rate increase for customers appeared first on WMNF.
V.P. Harris declines Gov. DeSantis’ invite Vice President Kamala Harris forcefully declined Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’ official invitation to meet and discuss the state’s African American History standards during a speech in Orlando yesterday. End Junk Fees for Renters Act proposed Orlando Congress member Maxwell Alejandro Frost, Congress’ youngest member, joined to unveil a... Read more »
The post The Scoop: Wed., August 2, 2023 Tampa Bay & Florida headlines by WMNF appeared first on WMNF.
Murder of transgender man draws national publicity The murder of a transgender man in Winter Haven marks what some are considering the 15th violent killing of a gender non-conforming or transgender individual this year and has drawn national publicity. The Ledger has reported the Polk County Sheriff’s Office and media outlets have been slammed by... Read more »
The post The Scoop: Mon., July 31, 2023 Tampa Bay & Florida headlines by WMNF appeared first on WMNF.
Florida will shield 135 acres along the Rainbow River in Marion County from development, the group Conservation Florida said.
The post Land along Florida’s Rainbow River gets conservation protections appeared first on WMNF.
Chuck Collins – Alter To An Erupting Sun Altar to an Erupting Sun is a near-future story of one community facing climate disruption in the critical decade ahead. Rae Kelliher is a veteran environmental activist and pioneer in the death-with-dignity movement. Facing a diagnosis of terminal illness, she engages in a shocking suicide murder, taking... Read more »
The post A Surprising Debut Novel. The Way Of Birds. Etherial Music appeared first on WMNF.
Mosquito-borne malaria has been found locally. What to do about it.
The post MidPoint: Malaria Found in Manatee and Sarasota Counties. What Do We Need to Know? appeared first on WMNF.
UPS hammers out union deal UPS reached a tentative contract deal with the 340,000-person strong Teamsters union yesterday, averting a strike that had the potential to disrupt shipping services nationwide. The two sides reached an agreement early on safety issues. UPS said it would add air conditioning to U.S. small delivery vehicles purchased after January... Read more »
The post The Scoop: Wednesday, July 26, 2023 Tampa Bay & Florida headlines by WMNF appeared first on WMNF.
Seagrass is in decline around Florida, including Tampa and Sarasota bays, and that’s proven deadly for manatees. Tom Ries is trying to do something about that.
The post A non-profit is trying to save manatees by restoring seagrass appeared first on WMNF.
Tony Bennett passes at 96 The singer Tony Bennett died today at the age of 96. The AP describes Bennett as an eminent stylist and the last of the great saloon singers whose devotion to classic American songs and knack for creating new standards such as “I Left My Heart In San Francisco” graced a... Read more »
The post The Scoop: WMNF’s daily digest of news headlines for Friday, July 21th, 2023 appeared first on WMNF.
A recent sawfish sighting off the coast of Cedar Key suggests the endangered species might be rebounding. Listen: The core population of sawfish exists near the Everglades and Florida Keys. And even there among the mangrove forests, where the large animals are known to be found, catching one is rare. That’s why Dean Grubbs —... Read more »
The post Sawfish found in Cedar Key could be evidence of ‘Endangered Species Act working’ appeared first on WMNF.
Listen: The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission approved a new rule for the Skyway Fishing Pier State Park. The rule is aimed at protecting thousands of seabirds entangled at the park located on a decommissioned highway bridge. It’s the longest fishing pier in the world and attracts many species of fish. It also attracts... Read more »
The post New rules implemented to protect seabirds at world’s longest fishing pier appeared first on WMNF.
Tampa’s new pedestrian mobility plan After being ranked one of the most dangerous cities in the country for pedestrians and cyclists, Tampa city leaders unveiled a plan yesterday to solve the problem, but it comes with a high price tag. New College of Florida housing shuffle Returning New College of Florida students got a... Read more »
The post The Scoop: WMNF’s daily digest of news headlines for Wednesday, July 19th, 2023 appeared first on WMNF.
Tampa air quality decline Overall, air quality in the nation has improved in recent years. However, it’s actually gotten worse in Tampa. Housing advocates rally against police budget Activists have come out against a 16 million dollar increase in the City of St. Petersburg budget for police and public safety while other community needs have... Read more »
The post The Scoop: WMNF’s daily digest of news headlines for Monday, July 17th, 2023 appeared first on WMNF.
Listen: Overall air quality in the nation has improved. However, it’s actually gotten worse in Tampa. According to a study by Consumer Affairs, Tampa ranks number 10 in the U.S. for the largest air quality decline over the past 10 years. Cassidy McCants is a deputy editor at Consumer Affairs. “We’ve seen a lot of... Read more »
The post Air quality on the decline in Tampa despite nationwide improvements appeared first on WMNF.
SB 540, is the worst environmental law of the 2023 legislative session. It will have a serious negative impact on the quality of life of Florida residents according to representatives of the 1000 Friends of Florida
The post MidPoint: SB 540 The Sprawl Bill of 2023 appeared first on WMNF.
The Eastern Indigo Snake is a threatened species, and the overdevelopment of the snake’s natural habitat may be the cause.
The post Eastern indigo snake pushed out of habitat by overdevelopment appeared first on WMNF.
Record heat is devastating marine habitats as scientists grapple with solutions The first week of July has been the hottest week in recorded history. But it’s not just air temperature records that are being broken. The water around Florida is dangerously hot. And that spells trouble for marine species, early summer coral bleaching could lead... Read more »
The post The Scoop: WMNF’s daily digest of news headlines for Wednesday, July 12th, 2023 appeared first on WMNF.
Whit Remer, Tampa's first-ever sustainability and resilience officer, discussed the city's new Climate Action and Equity Plan for dealing with the challenges of climate change.
The post Tampa’s first sustainability and resilience chief on the challenges of climate change appeared first on WMNF.
Moffit Cancer Center will offer free skin cancer screening on select dates in July Sunny weather makes Florida a hotspot for skin cancer, with rates higher than the national average. A Florida doctor speaks about the importance of skin safety, and getting screened. Historic Alessi Bakery found ablaze was extinguished overnight Last night just before... Read more »
The post The Scoop: WMNF’s daily digest of news headlines for Tuesday, July 11th, 2023 appeared first on WMNF.
Coral reef scientist Bill Precht talks about how hot it is in Florida waters and how that is impacting coral bleaching and other marine life.
The post “Hot tub” water temperatures in the Florida Keys have caused early coral bleaching and could lead to mass mortality appeared first on WMNF.
After Florida’s first recorded case of the contagious chronic wasting disease fatal to deer, wildlife officials said other cases are likely.
The post Florida braces for more cases of chronic wasting disease in deer appeared first on WMNF.
Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a law that lets Florida test radioactive phosphogypsum, a fertilizer industry waste product, in building roads.
The post Ron DeSantis signs a bill allowing Florida to test radioactive phosphogypsum in roads after environmental groups urged a veto appeared first on WMNF.
Environmental advocates are asking people not to use glitter-filled floatation devices because of their potential to harm wildlife.
The post Save the Manatee Club warns public not to use glitter-filled floatation devices appeared first on WMNF.
The Scoop: WMNF’s daily digest of news headlines for Friday, June 30th, 2023
The post The Scoop: WMNF’s daily digest of news headlines for Friday, June 30th, 2023 appeared first on WMNF.
Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a law that lets Florida test radioactive phosphogypsum, a fertilizer industry waste product, in building roads.
The post UPDATE: Ron DeSantis signs a bill allowing Florida to test radioactive phosphogypsum in roads after environmental groups urged a veto appeared first on WMNF.
Florida Ports CEO warns that proposed changes to protect the endangered Rice's whale could harm ports including Port Tampa Bay.
The post Florida Ports Council CEO warns that proposed changes to protect the endangered Rice’s whale could harm ports from Tampa to Pensacola appeared first on WMNF.
A new report shows that common plastics are polluting shorelines. With the Fourth of July holiday coming up, an environmental group is calling for the US to declare its independence from single-use plastics. The report identified the top 5 plastics polluting beaches and waterways around the world. Dr. Anja Brandon is the Associate Director of... Read more »
The post Report calls for elimination of top plastics polluting beaches appeared first on WMNF.
The Florida Department of Environmental Protection rejected a proposal to drill an oil well in Big Cypress Swamp in Collier County.
The post Florida rejects oil drilling proposal in Big Cypress Swamp appeared first on WMNF.
Listen: Conservation groups in Florida have pleaded for official protection of one iconic flower native to Florida. Now, the groups are preparing to take legal action to force the U.S. government to protect it. After agreeing that the flower was at risk of extinction, The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service missed the deadline to finalize... Read more »
The post Legal battle brewing over iconic Florida flower appeared first on WMNF.
Donald Trump will be in Miami Court Donald Trump is making his first court appearance in a historical criminal case charging the former president with hoarding top secret government documents, boastfully displaying them to visitors, and trying to hide them from investigators who demanded them back. Trump approached his Miami court date with characteristic bravado,... Read more »
The post The Scoop: WMNF’s daily digest of news headlines for Tuesday, June 13th, 2023 appeared first on WMNF.
Listen: There’s an important undeveloped piece of land in Manatee County that might get protection. Florida’s Acquisition and Restoration Council, or ARC, met today Friday to take steps to conserve the property. As one of the top ten fastest-growing counties in Florida, Manatee County has seen a lot of rapid development. However, Julie Morris from... Read more »
The post “Rare” property in rural Manatee County considered for conservation status appeared first on WMNF.
Listen: Carbon may soon be stored underground in Florida. A South Korean company will store carbon underground in space and aerospace industrial complexes in Florida. A Memorandum of Understanding was signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis and the CEO of LowCarbon during the governor’s trip to South Korea in April. The CEO, Cheol Lee, was in... Read more »
The post Carbon set to be stored underground in Florida through new ‘carbon capture’ technology appeared first on WMNF.
Fresh off a significant court victory in its battle to preserve Florida’s freshwater springs, leaders of the Florida Springs Council appeared on WMNF WaveMakers Tuesday (6/6/2023) to discuss how the public can get involved.
Florida has the highest concentration of freshwater springs in the world but they are under stress from pollution, over-pumping and neglect, said Ryan Smart, executive director of the nonprofit Florida Springs Council. One of the greatest sources of pollution is nitrogen and phosphorus caused by fertilizer runoff from urban lawns, said Michael McGrath, works for the Florida Sierra Club and is a board member for the Springs Council.
Michael McGrath, Florida Sierra Club
One of the most urgent issues in which the public can get involved is to tell Gov. Ron Desantis to veto legislation passed recently that would prohibit local governments from regulating the use of fertilizers on lawns for a year until a study is completed, McGrath said. He urged WMNF listeners to call or email the governor’s office to ask him to veto the bill.
The Springs Council, formed nearly a decade ago, is a coalition of groups focuses on protecting and restoring Florida’s springs. Groups like Ichetucknee Alliance, Friends of the Wekiva River, and Rainbow River Conservation joined larger conservation groups like Sierra Club and Save the Manatee Club to combine their efforts, skills, and expertise to protect Florida’s Springs.
The council recently won a major, four-year court battle that will force the Florida Department of Environmental Regulation to enforce laws already on the books to protect springs. It also successfully fought a development that threatened the Rainbow River, helping to spark public opposition that blocked the development and turned the land into a conservation area.
McGrath said it can sometimes feel like he’s Sisyphus, condemned to roll a rock up to the top of a mountain, only to have the rock roll back down to the bottom every time he reaches the top. But he and Smart agreed that they keep at it because the cause is just and, as Sharp said, “we’re winning!”
The council is on a tour of Florida breweries to spread its message to love our springs, and will be stopped at 3 Daughters Brewing in St. Petersburg on June 23 and Crooked Thumb Brewing in Safety Harbor on June 24.
Listen to the full interview.
The post Florida Springs Council leaders discuss recent victories and challenges protecting freshwater springs appeared first on WMNF.
A recent decision by the Supreme Court of the United States could have a major impact on wetlands across the country and maybe even here in Florida.
Some people are worried it could lead to more development and construction on wetlands.
Sackett v EPAThe case started out with the Sackett family backfilling their lot in Idaho. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency told them it violated the Clean Water Act, which prohibits discharging pollutants into the “waters of the United States.” Lower courts sided with the Feds, but last month the EPA lost in the Supreme Court.
The Supreme Court majority wrote that the Clean Water Act only applies to wetlands that have a “continuous surface connection” to larger bodies of water. That means about half of all wetlands in the contiguous US are no longer protected by the Clean Water Act.
To talk about the case and what it could mean for Florida, we spoke with land use, environmental and property rights attorney Dave Smolker.
Listen to the full show here:Listen to the oral arguments in Sackett v EPA here, via C-SPAN.
WMNF’s Tuesday CaféTuesday Café airs weekly on WMNF beginning at 10:06 a.m. ET.
You can listen live on 88.5 FM in Tampa Bay, on wmnf.org or on the WMNF Community Radio app.
You can watch Tuesday Café on the TBAE Network on Tuesdays at 8:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.
You can listen anytime on demand on wmnf.org or by subscribing to the Tuesday Café podcast on your favorite podcast platform.
https://open.spotify.com/show/311qfxLFcO8F7ZvnjgZogD – WMNF’s Tuesday Café with Seán Kinane.The post How will Supreme Court’s Sackett v EPA decision impact Florida wetlands and development? appeared first on WMNF.
Listen:
https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/NEWS_EPAGrantsweb.mp3Disadvantaged areas in the Tampa Bay area are set to receive money for environmental improvements because of a series of measures passed during the Biden administration.
These grants provide a wide range of benefits promoting clean energy and clean buildings. Direct grants going straight to Tampa and Hillsborough County are focused on repairing water and wastewater systems. Environmental Protection Administrator Michael Regen helped create the grants.
“There’s opportunity to apply for wastewater dollars, there’s opportunity to apply for EJ grants that tackle air quality issues, there are multiple opportunities for an EJ community to deal with the disproportionate impact they’ve seen for generations.”
At the Capitol committee meeting this month, Tampa Bay Congress member Kathy Castor spoke with EPA Administrator Michael Regan about how this will affect Tampa residents.
“In Tampa in the Progress Village Palm River area, we’re talking at the local level now, these are neighbors who are not on wastewater, they’re on septic. They still have drinking water wells. They’re in the shadow of a huge phosphogypsum stack, and it looks like the EJ grant opportunities are going to unlock the ability to improve people’s lives”
Castor points Floridians to rewiringamerica.org to learn how they can benefit from these grants.
The post Tampa Bay gets EPA grant money to help environment appeared first on WMNF.
Listen:
https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/NEWS_FloridaScrubJayweb.mp3Property owners could soon have one additional tool to help save a native Florida bird that’s at risk for extinction.
The Florida scrub jay is the only bird endemic to Florida. It means they breed nowhere else in the world, except in the state. That’s why Audrey DeRose-Wilson, Audubon Florida’s Director of Bird Conservation, is concerned.
“Today their population is just ten percent of what it was about 200 years ago.”
The bird thrives in scrub habitats. However, the availability of these scrub habitats is decreasing with further development in the state.
“Scrub habitats, like most of Florida, was maintained by fire. And originally that would be wildfires or fires that were set by indigenous people to manage the landscape. But now, with Florida being as developed as it is, no one wants a fire in their backyard.”
Next month, Audobon Florida will be conducting a survey to provide data to property owners with scrub jays. DeRose-Wilson will analyze the data, and provide landowners with insights they can use to maintain scrub jays on their property.
DeRose-Wilson has a clear message for those who want to help:
“Get out and volunteer, or just get out and enjoy them”
The post Iconic Florida bird faces extinction – one group is fighting to save it appeared first on WMNF.
Susan Glickman, who has been advocating in Florida for policies to address climate change for 20 years, told WMNF WaveMakers Tuesday that Florida is finally admitting it has a problem and is trying to mitigate the effects of sea level rise. But, she says, that’s like buying more towels to mop up the bathroom floor flooded by an overflowing sink. We have to also have to reduce the flow of carbon emissions, the source of climate change.
Glickman, named to Florida Trend’s inaugural list of the 500 Most Influential Business Leaders, has worked with the National Resources Defense Council, the Center for Climate Integrity and the Union of Concerned Scientists to address the climate crisis. She is now a consultant to the Florida Clinicians for Climate Action, which educates health professionals on the health harms of climate change. She also developed a coalition of businesses who are now working together in support of a clean energy economy.
Listen to Susan’s interview with Janet and Tom.
Here’s a link to the energy rebate resources mentioned in the interview.
The post Climate activist Susan Glickman says we must fix the source of the crisis not just build seawalls appeared first on WMNF.
The Florida Wildlife Corridor will continue to grow by thousands of acres, following approval by the Florida Cabinet on Tuesday.
Listen:
https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/FloridaCabinet.mp3The newly-approved conservation lands in nine Florida counties will allow conservation and agriculture projects to coexist.
Christie Utt is with the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ Rural and Family Lands Protection Program. During the Cabinet meeting, she said approving the conservation projects will in turn preserve operations on family-owned ranchlands.
“Items 13 through 21 are agricultural conservation easements for projects that meet the objectives of the program to prevent the conversion of agricultural land,” Utt said, “so that working farms can continue to produce food and fiber, and to protect water.”
Commissioner Wilton Simpson is with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. A press release from his office says the conservation easements are the most land acquisitions ever approved for the program at a Cabinet meeting.
One of the approved areas is the Keen Family Ranch, which includes Horse Creek. The tributary aids in supplying drinking water to more than one million people in Charlotte, DeSoto, Manatee and Sarasota counties, according to the Florida Conservation Group.
The same property also supports habitat for species such as the bald eagle and sandhill crane.
According to the Florida Wildlife Corridor Foundation, over 120,000 acres have been approved for conservation since the Florida Wildlife Corridor Act was passed in 2021.
The ranchlands most-recently approved for conservation will add yet another significant contribution to the project that has been dubbed Florida’s “Central Park.”
The post Florida Cabinet approves over 35,000 acres of conservation lands appeared first on WMNF.
https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/The_Scoop_230519.mp3Environmental groups veto billEnvironmental groups are calling for the governor to veto a bill that they worry will limit environmental protection in Florida. WMNF’s Chris Young reports that one group calls the bill the “death knell” of growth management.
New College of Florida alternative graduationAbout three quarters of this year’s graduating seniors at New College of Florida held an alternative graduation for students at the Sarasota Art Museum last night. They invited lawyer, professor, and civil rights activist Maya Wiley, to speak. Wiley said that we live in a country that believes in democracy, but she noted there is also a rise in hate crimes against, Jewish, Black, and LGBTQ communities, which may be exacerbated by a new Florida law to ban diversity, equity, and inclusion in state funded schools.
“And we know that the difference between being indoctrinated with hate and being filled with love for a community and the ability to be in community across difference is a good quality education. And these laws get in the way of the ability to create the beloved community, which is what Dr. Martin Luther King called for. And you can’t do that….Democracy dies with lies, but it lives in the light of education.”
Graduating history student Lisa Hyde says that hope lives on through alumni.
“Students are still going to push back no matter what, but students are still feeling dejected because there’s just not a lot you can do when you have trustees that refuse tenure to professors that are completely qualified or fire a librarian who has given 5 years to New College. That’s leaving a lot of people feeling dejected, but I think something like this and what they were saying about how now we’re graduated, and now alums, I think there is a lot of hope that there’s a sense of community there.”
More than 2,600 New College alumni and supporters donated for the alternative graduation. $70,000 is left over for a student activities fund to be controlled by students so they can have a firewall of influence against the college in an attempt to maintain the culture they have grown to love over the years. The official commencement ceremony is tonight in Sarasota.
New president of Florida International UniversityIt’s official – Kenneth Jessell was formally sworn in as the sixth president of Florida International University on Thursday. The career academic took his oath at a time when advocates say higher education in the state is under attack. Kate Payne reports.
Bike to Work DayEven as commuting to the office and going to school plunged at the height of COVID lockdowns, outdoor recreation, and cycling in particular, surged in country after country as people looked to escape isolation in a relatively safe way. In response, cities worldwide have developed bikeways with new urgency since 2020. The question is whether people stick with their new cycling habit in these closer-to-normal times. Today is Bike to Work Day in the U.S., and the automatic counters that record each passing cyclist in many cities will get the latest numbers. But what’s clear from a Rutgers-Virginia Tech study of cycling in various North American and European cities is that many new bikeways were built during the height of COVID-19. And these efforts were rewarded with increased cycling in places that undertook robust development. Montreal did more than any other North American city studied. In Europe, London, Paris and Brussels stepped up more than most. A study in Bogota, Colombia, also noted an uptick in cycling there.
Andy Rourke passed awayAndy Rourke, bass guitarist of The Smiths, one of the most influential British bands of the 1980s, has died after a lengthy illness with pancreatic cancer, his former bandmate Johnny Marr said today. He was 59. In a lengthy post on Instagram, guitarist and songwriter Marr paid tribute to Rourke, who he first met when both were schoolboys in 1975. During their short time together as a four-piece band between 1982 and 1987, The Smiths deliberately stayed away from the mainstream of popular music, garnering a cult following on the independent music scene.
The post The Scoop: WMNF’s daily digest of news headlines for Friday, May 19th, 2023 appeared first on WMNF.
Listen:
https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/NEWS_1000Friendsweb.mp3Environmental groups are calling for the governor to veto a bill that they worry will limit environmental protection in Florida. One group calls the bill the “death knell” of growth management.
The bill would allow the party that wins to recover attorney fees in challenges to comprehensive plans and plan amendments. 1000 Friends of Florida and the Everglades Coalition sent a letter to the governor demanding a veto.
Jane West, Policy and Planning Director for 1000 Friends of Florida, expressed concern about the bill during a press conference on Wednesday.
“I have characterized this bill as the death knell to growth management in Florida, and it definitely is.”
The group worries that this will make legal challenges prohibitively expensive.
“We worked very, very hard this legislative session to try and soften the blow of this bill because as you can imagine, the chilling effect is going to lead to people simply not engaging in these challenges, leaving the state of Florida with a situation of sprawl that will be unprecedented.”
The group worked with Democratic Senator Tina Polsky and St. Petersburg Representative Lindsay Cross on an amendment to limit attorney fees, but it was rejected.
During the legislative session, the bill’s sponsor, Republican Senator Nick DiCeglie, acknowledged that the bill discourages challenges.
“My view, the best way to deal with local governments and comprehensive plans that you don’t like is usually at the ballot box.”
The bill has been sent to the governor’s desk to be signed into law.
The post Environmental groups rally against bill they call “death knell” appeared first on WMNF.
By Jim Turner ©2023 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — State officials next week could direct nearly $100 million to secure more than 35,500 acres of mostly ranchland for the growing statewide Wildlife Corridor while keeping agricultural operations on the properties in place.
Twelve land deals on the May 23 agenda before Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Cabinet involve conservation easements, which allow the current landowners to continue active hunting, farming and cattle operations. In exchange, the land would be kept from residential and commercial development.
“By partnering with willing farmers to preserve working agricultural lands from development, we can protect their immense economic and environmental benefits while being good stewards of our tax dollars,” Aaron Keller, spokesman for Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson, said in an email on Tuesday when asked about the proposals.
DeSantis and the Cabinet — Simpson, Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis and Attorney General Ashley Moody — will address the land deals while sitting as the Board of Trustees of the Internal Improvement Trust Fund during next week’s meeting.
The agreements would help carry out the 2021 Florida Wildlife Corridor Act. The act calls for pumping $300 million a year into an effort envisioned as connecting 18 million acres of land for wildlife and the public, from the Florida Keys to the Panhandle. Senate President Kathleen Passidomo, a Naples Republican who has championed the corridor, has dubbed the project Florida’s “Central Park.”
About 8 million acres need to be secured, with a goal of adding 900,000 acres by the end of the decade.
Nine of the deals up for consideration next Tuesday cover a combined 18,279 acres in St. Lucie, DeSoto, Walton, Hardee, Polk, Highlands and Charlotte counties. The projects would be funded through the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ Rural and Family Lands Protection Program.
“It’s a lot. It’s exciting,” Christie Utt, who works for the program, said after outlining the projects during a Cabinet aides meeting Wednesday. “Hopefully we’ll keep it up.”
The program was a priority of the Cabinet while Adam Putnam was agriculture commissioner from 2011 through 2018, but saw funding decline during the four-year tenure of Putnam’s successor, Nikki Fried. Fried now serves as chairwoman of the Florida Democratic Party.
Of the nine proposals, the most expensive deal involves 3,068 acres used for rotational grazing along the Kissimmee River in Highlands County. The proposal carries a $12.35 million price tag.
Another proposal would spend $11.637 million for 3,496 acres within the Cow Creek Ranch, which straddles the boundary of St. Lucie and Okeechobee counties.
A staff report said the land is within the St. Lucie River Estuary basin, which is a focal point of the Central Everglades Restoration Project.
Simpson has said he wants to quickly spend $300 million in land-conservation money that became available after he took office in January.
Keller noted that, as the state starts to spend the current fiscal year’s allocation, the deals before the Internal Improvement Trust Fund will use $9 million remaining from funds previously allocated by the Legislature.
An additional 17,302 acres spread over St. Lucie, Jefferson and Glades counties, are to draw $36.48 million through the Florida Forever land acquisition program.
The largest Florida Forever deal on the table Tuesday involves 10,464 acres in Glades County owned by Lykes Bros., Inc. The Fisheating Creek land, on the table for $20.75 million, is ranked number one in the Florida Forever Less-Than-Fee project category and is part of a 190,739-acre ecosystem. More than 85,000 acres of the project have been acquired or are under agreement to be acquired.
State leaders in recent legislative sessions have increased their focus on the corridor.
The proposed state budget for fiscal year 2023-2024 (SB 2500) includes $1 billion within the Department of Environmental Protection for land acquisition, including the Florida Forever program. The funds include $850 million for the corridor.
Another $100 million is directed to Simpson’s Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services for the Rural and Family Lands Protection Program. DeSantis has not received the proposed state spending plan yet.
In January, DeSantis and the Cabinet agreed to spend $1.89 million to keep the 287-acre Collins Ranch in Osceola County from future development through a conservation easement and $3 million for a similar deal involving 135 acres along the Rainbow River in Marion County.
Three other conservation easements tied to the Wildlife Corridor were approved in March: $12.8 million for 4,222 acres in central Osceola County; $5.621 million for 1,611 acres in Manatee County; and $4 million for 1,285 acres in southwestern Highlands County.
The post State will consider expansion of the Florida Wildlife Corridor appeared first on WMNF.
Warm Mineral Springs. It’s a small but important body of water in the southern Sarasota County city of North Port. On Tuesday Cafe, we interviewed experts on its history, archaeology, hydrology, caves and biology. And other guests spoke about a proposal by the City of North Port for development near Warm Mineral Springs.
Formed 12,000 years agoWarm Mineral Springs was formed more than 12,000 years ago as a sinkhole in the middle of a much wider Florida when sea levels were much lower. The greenish body of water is now 240 feet across and more than 200 feet deep.
It’s considered a third-magnitude spring with 6-9 cubic feet per second of warm water flowing out from the bottom.
Warm mineral watersBecause the water comes from the Upper Floridan aquifer (1,400 to 1,600 feet below the ground), it is saline and about 85 degrees Fahrenheit and contains a number of minerals. The spring run connects to Salt Creek which flows into the Myakka River and eventually the Gulf of Mexico.
The warm waters of the spring run sometimes attract manatees in the winter.
A USGS report on Warm Mineral Springs by Patty Metz says the water level during the Late Pleistocene was about 100 feet below the modern spring pool surface (based on plant material and radiometric dating of human remains).
More intense development near Warm Mineral Springs?The City of North Port is considering a public-private partnership (P3 or PPP) to restore three historic buildings and develop property near the spring. It has been considering four different development options that were presented in April. See below for the documents.
The presentation describes “Option 4” as “High Intensity” and lists one of the disadvantages as “Increases Level of Public Opposition.”
Under advantages, it lists “Increases Private Interest in P3,” and “Provides Maximum Economic Benefit (Ad Velorem $688K)”
That option separates the property into 21.7 acres of “Park Area” and 55.9 acres of “Future Development Area.”
A less intensive option was favored by one City Commissioner, Debbie McDowell.
The one called Option 2 “Eliminates Public Opposition,” “Prohibits P3 Resort Development” and “Does NOT Maximize Economic Benefit to City,” according to the presentation.
McDowell told WMNF keeping Warm Mineral Springs less developed would be more of a draw than a hotel and condos. “It’s not just the resort, it’s not just the residential component, it’s everything that’s associated with that. The roads that get in the parking lot the area for trash pickup, the stormwater removal. It creates more concrete on land that could generate far more economic benefit,” she said.
“If you left it as a park, How many people go to New York City to go to a resort? How many people go to New York City because they want to see Central Park?” McDowell asked.
The City of North Port has an online survey about Warm Mineral SpringsThere’s a conceptual site plan from a company ensite that puts forward one example of what the development would look like. There are three multifamily residential buildings called “destination residential.” There’s a “Resort Hotel & Spa” a wellness center, an event space and performance venue, Native American History Museum, an Organic restaurant with an outdoor deck plus some community gardens listed in the development plan.
Did North Port’s city manager lobby the Florida Legislature to reject Warm Mineral Springs as an Outstanding Spring?There was a proposal in the Florida Legislature to add WMS to a list of outstanding Florida springs.
But a document from a public records request by City Watch North Port Florida shows that the North Port city manager “determined it would be best to pause the pursuit of the designation as an Outstanding Spring” because of concerns about the impact on a Public Private Partnership and on future development in other areas of the city.
Commissioner McDowell called for an inquiry into the conduct of North Port’s city manager, Jerome Fletcher. There will be a meeting about this on June 6.
Listen to the show here (you can watch the show below)On Tuesday Café, we spoke about Warm Mineral Springs with these guests:Curt Bowen is a master photographer and video producer and has photographed Warm Mineral Springs while SCUBA diving. Some of his underwater videos can be seen below.
Patty Metz is a hydrogeologist and wrote a major analysis of Warm Mineral Springs for the USGS in 2016. Patty is a also substitute music dj at WMNF.
Steve Koski shared his knowledge about the historical, archaeological, and paleontological significance of Warm Mineral Springs. In the past he was an assistant underwater archaeologist for the Florida State University-administered Warm Mineral Springs Archaeological Research Project; and he was a resident underwater archaeologist, land manager and former research associate at the University of Miami-owned Little Salt Spring Research Facility. Steve is now the Sarasota County Archaeologist with Sarasota County Libraries and Historical Resources and an administrator of Sarasota County’s Historic Preservation ordinance. Even though that’s the case, Steve does not have jurisdiction in North Port, which has its own preservation ordinance, which establishes procedures to “preserve and protect all significant historic and archaeological sites as they become known, located within the city of North Port.”
Debbie McDowell is a North Port City Commissioner.
Stephanie Gibson is a North Port resident and part of City Watch North Port Florida.
WMNF’s Tuesday CaféTuesday Café airs weekly on WMNF beginning at 10:06 a.m. ET.
You can listen live on 88.5 FM in Tampa Bay, on wmnf.org or on the WMNF Community Radio app.
You can watch Tuesday Café on the TBAE Network on Tuesdays at 8:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.
You can listen anytime on demand on wmnf.org or by subscribing to the Tuesday Café podcast on your favorite podcast platform.
https://open.spotify.com/show/311qfxLFcO8F7ZvnjgZogD – WMNF’s Tuesday Café with Seán Kinane.Watch the show on Warm Mineral Springs here:Below are some underwater videos of Warm Mineral Springs provided by Curt Bowen:This interview was shared by a listener of Tuesday Cafe:Here are some documents related to Warm Mineral Springs from WMNF News on ScribdWarm Mineral Springs Enclave development proposal:Warm Mineral Springs “talking points” document from the City of North Port:City of North Port, Florida staff presentation on Warm Mineral Springs 4/10/2023:USGS report on Warm Mineral Springs from 2016 by Patty Metz:The post Warm Mineral Springs: Will North Port allow “High Intensity” development near the archaeologically important sinkhole? appeared first on WMNF.
Listen:
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A portion of the new state budget is dedicated to re-evaluating current fertilizer restrictions for Floridians. Local environmental groups believe that this may damage the environment and take away local government power.
Florida lawmakers passed a 117-billion-dollar budget for the fiscal year that will start July 1.
In that plan, there’s a quarter of a million dollars allocated to the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences to evaluate the effectiveness of seasonal fertilizer restrictions.
The Sierra Club’s Cris Costello believes that this is an attack on local fertilizer ordinances.
“It is $250,000 that would be used to mischaracterize the truth, again, in service of big turf and big fertilizer.”
Some local jurisdictions advise against putting fertilizer down during Florida’s rainy season. They’re concerned that it will run off into waterways and feed algae blooms. Costello worries this new “evaluation” is the first step in a threat to those ordinances.
“This is, number one, a sneak attack. They couldn’t do it through the legislative session, and so they snuck it in as some backroom, last-minute deal between the House and the Senate. No community vetting, no hearings, no debate, nothing.”
The Sierra Club sent a letter, signed by environmental activist groups around Florida, asking the governor to veto this portion of the budget.
Costello ensured that Tampa Bay area counties have strong urban fertilizer ordinances, and those will remain. However, counties that do not have ordinances will not be able to add them during the year-long hiatus that will come.
The post Environmental groups push DeSantis to veto portion of new budget appeared first on WMNF.
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Gov Ron DeSantis signed 37 bills yesterdayGov. Ron DeSantis yesterday signed 37 bills, including a measure that will prevent the release of past and future travel records of DeSantis and other state leaders. Anders Croy, communications director of a DeSantis opposition group, DeSantis Watch, said in a Twitter post yesterday that the bill was signed a day before DeSantis begins “political trips to Illinois (and) Iowa, (and) amid reports of upcoming donor dinners at the Governor’s Mansion.” DeSantis has been traveling across the country as he prepares for a potential 2024 presidential campaign. The bill, which took effect immediately, also will keep from the public the names of people visiting the governor’s mansion on non-governmental matters.
Human actions causing climate changeAn increasing number of Floridians agree that human actions are causing climate change, including a record number of Florida Republicans. WMNF’s Chris Young reports that this could help efforts towards a cleaner environment.
National Train DayTomorrow is National Train Day. WMNF’s Sean Kinane reports, rail enthusiasts will celebrate at Tampa’s Union Station.
St. Pete’s Mayor announced a new position St. Petersburg Mayor, Kenneth Welch, announced a new position within the city’s cabinet this week. WMNF’s Taylor Lovejoy reports, there’ll be a new type of CEO in town.
Bill that bars agencies from requiring people to take COVID-19 tests or wear masksWith opposition to COVID-19 mandates, a key part of his political brand, Governor Ron DeSantis yesterday signed a bill that includes issues such as barring businesses and government agencies from requiring people to take COVID-19 tests or wear masks to enter their facilities. The Republican-controlled House and Senate passed the bill during the legislative session that ended last week. DeSantis held a bill-signing event on the same day that a federal public-health emergency for COVID-19 was set to end. But DeSantis pointed to a need to address the potential of future government mandates. Lawmakers also passed a similar measure during a 2021 special session, but key parts of that law will expire June 1st — the same day much of the new bill takes effect. Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo says the new measure will protect Floridians. After Florida schools and large parts of the economy initially shut down in 2020 because of the pandemic, DeSantis made a high-profile issue of getting students back into classrooms, reopening businesses and eliminating mandates. He frequently touts his handling of the pandemic as he gears up for a widely expected White House bid in 2024.
The post The Scoop: WMNF’s daily digest of news headlines for Friday, May 12th, 2023 appeared first on WMNF.
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Bipartisan bill makes way to governor’s deskFlorida’s health insurance program for low-income kids is set to expand through a bipartisan bill heading to the governor’s desk. Democratic Rep. Robin Bartleman’s plan increases KidCare eligibility for families with incomes up to 300 % of the federal poverty level. Which is about 83,000 a year for a family of four. “It is a way, not to expand Medicaid, I know it has been characterized that way, but to give them time to make an extra dollar and not go from zero or 10 to 20 dollars a kid to $250 a kid. So they can work their way off welfare.” House Speaker Paul Renner stated. Traditional Medicaid is free for enrollees but only below a certain income level. Florida KidCare enrollees are required to pay monthly premiums. Under the old method, families could lose coverage once their income surpassed 200% of the federal poverty level, which is $55,000 dollars for a family of four.
Supporters advocate for Florida amendmentReproductive rights supporters launched a new campaign to pass a constitutional amendment in Florida to protect access to abortions. WMNF’s Chris Young reports that this comes after the governor signed a six-week abortion ban last month.
City Council member home searched by F.B.I.F.B.I. agents searched Seminole Heights home yesterday of recently elected Tampa City Council member, Lynn Hurtak. The F.B.I. seized computers, a phone, and other equipment belonging to Hurtak’s husband reported the Tampa Bay Times. The agents would not release why they were at the home nor what agency they represented. An F.B.I. spokesperson confirmed that a court-authorized search was conducted by the agency at Hurtak’s address. Hurtak’s husband, Tim Burke, is a former journalist who runs a media business and deferred questions to him. Burke said the agents were there because they had a search warrant with his name on it. They spent the day taking Burke’s personal devices and the devices that he uses for his business. Burke declined to share details of the warrant with the Times. Burke runs Burke Communications, a media company, and as of yesterday, Burke Communcations’ website was not working.
Disney revises lawsuitWalt Disney Parks and Resorts yesterday revised a federal lawsuit against Gov. Ron DeSantis after DeSantis signed a bill designed to overturn development agreements involving the entertainment giant. DeSantis signed the bill after the annual legislative session ended on May 5th. The bill sets up a process to nullify agreements reached by Disney and the former Reedy Creek Improvement District board. Disney filed the federal lawsuit last month, alleging that retaliation by DeSantis has economically harmed the company and violated its constitutional rights. DeSantis and Disney began clashing last year after Disney opposed HB 1557 or labeled by critics as the “Don’t Say Gay” bill. Disney’s amended lawsuit on May 8th added quotes by DeSantis from an interview with Newsmax, and from a news conference that happened on May 5th. “Since our skirmish last year, Disney has not been involved in any of those issues, they have not made a peep. That, ultimately, is the most important, that Disney is not allowed to pervert the system to the detriment of Floridians,” Gov. Ron DeSantis told Newsmax. Reedy Creek Improvement District board has been renamed “The Central Florida Tourism Oversight District Board” (CFTOD) and members appointed by DeSantis sit on the board. CFTOD has filed a state lawsuit seeking to overturn the development agreements.
Algae bloom in Polk County lakesThe Florida Department of Health in Polk County has issued a Health Alert for the presence of harmful blue-green algal toxins in several lakes including Tiger Lake, Scott Lake, Peace River, Lake Hollingsworth, Lake Alfred, and Lake Hancock – South Central. This is in response to water samples taken last week. The public should exercise caution in and around Lake Hancock – South Central. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection collects and analyzes algal bloom samples. To report a bloom to DEP, call the toll-free hotline at 855-305-3903 or report online.
The Friends of Ron DeSantis fundraising decreaseGovernor Ron DeSantis’ political committee raised $161,909 in April, a major decrease from previous months, according to a newly filed finance report. The Friends of Ron DeSantis committee raised nearly $10 million in February and about $3.68 million in March, amid speculation about a possible 2024 White House bid by DeSantis. The committee’s largest cash contribution in April was $25,000 from Building a Better Florida, a committee chaired by lobbyist Michael Corcoran. The committee had about $85.79 million in cash on hand as of April 30, the report shows. The super PAC promoting Gov. Ron DeSantis’ plans to have dozens of staff in place in the first 18 states on the GOP presidential primary calendar in the next few weeks. The move by the Never Back Down group indicates that DeSantis’ expected 2024 presidential run announcement is drawing closer. The group is also set to handle on-the-ground organizing for DeSantis, a function typically done by a candidate’s campaign staff.
Program to help underprivileged studentsFor six years now, a college-readiness program has catered to underprivileged, high-achieving students. Wilkine Brutus says Path to College partnered with the school district for a speech competition – addressing the social concerns of high schoolers yesterday.
Information from the Florida Public Radio network, News Service of Florida and Associated Press was used in this report.
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The post The Scoop: WMNF’s daily digest of news headlines for Tuesday, May 9th, 2023 appeared first on WMNF.
The Florida Senate on Monday gave final approval to a bill that could be a step toward using phosphogypsum, a byproduct of the phosphate industry, in building roads.
Senators voted 34-4 to approve the bill (HB 1191), which passed the House last week. It is now ready to go to Gov. Ron DeSantis.
The issue has drawn attention, at least in part, because phosphogypsum includes radioactive elements. It is stored in huge stacks.
Opposition to phosphogypsum in roadsOpponents raised questions about the potential hazards of using phosphogypsum, including whether it could harm people working on roads and whether it could affect water in aquifers.
On Monday, thirty-five organizations and businesses sent a letter (see below) to Governor DeSantis urging him to veto HB 1191 because of concerns over “water quality and public health.”
On WMNF’s Tuesday Cafe (2 May 2023), we spoke with Ragan Whitlock, a staff attorney with the Center for Biological Diversity — he signed the letter.
Listen to the show here:Whitlock told WMNF, “We’re extremely frustrated that the Florida Legislature has chosen to cater to the phosphate industry once again at the expense of Floridians and our environment.
“The Environmental Protection Agency has found the use of phosphogypsum in roadway construction presents an unacceptably high, dangerous cancer risk to road construction workers and can cause adverse effects to nearby surface and water resources.
“Floridians need accountability from the industry that makes billions annually from our precious resources, and this is a massive step in the wrong direction.”
In the letter that you signed, the letter says the unreasonably short study period ending on April 1, 2024, cannot even begin to thoroughly review the health and safety consequences. So they have 11 months to come up with a conclusion that whether this is safe or not.
“It’s no secret that the study isn’t even designed to look at the Environmental Health and Safety consequences.
“There were several amendments to these bills offered that were shut down which would have required D.O.T., to work with either the EPA or the Florida Department of Environmental Protection to ensure that this study counts for Floridians’ health and the safety of our environment. Those amendments were shot down.
“It appears as though this study is only aimed at determining whether or not phosphogypsum can be used from a construction standpoint,” Whitlock said.
What HB 1191 would doThe bill would allow the Department of Transportation to move forward with demonstration projects that include phosphogypsum in aggregate materials in road construction.
The department would conduct a study on the issue.
“Upon a determination of suitability by the department, phosphogypsum from phosphate production may be used as a construction aggregate material in accordance with the conditions of the United States Environmental Protection Agency approval for the use,” the bill says.
Senate sponsor Jay Trumbull, R-Panama City, said the study would look at such issues.
The dissenting votes were cast by Sen. Lori Berman, D-Boca Raton, Sen. Rosalind Osgood, D-Fort Lauderdale, Sen. Geraldine Thompson, D-Windermere, and Sen. Victor Torres, D-Orlando.
Watch the interview here:Also on Tuesday CafeAlso on Tuesday Cafe: we looked at how the state is going after elected officials including suspended Hillsborough County State Attorney Andrew Warren and embattled Leon County Schools Superintendent Rocky Hanna.
WMNF’s Tuesday CaféTuesday Café airs weekly on WMNF beginning at 10:06 a.m. ET.
You can listen live on 88.5 FM in Tampa Bay, on wmnf.org or on the WMNF Community Radio app.
You can watch Tuesday Café on the TBAE Network on Tuesdays at 8:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.
You can listen anytime on demand on wmnf.org or by subscribing to the Tuesday Café podcast on your favorite podcast platform.
https://open.spotify.com/show/311qfxLFcO8F7ZvnjgZogD – WMNF’s Tuesday Café with Seán Kinane.information from News Service of Florida was used in this report
Read the letter to Gov. DeSantis:Piney PointIn late April, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection issued a draft permit for the Piney Point Phosphogypsum Stack System in Manatee County (see below). Right now wastewater in a reservoir above Piney Point is being pumped underground by an injection well.
In order to avert an emergency two years ago more than 200 million gallons of that polluted wastewater was pumped into Tampa Bay. A resulting red tide caused the death of thousands of fish.
Read the Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s letter about Piney Point:The post Florida Legislature approves using radioactive phosphogypsum in roads; environmental groups urge the governor to veto appeared first on WMNF.
https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/NEWS_LEEDV.mp3The City of Treasure Island has achieved an environmental certification.
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design or LEED is a type of green building rating system.
The LEED system was created by the U.S. Green Building Council. Treasure Island implemented changes that improved sustainability which led them to receive the LEED for Cities Gold certification.
The president and CEO of the U.S. Green Building Council said it created LEED for Cities “to help local governments advance responsible, sustainable solutions for energy, water, waste, transportation” and other factors that contribute to quality of life.
The post Treasure Island LEED Cities Gold certification appeared first on WMNF.
https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/The_Scoop_230428.mp3School Superintendent is being threatened to revoke teaching liscenseFlorida officials are threatening to revoke the teaching license of a school superintendent after he criticized Gov. Ron DeSantis. Education officials have accused Leon County Superintendent Rocky Hanna of violating several education statutes and DeSantis directives and allowing his “personal political views” to guide his leadership. Hanna ordered students to wear COVID-19 masks during the pandemic in 2021, violating a DeSantis directive. He has also criticized a 2022 law that Republican governor signed that bars the discussion of gender and sexuality in lower grades. Hanna said the threat against his license is a violation of his free speech rights.
Gainesville Regional Utilities is closer to being under one new boardGainesville Regional Utilities is one step closer to being under the control of a new board appointed by Gov. Ron DeSantis, the Gainesville Sun reported yesterday. The Florida House of Representatives passed House Bill 1645 yesterday with an 81-33 vote to establish a five-member board to oversee all GRU-related decisions and remove the City Commission’s century-long control of its municipal utility. Some have compared the bill to Disney’s Reedy Creek struggle. It must still make it through the Senate and be approved by the governor before taking effect. If signed into law, board members will be appointed by October when the new fiscal year starts. The Gainesville utility has been the state leader for renewable energy and plans to push toward its goal of being 100% renewable by 2045. The bill itself calls for a five-member board that will be appointed by DeSantis. If signed into law, Gainesville—a city made up mostly Democrat voters—world have the first municipal board in the state to which DeSantis could appoint and control members.
Controversial bill for unionsThe Florida House passed a controversial bill that adds restrictions to unions. WMNF’s Chris Young reports the bill is set to be signed by the governor.
Uber and Lyft drivers go on strikeUber and Lyft drivers will rally at airports across Florida today kicking off a historic effort to unionize Floridians who work for ride hailing services. Danielle Prieur reports.
Free residential compost bin program for St PeteThe city of St. Petersburg has reignited its free residential compost bin program. WMNF’s Taylor Lovejoy has more.
Jury deliberation for former Mayor Andrew GillumJury deliberation is expected to begin this afternoon in the trial against former Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum. That’s after attorney’s finished calling witnesses yesterday. Closing arguments are set to begin this morning. Soon after the prosecution rested its case yesterday, Gillum’s attorneys rested without calling witnesses. Valerie Crowder reports, Gillum and co-defendant Sharon Lettman-Hicks are accused of pocketing ill-gotten grant funds and donations to Gillum’s campaign for governor.
Unresolved budget issuesUnresolved budget issues started to shift yesterday from conference committees to Republican Senate Appropriations Chairman Dough Broxson, and Republican House Appropriations Chairman Tom Leek as the Legislature seeks to finish a spending plan by the start of next week. Among the issues that needed to be resolved, the Senate wants to spend $80 million on the tourism-marketing agency Visit Florida. The house hasn’t proposed money for the public-private agency. Also, the house continued to seek $400 million for sea-level measures, while the Senate proposal stood at $179 million. The Senate was seeking $400 million or conservation easements to limit development on agricultural lands and $100 million for land acquisition, while the House proposed $100 million for easements and $200 million for land acquisition. Conference committees began meeting Monday.
Information from the Florida Public Radio network, News Service of Florida and Associated Press was used in this report.
The post The Scoop: WMNF’s daily digest of news headlines for Friday, April 28th, 2023 appeared first on WMNF.
The House on Wednesday passed a bill that would clear the way for demonstration projects about using phosphogypsum, a byproduct of the phosphate industry, in building roads.
House members voted 81-25 to approve the bill (HB 1191), sponsored by Rep. Lawrence McClure, R-Dover.
The issue has drawn attention, at least in part, because phosphogypsum includes radioactive elements. It is stored in huge stacks.
The bill would allow the Department of Transportation to move forward with demonstration projects that would include phosphogypsum in aggregate materials in road construction.
Opponents pointed to potential hazards from using phosphogypsum, with Rep. Anna Eskamani, D-Orlando, saying lawmakers shouldn’t support “radioactive roads.”
But McClure said the bill wouldn’t change such things as water quality or worker-safety standards.
“It asks us to contemplate what we can do with this material in a more responsible manner,” he said.
An identical bill (SB 1258) has been approved by Senate committees.
©2023 The News Service of Florida
The post Florida House backs plan to use phosphogypsum in road construction appeared first on WMNF.
Eastern equine encephalitis, a mosquito-transmitted illness, has killed two horses in Polk County’s Green Swamp area. This virus is a disease that is transmitted to horses and humans by mosquitos. According to an email from Polk County, right now, there have been no reported or confirmed mosquito-borne diseases in humans in Polk County. The interim manager of Polk County’s Mosquito Control Program said, “We have not seen it in the Southern portion of the county yet, but people throughout the county should take precautions.”
Some precautions to limit exposure to mosquitos:
- Drain any standing water to stop them from multiplying.
- Drain water from garbage cans, house gutters, pool covers, or any containers where rainwater can be collected.
- Discard old tires, cans, pots, or broken appliances that are not being used.
- Empty and clean bird baths and pet’s water bowls.
- Cover skin with long clothing or mosquito repellent.
- Maintain swimming pools and make sure they are properly chlorinated.
- Use mosquito netting to protect children that are younger than 2 months old.
Here are some tips on using repellent:
- Repellents with concentrations up to 30% DEET (N, N-diethyl-m-toluamide) are generally recommended. Repellents that contain picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus, paramenthane-diol, 2-undecanone or IR3535 are also recommended.
- Always read the label instructions to make sure repellent is age appropriate.
- According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), mosquito repellents containing oil of lemon eucalyptus or para-menthane-diol should not be used on children under the age of three years. DEET is not recommended on children younger than two months old.
For questions or concerns about aerial spraying please contact Polk County Mosquito Control at (863)534-7377.
The post A mosquito-transmitted illness has killed two horses in Polk County appeared first on WMNF.
On Saturday, Clearwater will be giving out free trees to residents to celebrate Arbor Day. According to an email from the City of Clearwater, this event will be happening at the Public Works Complex located at 1650 N. Arcturas Ave. from 8 in the morning until 1 in the afternoon. To claim a free tree, you must have proof of residency by showing a Florida driver’s license, voter’s registration card, or a recent utility bill.
Residents will be able to choose two trees in 3-gallon containers. “Varieties include Crape Myrtle (White Natchez, Lavender Muskogee, Pink Sioux, Red Tuscarora), Red Cluster Bottlebrush, Simpson Stopper, Walter’s Viburnum, Silver, and Green Buttonwood, Red Maple, Pignut Hickory, Pecan, Catalpa, Sugarberry, Mayhaw, Persimmon, Green Ash, Dahoon Holly, Yaupon Holly, Southern Red Cedar, Sweetgum, Sweetbay, Southern Magnolia, Blackgum, Slash Pine, Pinus Palustris, Sycamore, Chickasaw Plumb, Turkey Oak, Live Oak, Elderberry and Baldcypress. Southern Red Cedar and many more.” Clearwater is one of the 3,600 communities nationwide that participate in the Tree City USA program. President of the Arbor Day Foundation, Dan Lambe said, “Clearwater is now a part of the solution, helping create a greener future for generations to come.” For more information about the free tree giveaway in the city of Clearwater, call the Public Works Department at (727)562-4950.
The post Free tree giveaway for Clearwater residents appeared first on WMNF.
This week’s guest was Kali Rabaut of Blue House Florals… who among many other talents, grows her bouquets organically on her home property.
About our guestKali Rabaut is a serial entrepreneur, artist, and teacher. Blue House Florals uses 100% locally grown flowers. Frustrated with the narrow definition of cut flowers, Kali encourages her customers to ponder what is beautiful and what is valued. She grows traditional cut flower favorites, as well as incorporating native and Florida-friendly flowers as well…. All done in a zero waste, totally organic way in Tampa Heights. She says: We’re not just growing a garden; we are creating a robust ecosystem!
We are all working together as we promote a balance of people, profit, and planet.
Some parts of the conversation:*3 things people can implement this week to be more sustainable.
1 create soil by composting green and brown yard and kitchen waste.
2 do something you feel passionate about so you. Continue to do it.
3 interact with your neighbors… it also teaches them how to grow gardens themselves.
*You started Suncoast composting, a home program that you sold a couple of years ago….
Kali knows having good active organically grown soil is #1 importance so developing that for herself as well as others is critical for growing healthy plants. It’s still provided by another owner. https://www.suncoastcompost.com/
- What do you say to people who believe that cut flowers are wasteful? Giving flowers to someone you love connects people primally. It lifts us all up… AND some herbs and cutting can be restarted for new plants OR can be composted after they are done.
*What are some of the unsustainable practices in conventional floristry? AND what are the ways you switched that to be more sustainable regarding zero waste?
(Conventional cut flowers travel 2,300 miles on average. Besides the carbon dioxide emissions from airplanes and trucks, there’s also the energy costs of refrigeration. About 75% of the cut flowers in the US are imported from overseas, sometimes as far away as the Netherlands, or Africa.)
(I forgo the conventional florist mechanics such as floral foam, wires, and tape in favor of natural elements such as twigs and twine.)
Social impactFlowers bring us together. Sharing local, organic, healthy flowers with our community is very important to me. Every year, at least 5% of profits are donated to local causes through special events, or heartfelt bouquets.
Some past organizations include Metropolitan Ministries, Moms Demand Action, Sulphur Springs Battleground, Project No Labels, Creative Mornings St Pete, Palm Avenue Baptist Tower Assisted Living Facility, and more.
*Creating an organic garden also encourages wildlife interaction…. We had a call in about having hummingbirds in the garden and found that
UF IFAS gave us the best list of flowers to get.
https://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/design/types-of-gardens/hummingbird-gardens.html
How do we create the floral arrangements?Create a nest of foliage that’s pretty by itself, add focus flowers, support flowers, spikes then texture last as the delicate at the end.
A good way to design is to look for a pleasing color pallet’ stick with warm colors or cool colors in each single bouquet. Also look for sculptural shapes or even a single type of flower bunched together…. Really whatever makes you happy!
Kali offers classes and experiences to learn how.
“Build your own bouquet and garden tour”
https://bluehousefloralstampa.com/private-workshops
She also has a new (Anni’s FAVORITE) service…. The SINGING telegram!!! (With floral bouquet)
https://bluehousefloralstampa.com/floral-notes-singing-telegrams
Email: Kali@bluehousefloralstampa.com
an
Kali is also doing a workshop this Saturday
@Museum of Fine Art in St Pete with Clementine Cafe with edible flowers and floral arranging.
https://mfastpete.org/
Make SURE to Tune in next Monday morning at 11 for the next Sustainable Living Show. It will be World Carnivorous Plant Day!Follow our Facebook page Sustainable Living WMNF to stay in the loop. Also, to listen to our past shows Just go to “listen on demand” on wmnf.org
EVEN a SINGLE person or act can make a big difference…. Remember, if you are looking for someone to save the world – look in the mirror!
The post Sustainable Living: Growing and building your own floral bouquets appeared first on WMNF.
The city of St. Petersburg has reignited its free residential compost bin program.
According to a press release, the city’s compost bin program was relaunched on Earth Day, April 22nd. The relaunch comes after the program was put on hold at the end of 2022 for public review.
The program, which was introduced in 2019, requires residents to attend an in-person workshop prior to obtaining a bin. According to Sanitation Director, Willie Joseph, the workshops are designed to “set customers up for success with how-to instructions, troubleshooting and more.”
Composting is the equivalent to yard waste recycling, where the matter is turned into nutrient-rich fertilizer for soil and vegetation enrichment.
For more information on the program, you can visit www.stpete.org/composting or email composting@stpete.org.
The post St. Petersburg relaunches free compost bin program appeared first on WMNF.
https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/EVs.mp3A group of electric vehicle owners from the Tampa Bay area gathered on Earth Day to encourage more people to drive electric.
Over 20 electric vehicles were displayed in the parking lot at Ford’s Garage in Brandon.
Participants and attendees wove around propped hoods and open doors, exploring different makes and models and asking questions about making the switch to electric.
Javier Guerrero is the president of the Tampa Bay EV Association. He said the organization strives to accelerate the adoption of EVs.
“It’s going slower than it should go,” Guerrero said.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, transportation accounts for 28% of annual greenhouse gas emissions.
EV owners said mitigating the negative impacts of climate change was a significant reason for switching.
But owners like Jeff Fuller said saving money was also an important factor.
“I was spending about 8, at least 8 grand a year in just fuel,” Fuller said.
After transitioning to electric, Fuller estimates charging his vehicle now costs him $8oo or less a year.
The Tampa Bay EV Association has been holding these events since 2019.
EV owners said gathering and meeting one another at these events also helps validate their purchases.
Fred Van West, an owner of a Tesla Model 3, said he enjoys talking with prospective buyers and discussing the benefits of EVs.
“As an EV driver,” Van West said, “you have a story.”
Van West said conversations about EVs are important to have, but on a day like Earth Day, they’re “the best conversations to have.”
The post Electric vehicle owners gather on Earth Day to accelerate green transition appeared first on WMNF.
Earth Day has been observed on April 22nd in the United States for more than half a century and has expanded globally to nearly 200 countries. The purpose of Earth Day is to raise awareness about environmental issues. Many people also celebrate “Earth Week” which is an unofficial extension of Earth Day. The purpose of Earth Week is to draw more attention to the Earth Day Campaign.
For nearly two decades, there have been various themes associated with Earth Day. The 2023 is a continuation of the 2022’s theme of “Investing In Our Planet”.
It has been said that, “If we intend to provide a better life, and a better world, for future generations, we can’t ignore the quality of the environment we leave them“….John Kasich. Making investments are an important part of our lives, whether that means making an investment in our environments, in our relationships, or making important financial investments.
Join me, Renna Reddick Fridays from 4 to 6 a.m. for a special musical journey about this topic! I’m definitely looking forward to spending time with you on the airwaves and sharing your energy!!https://yourmorningenergy.com/; Twitter is @yourmrngenergy;https://www.instagram.com/yourmorningenergy/; https://www.facebook.com/yourmorningenergy/
morningenergy88.5@gmail.comThe post ” EARTH DAY AND INVESTING IN OUR FUTURE on MORNING ENERGY appeared first on WMNF.
https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/FloridaWildlifeCorridor.mp3Over 20,000 acres were recently set aside to grow Florida’s Wildlife Corridor.
Governor Ron DeSantis and the Florida Cabinet approved over $46 million in mid-March to allow for the expansion of five different preserved areas.
One of the areas that’s growing is the Wolfe Creek Forest and Blackwater River State Forest near Pensacola, which will receive just over 1,500 acres. Environmental leaders who advocated for the area’s expansion, and volunteers associated with the forests, said this effort will benefit wildlife and people.
Douglas Hattaway is the senior project manager for Trust for Public Land. He said the nonprofit has been working to secure this recent expansion for over a year.
“Our mission, in short, is connecting land and people,” Hattaway said. “And so this acquisition will add to the state forest — enhancing and expanding the convenient access people will have to outdoor recreational activities.”
Hattaway said the property’s addition to the Florida Wildlife Corridor will also help protect some of Florida’s vulnerable species.
“It’s important that the critters are not isolated in an island that’s surrounded by development and there’s nowhere to go,” Hattaway said. “They’re stuck.”
Volunteers like Don Ravinski, who maintain trails in Blackwater River State Forest, have witnessed firsthand the significance of preserving more land.
“I have seen, near our trails, tremendous explosion of growth and building and houses and roads encroaching close to where we do have our trails,” Ravinski said.
Ravinski said anytime land can be preserved, “it’s a good thing. Always.”
The post Volunteers, environmental leaders applaud recent Florida Wildlife Corridor expansion appeared first on WMNF.
For the April 14 edition of “The Skinny” on WMNF 88.5-FM Tampa, the show welcomed Gil Smart, Policy Director for the nonprofit Friends of the Everglades, to talk about legislation with a prevailing party attorney fees provision that smart-growth advocates argue would effectively eliminate planning challenges by citizens and public interest groups since losing means they could be required to pay enormous challenge-related legal costs incurred by deep-pocketed developers and local governments.
In the second half of the show, we catch up with Hillsborough’s elected State Attorney Andrew Warren for an update on his fight for reinstatement after Gov. Ron DeSantis removed him last summer after accusing Warren of “incompetence and willful defiance of his duties.” Also, Nikki Fried, former Florida agriculture commissioner and current chair of the Florida Democratic Party discussed the six-week abortion ban quietly signed by the governor—and the future of her party.
Audio from the April 14, 2023 episode of “The Skinny” news and public affairs program on WMNF Tampa 88.5-FM is available now.
The post Protecting Florida’s wild interior, plus pushing back on DeSantis with Andrew Warren and Nikki Fried appeared first on WMNF.
Dr. Jane Goodall–who rose to international attention in the 1960s, propelled by her pioneering work studying chimpanzees in Gombe, Tanzania—offers her current impressions of young people’s attitudes about animals and the environment, among many other topics, in an interview on WMNF’s “Talking Animals.”
She recalls the beginnings of Roots & Shoots, a youth program of the Jane Goodall Institute, launched in 1991 with 12 students in 1991, and notes that this dozen (and others that were part of those earliest days) have gone on to be leaders and notable figures in various fields, uniformly characterized by kindness and compassion.
Dr. Goodall discusses Roots & Shoots USA Basecamp, a once-cancelled, recently-revitalized program built around local, grassroots efforts to amplify the impact of Roots & Shoots.
She explains the thinking behind selecting Tampa as a future site of a Roots & Shoots USA Basecamp, saying it’s precisely because Gov. DeSantis’s policies stamp Florida as a state increasingly known for intolerance of the LGBTQ+ community, for immigrants, for “others,” generally—in direct conflict with the Jane Goodall ethos—that it’s important to locate a Roots & Shoots USA Basecamp in The Sunshine State.
Mentioning that she returns to Gombe twice a year, visiting with the researchers and hearing about their latest findings—I observe it may not be commonly known that this constitutes the longest-running chimpanzee study in the wild; Dr. Goodall adds that it’s the third longest study of any wild animal—she singles out some recent results about striking chimp behavior.
In a segment about how her travel schedule seems to have ramped up to nearly the level she maintained before COVID changed everything, she confesses that where people might have imagined she had a relaxing hiatus of sorts during the pandemic, she was never busier, doing four Zoom interviews or lectures per day, continuing at that pace, with nary a day off, for two years.
Dr. Goodall observed that she feels there are two Janes: Just Jane, a shy, quiet woman who’d prefer to be by herself with the chimps in Gombe…and Jane The Icon, an unlikely creation of the first Jane, who delivers lectures to packed theaters, appears at fundraisers, gives interviews, meets with classes and other groups, and otherwise engages in activities ordinarily associated with energetic extroverts.
We concluded with an exchange about her nightly ritual of drinking a glass of whiskey at 7pm, toasting others elsewhere doing the same, and raising a glass to departed loved ones.
The post Jane Goodall addresses her unwavering optimism about young people, the ongoing chimp study, the “two Janes,” and more, on WMNF’s “Talking Animals” appeared first on WMNF.
https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/ArtificialReefs-1.mp3The Pinellas County Department of Solid Waste is planning to deploy a new artificial reef after receiving a grant in January from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
Two-thousand tons of concrete material, that would have otherwise gone to a landfill, will soon make up the new artificial reef called King’s Reef.
Charles Mangio is the solid waste program manager for the Pinellas County Department of Solid Waste.
He said the artificial reef will be located about four miles due west of St. Pete Beach.
This particular spot was chosen because commercial and recreational fishers wanted to see a reef that was closer to shore and more accessible for those with small boats.
Mangio said the reef will also provide fresh opportunities for anglers and divers to spot fish.
“That area does have some older reefs near it,” Mangio said, “but there hasn’t been any new activity in that area for probably 20, 30 years.”
Artificial reef programs have been active in the Tampa Bay region for decades.
Angela Collins, who is a fisheries specialist for the Florida Sea Grant program, said artificial reefs can have a positive economic impact on Florida coastal counties because of the fishers and divers they attract.
She said sometimes, artificial reefs are also created to provide habitat for fish suffering from habitat loss.
“Every scenario is different,” Collins said, “but at the same time, some structure is better than no structure.”
Ed Camp is an assistant professor at the University of Florida who studies artificial reefs.
He said he and fellow researchers hope to provide guidance in the near future to local counties, the state and federal agencies on the types of reefs that should be deployed in certain circumstances.
This is important, Camp said, because artificial reefs can serve a slew of purposes, including increasing fish populations, improving fishing conditions for anglers and filling gaps in the ecosystem when natural reefs degrade or are destroyed.
“It’s hard for a single artificial reef to do all of those things,” Camp said.
King’s Reef is set to be deployed from Clearwater’s Sand Key Park this summer.
The post New artificial reef to create more opportunities for anglers, divers in Pinellas County appeared first on WMNF.
When you listen to Kenny Coogan and Anni Ellis on WMNF’s Sustainable Living show, you hear the perspectives of two very knowledgeable, but delightfully different hosts. Together they offer a compelling balance of yin and yang, art and science, feminine and masculine to produce a show that is wholistic at its start. The result is a fascinating and enlightening show that explores how people, businesses, and large organizations can all work to “balance people, profits, and planet,” Coogan says. “That’s the triple bottom line.”
Kenny Coogan and Anni Ellis, hosts of Sustainable Living
Pairing Coogan and Ellis was the idea of former Sustainable Living host Tanja Vidovic. When Vidovic stepped down at the end of 2021, she tapped Coogan to co-host (he was a guest on the show in 2016 and later an occasional substitute host). According to Coogan, she said, “You know, there’s this person—her name is Anni and she will keep you in check if you say something she doesn’t agree with. She will tell you in real time…. That would be a really good balance for the radio show.”
“That’s hilarious,” Annie said hearing the story for the first time. “That’s so interesting, because that’s exactly the way it works with us.”
Coogan and Ellis share an intense love of learning and research, a desire to live in harmony with our natural environment, a passion for gardening (especially growing food), and an enthusiasm for educating people. But it’s their complimentary personalities and approaches to hosting the weekly radio show makes each episode an informative feast.
With Coogan, listeners hear from a published author, educator, scientist, and widely respected expert on carnivorous plants. He grew up in Niagara Falls, NY, where he bred, raised, and showed ducks and other fowl. By the time he finished high school, Coogan estimates he raised about 400 ducks, chickens, pigeons, and geese.
A defining moment came when Coogan was studying for a bachelor’s degree in animal studies. During a study abroad program in Costa Rica, he saw plantations where bananas were being farmed without concern for the workers who suffered from cancer and other diseases from the pesticides sprayed; and without concern for the environment—each bunch of bananas was wrapped in a blue plastic bag to keep wasps from laying eggs that can spoil the bunch.
Blue plastic bags cover banana bunches on a plantation in Costa Rica. Photo: ©JHVEPhoto /Adobe Stock
“There’s these blue plastic bags everywhere in the ocean. The sea turtles are eating them on the land. The land animals are getting wrapped around in it,” Coogan said. “How can a banana be $0.69 a pound? It’s because the cost is being put on the people who live in Costa Rica.” This was the first time he thought about the systemic problems of our food chain. “This is a messed up system,” he thought, “and I don’t want to participate in it.”
For 10 years after college, Coogan worked for several aquariums and zoos—including Zoo Tampa (then Lowry Park Zoo). On a zookeeper’s salary, he bought a home in Tampa with space to raise chickens, grow vegetables, and practice permaculture (a systematic approach to sustainable agriculture). He was determined to grow as much food as possible. Within a few years, his backyard had grown to include dozens of fruit trees, nearly all of which he obtained for free from other local gardeners.
At one point, Coogan tracked all the food he grew, recording each item on a spreadsheet. “I counted every single egg, every single banana, every single tomato, every single bowl of salad. And after a year, I said, ‘Oh, this is not enough.’ I would let things go to seed or I wasn’t harvesting, or I would [buy] this plastic box of salad, because it’s so much easier.” Wanting to learn more, be more efficient and sustainable, he completed a master’s degree in global sustainability.
Even after he started making a bit more money, first as a middle school science and agriculture teacher and now as a successful writer, a designer of educational materials, and a carnivorous plant expert and grower, Coogan continues to live responsibly on using as little money and as few resources as possible.
Anni Ellis grew into the sustainable lifestyle a bit more organically than Coogan, following a path less structured, but just as significant. After finishing high school early, she left her home in the Deep South, to live first in Houston, Tex., then Hawaii.
In Hawaii, Ellis bought a Volkswagen van as her home (and then learned how to drive a stick shift). She learned about island plants and about healthfood through friends who owned a restaurant. Perhaps most important, Ellis discovered a living by painting surfboards and murals, and eventually did some commercial art.
“My art was really what perpetuated me,” she said. “I wasn’t really as skilled as I needed to be.” So, Ellis moved back to the mainland and attended college to study art. “But I only took art. I did three years in a regular four-year college…. I didn’t actually graduate with a degree because I never felt the need for it,” she said, adding, “Pretty much my whole life I’ve always created income by doing something that I was good at.”
Anni Ellis, co-host Sustainable Living.
When Ellis came to Tampa and bought a home, she struck up a partnership with her realtor to start a landscape design business. Ellis planned and drew designs and worked up costs. “I learned how to do all that through doing,” she said. “I’ve been doing that professionally for 27 years.”
Like Coogan, Ellis’s home gardens have become less about beauty and more about growing food. “I’ve moved almost all into the edible field. I still do beauty, but most of the beauty is edible as well.”
Growing edible plants is only one of dozens of topics that Coogan and Ellis cover on Sustainable Living. They select a topic by consulting their topic list and listener responses and requests. Coogan said WMNF listeners “love beekeeping. They love butter.”
“And butterflies,” Ellis said.
“People are very curious about gardening for butterflies,” Coogan said.
Guest interviews are booked three months in advance to allow Coogan and Ellis ample time for research and planning. They intentionally invite experts, community leaders, and business owners from Central Florida—as a way of illustrating that sustainable living and working is possible right here in Tampa Bay.
They want people to see how balancing “people, profits, and planet is a viable way to make money, if you do it properly, that’s the perfect circle of nature. But, if one thing’s out of whack, then the whole thing falls apart. So, if you get in the groove, then it all runs smoothly.”
“We need good people to intervene with the businesses and corporations who are greedy,” Coogan said, and that requires connecting to people in our community. “We need to educate people.”
“And, we call them out,” Ellis said. By asking guests how their businesses are working toward sustainability, she hopes listeners will realize, “If this big group can do it, I can do it, too.”
Listen live to Sustainable Living with Kenny Coogan and Anni Ellis on Mondays, at 10 a.m. ET or listen anytime on your favorite podcast app.
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https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/NEWS_Seagrass0410.mp3According to a new study, the Tampa Bay has lost thousands of acres of seagrass in only two years.
“Tampa Bay has lost more than 4,000 acres, or 12% of its seagrasses. That’s a big deal!”
That was Barbara Sheen Todd at today’s Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council meeting. The data is from a report on seagrass findings released by the Southwest Florida Water Management District.
Assistant director of the Tampa Bay Estuary Program, Maya Burke, says that Tampa Bay was not always like this.
“So since 2016, which was when we had sort of reached peak coverage, we exceeded our restoration goals and had water as clear as it was in the 1950s to support more than 41,000 acres of seagrass to, now, we basically have seen a loss of more than 11,000 acres of seagrass and more than 6000 acres lost are in Tampa Bay!”
She blames the increase in nutrient pollutants for this dramatic change in seagrass.
“Nitrogen is the primary pollutant for Tampa Bay. That’s something that stimulates algae growth, and when we have too much algae growing in the water, it makes it hard for sunlight to reach from the surface of the bay all the way down to the bay bottom. And if sunlight can’t make its way all the way to the bays bottom then there’s no sunlight to support the growth of seagrasses.”
The Tampa Bay Estuary Program encourages people to reduce their nutrient pollution by skipping fertilizer during rainy summer months and driving fuel-efficient vehicles.
The post Tampa Bay lost thousands of acres of seagrass, study shows appeared first on WMNF.
Host Walter L. Smith II lead a discussion regarding the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) economic union. More discussion on renewable energy development. Talk on representative politics in Florida with an update on the Tennessee Republican’s ousting of two black representatives and not the one white rep.
Former Rep. Justin Pearson, D-Memphis, raises his fists as he leaves the House chamber after he is expelled from the legislature Thursday, April 6, 2023, in Nashville, Tenn. Tennessee Republicans ousted two of three House Democrats for using a bullhorn to shout support for pro-gun control protesters in the House chamber.
A mention of this month’s celebration of Jazz appreciation, Poetry but also Poetic Earth Month, to celebrate caring for the Environment. Some discussion on alternative energy such as wind, hydroelectricity and nuclear fusion.
A celebration of knowledge with Freedom libraries in the face of book bans.
The post The Easter Sunday Forum appeared first on WMNF.
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https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/NEWS_Mangroves0407web.mp3This week, The Nature Conservancy Florida released new research data supporting the coastal protection and ecosystem benefits provided by mangrove forests.
Mangroves are trees and shrubs that grow on coastal waters. They cover over 430 thousand acres in Florida.
New data released by The Nature Conservacy Florida shows just how crucial mangroves are. Senior marine scientist Laura Geselbracht describes their importance.
“Our mangroves, the present value of reducing storm surge flooding is 50 billion dollars, which is huge! And, you know, these mangroves are working beyond just flood protection. They’re also sequestering carbon, they’re providing fish and wildlife habitat, they are helping to prevent erosion of our shorelines.” she says.
However, Geselbracht worries that a mix of rising sea levels due to climate change and urban development in Florida may harm mangrove growth.
“Many of our urban areas in Florida are highly developed so mangroves don’t have a chance to move up slope as sea level rise progresses. They’re kind of squeezed between the sea level and that urban development.”
She encourages people to support Florida preserves where mangroves grow.
“Embrace the expansion of mangroves into new areas of the state where maybe they haven’t seen them before. Don’t think they’re invasive species – they’re not. They’re native species, they provide a lot of benefits.”
The post New data shows benefits of Florida’s mangroves on the environment appeared first on WMNF.
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https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/NEWS_WildFires0406web.mp3Because of a prolonged drought, Florida officials are urging residents to be prepared for wildfires. WMNF’s Chris Young reports Florida Commissioner of Agriculture and Florida Forest Service leadership held a press conference today in Hillsborough County.
Wildfire season is here earlier than expected. Director of Florida Forest Service Rick Dolan is anticipating that this season will be particularly bad.
“Central and south Florida are extremely dry. The further south you go, the drier it is. Southwest Florida is the driest part of the state, around the Fort Myers area – very dry right now. Lightning season is right around the corner, and wildfire activity in the state is expected to increase.”
Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson warned that some local resources may be maxed out.
“Forestry firefighters are our local assets. Local first responders are the best in the country, we do this every year. They will get maxed out from time to time because what we believe is coming, and that’s why we’re asking everybody to be so vigilant.”
Forest service director Dolan also acknowledged the toll he expects the season to take on his firefighters.
“Beginning of wildfire season, they’re all fresh and ready to go, but when you get two or three months into it, day in and day out, it does break you down a little bit.”
The Florida Forest Service encourages Floridians to prepare for the season by visiting bewildfirereadyfl.com
The post Officials warn Floridians to prepare for dangerous wildfire season appeared first on WMNF.
https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/NEWS_BurnBanV.mp3Polk County has issued a burn ban. Because of a lack of rainfall, there is a current increased risk of uncontrolled fires in Polk County. According to a press release from the county, you cannot burn campfires, bonfires, yard and household trash, construction debris, organic debris, or fireworks.
The burn ban applies to all of unincorporated Polk County and its municipalities: Auburndale, Eagle Lake, Lake Alfred, Mulberry, Lake Hamilton, Haines City, Hillcrest Heights, Polk City, Winter Haven, Davenport, Dundee, Lakeland, Bartow, Frostproof, Fort Meade and Highland Park.
Anyone who refuses to follow the burn ban could be fined up to $500 or spend 60 days in the county jail. Polk County’s Fire Rescue Chief said “Ensuring the safety of every resident and visitor throughout Polk County” is a top priority.
The post Polk County has issued a burn ban appeared first on WMNF.
An administrative law judge Tuesday backed the Department of Environmental Protection’s denial of a proposal to drill an exploratory oil well in Collier County.
Judge Francine Ffolkes, in an 18-page recommended order, said Trend Exploration, LLC, had not shown a likelihood of finding oil in an area of the Big Cypress Swamp.
Ffolkes wrote that other drilling projects near the proposed site had failed.
“The preponderance of the evidence in this case establishes there is no proven or indicated likelihood of the presence of oil on a commercially profitable basis,” the recommended order said. “The greater weight of the evidence warrants against the exploration and extraction of oil in this case.”
Trend Exploration applied for a drilling permit in March 2021, but the Department of Environmental Protection denied the proposal in November 2021.
Under administrative law, Tuesday’s recommended order will go to the Department of Environmental Protection for final action.
Here is WMNF’s coverage of this issue from 2014 and 2016.
©2023 The News Service of Florida
The post Judge rules against oil drilling plan in Florida’s Big Cypress appeared first on WMNF.
Walter L. Smith II reports on the activities surrounding a policy trip D.C. regarding environmental degradation due to oil, soot and coal ash dust.
At its statewide conference in Orlando, member organizations of the Florida NAACP voted unanimously to recommend that the national NAACP board issue a nationwide travel advisory against moving or visiting the Sunshine State.
The post Mr. Smith Goes To Washington, Travel Advisory for Florida appeared first on WMNF.
Why are so many humans religious? Why do we daydream, imagine, and hope? Philosophers, theologians, social scientists, and historians have offered explanations for centuries, but their accounts often ignore or even avoid human evolution. Evolutionary scientists answer with proposals for why ritual, religion, and faith make sense as adaptations to past challenges or as by-products of our hyper-complex cognitive capacities. But what if the focus on religion is too narrow? Renowned anthropologist, Agustín Fuentes argues that the capacity to be religious is actually a small part of a larger and deeper human capacity to believe. Why believe in religion, economies, and love? In his new book, Why We Believe – Evolution and the Human Way of Being, Agustín presents a fascinating observation on the most common misconceptions about human nature, his book employs evolutionary, neurobiological, and anthropological evidence to argue that belief—the ability to commit passionately and wholeheartedly to an idea—is central to the human way of being in the world.
Robert Hunziker a regular contributor to Life Elsewhere, writes about climate change, headlines from his articles of the past year suggest he is a forecaster of doom – Permafrost Hits a Grim Threshold; Climate Confusion, Angst, and Sleeplessness; Extinction Rebellion Sweeps the World; Earth 4C Hotter; The Coldest Spot on Earth Melting. Hunziker shrugs off the daunting moniker, ready to launch into a passionate monologue full of facts and alarming details. So, we asked Robert to give an overview of the crucial points on climate change during the past 12 months.
The post Belief & Climate Change appeared first on WMNF.
The Hillsborough Organization for Progress and Equality, or HOPE is composed of 25 interfaith and interracial member congregations. They sought to get commitments from local public officials to attain criminal justice reform, housing and mental health services, and environmental justice. At an event Monday night at Bible-Based Fellowship Church, County Commissioner Harry Cohen was asked to tackle the crisis of people struggling with mental illness by increasing the availability of permanent supportive housing. He showed his support for the idea, but was not sure if others on the commission would share his view.
“We had an affordable housing item that came up just a week ago, it only passed 4-3, we’ve had a few that have been 6-1. So I would I will commit to you is that I will be a leader on it. And I’m going to work very hard to get our staff to get behind it. But the next step is going to be getting the votes on the commission to actually get it done.”
“…and understood. So I’m going to take this tonight to be a yes that you will coordinate speak with staff to work on this issue.”
“Absolutely.”
“And you will report back to us”
Commissioners Donna Cepeda and Pat Kemp also had met with HOPE on the issue, and Ken Hagan had scheduled time to meet with the coalition about their concerns. Kathy Henry is with Hope, and the Bible Based Fellowship Church’s Justice Ministry and was a bit upset that Sheriff Chad Chronister was absent from the Criminal Justice Discussion.
“Cohen said yes to what we were trying to get them to look into and do things and do better toward what needs to be done in the city. So that was my greatest part when we do commit to saying yes that we can say it that shows to me that somebody has been working behind the scene when you can come out in a group in a crowd like this on the these circumstances and just virtually say yes, without stumbling and thinking or whatever.”
Outgoing Chief Judge of the 13th Judicial Circuit Court Ronald Ficarotta and that courts and Public Defender Julianne Holt both showed their support for a request about whether they would work with criminal justice decision makers to expand the Hillsborough Adult Pre-Arrest Diversion program to cover driving on a suspended license and by including a Jail and Notice-to-Appear Screening for eligibility. But Captain Samuel Rojka with the Tampa Police Department spoke on behalf of the Chief of Police, and he offered a non-committal answer.
“I can say that Chief Burke was looking at these proposals and he has taken them under advisement and he is reviewing them to see if they’re feasible or not for our agency to expand.”
“Is that a yes. Or no?”
“He is reviewing them to see if they can be expanded. We’re not saying yes or no at this time.”
Notaby absent was Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister, and the event organizers seemed confused as to why he hasn’t ever agreed to meet with HOPE, and asked the audience to petition him to get involved on these issues.
Commissioners Donna Cepeda and Pat Kemp also had met with HOPE on the issue, and Ken Hagan had scheduled time to meet with the coalition about their concerns. City Council members were also asked to strengthen 5 stormwater drainage ponds using native trees and plants that reduce flooding and heat and improve water quality, among other issues. Both Councilmembers Guido Maniscalco and Luis Viera committed to take action, with Maniscalco getting specific.
“Yes and I’ll be happy to make the motion to get the ball rolling on that at our next meeting it could be done at the next CRA meeting and we can go from there but yes absolutely.”
HOPE will get an update on the issues discussed at an October 23rd convention, hear reports from their listening process, and vote to pick community issues to tackle next year.
The post Tampa Bay Area leaders commit to fix housing and flooding problems at forum appeared first on WMNF.
Lynn Hurtak visits from the Tampa City Council to talk about various affordable housing scenarios including co-op housing. Walter talks about upcoming trip to D.C. as we discuss soil and waterway contamination with a nod to scientist who have warned humanity is in the 6th extinction event.
Callers and e-mailers talked about jobs with dignity via vocational schools and that do not hurt the planet.
The post Housing, The Planet and Jobs appeared first on WMNF.
https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/SarasotaBeachesV.mp3A part of Sarasota’s Lido Beach is under a no-swim advisory. High bacteria levels were discovered in water samples taken from Lido Casino Beach. According to the Sarasota Herald-Tribune, “Enterococcus bacteria can come from natural and human-made sources, such as pet waste, birds, stormwater runoff, and human sewage.” That means that “Lido Casino Beach remains open, but swimming and other forms of water recreation are not recommended.” Officials said that people should not eat shellfish gathered near any beach that has a no-swim advisory. In addition, the health office also reminded the public that raised levels of red tide continue to be discovered in all Sarasota County beaches. For WMNF News, I’m Colleen Cole.
The post Bacteria found in Lido Casino Beach appeared first on WMNF.
https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/NEWS_Sargassum0315web.mp3An extremely large mass of algae that can stretch miles is set to wash up on Florida’s beaches in coming months. Luckily, its effect on Tampa Bay will be minimal.
Sargassum is a large, brown algae that floats in island-like masses and never attaches to the seafloor. In small amounts, it’s no concern, but now there is a giant mass headed toward Florida. Once it reaches the shore, it begins to rot, smells of rotten eggs, and irritates skin upon contact. It’s unsightly and takes up space on beaches.
However, Brian Barnes, research assistant professor at USF College of Marine Science, says Tampa Bay residents have no need to fear.
“The confusion comes from, you know, it’s moving west so everyone thinks it’s going to then be on the west side of Florida, and while it is in the Gulf of Mexico, on the west side of Florida, the currents don’t push it onto the shelf and into Tampa area beaches or anything like that,” Barnes told WMNF News.
He said that Florida’s southeast coast and the Florida Keys should expect Sargassum on their beaches, but Tampa Bay beachgoers should look out for other concerns.
“We’re currently having a red tide bloom in the Tampa bay area. You know you do want to check and look at conditions of not just this Sargassum bloom but other booms too before you travel.” Barnes warned.
The post Tampa Bay beachgoers shouldn’t fear “giant blob of seaweed” appeared first on WMNF.
Minority communities often bear the biggest burden from environmental problems, something Walter L. Smith is combating in his work for the Florida Sierra Club. Smith is the Tampa representative for the Sierra Club’s Beyond Coal campaign, which is aimed at ending carbon fuel energy sources. He’s also a longtime member of the WMNF family as host of the weekly Sunday Forum show.
Walter also spent a decade in South Africa, where he became friends with the late great Nelson Mandela as he led the nation out of apartheid.
To listen to the entire show, click the link below, go to the archives here or click the link below or search for WMNF WaveMakers wherever you listen to podcasts.
https://sound.wmnf.org/sound/wmnf_230314_110600_wvm1_461.MP3The post Sierra Club’s Walter Smith on environmental justice and going beyond coal appeared first on WMNF.
https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/NEWS_RedTidePollution0314web.mp3Red tide is killing marine life off the coast of Southwest Florida, and the Center for Biological Diversity is calling on government officials to be held accountable for their role.
A red tide is a higher-than-normal concentration of microscopic algae and can discolor water a red or brown hue. Red tide kills fish, contaminates shellfish, and causes respiratory irritation in humans.
It was found in samples from Pinellas County to Collier County, with the highest concentrations in Pinellas and Sarasota, and Ragan Whitlock, staff attorney for the Center for Biological Diversity, says it is turning our waterways into a wasteland.
“Until Florida takes aggressive steps to clean up pollution from agriculture septic tanks and failing wastewater systems, the red tides will continue to foul our once pristine waterways year after year. It’s an unfortunate reality.” Whitlock told WMNF News.
Whitlock cites the Piney Point phosphate disaster as an example of an act of pollution that contributes to red tide.
“In 2021 the Piney Point phosphate facility dumped 215 million gallons of nutrient-laden waste into Tampa Bay, which fueled a deadly red tide that killed more than 600 tons of marine life in Tampa Bay alone.”
He calls on Floridians to reach out to their legislature and advocate for the protection of Florida’s bays and waterways.
The post Center for Biological Diversity calls for accountability over Florida’s red tide appeared first on WMNF.
A new nature preserve opened last month in Dunedin, Florida. The Gladys E. Douglas Preserve is 43 acres and the city describes it as the largest undeveloped sandy ecosystem remaining in north Pinellas County.
Residents and local governments saved the land when it was threatened by development.
Vince Gizzi, parks and recreation director for the City of Dunedin, told WMNF’s Chris Young that preserving the land was a must.
“The community, the city, the county had a shot at getting this property for park land, just a gorgeous piece of untouched, natural property and felt that we gotta get this property, one way or another so the city and the county got involved, and between the two, raised $5.5 million, which still left us short $4.5 million. The Pinellas community foundation were able to raise, with private donations of over 1100 people, contributed to that $4.5 million. It’s quite the story.”
On Sunday morning I decided to check out the preserve and take some photos.
The main trail is less than a half-mile long, but more trails are planned for the future. There are three entry points, two along Keene Road and the main parking lot, which can be accessed at 1900 Virginia Avenue. In all, I walked about 1.1 miles — about 2,000 steps — in a half hour by taking a few short side trails and retracing my steps back to the parking lot.
Rosemary baldHere are some photos of what a sign describes as “the last known remaining rosemary bald in Pinellas County.”
The first two photos are a Florida rosemary shrub and reindeer moss. The sign says rosemary balds “are relatively open landcapes located on elevated sandy ridges and characterized by large Florida rosemary shrubs. Few other plants can grow in this habitat. This may be a result of the secretion of ceratiolin by Florida rosemary into the soil which inhibits shrubs, thus the name ‘Rosemary Bald.'” The sign points out that this type of plant community was once abundant but has mostly “disappeared as a result of development, habitat fragmentation, and fire suppression.”
The sign lists prickly pear cactus (which I saw) and scrub jay (which I didn’t) as other species found in the rosemary bald community.
The rosemary bald is fenced off to protect it.
Video of Florida rosemary shrub, reindeer moss and prickly pear cactus:More photosThe post Here’s what Dunedin’s newest park – Gladys E Douglas Preserve – looks like appeared first on WMNF.
https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/NEWS_WeekiWachee0307web.mp3Spring break season is approaching. That’s a time when Florida’s fragile rivers can get damaged from overuse. Local and state partners want to minimize environmental damage to a popular Hernando County destination.
The Weeki Wachee River in Hernando County has been a popular vacation spot since the 50’s, with kayaking, boating, and the deepest freshwater cave system in the country.
However, researchers say the influx of spring break visitors may cause problems.
“What we do on the river can impact the river without us even realizing it. The district conducted an ecological study and the study found that there was a direct between recreational use on the river, as well as environmental damage.” Dr. Madison Trowbridge, springs scientist at the Southwest Florida Water Management District, tells WMNF.
“The district created seven tips in order to help protect the Weeki Wachee River. These are: stay in your vessels if possible, if you have to leave your vessel, tie off in shallow waters, avoid docking on riverbanks, don’t trample on vegetation or pick up silt, avoid climbing on banks and walking on sandpoint bars, don’t climb trees or use rope swings, and don’t throw out litter or leave anything behind.”
To learn more about the protection efforts, visit watermatters.org/protectweeki
The post Researchers work to protect a popular Florida river before the spring break season appeared first on WMNF.
By Jim Turner ©2023 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — Environmental groups are raising concerns that legislative proposals would damage land-use planning and run counter to conservation efforts backed by Gov. Ron DeSantis.
Representatives of 1000 Friends of Florida, Friends of the Everglades and VoteWater on Thursday targeted numerous bills filed for the upcoming legislative session that could do such things as redefine sprawl, deter citizens from challenging comprehensive land-plan amendments and prevent cities and counties from regulating wetlands.
VoteWater Executive Director Gil Smart said during a conference call with reporters that the measures would result in “more rooftops,” “reckless development” and increased nutrient-loaded stormwater runoff.
“Gov. DeSantis put forth what I think is a sort of a policy statement on his commitment to clean water,” Smart said. “All of these bills go in the exact opposite direction. All of them would lead to dirtier water.”
The comments came as the Republican-controlled Legislature prepares to start its annual session Tuesday.
In January, DeSantis issued an executive order that called for “meaningful” funding for the Florida Forever land-conservation program and continued support for the Resilient Florida Program, which is designed to help protect against sea-level rise. He also proposed spending $3.5 billion over the next four years on projects such as restoring the Everglades and addressing water-quality problems.
DeSantis’ outline also seeks to speed work on a sprawling wildlife corridor and to protect coral reefs.
Eve Samples, executive director of Friends of the Everglades, previously called DeSantis’ outline “vague” and said it will be essential to track how the money is eventually spent.
On Thursday, Samples focused on bills that have been filed and, in at least some cases, have already started moving through House and Senate committees.
Samples said Florida was considered the leader in land planning after passage of the 1985 Growth Management Act. But she said sound growth policies have been slowly undercut by lawmakers for more than a decade and that 2023 is shaping up to be “the worst session we’ve seen in terms of bad development bills since 2011.”
Among other things, the Legislature in 2011 eliminated the Department of Community Affairs and shifted land-planning oversight to the newly created Department of Economic Opportunity.
As an example of this year’s bills criticized by the environmental groups, two Senate committees last month approved a measure (SB 170) that could bolster legal challenges to city and county ordinances.
In part, the bill would require local governments to suspend enforcement of ordinances while lawsuits play out. Also, plaintiffs who successfully challenge ordinances in court could receive up to $50,000 for attorney fees and costs. The bill is ready to go to the full Senate.
“I do believe that this bill will streamline some of the processes for local governments and give citizens a fundamental right to level the playing field for those who feel trapped in arbitrary and unreasonable local laws,” bill sponsor Jay Trumbull, R-Panama City, said Feb. 23 as the measure was approved by the Rules Committee.
Other bills drawing concerns from environmental groups include:
— HB 439, which would make a series of changes to land-use and development regulations. As an example, it would redefine “urban sprawl” to mean “an unplanned development pattern that requires the extension of public facilities by a local government.”
— HB 359 and SB 540, which could lead to people and organizations being forced to pay legal fees if they unsuccessfully challenge changes to comprehensive growth-management plans at the state Division of Administrative Hearings.
— HB 1197 and SB 1240, which would preempt local-government regulations about water quality, water quantity, pollution control and wetlands. The state could withhold funds to local governments that violate the preemption.
— HB 397, which would allow local government officials to meet privately with developers’ attorneys who contend violations of the Bert Harris Private Property Rights Act have occurred. The Bert Harris act allows property owners to seek damages if government decisions have “inordinately burdened” property use.
— HB 41 and SB 856, which would prohibit voter initiatives or referendums on amendments to land-development regulations
The post Environmentalists object to development bills in Florida Legislature appeared first on WMNF.
https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/NEWS_DunedinPreserve0301web.mp3One Pinellas County community banded together to save a historic preserve from destruction by a private developer. Activists and community leaders came together in Dunedin to fight for its preservation.
Gladys E Douglas Preserve spans 43 acres and is currently the largest undeveloped sandy ecosystem remaining in north Pinellas County. It’s a rare glimpse into Florida’s undeveloped past—with preserved wild forest and a rare white moss, called reindeer moss that grows around it.
That’s why, when a large housing developer planned to bulldoze the area, hundreds of donors and non-profits teamed up with the City of Dunedin to save the land.
WMNF spoke by phone with Vince Gizzi, Parks and recreation director for the City of Dunedin, while he was at the preserve. He told us that preserving the land was a must.
“The community, the city, the county had a shot at getting this property for parkland, just a gorgeous piece of untouched, natural property and felt that we gotta get this property, one way or another so the city and the county got involved, and between the two, raised 5.5 million, which still left us short 4.5 million. The Pinellas community foundation were able to raise, with private donations of over 1100 people, contributed to that 4.5 million. It’s quite the story.”
The site was the home of philanthropist Gladys Douglas, who passed away in 2019. She loved listening to the birds fly over the pine scrub and looking out over the lake. City leaders created a plan to preserve that ecosystem while also providing nature trails for visitors to the preserve.
The hard work and fundraising culminated with the ribbon cutting on Saturday, February 25th, with over 500 attendees and several community leaders joining at the preserve for the ribbon cutting and official opening.
“It was real emotional, there were a lot of tears, our mayor was totally emotional. Seeing all of this come together, you gotta imagine, this could’ve been lost forever to a strip mall or condominium complex, but we’re able to preserve it and keep it forever, as in my words, forever and ever. This land will never be sold for anything, it’ll stay parkland forever.”
The post Pinellas County community unites to save a historic preserve from destruction appeared first on WMNF.
Florida House Minority Leader Fentrice Driskell joined us to discuss the parade of horrible legislation that the Florida Republican-controlled legislature is planning now that they have a super-majority. We discussed everything from the dangerous and irresponsible “permitless carry” gun bill to the total gutting of public education funding in Florida by increasing school voucher eligibility for every student in Florida. Rep. Driskell also tried to give us some “political therapy” and a dose of optimism so we don’t drown in a sea of political despair, and urged everyone to make their voices heard by their representatives and most importantly, at the ballot box. Brian Connolly, Vice President of the USF Faculty Senate also joined us to discuss the university faculty’s perspective on House Bill 999 and what they perceive to be the death of academic freedom in Florida in House Bill 999. Both Leader Driskell and Prof. Connolly agree that this bill would have devastating consequences for the reputation and quality of Florida higher education, but, like the school voucher bill, it would also have devastating economic impacts that could even lead to the need for a state income tax in Florida.
One positive thing…The Florida High School Athletic Assn. was going to require all female student-athletes to disclose their menstrual history to their schools. Rep. Driskell’s caucus sent a letter to the FHSAA demanding they reverse course and asking them questions as to why they were doing this, and within 48 hours, they withdrew that policy. While not a legislative victory, because the Democrats lack the numbers now to affect legislation, it was undoubtedly a policy victory that protected female and trans Florida high schoolers.
The Florida legislative session with the new Republican super-majority begins next week, Tuesday. It’s the most dangerous time of the year in Florida.
The post MidPoint with Florida House Minority Leader Fentrice Driskell appeared first on WMNF.
https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/NEWS_RedTideSS0227.mp3Red Tide is back in several Tampa Bay area coastal counties. But, it’s outside of the typical season.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission reports low to medium concentrations of red tide in Pinellas and Manatee County and high concentrations in Sarasota County. Red tide is when there is a higher-than-normal concentration of a particular kind of algae. Red Tide can kill marine life and be harmful to humans.
Matthew Garrett, Associate Researcher at Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, says it’s not typical red tide season in Florida.
“We typically see it usually in the later months, in the fall and into the winter, so September into kind of December is the main time we typically see them, so having it this time of year, although, again, is not totally unheard of, it’s typically less common.” he tells WMNF News.
As for when we should expect it to disappear- it’s currently unknown.
“We’re really good at knowing where it is now, and trying to get better at knowing where it’s going to be, but the initiation and the termination of these bloom events has become, is still enigmatic so they’re kind of hard to predict and tell.”
The post Red tide reported outside of typical season appeared first on WMNF.
In the Spring of 2021 we learned that the University of South Florida had put out a request for information (RFI) to developers for their ideas for the land that includes the USF Forest Preserve and the university’s golf course.
But students, faculty and the community pushed back.
Eventually, a year ago, the new president of USF, Rhea Law, said “we have ended the RFI process” and an advisory committee recommended management for the preserve.
Now on WMNF’s Tuesday Cafe, we get an update to find out what’s happening a year later.
We spoke with Christian Brown with the group Save USF Forest Preserve. He’s a Ph.D. Candidate and a teaching assistant in the Department of Integrative Biology at the University of South Florida.
Brown told WMNF the new USF administration has ushered in a “friendly era” for the USF Forest Preserve. But he still thinks that work needs to be done to protect the land for the future.
Listen to this show here:WMNF’s Tuesday CaféTuesday Café airs weekly on WMNF beginning at 10:06 a.m. ET.
You can listen live on 88.5 FM in Tampa Bay, on wmnf.org or on the WMNF Community Radio app.
You can listen anytime on demand on wmnf.org or by subscribing to the Tuesday Café podcast on your favorite podcast platform.
https://open.spotify.com/show/311qfxLFcO8F7ZvnjgZogD – WMNF’s Tuesday Café with Seán Kinane.The post What’s new with efforts to conserve the USF Forest Preserve? appeared first on WMNF.
Florida has closed on a $37.8 million deal that is part of an effort to keep more than 16,000 acres of ranch land in Southwest Florida from future development.
Gov. Ron DeSantis and the state Cabinet approved the deal in August, and the completion was announced Friday by the Florida Conservation Group, which helped facilitate the agreement.
DeSantis and the Cabinet approved purchase of a conservation easement over 11,958 acres at what is known as Horse Creek Ranch in DeSoto and Hardee counties.
Generally, conservation easements shield land from development, while allowing continued use for such things as agriculture.
According to state records, about half of the land is considered “improved pastures,” with the rest in natural condition.
The Peace River runs south through the property to the Charlotte Harbor Estuary.
©2023 The News Service of Florida
The post Florida closes a deal to protect Peace River valley land in DeSoto and Hardee Counties appeared first on WMNF.
Jared Yates Sexton – The Midnight Kingdom – A History Of Power, Paranoia, And The Coming Crisis“I realize people think of me as a doom-sayer” announces Jared Yates Sexton at the beginning of our conversation, Then, he admits, “After writing this book, I’m optimistic!” That’s quite a statement from a writer who is known for unsettling commentaries. The title of his latest book, The Midnight Kingdom – A History Of Power, Paranoia, And The Coming Crisis may suggest the takeaway will be of grave despondency. Instead, it’s a bracing read as the author takes a critical look at the forces that have shaped human civilization for centuries and invites us to seek a radically different future. To fully comprehend these strange and dangerous times, Jared Yates Sexton takes a hard look at America’s history: namely, the abuses committed by those in power and the comforting stories that shaped the way the West has viewed itself up to the present. As reactionaries and authoritarians cling to myths about “Western civilization,” The Midnight Kingdom exposes how political power, religious indoctrination, and economic dominance have been repeatedly weaponized to oppress and exploit, sounding an alarm for what lies ahead as the current order frays. Beginning with the Roman Empire and racing through centuries of colonization, war, genocide, and the recurring clashes of progress and regression, Sexton finds our modern world at a crossroads. In an echo of past crises, we have arrived at a time of historic inequality and fading trust in our institutions. Meanwhile, authoritarianism is gaining momentum and the progress of the twentieth century is being rolled back at dizzying speed. This catastrophic moment holds terrible potential for a return to a totalitarian past or, potentially, a better, more real, more human future. The difference depends on a true reckoning with our history and the larger forces at play or hiding behind this disastrous fantasy of Western superiority.Image by Christian Plass from Pixabay
Robert Hunziker on the new acronym for UFOsUnidentified Anomalous Phenomena or UAPs, the new acronym for UFOs doesn’t have a classy ring to it. The Pentagon’s decision to rename UFOs as UAPs is a big letdown. UAP is dull, unexciting, hard to remember, who really cares?. It’s an ugly acronym that takes the fun and sport out of ufology. But they’re still out there! UFOs. For example, Lt. Cmdr. Alex Dietrich of “60 Minutes” fame saw one on November 14, 2004, as a newly winged pilot of a regular training mission with the USS Nimitz Carrier Strike Group. A very fast-moving erratic object came into her view. Her leader Cmdr. Dave Fravor instructed her to “hang back and be his wingman” as he flew closer to inspect the strange object. The UFO started “mirroring his flight movements” and then “it suddenly disappeared.” After the incident, she and her commander agreed if they had been solo, they would not have reported the sighting. Intimidation by colleagues and the press override the reality of the moment to avoid the epithet “UFO freak.” According to Navy fighter pilot Ryan Graves: “A cube in a sphere” is how to describe the UFOs. Another test pilot, also in 2014, reported: “A cube-in-a-sphere riding with him within 30 feet before it ‘zipped off.” Another pilot in a F/A-18F fighter in the same year had “a near collision with a cube-in-a-sphere” object. A June 2021 Pentagon report claims US Navy pilots reported 144 sightings of UAPs (UFOs) since 2004. Interestingly, according to the Pentagon, most of the sightings “probably do represent physical objects.” (Source: Footage of Bizarre Metallic UFO Shown by Pentagon Officials at Historic Hearing, LiveScience, May 17, 2022). The first official close-range sighting of a UFO occurred in 1948 when two Eastern Airline pilots in a DC-3 observed a “large, cigar-shaped light speed toward them at a tremendous velocity before making an impossibly abrupt turn and vanishing into a clear sky,” Ibid. What is official now but was not been treated seriously over the past decades is a new level of competence and resolute seriousness. “The U.A.P. issue is being taken very seriously now even compared to where it was two or three years ago,” claims a former Pentagon official,” Ibid. In a fascinating twist of fate, the author of The New Yorker story met with a lieutenant colonel of the Air Force who encountered a UFO that registered on his plane’s sensors. He never reported the incident because of fear of intimidation, but when the Nimitz story came out in the New York Times, his buddies, whom he had privately confided his story of seeing “a 40-foot-long craft that disobeyed known principles of aerodynamics and looked exactly like the Tic Tac seen by Commander Fravor,” they called to tell him they apologized for calling him “an idiot.” They are out there!Portions are from an original piece in CounterPunch by Robert Hunziker, a frequent contributor to Life Elsewhere.Tommy Ashby – LamplighterScottish singer-songwriter, Tommy Ashby says the title of his debut album, Lamplighter is named after the great Edinburgh poet Norman MacCaig’s Praise of a Man, “It depicts all the people who were lamplighters in my life”. This is an impressive collection of songwriting. A delicate emotive veil drapes over every song, not so usual for male artists. His voice is strong and certainly pleasant, and the arrangements are well-considered. There is a faint familiarity here, yet Ashby does not rely on obvious codas or ideas. Totally satisfying as you’ll hear with When Love Goes Dark. Top marks for the production and be sure to check out the videos that accompany almost all the tracks. We’ve had this album on repeat, it’s that good.The post The Optimism Of Jared Yates Sexton. UFOs Or UAPs? New Music To Indulge In appeared first on WMNF.
About our guestOur guest on Monday was Dr. Amanda Pike. She is a board-certified therapist, certified educational leader, and the owner (with her husband and son) of a two-acre, Florida permaculture farm. It is complete with over 200 species of edible plants, free-roaming chickens, and 26 beehives. Dr. Pike serves as Education Chair and Chapter Representative for the Palm Beach County chapter of the Native Plant Society. As a local 4-H program facilitator, Dr. Pike helps make food forestry an accessible and practical landscaping option for the community.
60-90% of their land is feeding them and others depending on the season.
How can we all improve through sustainability practices?You can make decisions daily by watching nature improving quality-of-life, when you have more things in your landscape you become an oasis or animal and insect activity, which reduces stress. Sedentary lifestyles create a lot of health problems but working in your garden gets those steps in. We used to use an odometer for steps AND now you are getting out there and MOVING! You also have control over the health of your soil in turn, the health of your food. Also harvesting and eating right away ensures it’s the highest of all the nutrients possible.
Looking at what we need to grow for our own food forests:We all need macro nutrients and micronutrients for a balanced diet.
In a food forest, you grow the most you can harvest.
to supply these are:
Macro: 60%
Proteins starches, carbohydrates, oils
Make flour from green bananas (split skin and boil for 10 minutes, remove the skin, slice up, dehydrate, and grind for flour)
Pidgeon pea, winged bean, coco plum, tropical almond, Avocado, coconut. etc.
Micro: 30%
Foods rich in vitamins and minerals
Moringa leaves, achira (edible canna), and Ambika (south sea salad). Herbs etc. (fermented foods “think Kim chi, sauerkraut)
Photo chemicals 10%
Essential shade plants would be jackfruit, pidgeon pea, winged bean (equivalent to soybeans)
Mixing native plants is essential in a food forest because they are SUPPOSED to be here. They provide the soil microbes, insects, bees, and birds
What is necessary for optimum health. That in turn links what the plants you have in your food forest to what is naturally provided for their needs.
Bidens AlbaBidens Alba is the 3rd most important pollinator plant in Florida. Also, a bioremediator. Bioremediation is a technique used to remove environmental contaminants from the ecosystem. It utilizes the biological mechanisms inherent in microbes and plants to eradicate hazardous pollutants and restore the ecosystem to its original condition.
(Marigold African Jack is the nematode suppressant flower … from Whitwam Organics Michelle James mentioned on last week’s show)
Note that Nematodes are more prevalent in direct sun so dappled light is a better way to reduce them naturally. The sweet spot has a lower UV intensity. Working WITH the microbes, not against them.
Remember a seed is temperature sensitive. So, it holds dormancy and when the ground warms, the rainy season happens and they sprout.
GREAT takeaway….
You plant when it’s convenient for you
and
the seed sprouts when it’s convenient for it.
I noticed Amanda is creating lots of unusual dishes with your farmed produce… She figured that out and has many listed in her Facebook shares.
Amanda’s BookAmanda has a book coming out in April “Transforming Florida Yards”. It’s to help people learn how to change their land into a productive place. There are also a lot of recipes and techniques in it.
BOOK LINK: https://a.co/d/68FPIUF
Empowered with 200 easy-to-follow, one-page reference sheets for 200 plants (with corresponding hardiness zone, recipes, cultural information, and landscaping design tips), readers will quickly watch their lawns transform into a gorgeous, yet edible paradise.
Book descriptionTransforming Florida Yards offers readers a way to easily grow edible plants by creating a natural ecosystem. All one needs to successfully begin their food forest is a lawn and this book! Knowing which plants grow in each part of the state (north, central, and south) simplifies the steps to create a flourishing garden. Permaculture, or the process of working with nature rather than against it, teaches affordable, sustainable, and research-based ways to beautify surroundings. Backyard gardens also lower the risk of food insecurity and help prepare communities for continuous climate change.
Thanks to ample rainfall and warm temperatures, Florida is perfect for growing produce, herbs, and other edibles year-round. Most plants in a food forest are long-lived and low maintenance. Often, food forests even take care of their fertilization and pest control!
FB LINK: Transforming Florida Yards | Jupiter FL | Facebook
https://www.pike-wellness.com/
Make SURE to Tune in next Monday morning at 11 for the next Sustainable Living Show. We will have Elisha Blixer live on the show sharing about keeping and saving bees.
Follow our Facebook page Sustainable Living WMNF to stay in the loop. Also to listen to our past shows Just go to “listen on demand” on wmnf.org. stay tuned as we promote a balance of people, profit, and planet.
For this weeks full show:
https://sound.wmnf.org/sound/wmnf_230116_110600_sustain1_392.MP3AND
Remember if you are looking for someone to save the world – look in the mirror.
Events:1. UF/IFAS Extension Manatee County’s Residential Horticulture Program is hosting a community-wide scavenger hunt to celebrate Florida Arbor Day, Jan. 20.
Participants can explore Emerson Point Preserve, Conservatory Park, The Nest at Robinson Preserve, and Downtown Bradenton’s Riverwalk while searching for trees with a TreeQuest tag. Once found, participants can scan the QR code on the tag to open an online survey where they will be asked to enter information about the tree and register an email address for the chance to win prizes.
In addition to the QR code, each tag will have information about the specific tree including its common name, scientific name, and environmental impact.
TreeQuest encourages residents to get outside and enjoy local parks while learning about tree species native to Florida and their benefits.
- Plant sale and swap at Urban Roots Garden Supply this Saturday, January 21st from 10 am-12:30. Everyone is welcome to come trade/sell/buy plants and mingle with other planty people in the Tampa area.
The post Sustainable Living: Dr. Amanda Pike transforming Florida landscapes into edible food forests appeared first on WMNF.
Starting next Friday, Duke customers can request a free tree online. According to an email from Duke Energy, the one-gallon trees will be shipped directly to the customer’s home, it comes with planting and care instructions. Customers can choose which tree they would prefer. The options of trees include: the dahoon holly, sweetbay magnolia, baldcypress, crape myrtle (pink) and crape myrtle (red). The trees will be shipped on April 28th. These trees are being distributed through Duke’s Energy-Saving Trees Program. To sign up go to arborday.org/dukeenergy.
The post Duke Energy is giving away 1,200 trees appeared first on WMNF.
About our GuestOn this week’s show, we had Michelle Meetze James, and she has all the plant obsessions. Michelle has a large rose garden, mostly tea roses. She has a large hydroponic tomato setup that she built from scratch. Also starts and grows other herbs and vegetables from seed. She is a member of the Tampa Bay Begonia Society also with the Tampa Orchid Club and a member of the International Rare Fruit Council. Michelle is also the Vice President of the Davis Islands Garden Club. She writes and takes photos for the yard of the month article for the Davis Islands Stroll Magazine. In her spare time, she started a Facebook gardening group with our beloved John Starnes. She regularly teaches kids gardening classes and last year was on the Rose Circle Garden Tour. (And was a huge hit!)
Michelle was inspired as a child by her grandad here in South Tampa. Her grandad was a barber in South Dale Mabry. Her grandparents back yard was the literal definition of a Victory Garden. Spending time there as a child was like being in a farmers market wonderland. Her grandad also was a blue-ribbon winner at the Florida State Fair for his giant Jade plant that was proximately 6 feet across.
RosesTalking about roses…. Learned from Hardin’s Roses but has transitioned to organic because of John Starnes and David Whitwam. Roses are planted everywhere the sun is available. Lots of native plants, herbs, watermelons, and pumpkins are planted with roses to create diversification since a monoculture of plants sets one up for pest problems.
Has a huge cut flower garden AND a hydroponic growing system (Dutch buckets) she built herself. All kinds of heirloom grow prolifically all fall, winter and spring.
Goes to show, to involve yourself specifically of how with the love of gardening and nature you can do for yourself and help others as well. That and there are so many directions to go in…. All which makes you more sustainable and shows others how they can be more sustainable too.
To listen to the full show for this week:
https://sound.wmnf.org/sound/wmnf_230109_110600_sustain1_392.MP3Helpful LinksStarted Facebook Gardening Group:
Tampa Gardening Unplugged
Hydroponic Tomatoes
https://cropking.com/blog/dutch-bucket-hydroponics
Tampa Bay Begonia Society
https://begoniasocietyoftampabay.com/
Tampa Orchid Club
https://www.orchids.org/organizations/tampa-bay-orchid-society
Rare Fruit Council
https://rarefruit.org/
Davis Islands “Stroll” magazine- photographer
https://www.strollmag.com/locations/d
VP of the Davis Islands Garden Club
http://digclub.org/
Campa Wekiva Nature Camp The only Garden Club Club camp in the US
http://www.wekivayouthcamp.org/
Junior Gardeners “Tribe, Dirt Nerds”
Kristen Brown w/ TRIBE
https://www.tribeseminoleheights.com/
John Starnes
https://gnarlyfarms.wordpress.com/2020/02/09/obituary-for-john-a-starnes-jr/
David Whitwam
https://whitwamorganics.com/?gclid=CjwKCAiA2fmdBhBpEiwA4CcHzSKdq0ybTtqeVelYaR70aRGtjGbp34TgAt5NYsHWIC10awCZahqA_RoCRQcQAvD_BwE
The post Sustainable Living: Community Involvement appeared first on WMNF.
Red Tide has remained in Southwest Florida as of Wednesday. Medium levels of red tide have been discovered in Pinellas, Hillsborough, Manatee, and Sarasota Counties and at the mouth of Tampa Bay. As reported on the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s website, higher concentrations are being measured in Charlotte County. Lower levels are detected in Madeira Beach and Maximo Park, located in Pinellas County. Red tide has not been found in Lee County and Collier County. There are reports of fish kills likely caused by red tide from Pinellas County to Sarasota County. For more information please go to: www.myfwc.com.
The post Red tide still lingers from Pinellas to Sarasota appeared first on WMNF.
Michael Middlebrooks is an associate professor of biology at The University of Tampa. He was recently awarded a grant by the Tampa Bay Environmental Restoration Fund to study how seagrasses in Tampa Bay are being replaced by macroalgae called Caulerpa. We spoke about seagrasses and his research on WMNF’s Tuesday Café.
In 2018 the executive director of the Tampa Bay Estuary Program told St. Pete City Council that breaches should be made in the causeways over Tampa Bay to improve water flow and conditions for seagrasses. But the breaches never happened.
Listen to the full show here:Watch the interview with UT professor Michael Middlebrooks:Arts 4 All FloridaWe also spoke with Karla Aguayo, the Director of Programs with Arts4All Florida and their Youth Ensemble Coordinator, Matt Weihmuller, about their Young Performers Program.
It’s a state-wide competition for performing artists with disabilities ages 14-25 years old. You can email Karla at karlaa@usf.edu.
Watch the interview with Arts4AllFlorida:WMNF’s Tuesday CaféWMNF’s Tuesday Café airs weekly beginning at 10:06 a.m. ET.
You can listen on 88.5 FM in Tampa Bay, on wmnf.org or on the WMNF Community Radio app.
The post UT study of seagrass in Tampa Bay plus Arts4AllFlorida competition for young artists with disabilities appeared first on WMNF.
On Monday’s show we had Bob Linde, AP, RH Acupuncture Physician, and registered Herbalist (AHG).
About Our GuestBob is the owner of Acupuncture & Herbal Therapies and the Traditions School of Herbal Studies in St. Petersburg, Florida. He has been serving the Tampa Bay community for over 25 years. Teaching about medicinal and edible plants that grow in your own back yard. Bob recently completed 12 episodes for INTI TV, “Sanaciones con Bob Linde”, an exploration of indigenous people’s herbal practices. You can stream these episodes on YouTube.
There is a fast-growing herbal community here in Tampa Bay as well as many of the powerful bioregional plants that grow in your own backyard.
The four biggest herbs talked about on the showA good takeaway is this is not FDA approved.
St John’s Wort Oil: topically for nerve pain and low blood sugars BUT using internally can interfere with LOTS of western medicines (Birth control pills for example).
Bidens Alba (Spanish needle): both edible and so effective and is an anti-microbial. It can be used for a lingering cough. Tsp and tablespoon but chew raw if possible. New leaves and plants have already flowered.
Turmeric: It should be chopped and used in tea for anti-microbial, anti-inflammatory, or digestive (Curry).
Golden milk: best to put in the milk of your choice, turmeric, ginger, and a sweetener if preferred.
If you enjoyed this show and our weekly content, please go to WMNF.org, donating through the tip jar and directing your donation to the Sustainable Living show.
Make SURE to Tune in next Monday morning at 11 for the next Sustainable Living Show. Kenny and Anni will be talking to each other and you!
All thoughts from you about being sustainable in Florida today and what the future brings.
2 questions:
- What is your current purpose in life?”
- If you could come up with one rule that the entire world had to follow what would it be and why?”
Follow our Facebook page Sustainable Living WMNF to stay in the loop. Also, to listen to our past shows Just go to “listen on demand”
https://sound.wmnf.org/sound/wmnf_221219_110600_sustain1_392.MP3https://www.wmnf.org/events/sustainable-living/
Remember if you are looking for someone to save the world – look in the mirror. Bye, Bye!
Events happening soonThursday & Friday December 22nd & 23rd
The end of the year wears down most of us! No worries, we have the perfect relief for you!
Join them at Acupuncture and Herbal Therapies: 2520 Central Ave for a community style FREE Stress Clinic.
Enjoy basic Acu care, Ear seeds, and magnet therapy in a seated group setting.
Sessions are 30-40min.
No appointments necessary, just walk in!
Donations accepted
FREE Herb Walk NEW YEARS DAY. It’s from 9 in the morning to 11 in the afternoon at Forrest Bluff Park located at 4th St South and 64th avenue South in St Pete. Walk around with Bob Linde and discover the wonders of what every yard has and the medicinal use of many of our native plants.
Helpful Links:Black forager: https://www.npr.org/sections/codeswitch/2021/09/09/173838801/meet-alexis-nikole-nelson-the-wildly-popular-black-forager
Event:
https://www.earthskills.com/
Contact for Bob Linde:
www.acuherbals.com
www.traditionsherbschool.com
The post Sustainable Living: Herbs appeared first on WMNF.
With Hillsborough County’s proposed All for Transportation tax dead, Tampa City Council Chairman Joseph Citro wants to use Community Redevelopment Agency funds to extend Tampa’s streetcar. CRAs are parts of the city where increases in property tax revenues are directed back into the areas where they were collected
Citro pointed out that the streetcar runs through three CRAs and would extend to a fourth, so all four could support construction of the extension. State and federal transportation officials have allocated funding for the project, but it requires a local match. The city was counting on the transportation tax for that match.
Besides improving the city’s transit network in the urban core, extending the streetcar would also help Tampa build more affordable housing along the route by easing parking requirements on developers, Citro said.
In a wide-ranging interview, Citro also touched on Tampa’s search for a way to reuse 50 million gallons of highly treated waster water that’s dumped into the Bay every day, the recent forced resignation of the Tampa police chief, former Sen. Janet Cruz’s challenged to appointed City Council member Lynn Hurtak, and his days as a DJ at WMNF.
Listen to the entire show here or by searching for WMNF WaveMakers wherever you listen to podcasts.
https://sound.wmnf.org/sound/wmnf_221213_110600_wvm1_461.MP3The post Tampa City Council chair: Use redevelopment money to extend streetcar appeared first on WMNF.
The Florida Department of Health in Pinellas County has announced a Health Alert for Pinellas County Beaches as a result of red tide bloom. According to the Bradenton Herald, red tide has spread to the south end of Pinellas County. In Anna Maria Island and off the northeast side of the island there were medium levels of red tide detected. High levels were found further offshore and near the mouth of Lower Tampa Bay. The red tide was identified in 76 water samples off of Hillsborough, Pinellas, Manatee, Sarasota, Charlotte, Lee and Collier counties over the past week. Reducing the nutrient loads in the water will help decrease the levels of red tide according to the Sarasota Bay Estuary Program Director.
Listen:https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/NEWS_RedTide1209V.wavFor more information visit: https://myfwc.maps.arcgis.com/apps/View/index.html?appid=87162eec3eb846218cec711d16462a72
For more information about the red tide: http://pinellas.floridahealth.gov/programs-and-services/environmental-health/water-programs/red-tide/index.html.
Over the next 36 hours, @noaacoastalsci is forecasting a HIGH risk of respiratory irritation from Karenia brevis (red tide) at some beaches in PINELLAS county. Conditions may vary. For latest updates at individual beaches, see https://t.co/tc4O9Me2gL. pic.twitter.com/oWqMqpi4T3
— NWS Tampa Bay (@NWSTampaBay) December 9, 2022
Thread. (1/x) via the #Florida Department of Health in Pinellas County
"RED TIDE PRESENT IN THE GULF
Health Alert for Pinellas County BeachesThe Florida Department of Health in Pinellas County (DOH-Pinellas) is notifying the public of a Red Tide bloom currently …"
— Seán Kinane WMNF (@wmnfnews) December 9, 2022
The post Pinellas Health Department has declared a health alert due to the red tide appeared first on WMNF.
The Mayor calls it “PURE.” The Tampa City Council calls it “Toilet To Tap.” It is the plan to mix highly treated wastewater with the City’s drinking water by 2032. Environmentalists and neighborhood activists strongly oppose it, saying we don’t know enough to deem it safe or how much it will cost. But, State law says Tampa can’t keep dumping its treated wastewater into Tampa Bay. Recently, the Florida Dept. of Environmental Protection declined to give Tampa an exemption from the state statute that requires wastewater be used for “beneficial purposes” and Florida’s DEP found that releasing it in the bay did not comply.
Objections to the project are widespread.Stakeholders, Gary Gibbons, Vice Chair of the Tampa Bay Sierra Club, Phil Compton, President of Tampa’s Friends of the River, and Carroll Ann Bennett, Vice President of THAN, the collective of Tampa’s neighborhood associations, all shared their objections and their recommendations with MidPoint on December 7. The stakeholders have 3 primary objections: they object to the City’s failure to present any evidence that there is a real need for a different plan for the wastewater; they claim that there are no scientific standards yet for determining what are safe levels of “contaminants of concern” which are “new” pollutants and substances for which there are no scientifically acceptable levels in drinking water; and, the City has not shared how the costs of the PURE project would be passed on to water consumers. Until these issues can be resolved, there is an overwhelming objection to moving forward with the PURE project among City residents.
What will become of our wastewater now?The state statute that is forcing Tampa to address its wastewater in a different manner is an objectionable statewide “one size fits all” requirement, according to Gibbons. It does not acknowledge the unique character of the Tampa waterways nor does it recognize that Tampa’s current plan for releasing reclaimed water into Tampa Bay may in fact be a “beneficial use” of its wastewater. The stakeholders are therefore seeking an amendment to the state statute that would recognize the distinct character of the City of Tampa’s water supply that obviates the need for a different wastewater disposition plan, and that would allow the City greater flexibility in planning for the disposition of wastewater going forward. They are asking Tampa residents to lobby the Mayor, and asking the Mayor and the City to lobby the Florida legislature to amend the statute to allow Tampa to either come up with a different plan or have more time to answer the residents’ concerns about the PURE plan before its implementation is mandated.
The City’s plan comes back before City Council in January.
Listen to the entire show here: https://sound.wmnf.org/sound/wmnf_221207_100600_12newsW1_423.MP3
The post PURE or “Toilet to Tap”? What’s Going in Tampa’s Drinking Water? appeared first on WMNF.
Today we talked with Kelly Hawaii from Lüfka Refillables, a zero-waste store. We thought December is the perfect time to talk about how to give sustainable gifts for the holidays. It all ties in with our goal to promote a balance of people, profit, and planet.
About our GuestKelly Hawaii is one of the co-founders of the Lüfka Refillables Zero Waste Store. Kelly and her husband, Parosh, started Lüfka together in 2018. Before she became a business owner in Tampa, she was a professor who lived overseas for 10 years. She lived in South Korea, Thailand, Northern Iraq, and The Republics of Georgia and Poland. While living abroad, she gained many insights into sustainability, waste management, herbalism, Eastern medicine, and soap making.
Thank you, Kelly, for helping us find alternative and sustainable ways to live in our day-to-day home life.
Sustainable GiftsWe discussed making our own wrapping paper. Using reusable bags (then they have them to use for groceries later) give the gift of experience. It can be membership to a museum, a class that they would enjoy, a farmers CSA, a massage. A gift card to a zero-waste store, regift items, homemade gifts…food items, plants, re gift gardening tools, or seeds. You can make a pot of herbs you grow for them or the ingredients to grow things themselves. A composting kit and perhaps a composting class to go with it. We honestly do not need more new THINGS! Think about someone’s universal needs list and think creatively how to fill it. You will introduce a better way to live and you as the giver have broadened the ways of being a better steward of our beautiful planet earth. Mother Nature needs all the help she can get!
Website for Lüfka: https://www.lufka.com/
Store locations:
Lüfka Seminole Heights:
4222 North Florida Avenue, Tampa, Florida 33603
Lüfka South Tampa:
4217 W Bay to Bay Blvd Tampa, Florida 33629
Lüfka Wesley Chapel:
27221 SR 56 Wesley Chapel, Florida 33544
To hear the full show click below:
https://sound.wmnf.org/sound/wmnf_221205_110600_sustain1_392.MP3Helpful Links:For upcoming Events in December:
https://www.facebook.com/communitygardencoalition12345/?mibextid=LQQJ4d
Good ideas for gift wrapping:
https://ecocult.com/15-eco-friendly-gift-wrap-ideas-that-look-chic-not-cheap/
Compostable doggie bags:
https://doggydogood.com/products/premium-pet-waste-bags-on-rolls?utm_source=google&utm_medium=paid&utm_campaign=9299884040&utm_content=99506883292&utm_term=biodegradable%20dog%20poop%20bags&gadid=635895356573&gclid=Cj0KCQiAyracBhDoARIsACGFcS6IL_pY-Xcp5ULkgL1039-u3nVwG0wm9HPgVsDYs0CD1WcFhV6s3BQaAm5sEALw_wcB
As promised… books to promote sustainability:
https://www.secondsale.com/p/start-your-zero-waste-home-how-to-save-money-save-the-environment-and-simplify-your-life-by-learning-to-reuse-recycle-and-reduce-your-waste/26595031?ean13=9781798910658&id_product_attribute=64332014
https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/reduce-reuse-recycle-an-easy-household-guide-the-little-green-guides_nicky-scott/791795/item/7354528/?gclid=Cj0KCQiAyracBhDoARIsACGFcS4Owj_zCtkaBilzajw8SvQnQ8r68PY4sKRuEQNXvhYZPLgWMKbw-ZgaAqAPEALw_wcB#idiq=7354528&edition=5112956
A list of books to choose from:
https://www.ourendangeredworld.com/eco/books-on-sustainable-living/
The post Sustainable Living: Sustainable Gifts for the Holidays Featuring Lüfka Refillables appeared first on WMNF.
Florida wildlife officials approved a seasonal no-entry zone in an area of Brevard County waters where manatees gather.
The post Florida wildlife officials approve manatee protections in Brevard County appeared first on WMNF.
Congressman Kathy Castor shares her takeaways after attending the United Nations climate in Egypt and USF climate scientist Don Chambers talks about Florida's coastlines over the millennia.
The post After the COP27 summit, next steps in the climate crisis appeared first on WMNF.
Today’s guest was Dr. Katherine Clements, an ecology and natural resource educator through UF IFAS. We discussed invasive species.
The post Sustainable Living: Invasive Species appeared first on WMNF.
Today’s guest on Sustainable Living is Virginia Overstreet. We talked about gardening for dragonflies AND damselflies.
The post Sustainable Living: Dragonflies and damselflies appeared first on WMNF.
Author Duncan P. Forgey speaks on “Talking Animals” about his debut novel, Flyin’ Kai: A Pelican’s Tale, an inventive yarn, starting with a pelican occupying the center of the story.
The post Author Duncan Forgey discusses his inventive debut novel, “Flyin’ Kai: A Pelican’s Tale”–and its 50-year history appeared first on WMNF.
Conservation groups filed an emergency petition seeking expanded boat-speed limits to protect endangered North Atlantic right whales.
The post Protections sought for endangered North Atlantic right whales appeared first on WMNF.
Red tide has been identified off Southwest Florida’s coastline. Researchers want to know how Hurricane Ian muddled the Gulf of Mexico.
The post Red Tide identified off Southwest Florida’s coastline appeared first on WMNF.
The Florida Wildlife Corridor is comprised of 18 million acres that's vital for the survival of panthers, bears, gopher tortoises, snakes and other wildlife. Listen to this podcast to learn how to explore it—and protect it.
The post Mallory Dimmitt on the Florida Wildlife Corridor appeared first on WMNF.
Monopolistic electric utilities in Florida have been caught cheating, scamming, and funding ghost candidates in our elections to maintain their outsize influence in State politics and keep their profits soaring.
The post MidPoint: Why Are My Electric Bills So High?? appeared first on WMNF.
This week we talked with Dr. Dave Himmelfarb. He is a professor and instructor of Environmental Studies at Eckerd College St. Pete Center.
The post Sustainable Living: Urban Farm appeared first on WMNF.
There is a new bus route is opening in Pinellas County called the “The SunRunner”. It starts service next Friday October 21st.
The post The SunRunner bus service begins operation on Friday October 21st appeared first on WMNF.
Federal wildlife officials have rejected listing gopher tortoises in Florida as endangered or threatened species.
The post The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service denies a request to list Florida gopher tortoises as endangered or threatened species appeared first on WMNF.
St Pete City leaders voted unanimously to ban smoking and vaping at public parks. This ban will not be enforced right away.
The post St. Pete bans smoking and vaping at city beaches and parks appeared first on WMNF.
Hurricane Ian caused a lot of tree damage. Here are tips to help differentiate an expert tree service from an incompetent one.
The post Tips for hiring an arborist for Hurricane Ian damage appeared first on WMNF.
Hillsborough County Solid Waste Services is providing information for residents and business owners who are cleaning up after Hurricane Ian.
The post Cleaning up debris after Hurricane Ian – details for Hillsborough County appeared first on WMNF.
Florida wildlife officials are set to establish a “seasonal” no-entry zone in Brevard County waters to further protect threatened manatees
The post Florida considers seasonal protections for manatees appeared first on WMNF.
This week on Sustainable Living, we talked with Robert Northrop, Andrew Koeser AND Brian Knox about The Urban Forest and tree canopy study.
The post Sustainable Living: The Urban Forest appeared first on WMNF.
Heavy rainfall is causing localized flooding. People should use caution, avoid flooded areas and shore up properties with sandbags.
The post Heavy rains have caused local flooding in Polk and Pasco Counties. Here’s where you can get sandbags appeared first on WMNF.
Florida had a reported 671 manatee deaths from Jan. 1 through last week. Pinellas County has the most in the Tampa Bay area with 25.
The post 671 manatees have died in Florida so far this year; here’s the breakdown by county appeared first on WMNF.
Ward talked about the Cabinet decision to protect more of the Florida Wildlife Corridor, his work for National Geographic and his newest project, the documentary film, "The Path of the Panther," which is now on the festival circuit and set to stream soon.
The post State votes to protect more land for Florida Wildlife Corridor appeared first on WMNF.
Environmental journalist, Robert Hunziker, a frequent contributor to Life Elsewhere shares his opinion on why temperatures across Europe are reaching record highs; why people in Seattle where home air-conditioning is unusual are suffering from extreme heat; how can Florida, already swelteringly hot half of the year, have a heat index that is the highest it... Read more »
The post The Tragedy Of Slenderman. A Petition For Climate Protection appeared first on WMNF.
Marine Science professors Gowans and Siuda at Eckerd College monitor and reduce plastic consumption with EPA grant.
The post Eckerd College professors awarded nearly $500,000 from EPA to reduce plastic consumption appeared first on WMNF.
Photos and video of the lunar eclipse and the sunrise from Pass-a-Grille Beach, St. Pete Beach, Florida on 26 May 2021.
The post There’s a total lunar eclipse Sunday. Here’s what to expect appeared first on WMNF.
Sigi is the principal designer at Down to Earth Design. She founded the company in 1998 to help people achieve their dreams of living in natural and healthy homes.
The post Building naturally and living sustainably with Sigi Koko, Down to Earth Design appeared first on WMNF.
May 4, 2022 is World Carnivorous Plant Day. Manny Herrera explains how Florida's carnivorous plants lure, catch and digest their prey.
The post Discovering Florida’s Carnivorous Plants with Kenny Coogan and Manny Herrera appeared first on WMNF.
On April 25, 20222 show Kenny and Anni interviewed Virginia Overstreet to find out how to promote pollinators in the backyard.
The post Promoting pollinators in the backyard with Virginia Overstreet appeared first on WMNF.
Environmental issues have been a long standing concern for decades. These concerns eventually led to the creation of an an annual Earth Day celebration which has been occurring on April 22nd since 1970. In addition to this annual event, the Earth Day Network works year around to include: exploring the history of Earth Day, learning... Read more »
The post “Earth Day”, “Every Day” on Morning Energy appeared first on WMNF.
Governor Ron DeSantis nominated Albert Maury for the Florida Fish & Wildlife Commission; Maury was fined for speeding in a manatee zone.
The post Governor’s nominee to the FWC was fined for speeding in a manatee protection zone appeared first on WMNF.
On April 18, 20222 show Kenny and Anni interviewed Michele Northrop, organizer of Tampa's 13th Annual Ecofest.
The post Tampa’s 13th Annual Ecofest appeared first on WMNF.
As the world continues to see climate change become a pressing (though controversial) issue, the U.S. has seen Tampa’s own House Representative Kathy Castor take charge in leading the fight. Castor chairs the House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis, and spoke with WMNF’s WaveMakers this week about the work she’s doing in this field.... Read more »
The post WaveMakers: Changing Climates with Rep. Kathy Castor appeared first on WMNF.
The Florida Department of Environmental Protection reports a possible tear in the lining of Mosaic’s New Wales gypstack.
The post Possible tear in the lining of Mosaic’s New Wales gypstack appeared first on WMNF.
This week on MidPoint, Mariella Smith and George Cassidy about Tampa Bay's Water Wars, and the nonprofit Tampa Bay Water.
The post MidPoint: Winning the Water Wars appeared first on WMNF.
This Friday there is a Produce Giveaway in Lealman. The Pinellas County Board of County Commissioners is partnering with Farm Share to sponsor the Produce Giveaway. The produce is fresh from Florida farmers recovering crops. The event is first-come, first-serve, and drive-thru only. The giveaway is Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. at Lealman Connection Center 3875 54th Avenue North, in Lealman. For additional information visit farmshare.org.
The post Free produce giveaway on Friday in Lealman appeared first on WMNF.
Water Conservation April has been declared Water Conservation Month because Florida is typically dry in April.
According to an email from the Southwest Florida Water Management District, leaks are the biggest water waster both indoors and outdoors.
A way to save water indoors is to only run your washing machine and dishwasher when they are full. Outdoors you can conserve water by checking your home’s irrigation system for leaks and never leaving sprinklers unattended. You can use a kitchen timer to remind yourself to turn sprinklers off.
Indoor and outdoor water-saving tips from SWFWMD * Use the shortest clothes washing cycle for lightly soiled loads; normal and permanent-press wash cycles use more water. * Thaw frozen food in the refrigerator or microwave, not under running water. * Scrape, don’t rinse, your dishes before loading in the dishwasher. * Install high-efficiency shower heads, faucets and toilets. * Turn off your irrigation system and only water as needed. * Use a hose with a shut-off nozzle when washing the car. * Consider installing a rain barrel with a drip irrigation system for watering your landscaping. Rainwater is free and better for your plants because it doesn’t contain hard minerals.
Listen here: The post April is water conservation month in Florida – here’s how you can save water appeared first on WMNF.
New FERC rules The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has updated its policy on natural gas pipelines. A Tampa Bay area member of congress is happy with the change.
FERC’s new rules clarify how greenhouse gas emissions are calculated for proposed gas and pipeline projects.
Reaction by Rep. Kathy Castor In an email, Kathy Castor, who is chair of the House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis, applauded the changes. She says the new policy advances the recommendations of the Climate Crisis Action Plan by tacking climate pollution.
Listen here:
The post FERC updates its policy on greenhouse gasses and natural gas pipelines appeared first on WMNF.
Last March more than 200 million gallons of polluted water were pumped from Piney Point into Tampa Bay. The disaster resulted in red tide algae blooms and communities were exposed to radioactive waste.
Phosphogypsum is the radioactive waste from turning phosphate ore into phosphoric acid, used mostly in fertilizers. Piney Point discharged contaminated waste water for 10 days to Tampa Bay last spring. During a panel hosted by the Florida Institute for Health Innovation Wednesday Jaclyn Lopez, Florida Director at the Center for Biological Diversity, says high levels of nitrogen in that water led to an unprecedented red tide.
“We saw one of the worst red tides I’ve ever seen in Tampa Bay,” Lopez said. “And it started just a few months after this big discharge.”
A year’s worth of nitrogen in two weeks’ time Lopez says red tide is naturally occurring, but that’s not what happened after Piney Point. Lopez says a year’s worth of nitrogen hit Tampa Bay in less than two weeks’ time.
“The tally for dead manatees from red tide in Tampa Bay was about 30,” Lopez said. “Which is many more than what we see in a typical year.”
Gypsum stacks are built in perpetuity because of the radioactive material, says Lopez. And her research shows that most of these stacks are located in poor, minority communities. Residents in Progress Village near Piney Point, fought back against the gypsum stacks in the 1970s. Ultimately, the stacks were built.
“These stacks aren’t gonna go anywhere except maybe into the ocean or into a sink hole,” Lopez said. “They are concentrated in low wealth communities. They’re also concentrated in black and Latino communities.”
Catherine Toms with Healthcare Without Harm says eventually gypsum dries and turns into radon gas, which can post health risks.
“Radon gas is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the U.S., second only to tobacco smoke,” Toms said.
Radon gas linked to higher rates of cancer in mine workers A 2015 study of phosphogypsum mine workers found high levels of cancer as a result of exposure to radioactive waste.
“For lung cancer, there was a 32% increase among these workers,” Toms said. “And for leukemia, there was a 74% increase.”
Last month, the Department of Environmental Protection authorized a deep-well injection permit for Piney Point to discharge the rest of the waste. Lopez says she’s concerned and residents should be too.
“This is despite a broad public disagreement that this is what we should be doing with our waste,” Lopez said. “This would place it below our drinking water.”
Deep well injection began in December. So far, about 266 million gallons remain. Work was slated for completion as of last week. For more information on the Florida Institute for Health Innovation’s Piney Point investigation, visit here.
Listen to the story here:
https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/NEWS_pineypointpanel012622.wav The post Piney Point panel reveals data on red tide and more appeared first on WMNF.
According to a new report from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, 93% of Floridians and 97% of local governments believe that regulating single-use plastics is necessary.
Listen to the story:
https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/NEWS_singleuseplasticstudy.wav Hunter Miller is Florida’s field representative for the environmental non-profit Oceana. Miller says Floridians want to see single-use plastics reigned in.
“We can’t rely on individuals to skip the straw bring their own water bottle,” Miller said. “That’s a part of the solution. But we need structural changes we need a change in policy that’s going to help us achieve protecting our oceans in a real systematic way.”
Florida has a ban on bans In 2008, under then-Republican Gov. Charlie Crist, Florida became the first state to preempt local plastic bag bans, thwarting local ordinances. The law prevented local bans on polystyrene as well. Bans on those materials are in effect, banned. In 2019, Gov. Ron DeSantis vetoed a bill that would’ve preempted the “skip the straw,” campaign. Miller says Florida’s legislature should reverse those laws and empower local governments to lawfully reduce plastics use.
“We know, especially in Tampa Bay, that our bay, our estuaries, our beaches, healthy and abundant oceans, contribute to massively our economy but also our way of life,” Miller said. “The need to protect our oceans, and our beaches, and our way of life, is reflected in this stakeholder survey.”
Floridians support increased plastics regulation According to Oceana, nearly 1,800 manatees and sea turtles swallowed or became tangled in plastic along America’s coastlines between 2009 and 2020. Florida had higher incidents of those animals dying or being injured from plastics than any other state. In 2020 alone, 7,000 tons of plastics entered Florida’s waters. Miller says the Florida DEP’s report shows people are noticing that wildlife is suffering because locals aren’t allowed to intervene.
“Constituents want to take action but we’re not allowed. And so there’s a huge hurdle those interests have a lot of power, and they don’t want the legislature to touch this. As this report points out, there is a huge demand for our government to protect the health bar of our communities in our beaches.
Read the report’s findings on Floridians and plastics here.
The post Report shows Floridians support single-use plastic regulation appeared first on WMNF.
A student-led activist group, Save the USF Forest Preserve, is trying to protect forever the 118-acres found north of the Tampa campus. Last year’s failed development attempt by the university led some, like environmental biologist Dr. Jeannie Mounger, to seek out long-term land protections. The group hopes to petition the state for what’s known as a conservation easement, or permanent preservation agreement.
During the second half off of our walk, Mounger and I descended from the browned sandhills, into the preserve’s lush floodplain and swamp.
“This is the floodplain,” Mounger said. “You can start to see there are some Cypress out there, there’s some cypress knees popping up. There’s just a very clear vegetational change. You’re starting to see some ferns, and a lot more vining species.”
A critical link to the Florida Wildlife Corridor To the northwest, the Cypress Creek floodplain area, a big series of preserves that run into Pasco County. To the east, running up the Hillsborough River to the Green Swamp, is contiguous conservation land along the river. Mounger says that ultimately leads to what’s known as the Florida Wildlife corridor.
“So this is sort of an arm of that,” Mounger said. “If you lose this piece, you effectively sever the Cypress Creek floodplain and Pasco County from that whole corridor.”
Severing the corridor could have major implications for the wildlife that moves up and down the state. Wildlife like the preserve’s many river otters, one of the floodplain species that use uplands to move between territories. Encroachment from development has left traveling otters dead on busy nearby roadways.
River otters found dead on roads “They like to travel over land,” Mounger said. “And so you often find them dead by Bruce B. Downs, or you find them dead on here on Fletcher. Because they don’t like to travel in the waterway itself.”
The Hillsborough River is Tampa’s primary drinking water source. Before water reaches the river, much of it is filtered through the preserve’s floodplain. Making the USF Forest Preserve a critical link in Tampa Bay’s watershed.
The floodplain is a vital part of the Tampa Bay watershed. Credit: Arielle Stevenson/WMNF
“This springy vegetation that we’re standing on is capturing carbon, but it’s also capturing pollutants,” Mounger said. “So it’s very vital that these wetlands remain here in order to keep our drinking water.”
Two months ago, a discovery was made down here in the muck and mire. Ghost pipes, ephemeral white and reddish plant blooms that come and go quickly, were found for the first time on the preserve.
“Those russula, they’re attached to the root system of these oaks,” Mounger said. “And then yes, there’s this parasitic plant known as ghosts pipes that tricks the mushrooms into thinking that it’s in a relationship and then just steals nutrients from it. And they’re a beautiful and peculiar little plant.”
And Mounger says, there’s so much more to be discovered in this distinct and threatened environment. That’s why she and others are working to secure a conservation easement.
“A lot of discoveries still being made,” Mounger said. “There’s still a lot of valuable research that can be conducted out here. It has so so much value beyond just being real estate.”
For more information, visit savetheusfforestpreserve.com. Listen to part one of our story here.
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Earlier last year, the University of South Florida asked for proposals to develop land north of USF, known as the USF Forest Preserve. Possibilities ranged from subdivisions to a stadium, but pushback from students and faculty was swift. The student-led activist group, Save the USF Forest Preserve, effectively shut down that process.
Dr. Jeannie Mounger is an environmental biologist and organizer with Save the USF Forest Preserve. She says the group wants to ensure the land’s protection, for good. I took a walk with Mounger through the 118-acre preserve, to learn more about this critical local habitat.
An important tributary for drinking water “The vast majority of it are bottom land, flood plain, swamp,” Mounger said. “Cypress Creek runs along the north border of the property and then it empties into the Hillsborough River, which is just east of us. And that is a very important tributary for our drinking water and for the Tampa Bay estuary.”
Steps from Fletcher Avenue, the preserve’s sandhill ecosystem is considered a critically imperiled habitat type in Florida and the southeast. Mounger says the only way to protect the land from development is to petition the state for a conservation easement. The North Fletcher Property Advisory Committee was formed in response to the recent development attempt. Mounger, who sits on the council, says that this habitat is distinct from others in the state and needs protection in perpetuity.
Conservation easement sought It’s winter in the preserve, and many of the fall wildflowers have already bloomed and gone to seed. Weeks ago, purple, yellow and white flowers filled the area. But Mounger points out some of these plants are only found in disappearing sandhill uplands like the USF Forest Preserve.
“It was essentially former sand dunes so it’s much higher in elevation,” Mounger said. “And as a result of that, most of it’s been developed. And so for that reason, there’s very little of this habitat left.”
Moths feed on sky blue Lupine at the USF Forest Preserve. Credit: Arielle Stevenson/WMNF
Florida Lupine, or Sky-blue Lupine, is hosting lots of hungry broom moth larvae right now. Those relationships between plants, insects, and animals are all part of the biodiversity that exists here.
“This little plant here that you see is Lupine, sky blue Lupine,” Mounger said. “And again, you only see these flowers in these more sandhill upland areas. They used to be really common.”
That’s why Mounger says she and Save the USF Forest Preserve are trying to safeguard this place for future generations.
“We would really like to see this this place protected entirely,” Mounger said. “So that this fight doesn’t need to happen every decade.”
In the next half of our walk through the USF Forest Preserve, Dr. Jeannie Mounger guides us down into the floodplain. For more information, visit savetheusfforestpreserve.com.
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Today we had the pleasure to speak with 2 guests. Tracy Tippen from Hope Spot. The Hope Spot Festival is celebrating our coastal waters. The Florida Gulf Coast Hope Spot runs from Apalachicola down to 10,000 islands. This location was chosen because of its importance for our local ecosystem.
Zach Correa from Lemongraft joined the show to talk about a brand new way of connecting local produce to the local community.
Zach started of the conversation by explaining how broken our food system is, and how in order to have “a sustainable community, it revolves around access to food” He obsession with sustainable communities led him to start a new way of buying and selling local food.
Lemongraft is an app where local home gardeners can sell what they grow to local members of the community. Have a lemon tree? sell some lemons. Have more rosemary than you can use, you can sell that too. He is looking at expanding to selling everything from fruit and veggies, all the way to plants, flowers, mushrooms and eggs. This is a great way to invest in your local community by supporting your neighbors.
If you are interested in becoming a grower, pick up location or buying local Tampa Bay food, listen to the full interview to learn more.
Listen here https://sound.wmnf.org/sound/wmnf_220103_110600_sustain1_392.MP3
WMNF | Sustainable Living – WMNF
Niki holding oranges
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Just 1,000 feet from the Gulf of Mexico, in Tarpon Springs, sit the 14-acres of sand scrub that make up the Klosterman Preserve. The West Klosterman Preservation Group is raising money to buy the property. Less than six months remain before the land can be sold to developers. In the second half of a two-part series, I took a hike with the group’s chairperson, Brad Husserl, to find out what’s at stake.
“In Pinellas County, there’s only one percent of sand scrub remaining in our county,” Husserl said. “Because this is highly desirable for a developer to build on.”
The sand scrub is one of Florida’s oldest ecosystems. It’s considered critically endangered with less than 1,500 square miles left in the state. There are over 100 species found in this environment, over a third of which is only found in the sand scrub. Part of the watershed, Husserl says Klosterman’s 14-acres recharges the groundwater.
A critical part of the Gulf of Mexico’s watershed “When it does rain, the water that hits the ground goes underground through the aquifer out to the Gulf of Mexico,” Husserl said. “It is a big filter system. And so the health of the Gulf of Mexico some of the surrounding water in our aquifer does rely on this area also.”
I asked him if that means this ecosystem scrubs the water.
“Yeah, no pun intended,” Husserl said. “The sand scrub literally scrubs the water.”
One of the sand scrubs in the county Located near the back of the property is the Florida rosemary shrub, possibly one of the few remaining specimens in Pinellas County. Florida rosemary propagates through fire and thrives on sunshine and sandy soil. The rosemary shrub is home to a species of grasshopper that feeds only on Florida rosemary. Thought to be extinct for the last 25 years in Pinellas County, Husserl says it’s possible the rosemary grasshopper is living in Klosterman.
“The last one [grasshopper] they saw was 25 years ago in Pinellas County,” Husserl said. “So I’m tempted to come out here with a flashlight, they only come out at night. If we did find a grasshopper, it’d first time anyone seen one in our county, if it’s documented, in 25 years.”
Longleaf pines are one of the vital species, critically endangered, found at Klosterman Preserve. Credit: Arielle Stevenson/WMNF
Longleaf pines, live oaks, palmetto, and prickly pears are just a few of the species that exist here. Florida’s scrub-jay has lived in the scrub and only in the scrub for over two million years. Husserl says that’s why the West Klosterman Preservation group is trying to protect this disappearing ecosystem.
“We want to be the other side that helps balance the scales,” Husserl said. “The scales are now tilted way towards the developers. So we really need everybody who can help, to help us right now.”
The Pinellas County School Board currently owns the land, originally bought for educational needs. If purchased by the group, the 14-acres will combine with adjacent 76-acres at Mariner’s Point Management Area, and come under the county’s care. Husserl and the West Klosterman Preservation Group need $3.2 million by July 1 to protect this area for future generations. For more information, visit wkpreserve.com.
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One of the last remaining sand scrubs in Pinellas County is at risk of being destroyed. The group trying to buy and protect the land has six months left to raise over $3 million for the purchase. In Tarpon Springs, nestled among subdivisions with names like Whispering Pines, sit 14-acres of uninterrupted Florida sand scrub. A vital part of the area’s watershed, the land is in danger of being developed into high-end townhomes. The West Klosterman Preservation Group is raising funds to buy the land, but time is running out. In the first of a two-part series on the West Klosterman Preserve, I took a hike with the group’s chairperson, Brad Husserl, to see and hear what’s at stake.
One of the more recent gopher tortoise burrows established at the West Klosterman Preserve. Credit: Arielle Stevenson/WMNF
“The sand scrub is typically kind of high land, the sand is easy to work with,” Husserl said. “So a developer would look at this and say, Oh, I could easily build out here and that’s the problem that because that’s where the developers have been choosing. And so we’re losing a lot of it.”
Scattered throughout the preserve are Gopher tortoise nests of all sizes, some about a month or so old. Baby tortoises recently hatched, the eggshells still on the ground surrounding the burrows. Threatened under the Endangered Species Act because of the huge loss of habitat, the here gopher tortoises are thriving.
“A lot of the eggs hatch this year,” Husserl said. “Those tortoises lived to grow up a little bit and make some homes, so we’re seeing a lot of the new burrows.”
In 2021, 3,000 tortoises were relocated due to development Called burrow aprons, entrances are sized according to each tortoise’s shell. The underground burrows extend 14 feet long and six feet deep, keeping tortoises safe from fires, extreme temperatures, drought, and predators. One predator it doesn’t protect against; development. Construction within 25 feet of a burrow requires a permit to move the tortoise to another location. According to the FWC, in 2021, 3,000 relocation permits were issued, accounting for one-fifth of all permits issued since 2008.
“The things that live in the sand scrub only survive in the sand scrub,” Husserl said. “The tortoises and a lot of the plants, these are becoming less and less in our county. We’re trying to create a balance where we don’t completely lose these areas in the county.”
West Klosterman Preserve Group chairperson, Brad Husserl, holds a piece of ancient “chert” found nearby. Credit: Arielle Stevenson/WMNF
In the tortoises’ digging, they sometimes unearth pieces of history. Called chert, the pieces of limestone debris are leftovers of ancient toolmaking. We found one during our hike, shaped like an arrowhead.
“Yeah, well they make it out of that same material [as arrowheads],” Husserl said. “It’s like Flint. You can tell when they crack it, it’s like a razor. This one looks like a tool of some sort.”
One of the last sand scrubs in the county Nearby are some bones, possibly from a pig, cleaned and bleached by the sun. Coyotes often cut through the preserve. Osprey fly above, the sound of a highway barely audible. Husserl says Klosterman is full of wildlife.
“There are all kinds of animals,” Husserl said. “We’ve spotted a bobcat back here. There are flying squirrels at night. They’ll jump tree to tree if you have a flashlight.”
Klosterman Preserve is owned by Pinellas County Schools. The preservation group needs $3.2 million by July 1 to save this place. They’ve raised $350,000. If successful, the 14-acres will be combined with adjacent 76-acres at Mariner’s Point Management Area. The County manages Mariner’s Point and has agreed to take over the protection of Klosterman. Otherwise, developers are waiting. For more information, visit wkpreserve.com.
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Over a thousand manatees have died in Florida this year, many from starvation. Efforts are underway to save manatees and hold accountable those responsible. Human-fueled algae blooms have killed seagrasses in some areas of the state. Patrick Rose, an aquatic biologist and Save the Manatee Club’s Executive Director, says this has led to unprecedented manatee starvation.
“We’ve lost 95% of the 77,000 acres of seagrass that existed in that portion of the Indian River Lagoon,” Rose said. “More than 1,075 manatees that have died, six or 700 died from starvation. That’s something that’s never happened before.”
Problems in the Indian River Lagoon, where manatees gather and feed, started in 2011 with a super bloom of algae that killed almost all seagrasses. Come winter, hungry manatees traveling to warmer waters faced a choice; forage for food or die from cold stress.
Manatees dying from starvation in record numbers “Without the ability to go out on the warmer days and find food nearby,” Rose said, “They had to just choose to stay there and see if they physiologically could last the winter, and hundreds of them didn’t.”
Earlier this month, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission announced an experimental supplemental diet plan in response to the deaths. That doesn’t mean the public should feed manatees in the wild. In fact, that could cause further harm.
“What we hope is going to be radically different this winter, is that there are going to be efforts for the Fish and Wildlife Service and Florida Fish and Wildlife to provide supplemental food for some of those manatees over this winter,” Rose said.
Possible lawsuit underway Save the Manatee Club joined Earthjustice, Defenders of Wildlife, and the Center for Biological Diversity in pursuing legal action against the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S Fish and Wildlife Service. The notice was filed this week, demanding higher water quality standards in the Indian River Lagoon, to reverse seagrass loss and manatee mortality. The feds have 90 days to respond before a formal lawsuit is filed.
“It is technically illegal to feed manatees or give them water because it does disrupt their natural movements and behavior,” Rose said.
Rose says the public can help by reporting malnourished manatees to the FWC at 1-888-404-FWCC. Practice “sea-grass safe” boating and reduce harmful fertilizer use at home. For more information, visit savethemanatees.org/emergencyrescue.
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In a field in Parrish, Florida, Florida Power and Light’s Manatee Energy Storage Center now houses what the company calls the world’s largest solar-powered battery.
The batteries have enough energy to power 100 million iPhone batteries, 12,000 Teslas, or provide two hours of power to 329,000 homes. FPL President and CEO Eric Silagy spoke about the future of solar storage in Florida.
“This is a system that will continue to deliver power long after the sun has gone down,” Silagy said. “That’s why we’re doing it tonight. So you can actually see that at work and is a technology that we’re going to be able to continue to leverage in other solar facilities across the state.”
Solar-power coming to Florida homes A still from FPL’s solar-powered drone light show. Credit: Arielle Stevenson/WMNF
After dark, 132 drones performed an extensive light show using only solar-powered batteries. Solar storage is part of a massive solar expansion across the state. Pam Rauch FPLC VP of External Affairs and economic development, says the company now has 42 solar centers across Florida, each capable of powering 15,000 homes.
“Energy storage allows us to put solar in the bank to use for a rainy day,” Rauch said. “It will help keep energy bills low and the environment clean. And it will also help us build a more reliable energy grid.”
Once an uphill battle For many years in Florida solar technology was an uphill battle. But Jimmy Patronis, Republican chief financial officer for Florida, says affordability changed that.
“None of this would have been a reality if we didn’t have large-scale Gigafactory battery facilities starting to pop up around the United States and the globe,” Patronis said. “As those batteries are coming to market. They become competitive, prices dropped down and we’re able to embrace these renewable energies.”
Last week, the Orlando Sentinel reported that FPL donated millions to a Denver-based-dark-money nonprofit called Grow United. The Sentinel says it’s likely that money went to three ghost candidates in Florida races to siphon votes from Democratic candidates and flip seats for the GOP in March former State Representative Frank Artiles was arrested and charged with fraud in one of those races.
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The Governing Board of the Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD) has approved the purchase of 589 acres of land within the Weekiwachee Preserve.
In an email news release Tuesday, SWFWMD says it will buy the Southworth Tract for about $4.6 million. the funds come from the Florida Forever Trust Fund.
Protect water resources and minimize flood risks SWFWMD says the purchase “supports the District’s mission to protect water resources and minimize flood risks.” The property has been identified in SWFWMD’s Florida Forever Workplan for acquisition since 1997.
The land is on the south side of Osowaw Boulevard at the intersection of Shoal Line Boulevard in Hernando County.
In the press release the Director of Advocacy of Audubon Florida, Charles Lee, said, “This is a great purchase of a highly significant coastal wildlife corridor property. Because of its location just west of US 19 in a rapidly developing area of Hernando County, this tract was destined for development had the District not acted quickly. It is a great relief to know it will now be preserved.”
More information provided by SWFWMD is below:
This important property purchase will allow the District to substantially complete the Weekiwachee Preserve Project by connecting seven District-owned parcels. This acquisition meets all four of the District’s Areas of Responsibility, which are water supply, water quality, flood control and natural systems. In addition, the project is consistent with the Governor’s direction for protecting Florida’s springs, waterbodies and natural systems.
“This is a significant acquisition that will not only conserve 589 acres of land in the Weeki Wachee Springshed but will also help protect and maintain good water quality across the nearshore coastal waters of the Springs Coast, which is home to one of the largest seagrass habitats in the world,” said Brian Armstrong, the District’s executive director.
“This property purchase is part of the long-term, overall conservation picture of Florida,” said John Mitten, District Governing Board member. “The opportunity to link this property with the others we already manage fits the strategy and is the missing piece in the puzzle.”
In 1991, the District’s Governing Board approved a plan to acquire and preserve approximately 24,445 acres along the coastal region of Hernando County, designated as the Weekiwachee Preserve Project. To date almost 13,000 acres have been acquired by the District within the project. The project was initiated to specifically protect estuarine marshes and lowlands; preserve and/or restore natural ecosystems and their functions; maintain and/or improve water quality; improve water conveyance; protect habitats and associated wildlife resources; prevent encroachment onto the floodplain; and preserve the aesthetic value of the lands within the project.
The Southworth Tract acquisition supports the District’s mission to protect water resources and minimize flood risks as well as provides the following benefits:
• Completes the conservation and protection of the Indian Creek watershed, which is an important local source of fresh water to the coastal estuary.
• The majority of the property falls within a springs protection area.
• Provides enhanced protection of natural systems, including a spring, tidal creeks, and forested wetlands in the area.
• Supports protection and maintenance of water quality across the nearshore coastal waters, which includes one of the largest seagrass habitats in the world.The Southworth Tract is located within the Florida Wildlife Corridor identified within the Nature Coast Critical Linkages. The purchase supports the Florida Wildlife Corridor Act, which was passed by the Florida Legislature last session and signed by the Governor in July. This acquisition helps protect portions of the Florida Wildlife Corridor in southwestern Hernando County and provides important wildlife habitat.
-SWFWMD
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