SOUTH FLORIDA NEWS

January 2010

Oil drilling off the Florida Gulf Coast?

Banned in Florida coastal waters since 1990, advocates for renewed near-shore exploration are pushing to lift current state restrictions. Recently the Florida House passed a bill to do just that but the Florida Senate has yet to act. The issue has raisedconsiderable controversy pitting drilling advocates and their army of lobbyists against environmentalists and representatives of the tourist industry.

Advocates argue that drilling will help the local economy.  Opponents worry about the consequences of an oil spill and the physical presence of oil rigs anywhere from 3 to 10 miles offshore, well within sight from land. Little is known about the geology of the Eastern Gulf. From available information oil may exist off southwest Florida and natural gas off northern Florida.

A recent editorial by Fred Strobel, professor of economics at New College, pointed out the extensive damage to offshore rigs by hurricanes: There were 44 spills caused by hurricanes Katrina and Rita.  In the storm area, 113 offshore platforms were destroyed. On shore more than 17,000 barrels of petroleum products were spilled.  The effect of a major spill on tourism, a $65 billion a year industry, would be catastrophic. Drilling proponents point out that a major oil rig spill hasn’t occurred in the United States since 1969. Those opposed point out that there is currently a major spill off the Australian coast in the Timor Sea. Whether the need for jobs and increased state revenues sway the legislature only time will tell.

The decision probably will not be made until next May just before the legislative session ends.

The United States Supreme Court has decided to hear a case involving a proposed beach reclamation project in Florida. Taking a position that ignores the public’s multimillion dollar subsidy protecting their houses, affected coastal property owners claim that the renourishement project will place a wide swath of public sand between them and the Gulf of Mexico, depriving them of their waterfront property rights. They have asked to be paid for those ‘rights.”

The state Supreme Court of Florida had upheld the state project stating that “Florida has a constitutional duty to protect its beaches”. The plaintiffs claim “the intent is a land grab by local government to create a public beach where a private beach previously existed”. The Society is following this case closely as it could mpact beach access issues nationwide. Let’s hope the state prevails in this one.

Manasota -88, in its December newsletter, points out that Manatee County is proposing a series of new definitions for nonviable wetlands, wetland migitation, and “overriding public benefit”. Taken together this will make it much easier for commercial development in altered wetlands and reduce efforts to upgrade marginal areas. They cite two basic principles for the protection of wetlands — 1, avoidance of the destruction of existing wetlands, 2, enhancement on wetlands that have been previously degraded.

Sanibel beaches are being sporadically hit by the effects of red tide, mainly a few dead fish on shore and floaters in the surf. RT cell counts along Lee County beaches have been increasing and beachgoers complain of headaches and breathing problems. Sarasota beaches were okay as of this writing (early November).

Three scallop searches, in Charlotte Harbor, Sarasota Bay, and Tampa Bay, turned up significant numbers of Bay scallops. For a critter that had been completely missing just three years ago, the relatively abundant counts of the past two years are signs that they are well on the way to recovery. Gulf Of Mexico Dead Zone—As of Midsummer the Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium determined that the hypoxic area created by nutrient overloads in the Mississippi and Atchafalaya rivers was just over 3,000 square miles. That is about half its normal size in the past few years. Scientists attribute this to reduced freshwater flows and nutrient loads and high winds. Money shortages have curtailed further investigations.

2009

Neverglades Redux - September 2009: 

Conflicting plans for renewing the Everglades have led to huge wastes of money and time. A prime example is the abandonment of the construction of a mammoth reservoir meant to hold clean water for controlled release into the southern portions of the ‘Glades.  The A1 reservoir, as it was officially known, was to cover 16,700 acres with walls three stories high and hold 62 billion gallons of water. Work was started in 2005 and stopped in May 2008 by the South Florida Water Management District. Having spent $272 million directly with another $40 million likely in fees and penalties, most of this effort is lost in revisions created by the partial buyout of US Sugar Corp. announced in June 2008.

The reservoir was a key element in a state and federal restoration plan created by Congress in 2000 and slated to cost $10.9 billion. The cost was to be split 50:50 by state and federal sources. Politics, the Bush administration and now the recession have all but dried up the money flow. Whether the Obama administration will reestablish significant funding for the Everglades may not be the key question. The project has lacked strong leadership that can overcome shifting turf battles and political opportunism.

South Florida News - March 2009

Gov. Crist’s plan to purchase part of the land holdings of U.S. Sugar  north of the Everglades has run into resistance from the Florida legislature and  a court challenge by several diverse groups..  The modified plan, the purchase of 180,000 acres of farmland for $1.34 billion, will require financing by the taxpayers of 16 counties in the South Florida Water Management District.  To do so, the District must create long-term loan instruments called certificates of participation.  These must be approved by a circuit judge.  Florida Crystal, a competitor of US Sugar, doesn’t like a provision for a 7 year leaseback of land to US Sugar below current market prices.  A Clewiston citizens group and the Miccosukee tribe argue the purchase is not in the public interest and would derail most of the present plans for Everglades restoration. As of the last days of March,  Gov.Crist  is said to be formulating a new, less expensive ($500 million)   plan but details have not yet been released.

The dought in southern Florida, now in its third year, is creating an enormous quantity of deadfall that is not decomposing in place.  Leaves, grass litter and alike, that normally would stay put when the rains finally do arrive, will be swept into  watersheds  and carried into adjacent estuaries.   Their physical presence will lead to flooding as sewer systems jam up and their decomposition in our estuaries may lead to low oxygen problems.    

2008

Southwest Florida Algal Blooms - April 2008

Two scientists, Brian La Pointe of Harbor Branch oceanographic Institute and Patricia Tester of NASA, publically discussed their research results and points of view on the double whammy of blooms either of a microscopic red tide or shoreline heaps of red microalgae affecting waters from Naples to Tampa.  Both asserted that it is the continuous load of fertilizing pollutants washing in both locally and as far away as the Mississippi river that are major contributors to these problems. During dry years drifting macro algae proliferate and during wet years the microscopic Karina brevis predominates.  La Pointe claims in rainy years pollutants abound but the water is too cloudy for drift algae to proliferate. In dry years water clarity improves and nutrient loads are still high enough to allow the drift algae population to explode.  Dr. Tester was a bit more circumspect as to the causes of outbreaks. She did say pollution from the Mississippi river supports K brevis offshore and coastal pollutants support its growth when east winds in the Fall blow it inshore. Ed.Note: Observers have rarely noted the genus or species of red macro algae washing ashore. There are a number of genera that can exist along our shores but by far Gracillaria is the most prevalent.

2007

Fertilizer Use - December 2007

   Sarasota County, Florida, is the first county in the state to adopt restrictions on fertilizer use.  Adjacent counties, Charlotte and Manatee, are now considering similar regulations.  Basically, nitrogen and phosphorus bearing fertilizers may not be used at all during the rainy season - June to September.  For the rest of the year, the fertilizer must be at least 50% slow-release type.  If you live adjacent to a waterway you cannot apply fertilizer closer than 10 feet.  There is more and you can find out about it by calling (941)861-5000 or go to www.scgov.net/EnvironmentalServices. 

The prolonged drought has raised bay salinities. That might be the reason the bays seem to have so many jelly fish in them; particularly the upside-down jellyfish, the moon jelly, and the sea nettle. The latter two are common in the Gulf but the former is a tropical critter.  It lies on quiet, clear bottoms with the tentacles side up. These contain phytoplankton that use the waste products in the jellyfish tissues and, using sunlight, convert them into food.

An Ill Wind Can Blow Some Good - October 2007

   As anyone who has tried to walk the beach along the Gulf during an outbreak of red tide knows,the airborne toxins released by Karenia brevis can quickly send you away wheezing, coughing, teary-eyed, and gasping for breath. Yet, among the bevy of brevetoxins that cause this reaction lies one, recently named brevenal, that has the opposite effect and may have use in the treatment of cysticfibrosis, a serious lung disorder. The compound has been synthesized. Trials in sheep show it to work much better than the presently used drug for that disorder.      — Science v.316 p.1561-2

Kayak Cleanup

   As kayakers well know, they can get into very shallow water and make their way through channels in mangroves that are inaccessible to power boats.  That inaccessibility can also lead to serious accumulations of trash within the prop roots of the mangroves.  A group of kayakers decided to clean up one such area in Clam Bayou in lower Pinellas County, Florida.  Over a period of eight weeks, they removed 9,600 pounds of trash.  Most of the trash flowed in via untreated storm water in Maggiore and Clam Bayou creeks.  The organizer of this effort, Kurt Zuelsdorf, got help from snowbirds as well as locals.  To learn more, go to www.Kayaknature.com . 
   — Water Matters Summer 2007

The Southwest Florida Scene - July 2007
   Sanibel Island is well known for its pristine beaches laden with new shells after high tide.  Because shelling is such an attraction, the city rarely rakes the shoreline.  But lately, floating red seaweed has been winding up on the beach in massive windrows.  Sanibel is looking for a scientist to find out where this stuff is coming from and what causes it to flourish.  It's also hitting Nokomis Beach and is being piled up by bulldozers so it might dewater before being hauled off to the dump.
   Sarasota County is on the verge of passing restrictions on the use of fertilizer, especially near streams and high runoff areas.  The Bay is still suffering degradation from storm water runoff.
   Sarasota County recently published a compilation on oyster growth in Sarasota, Lemon, Dona and Roberts Bays.  The oyster is a biological bellweather over and above chemical analysis of these waters.  As you might suspect, the total picture does not look good.  
   This fall the Bird Colony Islands should finally be getting an underwater fence of riprap to stop the erosion from the wakes of passing motorboats.  The three mangrove islands provide nesting areas for egrets, herons, pelicans, cormorants, et al, and are alive with life from December through May.
   Is it really getting warmer around here?  Hard to tell but on our May seining trip to the Baywalk area on City Island, we not only turned up a lot of emerald parrotfish but also Cassiopeia, the upside-down jellyfish.

Red Tide Redux - Yet another breakout of red tide made its way inshore and up the coast of southwest Florida earlier this year (2006).This one killed a lot of .sh but was not as hard on human sinuses as previous blooms.This could have been due to the calmness of the Gulf or possibly that this strain of Karina brevis is less virulent.(Scientists say there may be as many as six closely related species going under the same name). Last year ’s bloom led to a bonanza of blue crab in Sarasota Bay.The life cycle of the blue crab starts with the fertilized eggs being released near a pass on an ebb tide.The planktonic stages are passed in the Gulf and,as it ma- tures,it begins its journey back to the estuary. Apparently unaffected by the toxin,the dearth of .sh offshore reduces its predation and on return,all the dead fish on the bottom provide plenty of food.
   Research on red time (K. brevis) keeps increasing year by year.  A newly developed molecular probe may yield information about its life cycle as well as where all this released toxin winds up. 
     Clay has been suggested as a precipitant to use to break up the bloom but at least two well-known scientists in an editorial in the Sarasota Herald-Tribune point up the downside to the use of clay. 
     At a recent meeting designed for businesspeople, three scientists and a restaurateur talked about the K. brevis and its effects on the community. In a closing statement, the businessman stated "we must get serious about coastal pollution " and got a hearty round of applause. To learn more about red tide try www. redtideonline.com.   www.myFWC.com or www.Mote.org .

Other - Concurrent with the release of the U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy report that points out the threats to our coastal ecosystems including the continuous influx of people and development, our daily paper announced another mass of new local projects including a super-sized shopping mall and 12,000 new homes with no end in sight.  Slow growth advocates opposed to Sarasota County’s 2050 plan took it to court but lost.. 

Plenty of other problems abound: over sand for beach restoration, potential pollution of the Peace River which might jeopardize it as a source of drinking water, and high fecal coliform counts on Gulf beaches that have resulted in “no swimming” warnings.  

What has hardly been mentioned in our local daily is the content of the USCOP report, or for that matter, any comments on the 15 day series by the Naples Daily News run under the generic title “  Deep Trouble - the Gulf in Peril”. 

The Florida legislature went home without causing too much ecological damage.  Three groups of developers pressed for changes in the Florida law that allows State agencies to reserve water for “protection of fish and wildlife or public health and safety”. They see it as a threat to further development in south Florida.  It didn’t happen but it’s sure to be raised again. 

The ALS oyster project in Roberts Bay (Sarasota) has come to a standstill.  So, apparently, has the Sarasota Bay National Estuary Program’s on oysters in Little Sarasota Bay.  The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, for whatever reason, refuses to issue permits for experimental reefs. We wanted to put in a few small sites on the western side of the Bird Colony Islands to gather information on the feasibility of much larger structures in the future to not only increase oysters in a Bay that really needs their filtration power but also to stop island erosion by boat wakes. 

Robin Lewis, who runs a widely respected environmental services company, wrote an article in Tampa Bay Soundings in which he says Tampa Bay oyster reefs are diminishing in size and numbers.  He wonders if human pathogens are to blame.  (Oysters have their own diseases.  In this area it is Dermo). 

The Manatee-Sarasota group of the Sierra Club announced a campaign focusing on red tide and harmful algae blooms.  They say “Scientists agree that nutrient run-off from sewage, phosphate industries, and farming are fueling these toxic blooms”.  Lowering pollution into our bays and estuaries is a good thing but most scientists in the field don’t think high nitrogen or phosphorus causes red tides.  Their suspicions are currently on airborne dust from northern Africa carrying iron compounds.  Inshore in summer diatom blooms occur almost continuously.  Most are unnoticed and non-toxic but do create problems for zooplankton and others further up the food chain.   

03/20/10 19:40