Florida Chapter
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Loxahatchee
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| NEWS:Turtle Tracks Newsletter |
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Tracks
Newsletter of the Sierra Club Loxahatchee Group Volume 26, No. 6 | December 2002/January 2003 Table of Contents |
Back Issues
Newsletter Editor
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From the Easy Chair . . . . . .In response to the political climate, National Sierra Club has published
"Leaving our Communities at Risk." This report documents how changes in toxic waste cleanup and clean air policies hurt 25 American communities.Lake Park and Riviera Beach have the dubious honor of being examples of toxic pollution from an abandoned industrial facility and a Superfund site. Their drinking water wells are polluted! Promised EPA funding for cleanup has not materialized, and a Florida state investigation into health impacts of these two contaminated sites on the local population has stalled.
Perhaps you have read articles and editorials in local newspapers about this disaster. We have limited copies of this report, but the full text is available online at: www.sierraclub.org/communities.
An initial overture has been made by our group to the City of Riviera Beach to bring environmental forces to bear on the situation. Mayor Michael Brown, the city council, and local citizens were receptive.
The question arises, does our local Lox group have the will, the human concern and people power to make a difference on this issue? If you are willing and able to be involved at any level especially letter writing and contacting your congressional representatives please contact Conservation Chair JoAnn Miner, (561-433-0685, nsubabble@msn.com.
Hope to see you at the Holiday Picnic on the 14th!
- Kay Gates, Chairperson
For the Loxahatchee Group Directory, Please Visit Contact Us.
Sierra Club Calendars Available
HO! HO! HO! Heads up you Sierra Club calendar fans. The always beautiful, eagerly awaited Wilderness and Engagement calendars will be available for sale at the holiday picnic. Get a head start on your holiday shopping and support the group at the same time. The weekly engagement calendar is $13.00; The monthly calendar is $12.00. All proceeds from calendar sales go directly to the Loxahatchee Group and will help us defend against encroachments into our Environmentally Sensitive Lands, support our Camp Scholarship Program and enlarge and improve our Outings Program - just to name a few of the projects of the Lox Group. Sierra Club calendars make excellent gifts. Many groups make thousands of dollars on calendar sales (honest, they do), but, it takes a few volunteers to generate those big bucks. If you're interested in trying your luck as a purveyor of calendars, call Lisa at (561) 732-9578 for details.
Everglades Coalition Conference
The Everglades Coalition, a consortium of environmental organizations, puts on a conference every year at a high-priced hotel with panels and speakers all aspects of Everglades restoration, attracting many nationally known personalities and government leaders. Sierra Club is a member. The 2003 conference will be held Jan. 9, 10 and 11 at the Delray Beach Marriott in Delray Beach. The registration fee is $90.00 If you are interested contact John Koch, 963-5574 or banyanjohn@earthlink.net for more information.
- John Koch, Everglades Chair
The General Meetings are on the third Tuesday of the month. The meeting opens 7:00 PM for social fellowship and starts at 7:20 PM. See directions in the Events section.
There is no general meeting in December. Join us for the Holiday Party at Okeeheelee Park, December 14th, 2002.
Want to know about common water and property rights? Our January 21st General Meeting Speaker, Leonard Nero will take us on a journey across 1,500 years "The Public Trust Doctrine", a legacy that assures the public's right to use and enjoy our Trust Lands, waters, and living resources. Included in that legacy is our Government's obligation to protect those rights and the Trust Lands, waters and living resources for present and future generations. Leonard is a Marine Biologist, and Oceanographer, with an extensive background with the Army Corps Of Engineers, and Department Of Environmental Protection (DEP). He is currently the principal of the consulting firm Nero Environmental Resource Organization.
- John Gates Program Chair
Conservation Committee Meeting is on the 4th Tuesday of the month. Please contact JoAnn Miner for location information: 561/433-0685.
Next ExCom Meetings: Maryvonne Devensky¹s house at 7:00 p.m.
on Monday, Dec. 9; and at John & Kay Gates¹ house on Monday Jan. 12. Contact Maryvonne and John & Kay for directions if you plan to attend.Loxahatchee Group Newsletter Folding Party - Sunday, January 26, 4:00 pm. Please join your fellow Sierrans for an hour or two sticking labels on our group newsletter, Turtle Tracks. Come join the fun and help with this important volunteer effort. Contact Sabrina at (561) 732-4486 or s.carle@prodigy.net for directions (West Boynton). Everyone is welcome.
CLASC - Conservation Land Acquisition Selection Committee Meets on the 1st Monday of each month at 1:30 p.m. ERM Building #509 off Belvedere Rd, West Palm Beach. (561) 233-2400.
ERM - Environmental Resource Management Constituency Meeting Meets on last Wednesday of every 2nd month at 1:30 p.m. ERM Building #502 off Belvedere Road, West Palm Beach. (561) 233-2400.
NAMAC - Natural Area Management Advisory Committee to Board of County Commissioners. Meets on 3rd Thursday of each month at 1:30 p.m. ERM Building #509 off Belvedere Road, West Palm Beach. (561) 355-3229.
CTF - Citizen Task Force Meeting date varies. Meets at Planning and Zoning (on 4th floor) at I-95 and Southern Blvd. (561) 233-5000.
SFWMD - South Florida Water Management District Governing Board: Workshop 2nd Wednesday 9AM, business 2nd Thursday 8:30AM, at 3301 Gun Club Rd. WPB. Call John Koch re. parking, etc. Workshops occasionally move out of town. (561) 686-8800.
WRAC Water Resources Advisory Commission: Advisory body to SFWMD. Usually 1st Thursday 8:30 AM at SFWMD, but dates and locations occasionally change. (561) 686-8800.
ENVIRONMENTAL ACTION COMMITTEE - A group of environmentalists meeting informally, usually at a SFWMD conference room usually during 1st week of the month. Contact John Marshall at the Marshall Foundation, (561) 805-TREE (8733). Not a government meeting, but good for learning issues.
PALM BEACH COUNTY COMMISSION - First and Third Tuesdays, 9:30 AM. Televised on Cable TV Ch. 20. We really need someone to monitor the PB County Commissioners, either on TV or in person. For information, visit http://www.pbcgov.com/Agenda, or call (561) 355-3229.
It was held on November 9 in the beautiful Ft. Pierce Inlet Park. The Lox group was invited to participate again this year and we sold T-shirts,
calendars, and canvas bags for a total of $113.00. We handed out information about the Sierra Club to people who attended this environmental event.Thank you to volunteers who staffed the booth: Bob Bitoff and his wife,
Ralph and Maxine Milican, Barbara Curtis. The theme of this event this year was ³Clean Water² and the newly formed Indian Riverkeeper was present with a very active booth. Sponsored by the Treasure Coast Environmental Defense Fund, Indian Riverkeeper is a program to bring monitoring, advocacy and protection for the Indian River Lagoon. It is affiliated with other ³Keeper² organizations across the Americas through the Waterkeeper Alliance.For more information, contact the Indian Riverkeeper, PO Box 6111, Jensen Beach, FL 34957. Phone (772) 336-7284. Visit: www.waterkeeper.org.
- Maryvonne Devensky
For your information, the St Lucie Waterfront Council and Sierra Club
members in Ft Pierce have been very active this last year in working to
develop a port expansion plan that would not demand dredging of the Ft
Pierce Inlet. The lawsuit that the St. Lucie Waterfront Council and the
Sierra Club Lox group initiated in 2000 is on hold at the moment pending on the Port Master Plan being finalized.- Maryvonne Devensky
Loxahatchee River Photos Needed
In attempting to understand the history of the Loxahatchee River, John
Zahima of S FL Water Management District is looking for old photos of the river from the 1960¹s and 70¹s. The photos need to show the vegetation, and John needs some idea of the location or mile on the river where it was taken. Contact John at: www.sfwmd.gov or 561-686-8800
Lox ICO Getting off the Ground
The steering committee of the Loxahatchee Inner City Outings group met for the second time on Nov. 14th and came several steps closer to being recognized by national. The committee members spent several hours completing the required paperwork and now stand just a few steps short of recognition. Charles Hunt, who is ICO treasurer and liaison with the local group, has obtained the necessary letters of acceptance from both the Loxahatchee Group and the chapter.
The next steps are getting the leaders trained and criminal history checks
on all participants. The final step is to submit all our paperwork to
national. Members expect our first field trips will be in February 2003.
Several area youth groups have expressed interest in the program and more are being contacted.Volunteers for many positions are needed and all must be Sierra Club
members. If you enjoy working with youth and like to pass on your knowledge and love of the environment, your services are needed. For more information about volunteer opportunities you can contact co-chairman Mike Baird at (561) 965-7237 mornings or GSDad@bellsouth.net.The Sierra Club ICO program is aimed at inner city youth who would not normally get any experience or appreciation of our natural environment. Groups of youth are taken on field trips that range from beach swimming to over night hikes and canoe trips. Each field trip must have a certified leader and several Sierra volunteers plus representatives from the youth group sponsoring agency. Funding is independent of the local group and comes mostly from grants and donations.
There are currently ICO groups operating in 50 cities throughout the country with Florida having five. When the Loxahatchee ICO gets approval it will be Florida¹s sixth group.
- Mike Baird "TheSwampFoX"
Helping Nature Restore What's Been Lost
The A.R. Marshall Foundation cypress seed gathering was a success. Over 400 people turned out on October 26 for this annual event at the Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge. Many participants were Brownie, Girl and Boy Scout troops, as well as Lox Sierrans.
They collected seeds and separated the hard covering from their seeds. The seeds will be propagated at a plant nursery and eventually returned to the Refuge or other places in the area that need to be replanted. In February the volunteers will be planting seedlings grown from last year¹s seed harvest. We will keep you informed about this next opportunity!
The seed harvest and seedling planting is part of an effort to re-establish
a natural habitat in areas of the Refuge where cypress trees once flourished naturally. The A.R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge is the northernmost portion of Everglades National Park. It is located west of U.S. 441.Seed gathers were treated to breakfast prior to harvesting, and
refreshments and environmental games and activities after their efforts. We thank the Sierrans who participated in this Everglades restoration project.
Another Devious Plan from the Department of Environmental Protection!
The November 14 SFWMD meeting began with the Peer Review report, done by a panel of scientists, who found that water quality is unchanged except for less phosphorus. Best Management Practices cut the phosphorus content of sugar farm drainage 55%. Stormwater treatment areas reduce phosphorus to less than 50 ppb, better than expected.
Wading birds are doing great for the 3rd year but exotic species of plants and animals are a serious threat to Everglades restoration. Univ. of Georgia Prof. Jeffrey L. Jordan, Chair of the Peer Review panel, praised the quality of the data and called the process open, honest, and useful, but thought that the statistical methods used to analyze data should be documented. He said that the 10 ppb phosphorus standard is protective of the natural flora and fauna of the central Everglades,but questioned whether the whole area required that level of purity. It is unclear whether the stormwater treatment areas can reach the 10 ppb goal.
Research on mercury is "exciting and yielding results" but no details revealed.
Next, Mary Smallwood, attorney for FL Dept. of Environmental Protection, discussed phosphorus from a legal viewpoint. The US Clean Water Act says standards must be science-based. The Everglades Forever Act contains a narrative standard. Some other State law says "protect from species imbalance". A Federal Judge proclaimed that technical feasibility and economic factors are not to be considered in setting clean water standards. However, these things sneak in the back door by various moderating provisions such as: compliance, mixing zones, variances, exemptions, time frames, failures, and site-specific alternative criterion. One possible moderating provision would be to rule out chemical treatment, or make 10 ppb a long-term average. Following this the Board members declared that they have NOT accepted 10 ppb as the District's phosphorus goal.
- Peace, John B. Koch
Sierra Club Holiday Picnic at Okeeheelee Park
The Loxahatchee Sierra Club cordially invites you to a picnic with other environmentalists and nature lovers. Join us for a group picnic and to enjoy a lovely park.
WHO:
All Sierra Club members and friends of the environment.WHY:
To see old friends, make new friends, have fun, and learn about local
ecological issues.WHERE:
Tuskeegee Pavilion at Okeeheelee Park
Okeeheelee Park is located on the north side of Forest Hill Boulevard west of Jog Road. Enter the park through the East (traffic light) entrance near the golf course and tennis courts. Tuskeegee Pavilion is located on a small hill on the right after passing the tennis courts and the golf course.
Look for the Sierra Club banner.WHEN:
Saturday, December 14th from 12:00 Noon to 4:00 PM
Food served at 1:00 PMCOST:
None! The Sierra Club will furnish hamburgers, turkey burgers,
veggie burgers, hot dogs, soda, lemonade, water, and ice.WHAT TO BRING:
Appetizer, side dish, or dessert to share.
Your personal non-disposable eating and drinking utensils.
Beer and wine are allowed if you wish to bring them.
Games, horseshoes, kites, balls, bats, etc.
Bring a folding chair.ATTIRE:
Casual, wear your environmental shirts, hats, buttons, etc.RSVP:
To John & Kay Gates, 561-742-9219,
johnkay@mindspring.com so we can order the proper food quantities.Silent auction with exciting prizes to profit the ICO and summer camp programs
DO YOUR HOLIDAY SHOPPING:
Sierra Club T-shirts, calendars & canvas bags for saleSee You At Okeeheelee Park!
Happenings with Other Environmental Organizations
Lox Sierra would like to share with our members events that other
environmental organizations are sponsoring.Palm Beach Pack & Paddle Club meets on the second Monday of each month, 7 p.m. at Okeeheelee Nature Center, WPB. Dec. 9 , a slide show by Steve Bass of Gumbo Limbo Environmental Complex on hiking in PB County¹s natural areas. These are the Environmentally Sensitive Areas (ESL¹s) Lox has been struggling to protect! Contact Linda Leeds, 683-2851 or lindamarie7@juno.com
Grassy Waters Preserve has a Nature Center off Northlake Blvd. in western WPB has a variety of activities for young, old and in between. Dec. 6 the Preserve is sponsoring the University of FL¹s presentation and discussion of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP) accomplishments in 2002, and plans for 2003. $50 fee, register at www.florida.org/restore or contact Renee Rasha (561) 627-8831 grassywaters@earthlink.net
(These activities are neither sponsored nor administered by the Sierra Club. The Sierra Club has no information about the planning of these activities and makes no representations of warranties about the quality, safety, supervision or management of such activities.)
Maryvonne Devensky
My name is Maryvonne Devensky and I have been a Sierra Club member for five years. As a child an old aunt taught me to observe and love nature, to sit by a brook in a secluded valley and listen to the noises, the water, the bees....Years passed... I joined the LOX group to go camping with my kids, and learn about Florida nature with them. I got involved with outings and education, and was the chair for a year. I would like to stay on the Executive Committee to continue promoting our environmental summer camp program. I am an advocate of the Sierra Club goals of "exploring, enjoying and protecting nature" and want to do what I can to promote these goals.Kay Gates
My husband, John, and I are long-standing (as opposed to ³old²) members of Sierra Club. We became active in the Loxahatchee Group when we retired and moved to PBC four years ago. Florida and the Lox group have been a learning experience. The many programs, outings, and events provided by the group are mentally and physically stimulating. I am happy to contribute my organizational skills acquired through years of teaching to the group. Your vote will allow me to continue my service to the Executive Committee.John Koch
I am seeking a second term on EXCOM because I find it interesting and
enjoyable. I had Sierra Club experience in Illinois from 1993 to 1997 and I have found Florida Sierra to be different and more challenging; we have so many issues here. Since I am retired I have time to devote to Club affairs and attend government meetings. I could bug the Water Managers without being on EXCOM, but EXCOM membership is required for being FLEXCOM delegate. I believe Sierra Club should continue to stand up strongly for the environment even if we lose rather than make compromises that give us less than half of what we want.JoAnn Miner
I have had the honor of serving on EXCOM as Conservation Chair for a year now. It has been a rewarding experience. There has been a continual stream of new issues to tackle, new things to learn and new people to meet. I look forward to serving in this capacity for another year. I want to thank the members who have supported the efforts of the Conservation Committee. Those of you who have attended County Commission meetings to speak up, or who have sent letters, faxes and emails to your commissioner deserve a lot of credit. We are beginning to get results. It doesn¹t take a lot on any one member's part, but a little effort by each of us adds up. Even the mightiest of tidal waves is made up of just a lot of little drips.Michael A. Yustin
I am very excited about the possibility for working with the Sierra Club
Executive Committee. I believe that this is a critical time in our history.
As people lead more sedentary lives with less opportunity to explore and
appreciate our precious natural resources, it becomes increasingly important for our society to show why these resources are inseparable from our own well-being. I envision myself as an educator of people and am eager to build in others a love and respect for the natural world. I see the Loxahatchee Sierra Club as an outstanding vehicle to move our community at large in that direction. The Sierra Club strives to promote the importance of the natural world to all of us. I hope that by becoming a member of the Executive Committee, I can help the Sierra Club in accomplishing those goals.Voting information below. Note, you must use your official hardcopy ballot with a valid mailing label to vote.
Get on board with the Loxahatchee Group's very own e-mail forum. This is a general e-mail discussion and announcement list for members of the Loxahatchee Group of the Florida Chapter of the Sierra Club. Our forum is a strong network for communications, announcements, action alerts and just plain fun for members of the Loxahatchee Group. To sign onto the list, go to the following website. Please have your Membership Number handy: http://www.sierraclub.org/memberlists
listname=FL-LOXAHATCHEE-FORUM
Questions? e-mail me at: rhaines999@aol.com.- Ron Haines
For Outings and Other Activities, Please Visit Events.
Turtle Tracks is published bi-monthly by the Sierra Club Loxahatchee Group, P.O. Box 6271, Lake Worth, FL 33462-6271. Non-profit postage paid at West Palm Beach, FL. The purpose of this newsletter is to inform members about environmental issues and events. Members subscribe through their annual dues; nonmember subscriptions are available for $12/year. Send address changes to: Sierra Club Member Services, Box 52968, Boulder, CO 80322
Newsletter submissions are welcome. The deadline is the third Tuesday of each month. Email articles to Marcia Karasoff at mkarasoff@adelphia.net (phone 561/278-5240), or deliver Macintosh format 3.5" disc or Zip disc copy to general membership meeting. (Typed hardcopies are also acceptable, but not preferred).
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The
Loxahatchee Group is an environmental organization serving Sierra Club
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Beach County, Martin County, St. Lucie County and Okeechobee County, Southeast
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