Issues, Florida Chapter

Wetlands and Waters

Water issues dominate the state of Florida. Many rivers and streams flow into estuarine and coastal ecosystems, discharging freshwater and nutrients into the receiving waters. The combination of low relief and high discharge supports a vast and productive acreage of coastal wetlands. It supplies the nutrients that support some of the most valuable fisheries in the United States, such as shrimp, crabs, oysters and many fishes.

Watersheds have a profound effect upon the riverine, lake, estuarine, coastal and marine habitats. The quantity and quality of freshwater entering the other ecosystems determines their health and ability to support living resources.

Major Trends

Water and wetland habitats in Florida are declining in both quantity and quality. Significant losses have occurred due to channeling, dredging, dams, ditching and draining of rivers and their floodplains; diversion of freshwater for agricultural, domestic and industrial uses. Water quality is declining due to agricultural, industrial and domestic discharges of nutrients and other pollutants. About half of Florida's estuaries, which reflect the quality of the freshwater inflow, show signs of impairment for human and aquatic life use. Thirty-one percent of Florida's freshwater rivers and streams have become impaired or unusable for aquatic resources.

The surge of population in the Florida coastal area in recent years has spurred development, with consequent loss of wetlands and vegetated buffer zones that protect freshwater quality. About 50% of all wetlands in Florida have been destroyed.

The Everglades, a unique natural area of the world, has been reduced to half its original size. Large amounts of wildlife habitat has been destroyed and dozens of rare plants and animals are near extinction. The flow of water through the Everglades, the source of life for the entire region and South Florida's only natural supply of fresh drinking water, has been channeled, diked, drained, and polluted. This habitat loss is destroying many native species: over 90% of the wading bird population in the Everglades is gone, while 68 endangered or threatened species try to survive--one of the largest concentrations of endangered and threatened species in the US. (www.audubonofflorida.org)

The Apalachicola River is the subject of an interstate water dispute, as the state of Georgia diverts freshwater from its inflow to supply the growing population of Atlanta. While it still supports a rich fishery, dredging and flow manipulation has caused the Apalachicola River to become listed as one of the most endangered rivers in the United States.

Wetland & Water Issues

• Freshwater diversion from rivers and excessive groundwater pumping has affected riverine and estuarine flushing, sediment deposition and maintenance of estuarine conditions. Salinity changes have affected species such as oysters, shrimp, crabs and many fishes that need lower salinities during all or at least a portion of their life cycle. Worsening drought conditions combined with diversions exacerbate water quality and fishery habitat losses.
• Stormwater-driven nutrients enter freshwater habitats and continue on to the estuaries and coastal waters, where they exacerbate harmful algae blooms, low oxygen conditions and resultant fishery losses. "Red Tides" and "blackwater" areas occur with greater frequency. "Piney Point" acidic phosphate waste is dumped offshore, and now threatens Tampa Bay.
• Toxins from pollutants enter the freshwater food chain. Excessive levels of mercury in food fishes occur in one-third to one-half of Florida lakes and streams, and are primarily linked to power plant and incinerator atmospheric discharges.
• Introduction of non-native species has placed riverine systems under great stress, where they compete with native species for food and habitat. Hundreds of nonindigenous species have displaced native species, damaged ecosystems and have cost billions of dollars in economic impact.
• Proposed massive transfers of water from north to south Florida pose multiple threats to drinking water supplies and the environment.
• Development forces hold political sway in Florida. Massive development threatens the remaining wetlands and quality of surface and groundwaters. Rules are weak or not enforced.
• Wetland preservation is threatened by the use of mitigation banks. Mitigation banks encourage loss of natural wetlands by providing developers and government agencies with a fast, easy means of mitigating for such loss. The payment of money to a mitigation bank, which may be far away, incomplete, and non-functioning, represents an irresistible alternative to requiring a project to avoid destroying a wetland.
• The Uniform Wetland Mitigation Assessment Method (UMAM) was passed by the Florida Legislature in 2000, approved by the Florida DEP and became effective in January 2004. The UMAM supersedes stronger local wetland regulations unless local governments have a preservation only policy. The direct effect of this statewide weakening of regulations gives developers the ability to invade and pave over thousands of acres of ecologically important lands that were once protected in Florida.
• The Environmental Protection Agency’s proposed reversal of the sewage standard allows massive dumping of “blended” sewage into waterways any time it rains. This will lead to more acute and chronic waterborne illnesses, fish kills, shellfish bed destruction and beach closures, particularly in Florida where rains are heavy.
• Under the Water Quality Trading Policy, industries, farmers and others are able to buy and sell the right to release pollutants into the nation’s waterways thereby allowing them to trade toxic pollutants, such as mercury, that build up in the environment, thus trading good water for bad and creating “hot spots.”
• The Florida DEP continues its efforts to "de-list" large numbers of impaired water bodies, by changing the methodology and criteria for listing, making them ineligible for TMDL standards.
• Dams block the passage of anadromous fishes such as striped bass and Gulf sturgeon, and impair ecosystem health. The Apalachicola River has been dammed, preventing use of upstream areas for spawning of sturgeon. Another dam has been proposed, for the Yellow River in Northwest Florida, which is also used by the sturgeon. After many years and promises to remove it, the Rodman Dam still sits on the Oklawaha.
• Dredging, de-snagging, "deadhead logging", and spoil deposition carried out in connection with navigation maintenance also represent threats to aquatic wildlife.
• Delays and fund diversions have threatened the Everglades Restoration Program, a national priority.
• Governor Jeb Bush signed a bill (HB759) in June that would make it easier for developers to destroy wetlands by shifting responsibility for wetlands of 10 acres or less from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to the state. HB759 would also ease requirements for phosphate companies to restore mined lands and includes a provision that would allow the filling of "isolated" wetlands without a permit throughout the Panhandle for at least another five years.
• Seven coal-fired power plants are proposed for Florida (Alachua, Orange, Putnam, Taylor and St. Lucie Counties). This will not only pollute our air but also our water (mercury in fish) and further deplete our aquifers by using huge quantities of water to cool and clean the coal plants.

Goals and Actions

Goals or actions proposed to meet these threats or take advantage of these opportunities include:

• Stop the destruction of wetlands and watersheds by any legal means, including advocating for good decision-making and better rules; public acquisition of important conservation lands, watersheds and aquifer recharge areas; and litigation when necessary.
• Offer encouragement and assistance to existing local citizen guardian groups and help to form more such groups.
• Give local elected officials good reasons for supporting much higher wastewater treatment standards and better methods of used water recycling.
• Raise awareness and concern throughout our membership and the general public through education efforts.
• Oppose new uses of Regional General Permits (USCOE) and Ecosystem Management Agreements (DEP) to provide quick and easy permitting for large developers.
• Oppose the expansion of electricity generating plants of all types. Promote conservation and the gradual conversion to solar.

Legislation

Legislation or Rulemaking Activities Anticipated in 2005 Are Likely to Include:

• Closely monitor and strongly oppose the Council of 100 proposals to privatize the public's water and to transfer water from north to south Florida.
• Support the effort to raise the constitutional millage cap for the Northwest Florida Water Management District.
• Support water conservation measures.
• Oppose efforts to divert Florida Forever, etc. land preservation funds for other uses.
• Oppose any efforts to "take" state submerged land.
• Oppose EPA’s proposed weakening of the Clean Water Act that allows “blended”sewage to be discharged into waterways
• Oppose EPA’s pollution trading policy for waters.
• Closely monitor and oppose the St. Joe Company’s attempts to acquire special blanket permits to destroy vast acreage of wetlands to build their massive developments in the Panhandle.
• Oppose and organize against new power plants.

Further Action

In 2006, the committee will continue to expand its activists and contacts with other organizations to exchange information and alerts, and to add their voices and efforts to our own.

• Expand action-alerts to include regional networks.
• Create and distribute sample letters and fact sheets for others to communicate with media, their members and government officials.
• Coordinate efforts to get large turnouts at public hearings and meetings where important water and wetland decisions are being considered. Assign a Water & Wetland contact person in each group.
• Act as an information source for Sierrans and others regarding Water & Wetlands issues.

What Can You Do?

Members are urged to make their presence known to politicians and administrators to let them know that actions against the public interest can have adverse consequences; be available to participate in activities and events designed to inform, educate, and motivate other members and the public.

Useful Links:

http://www.leaf.org/
http://www.epa.gov/owow/watershed/
National wetlands inventory home page
EPA wetlands
Sierra Club Wetlands Page
Special report: Vanishing wetlands

http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/wupt.html

http://water.usgs.gov/
FDEP Florida's wetlands Main

http://www.energyjustice.net

References:

EPA. 2001. National Coastal Condition Report. EPA-620/R-01/005
EPA. 2000. 2000 National Water Quality Inventory. http://www.epa.gov/305b/2000report
http://www.epa.gov/305b/2000report