August 2000

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  News

30-Aug-00

"Troubled Waters" will air on TBS Superstation on September 26 (check local listings).
Coming Face-to-Face with Wildlife in the Forgotten Everglades
By Cynthia Barry
...  new, one-hour documentary about the Everglades called "Troubled Waters" that premiers in September on TBS Superstation. Coproduced by the National Wildlife Federation and Turner Original Productions, the film brings viewers face-to-face with some of the most elusive and imperiled species in South Florida. In doing so, the documentary examines the ecosystem through the lives of animals that depend upon it for survival.  Much of the film explores the so-called "forgotten" western Everglades. From its headwaters in the Big Cypress Okaloacoochee Slough to the mangrove estuaries of the Ten Thousand Islands, the western Everglades is the last, vast expanse of wildlife habitat in Florida.  Labeled forgotten because of the greater attention paid to plans for restoring the heavily damaged eastern Everglades, the western 'glades contain the best quality surface water in South Florida. The region has long been a popular ecotourist and birding destination as well as a sportfishing paradise. Yet all is not well in this paradise... 
Copyright  © 2000 National Wildlife Federation  All rights reserved.

26-Aug-00

Apopka birds may have died from disease, not poisoning
Disease rather than pesticide poisoning may have caused more than 1,000 bird deaths at Lake Apopka, environmental experts now say.  Dead birds found at Lake Apopka showed signs of Newcastle disease, a viral illness which can cause paralysis, blindness, seizures, tremors and death.  The latest conclusion comes from a draft report written for the St. Johns River Water Management District, which is supervising a lake cleanup being done by Exponent, a Bellevue, Wash.-based environmental consulting firm.  Pelican and cormorant deaths two winters ago were initially blamed on poisoning from pesticides used on huge farms carved out of Lake Apopka marsh decades ago.  Last year, federal prosecutors began to investigate the bird kill, seeking records about chemicals used by farmers. Most restoration work at Lake Apopka stopped during the investigation, including work on 14,000 acres bought for $100 million.  Birds began dying soon after former farms were flooded and reverted to wetlands. The fields were then drained out of fear pesticides were killing birds.
Copyright  © 2000 Naples News.  All rights reserved.


Judge suspends preserve permits for three airboat businesses 
A handful of airboat tour operators in Everglades City wondered Friday about their futures after a federal judge ordered them to keep out of the Big Cypress National Preserve in the swampy reaches of far eastern Collier County.   U.S. District Judge Lenore Nesbitt suspended preserve permits Thursday for three airboat businesses — Jungle Erv's Airboat World, Speedy Johnson's Fun Cruise and Florida Airboat tours — in a ruling that chided National Park Service managers for burying staff reports of environmental damage to the preserve from airboats.  The Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida sued the Park Service in 1998 for letting the airboats run on land annexed into the preserve in 1996 without letting the Miccosukee Tribe have first dibs on it.   Nesbitt ruled that the Park Service violated the National Environmental Policy Act by not studying the effects of the airboats and ordered a halt to the tours until such a study is completed or the Park Service determines one isn't needed. 
Copyright  © 2000 Naples News.  All rights reserved.

24-Aug-00

MICCOSUKEE TRIBE WINS ENVIRONMENTAL RULING IN BIG CYPRESS CASE
Today the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida (who live in the Florida Everglades and whose members have federally-recognized rights to customary use and occupancy of lands and waters within the Big Cypress National Preserve), announced that they have won an important ruling against the National Park Service in their long legal battle over the Big Cypress. In a fifteen page Order, federal district court Judge Lenore Nesbitt granted the Tribe's Partial Motion for Summary Judgement in Miccosukee Tribe Indians of Florida v. U.S. National Park Service, Case No. 98-521-CIV-NESBITT. The Court found that the Park Service is required by law to follow procedures set forth by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and that their failure to do so was arbitrary and capricious. Accordingly, the District Court enjoined the Park Service from authorizing further commercial airboat tours in the Big Cypress National Preserve Addition until they comply with NEPA. 
Miccosukee Press Release


7-Aug-00

Bracing for limits in the Big Cypress
Swamp buggy enthusiasts await word on how strict rules will be
A plan due in mid-August would impose the strictest limits yet on swamp buggies in the 729,000-acre preserve, an intricately patterned mix of wet prairies streaked with vast stretches of tall cypress, pine trees and palmetto bushes.  Details of the plan have not been revealed, but newly installed Superintendent John Donahue said last week that it will banish swamp buggies from sensitive prairies and restrict them to limited access points and some 400 miles of designated primary trails.  Federal rules require a 30-day public comment period after the plan's release. After that, it becomes official.
Copyright  © 2000 Naples News.  All rights reserved.

Boaters plot strategy in Collier for fending off manatee-protection rules
A boater revolt is taking root in Collier County against a legal assault from environmental advocates seeking better protections for the endangered West Indian manatee.  A fledgling organization called Standing Watch has attracted close to 30 people at recent meetings to plot strategy for fending off regulations some boaters fear could bounce them off local waters in the name of manatee protection.  Save the Manatee Club and a coalition of 18 environmental groups filed federal lawsuits in Tallahassee and in Washington, D.C., in January to try to force changes in the way the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission approve new marinas.
Copyright  © 2000 Naples News.  All rights reserved.

3-Aug-00
 
Col. James G. May assumed command of the Jacksonville District, Army Corps of Engineers, during a ceremony today.

The new commander addressed a crowd of more than 300 just after taking command. "I am absolutely delighted to take command of the District and look forward to future accomplishments," May said. "The Jacksonville District is fortunate to be in one of those moments in history to be in the right place at the right time."  Col. Joe R. Miller, outgoing commander, served as District Engineer for three years. Later this month he will retire with 26 years of military service and start his civilian career as the public works director for the city of Jacksonville.   Brig. Gen. J. Richard Capka, South Atlantic Division Engineer, accepted the command flag from Colonel Miller and then passed it to Colonel May, symbolizing the transfer of command responsibility to the new commander.

(continued) http://www.saj.usace.army.mil/
Welcome from the Jacksonville District Commander, Colonel James G. May
http://www.saj.usace.army.mil/pao/welcome.htm
Col. James G May bibliography
http://www.saj.usace.army.mil/biomay.htm 
2000 U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville District

 

  Press Releases

MICCOSUKEE TRIBE WINS ENVIRONMENTAL RULING IN BIG CYPRESS CASE
Today the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida (who live in the Florida Everglades and whose members have federally-recognized rights to customary use and occupancy of lands and waters within the Big Cypress National Preserve), announced that they have won an important ruling against the National Park Service in their long legal battle over the Big Cypress. In a fifteen page Order, federal district court Judge Lenore Nesbitt granted the Tribe's Partial Motion for Summary Judgement in Miccosukee Tribe Indians of Florida v. U.S. National Park Service, Case No. 98-521-CIV-NESBITT. The Court found that the Park Service is required by law to follow procedures set forth by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and that their failure to do so was arbitrary and capricious. Accordingly, the District Court enjoined the Park Service from authorizing further commercial airboat tours in the Big Cypress National Preserve Addition until they comply with NEPA.
Miccosukee Press Release

 

  Campaign 2000

George W. Bush presidential campaign website

• georgewbush.com

Al Gore presidential campaign website

•  gore2000.org

2000 Presidential Profiles

•  League of Conservation Voters

•  Cheney Pick Means Double Trouble for the Environment

•  George W. Bush Environmental Updates
•  Al Gore Environmental Updates
•  Alan Keyes Environmental Updates

  Litigation


  Legislation

  New Bills

•  Congress to Prepare Everglades Restoration Bill
Copyright © 2000 Everglades Conservation Network  All rights reserved.  Posted 01-Jun-00

•  H.R. 2372 to be voted on 
H.R. 2372, Rep. Canady's [R-FL] "Private Property Rights Implementation Act" (TAKINGS BILL) will be MARKED-UP and VOTED on by the Full HOUSE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE on WEDNESDAY, MARCH 8 and is likely to come to the Floor of the full House of Representatives the following week.

•  Search Thomas 

  Congressional Testimony

•  Subcommittee on Water Resources & Environment

01-Mar-00
•  Hearings & Testimony: Restoration of the Everglades and South Florida Ecosystem 

WITNESSES

PANEL I

Representative E. Clay Shaw, Jr.
Representative Carrie P. Meek
Representative Peter Deutsch
Representative Porter J. Goss
Representative Mark Foley

PANEL II

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Honorable Joseph W. Westphal, Ph.D.
Assistant Secretary of the Army
(Civil Works)
Washington, D.C.
Accompanied by: Mr. Michael L. Davis
Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army
for Policy and Legislation
Washington, D.C.

U.S. Department of the Interior
Ms. Mary E. Doyle
Counselor to the Secretary
Washington, D.C.

PANEL III

Florida Department of Environmental Protection
Honorable David B. Struhs
Secretary
Tallahassee, Florida

South Florida Water Management District
Mr. Michael Collins
Governing Board Chairman
West Palm Beach, Florida

Miccosukee Tribe
Mr. Billy Cypress
Chairman
Miami, Florida

PANEL IV

U.S. Sugar Corporation
Mr. Malcolm S. (Bubba) Wade
Senior Vice President
Clewiston, Florida

The United States Property Owners & Friends of the
8.5 Square Mile Area, Inc.
Ms. Ibel Aguilera
Director
Miami, Florida

Audubon of Florida
Dr. Stuart D. Strahl
President & CEO
Miami, Florida

 

  Regulations


  Case Law


  Law Review Articles


  Reports


31-Jul-00

COORDINATING SUCCESS:
Strategy for Restoration of the South Florida Ecosystem 
(PDF documents)
Published by:  SOUTH FLORIDA ECOSYSTEM RESTORATION TASK FORCE
Documents page

Click here for internal link to Executive Summary (html document)

 

  Research


  Conferences, Hearings 

•  Aug. 15, 2000, at 7:45 p.m., Homestead Branch Library

Little Known Black History of the Everglades
Talk by Everglades National Park Ranger Tony Terry...'' from the Underground Railroad to the fishing village of Flamingo.
Homestead Branch Library, 700 N. Homestead Blvd., Homestead. Free. For more information, call the Everglades National Park 305-242-7700.  
 

•  Aug. 9, 2000, 5:30 to 8 p.m., Miami-Dade Comm. College

Town hall meeting:  Leaders to discuss Glades
U.S. Rep. Carrie Meek, D-Miami, will hold a  from . Wednesday [8/9/00] to discuss ``Everglades Restoration: Our Lives Depend on It'' and ``The Environment is the Economy.'' Speakers will include Stuart Strahal of the Florida Audubon Society; Michael Davis, deputy assistant secretary of the U.S. Army (Civil Works); Wayne Rawlins, director of Miami Weed and Seed program; Jerry Fernandez, board member of the South Florida Water Management District; and Cynthia Laramore, a Glades area Environmental Justice coordinator. 
Main auditorium of Miami-Dade Community College's Wolfson Campus, 300 NE Second Ave. in downtown Miami.  
 

 

  Links

•  UNEP/GPA News Forum

United Nations Environment Programme
A News and Information Service of the Global Programme of Action (GPA) for the Protection of the Marine Environment from Land-based Activities

•  Environmental News Network

Education site
Only one in three adult Americans has a passing understanding of our most pressing environmental issues.  National Environmental Education and Training Foundation

•   League of Conservation voters, Presidential profiles

Political analysis of Presidential candidates' environmental platform
New section on Cheney's record (07-24-00)

•  Everglades Restoration Plan

Comprehensive site dedicated to educating the public about the restoration plan

2000 Presidential Profiles

•  League of Conservation Voters

•  George W. Bush Environmental Updates
•  Al Gore Environmental Updates
•  Alan Keyes Environmental Updates
•  Cheney Pick Means Double Trouble for the Environment

 

Credit:
Everglades photograph courtesy Philip Greenspun

 

Revised:  05/25/03