EPC wetlands hearing tomorrow
July 25, 2007 at 2:50 pm by Wayne GarciaThe Hillsborough County Commission, acting as the board of directors of the Environmental Protection Commission, is scheduled tomorrow to hear a proposal to spare the EPC’s wetlands protections.
No vote is expected on the issue until August, but at least EPC Executive Director Dr. Richard Garrity will be able to present what has come to be known as “the hybrid plan” that calls for preserving the division while streamlining the development approval process and allowing for more wetlands destruction via “mitigation.” In those cases, developers can fill and build on wetlands if they create other wetlands in another site. Mitigation has questionable value.
Denise Layne, an activist who has fought for environmental protections locally and at the state level, plans to address the concerns of her Coalition 4 Responsible Growth about Garrity’s compromise. Her full presentation after the break:
TO THE EPC BOARD:
- We need stricter regulations to protect our wetlands and slow down the negative economic impacts to taxpayers – Let science prove what common sense dictates
Local governments have the ability to protect the health, safety and welfare of its citizenry best. If we are pro-active in protecting our wetlands, than we will reduce the amount of money it is costing taxpayers restoring it. Have we learned nothing from the destruction of the largest wetland in Florida – the Everglades?????
The only way to properly determine the feasibility and viability of Dr. Garrity’s Hybrid Proposal is to let SCIENCE be the focal point. Therefore, no additional stakeholder committee is required. You currently have a stakeholder committee called, “Citizens Environmental Advisory Committee (CEAC).â€Â Reorganize that group to represent the proper stakeholders. After all, you appoint the members of the committee.
What is needed to review the Rules with the EPC staff is a TECHNICAL committee comprised of professional science-related members. During the 50 foot setback discussions recently, the development AND environmental communities agreed that science should be the basis of the review of setbacks. Then, of course, the same must apply to the entire wetland system.
Once recommendations on Rules changes (if any) are available from this scientific technical committee, then the stakeholder committee (CEAC) and the rest of the public have the right to their input on them. The Rules must be determined by science - not by politics! Our water depends on it.
The streamlining in Dr. Garrity’s Hybrid Proposal is a great step toward eliminating multiple reviews of agencies, even though each agency looks at different aspects of wetlands. The Department of Environmental Protection sees the value in delegating to our EPC, and chosen to do so. We thank them. The Southwest Florida Water Management District on the other hand has CHOSEN not to delegate for no other reason than they don’t want to. There is no science or reason why our quality staff on EPC, which is at least equal to the water management district’s staff, cannot handle this delegation. Therefore, it is SWFWMD that is playing politics with this. We need their delegation and funding, and Dr. Garrity should be allowed to pursue this.
Regarding the fourth reviewer – Army Corp of Engineers – they are already delegating review of wetlands 3 acres or less in 15 jurisdictions in this State. I believe we could easily accomplish this level of delegation to the EPC for true one stop shopping, and continue to work on more delegation from them in the future.
Remember, Hillsborough County and its three jurisdictions demanded stricter standards than the state protecting wetlands by asking the Legislature to create the Environmental Protection Commission - and your constituents overwhelmingly supported it then and now!
- Cost of destruction of wetlands is escalating each year through local, state and federal restoration programs
Because of the continued destruction of wetlands in this state, each local, state and even federal government programs to restore, monitor and protect from further destruction is on the rise. We now spend hundreds of millions a year on these projects.
One obvious budget item to track as the result of destruction of wetlands is through stormwater projects within each county budget.
Example: Hillsborough County’s Stormwater master plan study looks at water quantity, water quality, and the natural watershed system in 17 watersheds (basins) divided into 7,000 sub-basins within the county. (source: Hills. Cty. Capital Budget, “Stormwaterâ€)
- $18.5 million in capital stormwater projects anticipated in the 2006-07 Year Budget
- Even with budget cuts, $20 million in stormwater projects 2008
- Even more budget cuts, $17.3 million in stormwater projects 2009
- $30,445 million in future stormwater projects
- Additional tens of millions have recently been bonded through the Community Investment Tax to escalate stormwater projects due to flooding issues
At the state level, every water management district in connection with the Department of Environmental Protection, have comprehensive watershed and basin plans.
Example: Southwest Florida Water Management District has 11 watershed management plans costing a total of approximately $896 million in water and related natural resource management projects in 2000. Those covering Hillsborough County:
- Alafia River Comprehensive Watershed Management Plan
- Little Manatee River Comprehensive Watershed Management Plan
- Tampa Bay/Anclote River Comprehensive Watershed Management Plan
- Hillsborough River Watershed Management Plan
SWFWMD also has Surface Water Improvement and Management Plans (SWIM), which protects another wetland system restoring, protecting and enhancing Tampa Bay’s mangrove and sale marsh communities. Long term restoration projects of 100-150 acres over 5 years or longer of these wetland areas are scheduled.
Example:Â Florida Forever Program:Â $105 million just to the five water management districts in the 2005 work plan.
At the federal level, the Everglades Restoration Project – BILLIONS - does more need to be said?
What this means is that in one year, over $100 million is spent in Hillsborough County between local, state and federal programs for flooding from destruction of wetlands and eco-system restoration. And the cost is only going up. The direct correlation between wetlands destruction (cause) and stormwater budget increases (effect) is well documented.
HOW MANY MILLIONS/BILLIONS OF TAX DOLLARS TO WE HAVE TO SPEND ON RESTORING NATURAL SYSTEMS BEFORE WE REALIZE THE NEGATIVE ECONOMIC IMPACT IT CREATES, AND WE TRULY PROTECT OUR NATURAL RESOURCES?
We believe it does not make good business sense to go to four agencies for wetland review. Therefore, bring it all home to our Environmental Protection Commission with our higher standards, and you will provide economic benefit to all for years to come.
Respectfully submitted this 26th day of July, 2007.
Denise Layne
Executive Director
Coalition 4 Responsible Growth, Inc.
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July 26th, 2007 at 3:54 pm
As a geologist, I have seen the creation of “wetlands” that look like a wetland from the surface but are geologically not similar and do not carry out the natural functions of a wetland. The unique importance and necessity of real, functioning wetlands is often overlooked during the mitigation process where what is a wetland in appearance only, is created.
July 26th, 2007 at 5:49 pm
It is like much of the mitigation that phosphate does when it digs a new mine. they may look like lakes and wetlands but don’t function like them. and that is why the groups that are fighting the ECP change so hard are so concerned about Garrity’s hybird plan that would allow more mitigation.