Volume 46, Number 5 - Florida Specifier

SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2024

Volume 46, Number 5

Florida’s Environmental News Source of Record focused on news content of interest to the environmental community.

SPECIFIER PUBLISHING LLC

Publisher

Editor-In-Chief

Patrick Gillespie

Staff Writers

BLANCHE HARDY, PG

Senior Correspondent

LINA ALFIERI STERN

MBA, MSRED, LEED Green Associate

Contributing Writers and
Columnists

DANIELLE FITZPATRICK
St. Johns River Water
Management District

L.K. NANDEM
Florida Department of
Transportation

LUNA E. PHILLIPS
Gunster Law Firm

MALLORY LIZANA
Lewis & Clark Law

ERNIE BARNETT
Florida Land Council

KEYNA CORY
Florida Recycling
Partnership Foundation

JESSICA MAILLIEZ
Sea & Shoreline

DAVID KRAMER
Southwest Florida Water
Management District

FELICIA KITZMILLER
Stearns Weaver

SUSAN STEPHENS
Stearns Weaver

Work Continues in the Journey to Restore Lake Jesup

Collaborative efforts from Florida agencies are restoring Lake Jesup, improving water quality and reducing nutrient pollution.

DEP Proposing Rule for New Seagrass Restoration Permit

Florida DEP proposes new permit for seagrass restoration to improve water quality and protect marine ecosystems across Florida.

LOSOM: Lake Okeechobee’s New Regulation Schedule – A Scheduled Based on Operational Flexibility

Lake Okeechobee’s new LOSOM schedule allows flexible management, balancing flood control, water supply, and environmental priorities.

NWFWMD Expands Agricultural Cost-Share Program

Northwest Florida Water Management District expands cost-share funding to support agricultural and livestock water conservation efforts.

Wave Attenuators Prevent Erosion, Promote Seagrass Growth at Sunshine Skyway Bridge

FDOT uses innovative breakwaters to protect Sunshine Skyway Bridge, promote seagrass growth, and enhance Tampa Bay’s marine habitat.

Sustainable Innovation: How Artificial Intelligence is Advancing the Environmental Industry

Fort Myers adopts AI-driven technology to optimize utilities infrastructure, enhancing maintenance, resource management, and sustainability efforts in the city.

Efforts to Save The Monarch Butterfly Take Flight

Monarch butterflies face extinction threats due to habitat loss and pesticides. Conservation efforts focus on protecting pollinator ecosystems.

Conferences and Events

Join Florida’s leading environmental conferences in 2024, covering resilience, flooding adaptation, remediation, and ecosystem preservation strategies.

Florida State Parks System Introduces, Pulls Back Plans for Golf, Pickleball, Cabins at Parks

Florida State Parks canceled plans for new recreational facilities following public protests and Governor DeSantis’ intervention.

Florida Notes

SJRWMD Approves Land Management Plan for the Gourd Island Conservation Area The St.

Empowering Sustainable Water Management: SRWMD’s Crucial Monitoring Initiatives

Suwannee River Water Management District uses extensive monitoring to ensure sustainable water quality and supply for future generations.

Lake Okeechobee Water Supply, Proper Calculations are Key to South Florida’s Future

Lake Okeechobee plays a key role in South Florida’s water supply, flood control, and Everglades restoration under WRDA 2000.

Recycling is Alive: WM’s Commitment to Florida’s Recycling Facilities

WM leads Florida’s recycling future with major investments in advanced facilities, improving efficiency and tackling contamination challenges.

Marco Island Conference Brings Something For Everyone

The 38th Annual Environmental Permitting Summer School featured top experts discussing key environmental issues and regulatory updates in Florida.

Around the Gulf

Florida Specifier brings news about significant environmental and energy projects around the Gulf, from LNG in Texas to solar in Mississippi and wind in Louisiana.

Northwest Florida and water quality issues dealing specifically with the Florida Keys.

DEP Fiscal Year 24/25 Grants Cycle Comes to a Close

Florida DEP grants for resiliency, water supply, and quality projects in Northwest Florida and the Florida Keys closed on Sept. 1.

A Model of Resilient Restoration: The Kings Bay Restoration Project

The Kings Bay Restoration Project aims to restore water clarity, seagrass habitats, and improve the ecosystem in Crystal River, Florida.

In Other News

In other news: Texas LNG projects advance, Florida welcomes new Corps leadership, and 50 schools receive fishing club grants.

Stormwater Ponds – Your Questions Answered

A stormwater pond is designed to collect and manage runoff from rainwater. When rainwater lands on rooftops, parking lots, streets, driveways and other hard surfaces, the rainfall that doesn’t soak into the ground (stormwater runoff) flows into your neighborhood stormwater pond through grates, pipes, shallow swales or ditches.