Around the Gulf
News briefs from Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama.
What Have You Recycled Today?
Ahead of America Recycles Day, Keyna Cory previews Florida Recycles Day’s Nov. 18 program on recycling technology, tourism venues, sports venues and industry innovation.
What Resilience Really Means for Florida
Resiliency Florida’s David Rathke argues true resilience is a day-to-day practice for local governments, utilities and residents — not just a state program that kicks in after a storm.
Port Everglades Needs a Dredging Decision Built on Scientific Data, Not Drama
Coastal scientist William Precht draws on lessons from PortMiami’s dredging review to argue the Port Everglades decision should rest on rigorous monitoring and quantified tradeoffs, not slogans from either side.
WOTUS Needs a Bright Line. Put a Period After ‘Perennial’
Attorney Herschel T. Vinyard argues EPA and the Army Corps should drop the vague “30 consecutive dry days” test from their revised WOTUS proposal and simply define relatively permanent waters as perennial.
Florida’s Section 404 Dispute Continues With Multiple Federal, Judicial Fronts
A D.C. Circuit denial of rehearing, a pending congressional bill and a DOJ push for a new ESA consultation approach are all in play as Florida seeks to restore its Section 404 wetlands permitting program.
In Other News
A new interest-free loan program for Hurricane Isaias-impacted farmers, a $9.99 million UF-led effort on fallow winter acres, and four new Conservation Florida board members.
New EPA and Army Corps WOTUS Rule Comments Top 88,000
EPA and the Army Corps’ supplemental WOTUS proposal — which would generally limit “relatively permanent” waters to perennial ones — drew 88,835 public comments by its Oct. 9 deadline.
Conferences and Events
Upcoming environmental conferences and events, from the Florida Water Forum in December through the 2027 FAEP Conference next April.
