October 26, 2024 Weekly Newsletter
Our friends at VoteWater have been hard at work compiling their latest "Dirty Money" listings, tracking political contributions from polluting industries. Their database, built from publicly available data, highlights contributions from major players like the sugar industry, phosphate mining companies, utilities, and development interests. These industries wield immense influence, shaping water management policies that directly impact the health of Florida's waterways, including our own Indian River Lagoon.
According to VoteWater's findings, industries such as U.S. Sugar, NextEra Energy (parent company of Florida Power & Light), and The Mosaic Company (phosphate mining) have poured millions into Florida’s political landscape, ensuring that their voices are heard loud and clear by our elected officials. Since 2018, U.S. Sugar alone has contributed over $19 million to political committees in the state, influencing critical decisions that affect water quality and environmental protections.
What’s alarming is how these contributions correlate with weakened environmental policies. For example, Senate Bill 2508, championed by State Senator Ben Albritton—a top recipient of “dirty money”—would have solidified Big Sugar’s control over Lake Okeechobee’s water management, potentially worsening the harmful discharges into the St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee rivers.
It’s clear that the significant financial power of these industries drowns out the voices of regular citizens who simply want clean, healthy waterways. That’s why it’s so important to remain vigilant and support efforts like VoteWater’s Dirty Money Project, which shines a light on the connections between political donations and harmful environmental policies.
At the IRNA, we remain committed to protecting our precious water resources and advocating for policy changes that prioritize the health of the Indian River Lagoon over the profits of polluting industries. We encourage you to visit VoteWater.org to explore the full Dirty Money listings and stay informed about where our local and state politicians are getting their campaign funds.
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The Indian River County Board of County Commissioners is holding a workshop on October 30, 2024 at 2 PM, to review the findings of the County's Urban Service Boundary Study. This study, conducted by the consultant Inspire Placemaking Collective, will explore the current boundaries of urban services, such as water and sewer infrastructure, and the areas designated for urban development.
With the county's population projected to increase by 25% by 2050, reaching 210,000, the study aims to address how land availability and public service costs will accommodate this growth. The current boundary lies mostly east of I-95, with exceptions along State Road 60 and within Fellsmere.
Commissioners emphasized the importance of public engagement, highlighting the six in-person meetings and an online survey to capture residents' expectations. The workshop is open to the public, and while commissioners will discuss the study's findings, no votes will be taken at this meeting.
Please come if you are able, as this issue is one of the most significant challenges facing the county. If handled poorly, it could drastically change the makeup of our community. Your input is important in shaping the future of Indian River County.
Vero Beach elections 2024, see two referendums for downtown future (TCPalm) - Vero Beach voters will decide on two referendums that could increase downtown development density and allow the transfer of development rights, both aimed at revitalizing the area with more housing and walkability.
Opinion: Think carefully before OK'ing Vero Beach downtown questions (TCPalm) - Proposals to increase downtown Vero Beach's housing density may help revitalize the area, but concerns remain about potential unintended consequences like overdevelopment and losing the city's unique character.
County damage from tornadoes at least $55M and growing (Vero News) - Indian River County faces at least $55 million in damages from three tornadoes spawned by Hurricane Milton, with local officials and organizations working to provide disaster relief and support to displaced residents.
Hurricane Milton exacerbated already declining citrus industry (TCPalm) - Hurricane Milton's tornadoes have compounded the challenges faced by Treasure Coast citrus farmers already struggling with citrus greening, rising costs, and declining profitability, pushing some closer to selling their land as damage estimates from the storm continue to rise.
Vero Beach City Council election, who are the candidates, what are issues (TCPalm) - Vero Beach City Council candidates are focusing on downtown revitalization, the Three Corners development project, and the health of the Indian River Lagoon, with five candidates competing for three seats in the upcoming election.
Sebastian City Council election 2024 issues and candidates running (TCPalm) - Sebastian City Council candidates Ed Dodd, Kelly Dixon, and Damien Gilliams agree that the health of the Indian River Lagoon is the city's top priority, though they differ on how to fund storm water management and lagoon maintenance.
Deadly tornadoes: One more thing to worry about (Vero News) - The unprecedented tornado outbreak caused by Hurricane Milton's outer bands devastated parts of Vero Beach, raising concerns about whether such extreme weather events could become more frequent as environmental conditions shift.
Learning at the Lagoon (Vero Beach Magazine) - The Indian River Lagoon, a vital and biodiverse ecosystem, is supported by educational programs like the Environmental Learning Center's Literacy on the Lagoon, which helps young students improve literacy through nature-based learning while fostering environmental stewardship.
Vero Beach neighborhoods next after beachside Milton cleanup efforts (TCPalm) - Vero Beach is undergoing a massive cleanup operation focused on removing vegetative debris from beachside areas after Hurricane Milton, with plans to expand to the mainland and eventually tackle building debris as more crews are hired.
A federal judge has ruled in favor of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in a lawsuit regarding manatee deaths in the Indian River Lagoon. Environmental groups, including Save the Manatee Club, filed the lawsuit in 2022 after a record 1,100 manatees died in 2021, mainly due to seagrass loss. The groups sought to compel the EPA to reevaluate water quality standards set in 2013, claiming they failed to protect threatened species like manatees.
Judge Carlos Mendoza sided with the EPA, stating that the issue was with Florida's enforcement of the standards, not the standards themselves. He noted that plaintiffs failed to prove the EPA’s actions were "arbitrary" or in violation of the law.
Brightline now a possibility again in Martin County, officials say (TC Palm) - Martin County plans to negotiate with Brightline to build a train station, with or without Stuart's participation, as time-sensitive grant opportunities and competition from Fort Pierce drive the county's urgency to secure the project.
Ron DeSantis and Big Sugar join forces in key south Florida campaign (Jason Garcia Substack) - Ron DeSantis and Big Sugar are aligning in a key Palm Beach County commission race, backing Republican candidate Michael Barnett in an election that could influence the future of Everglades restoration and a controversial mining project in the Everglades Agricultural Area.
Milton may expose flood and wind insurance coverage gap in Florida (Palm Beach Post) - Hurricane Milton is likely to test Florida's recent insurance reforms, with concerns that property owners may struggle to prove wind damage over flooding, potentially limiting their ability to claim insurance payouts under the new regulations and leading to increased financial burdens.
Florida is voting: Twelve storylines to watch (Jason Garcia Substack) - Florida's 2024 election includes key storylines such as the battle for control of the U.S. Senate, critical state Senate and House races, high-stakes local contests, and pivotal constitutional amendments, including those on abortion rights and recreational marijuana legalization.
When hurricane evacuation isn’t an option (Grist) - Evacuating during hurricanes can be a financial and logistical challenge for many, particularly the elderly, low-income households, and those with limited mobility, forcing some to stay behind despite life-threatening conditions, as highlighted by the experiences of residents during Hurricanes Helene and Milton.
Study combines woodchips and biochar to clean water of pharmaceuticals, nutrients (ScienceDaily) - A new study from the University of Illinois demonstrates that combining woodchip bioreactors with biochar made from sawdust can significantly reduce nitrogen, phosphorus, and pharmaceuticals like ibuprofen in wastewater, offering a promising solution for improving water quality and addressing environmental risks posed by these contaminants.
Five candidates are running for Vero Beach City Council in the upcoming election. Each candidate has shared their views on critical issues concerning the city's future, following a series of questions sent by the Indian River Neighborhood Association (IRNA) and Clean Water Coalition (CWC). These questions touched on topics such as development, housing, water quality, and city governance.
Here are the candidates, listed in alphabetical order:
Each candidate responded to the questions covering areas like the Three Corners development, affordable housing, water quality in the lagoon, and how Vero Beach can prepare for future climate challenges. The IRNA and CWC provided the platform for this important conversation, highlighting the importance of these issues for voters as they head to the polls. The full responses offer insight into how these candidates plan to address key concerns in Vero Beach.We extend our sincere thanks to all the candidates for their time and thoughtful responses, and we wish them the best of luck in their campaigns.
Note: Typically, we survey the Sebastian City Council candidates, but this year, the candidates running are those who participated in the 2022 election. You can view their responses from two years ago here. Kelly Dixon, Ed Dodd, and Damien Gilliams, Jr. are running for Sebastian City Council this year.
Microplastics and PFAS: Combined risk and greater environmental harm (ScienceDaily) - A new study from the University of Birmingham reveals that the combination of microplastics and PFAS, two persistent environmental pollutants, causes more severe harm to aquatic life than when each is present alone, highlighting the urgent need for regulatory frameworks to address the compounded effects of such "forever chemicals."
Helene Recovery Progresses with Water, Road Contracts (Engineering News-Record) - Recovery efforts from Hurricane Helene are progressing, with North Carolina and Tennessee transportation departments focusing on road repairs, including major bridge replacements and stabilizing Interstate 40, while Asheville works to restore water service and address lingering infrastructure issues.
Research improves hurricane intensity forecasting (ScienceDaily) - A collaboration between researchers from South Korea and Florida State University has improved hurricane intensity forecasting by incorporating the effects of sea spray into weather models, showing that sea spray significantly enhances the heat and moisture transfer that powers hurricanes, leading to more accurate predictions of storm strength.
The Earth’s Colors Are Changing—and Climate Change Could Be Partially to Blame (Inside Climate News) - Changes in Earth's natural colors, such as delayed autumn foliage, greening oceans, and vegetation spreading in Antarctica, are increasingly linked to climate change, as warmer temperatures and altered ecosystems affect biological processes and nutrient levels across the planet.
Novel Computational Method Could Prove a Game-Changer in Tracking Down River Polluters (Environmental News Network) - Scientists at the University of Oxford have developed a novel computational method using inverse modeling to trace river pollution back to its sources, offering a more robust approach than traditional methods, which rely on assumptions about pollution origins.
Asheville’s Dirty Water Warns of Climate Risk to Aging US Infrastructure (Insurance Journal) - The devastation caused by Hurricanes Helene and Milton in Asheville, North Carolina, highlights how aging water infrastructure, already strained by delayed maintenance, is further challenged by climate change, underscoring the need for significant investment and adaptation to prepare for future climate-driven risks.
There's Something in the Water: The History of the Clean Water Act (HeinOnline Blog) - The Clean Water Act, passed in 1972 after Congress overrode President Nixon's veto, aimed to restore and maintain the integrity of U.S. waters by regulating pollutants and empowering the EPA, but despite progress, its goals of making all waters fishable and swimmable by 1983 and eliminating water pollution by 1985 remain unmet.
Want your voice to be heard? Use this link to easily contact elected officials—from your city council to the President. Your voice can make a real impact. While the IRNA may occasionally prompt you to contact specific officials about urgent issues, we keep this list handy for your convenience. Can't find who you're looking for? Just let us know; we're here to help connect you with the right people.
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