Vero Beach City Council Fully Funds Stormwater Utility
In a win for environmental advocates and the community, the Vero Beach City Council has unanimously voted to fully fund the city's stormwater utility (SWU) for the 2024/2025 fiscal year. This decision marks the first time that property owners will shoulder 100% of the funding responsibility, a crucial step toward ensuring sustainable and dedicated resources for stormwater management.
The council maintained last year's millage rate of 2.7680, avoiding any proposals for a rollback. The decision passed with a resounding 5-0 vote. While the capital budget was deferred for about two weeks, the council's commitment to the SWU project recommendations is clear.
The Journey to Full Funding
A few years ago, Vero Beach established its stormwater utility but had not fully funded it, relying instead on temporary funds such as COVID relief money. With these temporary funds no longer available, the need for proper and dedicated funding became more pressing than ever. The SWU's full funding is critical for the city to support new capital projects without the constraints of the general budget.
Why Full Funding Matters
With over 200 stormwater outfalls to the Indian River Lagoon, full funding of the Stormwater Utility is essential. Here’s why:
Dedicated Funds: Ensuring consistent investment in water quality projects without competing for general funds.
Grant Eligibility: Matching funds from the utility make the city eligible for state and federal grants, maximizing financial resources.
Improved Infrastructure: Addressing the huge backlog of unfunded projects and implementing new initiatives to reduce pollution and prevent flooding.
Sustainable Management: Promoting green infrastructure and sustainable stormwater practices.
A Positive Outcome for the Community
This vote is a testament to the council's commitment to the environment and the well-being of the community. The fully funded stormwater utility will allow Vero Beach to tackle long-delayed projects, improve drainage, and help restore the Indian River Lagoon, a vital recreational and economic asset.
As we await the final decisions on the capital budget, the community can be optimistic about the future of Vero Beach's stormwater management. This dedicated funding will pave the way for sustainable and effective solutions, ensuring that our city is better prepared to handle the challenges posed by climate change and heavier rainfall.
Thank you to the Vero Beach City Council for your forward-thinking and unanimous support of this essential initiative.
IRNA and CWC sent a joint letter to the City Council thanking them for taking these actions. You can see that letter here.
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Governor DeSantis' Veto of HB1065:Its Impact on Indian River County
Governor Ron DeSantis recently vetoed HB1065, a bill that would have introduced additional regulations and funding for water quality testing at Florida's beaches. This veto has implications for Indian River County and its approach to environmental monitoring and public health.
Background on HB1065
HB1065 was designed to expand the scope and frequency of water quality testing at Florida's beaches. The bill aimed to address concerns about contaminants such as enterococcus bacteria, red tide, blue-green algae, sargassum, and vibrio by implementing more rigorous and frequent testing protocols.
Current Testing Practices in Indian River County
In Indian River County, the local Department of Health already conducts routine testing at various beach locations. These tests primarily check for enterococcus bacteria, an indicator of fecal contamination. Locations such as Coconut Point Sebastian Inlet, Humiston Beach, Round Island Beach Park, Sexton Plaza, South Beach Park, and Wabasso Beach Park and Causeway are monitored bi-weekly for bacterial levels.
Implications of the Veto
Consistency in Testing: According to staff from the Indian River County Department of Health, the veto of HB1065 will not impact the county's current testing regimen, as they already perform these tests regularly. However, other counties that do not have such rigorous protocols might face challenges in ensuring their beaches' safety.
Broader Monitoring Gaps: The bill's veto means there will be no additional state-mandated testing for other significant environmental threats such as red tide and blue-green algae. While these are monitored through satellite remote sensing by various state agencies, the lack of mandated, comprehensive ground-level testing might result in delayed responses to outbreaks.
Economic and Environmental Impact: Ensuring the safety and cleanliness of beaches is crucial for tourism and public health. Without the additional support and regulation that HB1065 would have provided, the burden remains on local agencies and communities to fund and manage these efforts independently. This might strain local resources and potentially impact tourism if beach safety becomes a concern.
Educational and Community Response: Community organizations and environmental advocacy groups, such as the IRNA, will need to continue our efforts to educate the public and advocate for local and state-level solutions to water quality issues. Increased community engagement and collaboration with state agencies will be essential to fill the gaps left by the vetoed bill.
Moving Forward
The veto of HB1065 highlights the importance of local initiatives and community action in maintaining water quality and public health. Indian River County must continue its proactive approach to beach monitoring and leverage community resources to ensure environmental safety. Advocacy for future legislation that supports comprehensive water quality testing remains a critical goal for environmental groups and concerned citizens alike.
Saharan dust continues to help keep tropics quiet. For how long? (TCPalm) - Saharan dust, high wind shear, and sinking air are currently inhibiting tropical cyclone development, but activity is expected to increase towards the end of July or early August, with the 2024 hurricane season still predicted to be extremely active.
Vero Beach launches search for Three Corners builder, holds onto hope (TCPalm) - Vero Beach is relaunching its search for a developer for the Three Corners project with a more specific request for proposals to avoid previous missteps, ensuring all communication goes through the Purchasing Manager to prevent rule violations.
NHC cone of uncertainty changes coming around August 15 (TCPalm) - The National Hurricane Center's new experimental cone graphic, launching mid-August, will include tropical storm and hurricane watches and warnings for both coastal and inland counties, aiming to better communicate wind risks and improve public understanding of potential storm impacts.
Here's the aircraft Hurricane Hunters fly to help predict storm's path (Florida Today) - The NOAA Gulfstream IV-SP, known as "Gonzo," is a specialized hurricane hunter jet equipped with advanced radars and dropsondes to gather critical weather data by flying above and around storms, aiding in accurate storm tracking and forecasting.
Vero Beach passes downtown master plan, looks to future growth (TCPalm) - Vero Beach has adopted a downtown master plan envisioning affordable housing, walkability, and nightlife to attract young people and revitalize the area, with plans focusing on four blocks of 14th Avenue and potentially extending from the airport to Vero Beach High School.
Earth just set its hottest days on record in thousands of years (Axios) - Earth experienced its hottest recorded days on July 21 and 22, 2024, with global average temperatures reaching unprecedented levels, highlighting the escalating impact of human-caused climate change.
To engage with the community and ensure informed voting in the upcoming County Commission election, the Indian River Neighborhood Association (IRNA) and the Clean Water Coalition of Indian River County (CWC) reached out to all candidates with a comprehensive set of questions. These questions focused on critical issues such as water quality, sustainable growth, and intergovernmental relations.
We emphasized the importance of transparency and detailed responses, asking candidates to limit their answers to 300 words per question. Each candidate received the same set of questions simultaneously, ensuring a fair and unbiased process. (The text of the email that was sent to every candidate is available here.) The aim was to provide voters with clear insights into each candidate's stance on vital local issues without endorsing any specific candidate, adhering to our status as 501(c)(3) non-profit organizations.
This initiative underscores our commitment to educating the electorate on the positions and plans of those running for office, thereby fostering a well-informed voter base ahead of the election.
For your information, the document with questions that was sent to all the candidates is available here. Every candidate was emailed at least twice if we did not receive a response from them. Further, we left a voicemail with any candidate who did not respond back.
We have organized the responses we received below for you. If there is no link in their name, it means we did not receive answers from them. The file that was returned to us was uploaded with no edits, other than to convert it to a PDF for standardized viewing.
District 1
District 3
District 5 (Only Republicans can vote in this race)
Keith Ridings
TCPalm has also released their Editorial Board recommendations and you can find it here.
We encourage all voters to review the candidates' responses carefully and participate in the upcoming election to ensure their voices are heard.
Florida’s population passes 23 million for the first time due to residents moving from other states (floridapolitics.com) - Florida's population surpassed 23 million this year, driven by an influx of residents from other states, with growth expected to slow to under 1% by the early 2030s as the final cohort of baby boomers entering retirement decreases.
Who's getting Big Sugar money this election cycle? Here's the list (VoteWater.org) - As of July 12, Florida's sugar industry has donated over $4.2 million to state candidates and committees in the 2024 election cycle, with the majority coming from U.S. Sugar and significant contributions to various political action committees and both Republican and Democratic candidates.
Collier board agrees to phase in impact fee increases for water and sewer services (yahoo.com) - Collier County commissioners agreed to phase in an 80% increase in water and sewer impact fees over three years to support growth, avoiding an immediate hike that could have taken effect in December, with the first increases starting after a 90-day waiting period following the ordinance approval in August.
Grass-Roots Effort: Florida Sportsman Feature (stjohnsriverkeeper.org) - The St. Johns Riverkeeper, in collaboration with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, and local bass anglers, is expanding efforts to protect submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) in the St. Johns River through the construction of temporary enclosures, aiming to reestablish healthy SAV from Lake George to Doctors Lake.
Tap Water No Longer Free at American Theme Parks, Egregious Charges Added Amid Government Mandate (Inside the Magic) - Indiana Beach Amusement and Water Park has implemented a policy where guests can no longer bring refillable water bottles, water fountains have been removed, and a $4 charge is applied for a cup of tap water from soda machines, sparking outrage and concerns about hydration and guest safety amid ongoing heatwaves.
Miami-Dade drafts new plan to increase tree canopy coverage (Miami Herald) - Miami-Dade County has unveiled a draft Urban Forestry Plan to boost tree canopy coverage by developing community partnerships, securing more grants, and maintaining existing trees, aiming to address disparities in tree coverage across different neighborhoods and meet the goal of 30% canopy coverage by 2030.
Recent shark attacks in Florida within average yearly numbers (Miami Herald) - Despite recent shark bites in Florida, experts assert that the number of attacks this year is typical, with unprovoked incidents often being accidental due to sharks mistaking human movements for prey, and climate change potentially shifting future attack locations further north.
Plastics Pollution Has Become a ‘Crisis,’ Biden Administration Acknowledges (Inside Climate News) - The Biden administration's new federal plastics pollution strategy aims to phase out single-use plastics from U.S. government operations by 2035, addressing the crisis of plastic pollution with stronger regulation, support for alternatives, and improved waste management, though environmental advocates urge further action to limit plastic production globally.
The Florida Right to Clean Water initiative aims to amend the state constitution to guarantee residents a fundamental right to clean and healthy waters. This movement, driven by environmental activists and organizations, seeks to hold state executive agencies accountable for actions or inactions that harm Florida's waters. The amendment would enable citizens to sue these agencies, ensuring strict judicial scrutiny of decisions affecting water quality. This initiative is part of a broader effort to address the severe pollution issues impacting Florida's rivers, lakes, and estuaries.
Despite initial setbacks in collecting the nearly 900,000 signatures required for the 2024 ballot, supporters are determined to reintroduce the measure for the 2026 ballot. The amendment emphasizes the need for a robust legal framework to protect water resources, shifting the focus to constitutional rights and judicial enforcement.
Rural belts around cities can reduce urban summer temperatures by up to 0.5°C (ScienceDaily) - A study from the University of Surrey and Southeast University (China) found that surrounding cities with rural belts can reduce urban summer temperatures by up to 0.5°C, with the most significant cooling effects occurring when the rural ring extends for at least half the city's diameter.
Inside a new experiment to find the climate-proof coffee of the future (Grist) - Innovea, a new project by World Coffee Research, aims to develop climate-resilient arabica coffee varieties through collaborative breeding efforts with research institutions in nine countries, addressing the vulnerabilities of coffee cultivation to climate change and ensuring the future supply of this globally demanded crop.
When a Retired Scientist Suggested Virginia Weaken Wetlands Protections, the State Said, No Way (Inside Climate News) - A year after the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Sackett v. EPA limited federal protection for certain wetlands, Virginia's State Water Control Board unanimously rejected a petition to similarly restrict state and local regulation of wetlands within the Chesapeake Bay watershed, maintaining the state's comprehensive wetlands protections.
Converting captured carbon to fuel: Study assesses what's practical and what's not (ScienceDaily) - Researchers from the University of Colorado Boulder found that a popular method to reduce the energy costs of direct air capture by using electricity to regenerate CO2-absorbing liquids is impractical in industrial settings, and proposed an alternative approach involving electrodialysis, which could sustainably turn captured CO2 into useful products like strengthened concrete.
Researchers develop more environmentally friendly and cost-effective method for soil remediation (ScienceDaily) - Researchers at Rice University have developed a rapid electrothermal mineralization (REM) process that effectively and efficiently remediates PFAS-contaminated soil by heating it to over 1,000°C within seconds, converting the harmful chemicals into nontoxic calcium fluoride while retaining essential soil properties and enhancing soil health.
In Idaho, Water Shortages Pit Farmers Against One Another (Inside Climate News) - In Idaho's Magic Valley, farmers using surface water from the Snake River and those using groundwater from the Eastern Snake Plain Aquifer are in conflict due to declining spring flows, leading to a state-ordered curtailment of groundwater pumping to comply with a 2016 mitigation plan, with a short-term agreement reached but a permanent solution still needed to balance water use and ensure long-term agricultural sustainability.
How pollution may remain in water after oil spill cleanups (ScienceDaily) - Research from the University of Illinois Chicago shows that oil drops from underwater spills can fragment into smaller droplets that remain suspended in water, making cleanup efforts less effective than previously thought.
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