To pair with the rest of our educational content in each Earth to Florida newsletter, we bring you monthly updates on statewide environmental news. Read on below to see what we found for the month of July:
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12 Florida Stories to Watch
- Miami-Dade County received its first-ever “excessive heat” advisory as it reached its 36th day in a row with a heat index over 100 degrees Fahrenheit on July 17. Scientists warn that the effects of global warming combined with South Florida’s intense humidity will contribute to a drastic increase in continuous days with a triple-digit heat index by the middle of the century. In 2021, Miami-Dade County hired its first chief heat officer who has worked to lower the threshold for heat advisories, plant more trees in low-income areas, and install AC units in public housing.
- A sinkhole-induced collapse of the spring head at Gilchrist Blue Springs State Park on July 15 caused the water level to drop by at least a foot and clogged the spring’s flow. By Sunday, regular flow was restored, and the spring was reopened for swimmers. Scientists with the Florida Springs Institute say they are taking samples to better understand what caused the incident.
- Meteorologists with Colorado State University have increased predictions for the 2023 Atlantic hurricane season for the second time, now forecasting 18 named storms and 9 hurricanes, including 4 major ones. Conflicting weather phenomena have clouded predictions this year, as the neutralizing effect of El Niño battles with record-high surface temperatures in the Atlantic Ocean.
- Water temperatures off the coast of Florida are spiking several degrees higher than normal, reaching up to 96 degrees Fahrenheit in the Keys. The hot water along with lower-than-average winds increases humidity and heat on land as well. Registering as a Category 3 on NOAA’s marine heatwave scale, the unusually warm temperatures are expected to cause widespread severe coral bleaching, oxygen depletion leading to fish kills, algae blooms, and more severe storms.
- Scientists are working to revitalize one of Florida’s 67 threatened and endangered animals: the grasshopper sparrow, of which there were only 75 males left just a decade ago. The grasshopper sparrow is most threatened by human encroachment on its natural habitat, especially as it lives most of its life on the ground. Captive breeding efforts by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service have led to the release of over 700 chicks. About 25% of the released chicks are expected to survive in the wild. While the extinction of the grasshopper sparrow is still a possibility, scientists are working on a “last resort” effort to create ten protected sites with 50 breeding pairs each across the state.
- After last month’s first recorded case of chronic wasting disease in Florida deer, wildlife officials are bracing for more, saying the issue will likely be long-term. An executive order issued by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission in June prohibits deer from being exported out of a region that encompasses parts of Holmes, Jackson, and Washington counties. To help the detection and prevention effort, the FWC is calling on hunters in the area to help collect 300-600 samples.
- Florida has been under a statewide mosquito-borne illness advisory since June after six cases of locally transmitted malaria were found in Sarasota County. In mid-July, the seventh case was reported, leading the Florida Department of Health to issue an illness alert, which is more serious than an advisory, for the area. According to online health databases, this is the worst outbreak since the one in Palm Beach County in 2003. Health officials urge residents to wear bug spray and protective clothing outside and try to avoid areas with mosquitoes. If you do encounter a mosquito, consider snapping a photo to help researchers at the University of South Florida track and mitigate the potential spread of malaria.
- Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis recently declined $377 million in funds intended for energy efficiency rebates and electrification programs under the Inflation Reduction Act. After DeSantis issued a line-item veto of a $5 million federal grant to set up the rebate programs, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ Department of Energy formally withdrew its applications for the funds.
- This month, the FWC approved a new rule to create a Springs Protection Zone along a section of the Weeki Wachee River. Beaching, mooring, anchoring, and grounding vessels will now be prohibited to protect vegetation, wildlife, and shoreline erosion. People will still be able to swim and exit their vessels. However, some activists think the rule doesn’t go far enough, arguing that out-of-vessel recreation has an even larger impact on the river.
- Recently, the Orlando Sentinel released a four-part series documenting the discovery of high levels of a chemical called 1,4-dioxane in the drinking water of three utilities in Seminole County. The chemical has been labeled by the Environmental Protection Agency as one of emerging concern. The day after the story was released, Seminole County released a statement saying the drinking water is safe. The contamination was first discovered in 2013.
- The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service wants to add sections of Southwest Florida to the National Wildlife Refuge System, a network that spans more than 850 million acres and includes 568 national wildlife refuges and 38 protected wetlands. The USFWS is considering southwest Florida because of its ecological importance and the fact that it has highly engaged science and conservation communities willing to help preserve it.
- NOAA Fisheries proposed a new rule under the Endangered Species Act aimed at designating more critical habitat in Florida as well as other states and territories across the U.S. for the green sea turtle. The habitat would include nearshore waters off the coasts of Florida, Texas, North Carolina, California, Guam, American Samoa, and other states and territories. NOAA and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service have scheduled online and in-person hearings for public comment on the proposed rule.
The Good News
- Following Hurricane Ian’s destruction of many bald eagle nests and trees last September, reports from Audubon Florida show a remarkable comeback. About 70% of nests lost in the storm were rebuilt in the same season, yielding 100 new chicks.
- Twenty years after being listed as the first endangered native marine fish, the smalltooth sawfish has been tagged off Cedar Key, indicating that the species may be making a slow comeback.
- Gilbert, a Florida city, is the first in the state to get a “dark sky” certification. The small city outside of Orlando has excellent views of the night sky and Milky Way due in part to its efforts to reduce light pollution: using low-light or warm temperature bulbs in its streetlamps, shades over streetlights, and passing legislation that prevents light pollution. Light pollution is linked to a variety of health and ecological issues; reducing the amount of man-made light after dark helps curb these issues and ensure a view of the stars.
Florida Research News
- Apalachicola oyster populations are slowly rebuilding as scientists experiment with new materials aimed at restoring their habitat. In 2020, the state of oysters in the area was so dire that the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission placed a five-year harvesting moratorium to allow populations to recover. The ban is set to be re-evaluated in January 2026. Researchers at Florida State University have found success in using limestone for oyster reef structural foundations and hope their continued efforts will bring back the oysters both for human consumption and the environmental health of the region.
- A study led by the University of Miami found that termites at warmer locations eat through wood seven times faster than in areas just 18 degrees Fahrenheit cooler. The termites surveyed were among the nearly 3,000 wild species that contribute to a healthy ecosystem by decomposing organic materials. But it is likely that the four termite species known as pests react to temperature similarly, indicating that termites may pose a bigger issue for homeowners as Florida gets hotter.
- A Florida-based environmental research team conducted a six-day study about the effects of cocaine consumption on sharks in the Florida Keys. Researchers stress that while sharks in the area had been seen exhibiting strange behavior, it is not confirmed that the sharks have actually consumed cocaine. For the study, scientists used fake cocaine – highly concentrated fish powder – and recorded the sharks’ responses. Sharks exhibited erratic behavior and were shown to experience a similar dopamine response to that experienced by human cocaine users. The primary takeaway from the study is that more research needs to be conducted on the effects of pharmaceuticals and illicit drugs entering our ocean ecosystems.
Things You Can Do
- The Miami-Dade Innovation Authority is offering $100,000 to three startups that can develop new ways to repurpose the masses of seaweed that wash up on beaches each year. By inviting new businesses to Miami-Dade, they hope to bolster the local economy while also keeping the beaches clean and the seaweed out of landfills.
- This fall, a new documentary series that examines the many threats facing Florida’s environment, “Protect Our Paradise” will debut on the Discover Florida streaming channel as well as TV stations in Tampa Bay and Sarasota. The series was created by Chad Crawford in partnership with Conservation Florida, and each episode will tackle a different environmental issue.
National News
- The U.S. offshore wind power industry faces a series of growing pains as the Biden administration’s goal of generating 30 gigawatts of renewable energy from wind by 2030 pushes forward. Inflation, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and residual effects from the pandemic affect cost, supply chains, and wind farm permitting speeds. Both the state and federal governments are optimistic that inter-state collaboration will help navigate these issues.
- U.S. carbon emissions fell by 5% in 2023, exceeding the average annual 1.7% decline. Experts say a milder winter and a sluggish economy likely played a role. Scientists predict a plateau period for global emissions, with the rise in green energy generation being offset by the growth in total energy demand.
- After scorching temperatures made last month the planet’s warmest June ever recorded, climate scientists are predicting 2023 to be the hottest year globally. Unofficial records were broken every day from July 3-6, as each day surpassed or matched the highest global average temperature ever recorded. Temperatures are expected to climb even more in the coming years, as the effects of human-induced climate change and El Niño intensify.
- Despite beliefs that natural gas is a more environmentally friendly option than coal, studies have found that even small methane leaks from natural gas infrastructure can contribute as much as coal to climate change. This is because methane is a potent greenhouse gas, and 25 times more powerful than carbon at trapping heat in the atmosphere. Recent studies have shown higher rates of leakage than previously thought.
The More You Know
- Researchers at the University of Brighton in England recently found evidence of fiberglass in local oysters in Chichester Harbour, which is home to about 12,000 boats. Because many of the boats are made from fiberglass, the industry is looking to make a return to more organic materials.