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 May:
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10 Florida Stories to Watch
- This May was the hottest ever in Miami, FL with a peak heat index of 112 degrees Fahrenheit. Usually, the hottest time of the year is the first or second week of August. The 112-degree index is six degrees hotter than any previous May record. A study from the Workers Compensation Research Institute recently found that work-related accidents increase by 5-6% when maximum daily temperatures top 90 degrees. Last legislative session, Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill that prevented local governments from requiring heat-exposure protections for workers.
- Due to new federal regulations, power plants in Tampa Bay have new limits on their carbon emissions. Coal and new natural gas plants must limit carbon dioxide by 90% if the plants are operational at least 40% of the time. However, critics have raised concerns over controversial carbon capture technology that requires pipelines to move carbon dioxide through communities.
- Along the coast of South Florida, sea levels have risen by roughly a foot over the last 80 years. Scientists now predict that another foot of rise will occur in only 30 years. Recent data from NOAA project “intermediate-high” sea level rise, a faster rate than coastal homeowners, businesses, or developers might expect based on current policies.
- Flamingos could return to Florida for good. Last year, a group of flamingos was blown into Florida by hurricane Idalia and sizable flocks have been recorded all over, tallying up to 101 individuals. Though recently these birds were only occasional visitors to the state, historically flamingos are believed to have been native to the sunshine state—wiped out by the 1800s plume trade. Today, scientists are pushing for the reclassification of these species by the state and are using their recent occupancy of South Florida swamps as proof of their comeback. They are hopeful the flamingos will remain in Florida during their summer nesting season, something they haven’t done in almost 200 years.
- The U.S. Circuit Court for Appeals for the District of Columbia refused to put a hold on the ruling regarding permitting authority for development projects that impact wetlands in Florida. In 2020, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) granted the state of Florida permitting authority for wetland development, a move that violated the federal Endangered Species Act according to a ruling by U.S. District Judge Randolph Moss in February of this year. Florida claims “irreparable injuries” if the ruling isn’t stayed as thousands of permit requests now lie in limbo, but on behalf of several environmental organizations that filed the original 2021 lawsuit against the EPA, EarthJustice attorneys call these claims exaggerated.
- Coral restoration efforts in Florida’s reef are receiving $9 million in funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, a pool of $195 million awarded to the National Park Service for the purposes of resilience work and climate restoration. Coral reef restoration is human-intensive work that requires skilled laborers, and a portion of this funding will be used to pay for workers to help battle the disease and heat tearing through the coral reef nurseries.
- Wildfires aren’t new to Florida, and with our changing climate, they’re projected to become more intense. Jacksonville and Sarasota will both receive a quarter of a million dollars each from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Community Wildfire Defense Grant program to develop and implement community wildfire protection plans. These grants will help the cities prioritize at-risk, low-income communities that are most threatened by climate disaster.
- One of the only two natural islands in Biscayne Bay has been listed for sale by a wealthy investor who once promised to save the historic landmass as a seabird preserve. Bird Key is a private island that serves as untouched nesting habitat for dozens of Florida’s native birds. Its owner, Finlay Matheson, bought the island in the 1980s and is now selling it for $31.5 million as a “developmental gem.” Discussions of partnership between Miami-Dade County and the Nature Conservancy to purchase the island shine a light of hope for the future of Bird Key, though no formal written offer has been made.
- In response to the passing of House Bill 1645, which puts less of the state’s energy policy focus on the reduction of greenhouse gases, the Florida Office of Energy plans to repeal utility goals for a statewide transition to cleaner energy. In 2022, then-Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried set a goal for 100% of Florida’s energy to come from renewable sources by 2050.
- Florida has become a hotspot for leprosy. Researchers have even discovered a leprosy strain that is endemic to Florida. According to the CDC, the disease is being contracted due to environmental factors rather than through travel. Brevard County is a hotspot for the infection, accounting for 13 percent of all cases in the United States. According to experts, armadillos, about 20% of which naturally carry leprosy, are one link to the outbreak. However, lab research indicates that a larger culprit could be soil-dwelling single-cell amoebas which come into contact with foraging armadillos and can carry the bacteria for months. A group of University of Florida scientists studying the outbreak suspect that insects, such as ticks, may also be playing a role in the recent outbreak. However, Floridians are advised not to panic, as leprosy is not highly contagious and is treatable with antibiotics. To minimize risk, refrain from handling or eating armadillos and if digging up an armadillo burrow, wear a face mask.
Good News
- In collaboration with the non-profit Save Crystal River, fifth-grade students from Crystal River, Florida have spent months growing eelgrass in their classrooms. The students have been learning about the importance of protecting the habitats and animals found in Citrus County waterways and are now planting the fruits of their labor. The children were excited to share what they learned as they got their hands dirty planting the rockstar eelgrass. They spoke animatedly about the importance of clean water and good food for the animals of Hunter Springs Park.
Florida Research News
- A new study from the Florida Museum of Natural History has solved a thirty-year mystery about the tiger beetle. Unlike most beetles, the tiger beetle responds to bat echolocation with its own ultrasonic signals. About 20% of moths emit ultrasonic signals as a warning to bats – some because they are noxious to bats, others to try to mimic the moths that are. Museum researchers verified that the tiger beetles are acoustically mimicking the tiger moth, which is noxious to bats.
- According to Florida Atlantic University’s “Florida Climate Resilience Survey,” 90% of Floridians believe that climate change is happening, though only 58% believe that human activity is the cause. The survey also found that 67% of Floridians believe that climate change should be taught in schools and that the support for solar power as a primary form of energy has declined by 4% since last fall.
- Recent findings revealed that human activity may be impacting marine fossil records in a way that can be difficult to account for and could potentially misrepresent our oceans’ histories. According to paleontologists at the Florida Museum of Natural History, bottom trawling, invasive species, and beach replenishment can disturb sediments and natural processes on the seafloor, causing scientists to get inaccurate results about the age and history of ocean floor findings.
National News
- Hurricane season forecasts are out, and experts agree we might be in for a particularly stormy summer. NOAA predicts eight to 13 hurricanes and 17 to 25 named storms, the highest May outlook in history. The prediction comes in the face of near-record temperatures in much of the Atlantic Ocean and a strong chance of La Niña conditions. Evidence suggests that the warming effects of climate change are contributing to more powerful storms with higher wind speeds and slower movement, leading to heavier rainfall and prolonged winds.
- A heat dome – a high-pressure system that creates and traps heat in the atmosphere and prevents cloud coverage – has caused extreme temperatures in Mexico, Central America and parts of the United States including parts of Florida. The heat wave has already been linked to the deaths of more than two dozen people in Mexico. Meteorologists predict that between June 5 and 11, temperatures in Florida, Texas and parts of Nevada could reach up to 111 degrees Fahrenheit. The new HeatRisk tool from NOAA’s National Weather Service (NWS) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) can help provide information about heat in your area and what kinds of precautions you should take.
- For the first time, a set of government guidelines has been developed for the use of carbon offsets. Carbon offsets are used to “cancel out” activities such as air travel that remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. However, recent studies have found that these offsets may not actually be effective. The new guidelines from the Biden administration take these findings into consideration, concentrating on offsets that have been shown to have quantifiable emissions reductions and encouraging business to focus on reducing emissions.
Things You Can Do
- South Florida is seeing a growth of green job opportunities thanks to the White House’s American Climate Corps initiative and Miami-Dade’s ClimateReady Tech Hub. Modeled after the New Deal, the White House program aims to employ over 20,000 youth in climate-related industries, with a focus on training and apprenticeships in various sectors. Miami-Dade’s ClimateReady Tech Hub seeks to create 23,000 jobs with higher-than-average salaries, putting an emphasis on employment of underrepresented groups. Find application information here.
- The United States Geological Survey (USGS) needs help documenting and monitoring the diamondback terrapin! The diamondback terrapin (Malaclemys terrapin) is a species of coastal turtle that ranges from Massachusetts to Texas and plays an important role in maintaining brackish water habitats by foraging on snails, which have the potential to overgraze important coastal vegetation. Threats that face the species include becoming bycatch in crab traps and increased habitat loss due to coastal development. If you see a terrapin, keep your distance and record the sighting with a photo and GPS location. Follow the instructions on this website to send the record to USGS.
The More You Know
- The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) has reported the spread of the invasive Peter’s Rock Agama, a unique lizard native to sub-Saharan Africa, throughout multiple South and Central Florida Counties. The invasive species poses a threat to small native insects and reptiles, which it preys upon or competes with for resources. You can follow instructions from the FWC on how to safely remove agamas from your property.
- The Cane toad, also known as the Bufo, Marine, or Giant toad, is an invasive species that is highly toxic to wildlife and pets that try to bite or consume them. As the rainy season approaches, the village of Tequesta warns Florida residents to follow these instructions to mitigate interactions with the toxic toad.
- The discovery of a colony of Least terns has halted the St. Johns County Shore Protection Project for St. Augustine Beach. The goal of the project is to renourish the eroded shoreline and provide storm damage reduction for the area. Mitigation will be rescheduled for a time after nesting shorebirds fly offsite, typically in early August.
- Climate scientists and horticulturalists agree that climate change may be making seasonal allergies worse in Florida. As our Earth warms, winters get shorter and growing seasons come earlier, jumpstarting pollen production from plants far before we’re used to. While pollen allergies can make humans sneezy, this change in the blooming schedule can also disorient migratory pollinators, who may arrive too late to do their job.
- Florida’s natural lands are connected in many places by land used for agriculture or silviculture (the farming of trees). Wildlife relies on these areas as safe places to traverse across the state rather than passing through construction, roads, and dense cities. However, these agricultural lands aren’t guaranteed for corridor conservation as farmers could eventually sell the land out to developers. Agricultural conservation easements, as used by the Evans family farm, allow family farmers to receive tax benefits and continue farming on their land if it stays in their ownership and remains undeveloped. Sustainable management practices further preserve ecosystems near the farm that are critical corridors for Florida wildlife.