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 February:
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13 Florida Stories to Watch
- The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) has proposed to remove the wood stork from the endangered species list, citing significant habitat restoration in the Everglades and population recovery. While the proposal would eliminate protections for the bird under the Endangered Species Act, officials say the wood stork would remain protected by other laws. The agency will make a final decision after reviewing public comments, which are open until April 17. While the proposal is being celebrated by some as an achievement in restoration work, others are expressing concern and opposition to it. One such group is Audubon Florida, which has released a statement stating its intent to fight against the proposal.
- The National Parks Conservation Association is urging the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to use its veto authority under the Clean Water Act to protect the Big Cypress National Preserve from future oil exploration. The EPA has only used this power 14 times, once to stop an oil exploration rock-plowing project in the Everglades. The national preserve is important to the overall health of the Everglades, and it provides a habitat for many endangered species like the Florida panther and the ghost orchid. While some advocates hope that the EPA will exercise its authority to protect the park, others believe that a governmental buyout of the land and mineral rights of the preserve is the best solution to stop future oil drilling.
- Months after Hurricane Ian hit Florida’s coast, the state’s citrus industry is still suffering. The University of Florida has estimated that the agricultural losses from the storm are $1.03 billion statewide, with Manatee and Hillsborough counties taking the biggest hit. Deadly citrus greening disease and periodic winter freezes have been plaguing the industry for the past two decades. Additionally, the invasive lime swallowtail butterfly, which has damaged citrus trees in the Caribbean for nearly 20 years, has been found in the Florida Keys. The U.S. Department of Agriculture predicts a 61% decrease in the amount of 90-pound boxes that will be filled this year compared to last year, leading to an increase in the price of orange juice nationwide.
- Miami-Dade County is considering natural and structural options to protect itself from the effects of stronger storms and higher seas. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers recently proposed a plan to close off most of Biscayne Bay from the Atlantic Ocean by installing massive storm surge gates at major ocean inlets. This is the county’s second go-round with the Corps after a plan to build a tall steel and concrete wall along the coast failed. The new proposal also includes beefing up coastal sand dunes, elevating thousands of homes, flood-proofing key buildings, and planting more mangroves. Local residents were asked to weigh in on the plan at a Feb. 23 public meeting.
- Throughout the month of February, the status of the red tide in Sarasota and Manatee counties has been in flux. At the beginning of the month, the red tide conditions were on the decline. But after a few weeks, red tide was still present in large concentrations at the mouth of Tampa Bay and along the beaches in Sarasota County, and at medium levels in many other areas. But the conditions are better than in mid-December when hundreds of pounds of dead fish washed up on St. Pete Beach. Red tide in the Tampa Bay area has taken a huge toll on the redfish population, with local fishermen reporting seeing 10 fish in places they used to see 2,000. The Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium is working to test 18 different products to help treat red tide without causing more harm to marine life and the environment.
- Florida’s rarest orchids are disappearing. The unique Cape Sable orchid and the rare ghost orchid are at risk from poaching, invasive species, and habitat degradation. These orchids have their own specific ranges in which they can thrive, but due to human impacts, experts say only major protections will save these iconic Florida orchid species from being decimated. However, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service recently missed a deadline to protect the ghost orchid, and wildlife managers have requested the Cape Sable orchid be added to the endangered species list since 2020 with little result.
- Several Florida counties are putting money toward tackling environmental issues. Santa Rosa County is looking to spend $1 million to pave several miles of dirt roads to prevent sedimentation runoff into East Bay. Palm Beach County has been working to restore the largest estuary in the county with its first mass mangrove planting event, amassing hundreds of volunteers in the community seeking to help. Finally, St. Lucie County has been working on removing all septic tanks from North Hutchinson Island in an $18 million project to prevent sewage waste from leaking into the Indian River Lagoon.
- A new 42-mile biking trail will link Biscayne National Park to Everglades National Park, the first green trail linking two U.S. national parks. Construction begins for the first five miles of the trail on March 11.
- A dozen rehabilitated manatees were released into Blue Spring in Volusia County in mid-February. Manatee conservation groups celebrated this as a win for the species amid record numbers of mortalities due to cold stress, watercraft injuries, and food scarcity. To address food uncertainty for manatees, SeaWorld is teaming up with the Brevard Zoo to build a new seagrass nursery in Melbourne Beach. Meanwhile, the Center for Biological Diversity has filed a petition with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to put the manatee back on the endangered species list. It was removed and downgraded to threatened in 2017.
- A recent survey shows seagrasses in Tampa Bay have decreased by 12% in the past two years. The Bay saw nearly a decade of progress thanks to restoration projects, but that seemed to peak in 2016. Since then, the bay has lost 30% of its seagrass. Researchers say polluted rainwater runoff feeding into the bay and subsequent algal blooms are contributing to the die-offs.
- Hunters are arguing for a chance to hunt Florida black bears for the first time since 2015. They cite a need to keep Florida’s bear population in check, as well as examples of other states that have repealed bans on bear hunting. Meanwhile, opponents fear a repeat of the last hunt’s results, during which some hunters were found to have baited bears and others were caught without licenses. Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officials will put the issue on an upcoming agenda.
- In 2016, the Florida Legislature passed the Florida Springs and Aquifer Protection Act, which asked the Florida Department of Environmental Protection to create Basin Management Action Plans, or BMAPs, to reduce pollution and restore water quality. In 2019, the Florida Springs Council and other environmental groups sued the department as they found the plans to be ineffective. While an initial court ruling sided with the Department of Environmental Protection, the Florida Springs Council and its supporters have recently won an appeal to reverse the decision. Despite this success, the Florida Springs Council says it has lost valuable time.
- The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has broken ground on a Manhattan-sized reservoir in western Palm Beach County. Together with treatment marshes already underway by the South Florida Water Management District, the project is meant to restore wetlands in the Everglades and reduce polluted water discharges from Lake Okeechobee to the St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee estuaries. The reservoir is meant to serve two purposes: to hold water during the wet season and provide water to thirsty wetlands in the dry season. While some groups are praising the milestone in a decades-long project to restore the River of Grass, others are skeptical of how effective it will be. The project is expected to take about eight years to complete.
The Good News
- The endangered Florida panther has more room to roam thanks to a new conservation easement just sold along the Florida Wildlife Corridor. This easement provides a valuable connection between protected public lands, allowing the animals to freely move between habitats. As there are only an estimated 230 of them remaining in South Florida, advocates say this is a major win for Florida’s iconic cat.
Florida Research News
- Researchers from the University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Science have completed the final deployment of buoys off the coast of Santa Rosa Beach in the Gulf of Mexico to better understand the dynamics of winds and waves in the critical zone about four miles from shorelines. The buoys will collect valuable information on land, air, and sea interactions that affect storm surges, wind fields, and other weather events. The project is part of a five-year study funded by the U.S. Office of Naval Research.
- In 2022, the world saw 57 unprovoked shark bites and five fatalities, with most occurring in the United States and Australia. Florida had 16 unprovoked bites, more than anywhere else in the world. Seven of these attacks occurred in Volusia County, which is home to Daytona Beach and New Smyrna Beach. None of Florida’s attacks were fatal, but two of them resulted in amputation. Though 57 seems like a lot of shark bites, this number is lower than years prior. There has been an average of 74 unprovoked shark bites per year since 2013. Scientists believe this reduction in yearly bites may be a sign of the decline in shark populations worldwide.
- The U.S. Department of Energy has awarded a Florida State University chemist and his research team a grant to explore methods to create safer, more eco-friendly materials for fuel cells. Fuel cells are a promising source of clean energy, as their byproduct is water rather than carbon dioxide. But the materials needed to produce fuel cells are expensive and harmful to the environment. Scientists hope the research will result in the ability to make fuel cells with materials that are both inexpensive and eco-friendly.
- Researchers studying mammals in Key Largo have discovered a method to locate and kill invasive Burmese pythons by tracking their prey using GPS collars. The team was observing raccoon and possum behavior along the urban and wilderness fringe of Crocodile National Wildlife Refuge by fitting dozens of the mammals with GPS collars. Months into the study, one of the possum collars sent out a mortality signal, triggered by lack of movement, then started moving again a few hours later, leading the researchers to suspect that it was eaten by a python. By using this method, the team discovered a 12-foot-long, 66-pound female Burmese python. Meanwhile, University of Florida researchers are luring and locating pythons with previously captured pythons. Both efforts are aimed at controlling the invasive species which has been a major problem for Florida’s ecosystems and wildlife.
Things You Can Do
- Scientists are urging Florida residents to keep an eye out for invasive lizard species and report any sightings to prevent an outbreak in the state. The brown basilisk, also called the “Jesus lizard” for its ability to run across water, has already been spotted from the Florida Keys all the way to Gainesville.
National News
- Despite federal efforts to make a shift toward cleaner energy, a 2022 report by the Sabin Center for Climate Change Law at Columbia Law School found 121 local policies throughout the U.S. that block or restrict renewable energy, representing a 17.5% increase from last year. Experts say these policies represent a “not in my backyard” mindset to renewable energy, where people do not want a huge wind or solar farm to obstruct their view. As much of the opposition comes from middle America, experts believe the renewable energy operations may need to be established further west.
- A new report by the Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks has found that the number of public lands leased to oil and gas developers grew significantly from 2016-2020, leading to numerous environmental issues. Advocacy groups are calling for stricter regulations on the leasing of public lands.
- State officials urged residents to remain calm amidst the environmental chaos caused by the train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio earlier this month. Some train cars contained a chemical called vinyl chloride, a known carcinogen and contaminant, which was intentionally burned off after the derailment to prevent an explosion. The EPA has reported that the air in the area is safe, along with the water supply. Residents have reported feeling sick and lightheaded, along with other neurological symptoms, and many are still concerned over the release of the toxic chemicals. In a bipartisan agreement, the U.S. Senate has called for a congressional investigation on the derailment, including the train company and federal safety standards. Experts say this historic environmental disaster will affect the rest of the continental United States in a variety of ways.
- The Biden administration may review a regulation exempting over half a billion tons of toxic coal ash, the waste generated from coal production, from federal oversight. Environmental groups sued over the loophole, which applies to sites closed before 2015 regulations, including the Stanton Energy Center in Orlando. Coal ash has been linked to cancer and other ailments, and groups say the loophole leaves almost 300 landfills in 38 states unregulated. The EPA is taking comments on the settlement until March 6. The Orlando Utilities Commissions plans to phase out coal production at Stanton within a few years and claims the coal ash is safe.
- Two whales, a critically endangered North Atlantic right whale and a humpback, were found dead along the U.S. Atlantic Coast. According to the necropsies, both marine mammals were struck by vessels. Officials have reported 21 whale deaths along the U.S. Atlantic coast since December 3, 2022. At least five were likely killed by vessel strike. The deaths have led to the spread of misinformation linking whale deaths to offshore wind energy projects, but these claims are unfounded. Experts worry that the right whale population, which has plunged 30% since 2011, can’t sustain itself if even one whale a year dies as the result of human causes. This was the second right whale death this year.
- The U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management released a lease sale plan that reduces the space originally slated for offshore wind energy development in the Gulf of Mexico by two-thirds. The BOEM said the decision was made to ease potential conflicts with other competing groups like the oil and gas industry, shipping companies, and the military.
The More You Know
- In 2021, scientists declared the Rice’s whale to be a new species. It was originally thought to be a subspecies of Bryde’s whale but was declared a distinct species after a skull washed up in the Everglades and was used as genetic evidence. Now that it is officially a unique species, Rice’s whale is known as one of the most endangered species of whale in the world, with only 51 individuals remaining. These whales are facing constant threats of boat strikes, military activities, oil and gas exploration, and environmental contamination. The 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico was particularly devastating for the species, killing an estimated 17% of the population, sickening another 18%, and leaving 25% of the females in the population with reproductive problems. Marine scientists from all around the world recently released a letter asking the Biden administration to enforce further protections for this critically endangered whale.
- Last year, more people bought heat pumps than traditional fossil-fuel furnaces in the U.S. Heat pumps provide heat to a building by transferring thermal energy from outside using a refrigeration cycle. The market for heat pumps doubled in Poland, and more heat pumps are being installed in China than any other country. This heat pump boom is due to the lower operating costs and green footprint, as they convert energy more efficiently than furnaces and other types of heaters. The U.S. government offers tax credits under the Inflation Reduction Act to cover 30% of the upfront costs of heat pumps, and $8,000 to low- and moderate-income households that install them. Additionally, a researcher at the University of Glasgow has found a way to make heat pumps even more efficient by capturing the residual warmth, allowing the pump to use less energy and defrost itself.
- By way of a little robot, researchers were finally able to see what lies beneath the “doomsday glacier” located in Antarctica. This glacier is roughly the size of Florida, and if it were to spontaneously melt tomorrow, global sea levels would rise by up to 2 feet. The hope for the data collected from the crevices of the glacier is to better understand how it is degrading, or “shattering” as one study said. While the bottom of the glacier is melting more slowly than expected, the worry now lies in the internal caves and crevices that are melting at unprecedented rates.
- In a new study from the University of Waterloo, researchers found that small, isolated wetlands that are full for only part of the year can be very effective in retaining pollutants. Using satellite imagery, the team of researchers determined that since they are disconnected from downstream lake or river ecosystems, pollutants like nitrogen and phosphorous get trapped.
- Engineers at the University of Virginia are investigating a new material to reduce energy consumption in computer chips. The team is investigating the potential of hafnium oxide in helping the semiconductor industry reduce energy consumption involved in computing.