Issue Position: Environment

Issue Position

As a Native Floridian, I have an inherent need to protect and conserve our resources. That being said, I am deeply saddened by the politicalization of environmental policy. Whatever happened to conservation and responsible stewardship? Why is it that we must be polarized between extremes? It does not need to be so convoluted and heated with every topic and issue raised. Since my tenure on the Seminole Soil and Water Conservation Board, I tend to begin at home and work my way out to the larger regional, national, and global problems that we face.

Water, the most abundant resource on the planet will become the next controlled commodity on the world market. It will make the oil wars small in scope and scale. We live on a peninsula that is surrounded by water and rests on water. On the surface it sounds as if we are in good shape. The reality is that most of the water in our grasp is salt water. As we continue to pave our recharge areas with concrete, and consume at rates exceeding much of the rest of the country our only source of fresh water, the Aquifer, gets depleted. The physical laws of pressure then allow salt water intrusion into the lessened supply of fresh water. Supply and demand then creates water restrictions and consumption rates that will do nothing but increase at alarming rates. Solutions that involve education, conservation, and alternative sources (ie. Viable desalinization) must be explored and implemented.

Water policy is not limited to consumption or human utilization. We as a state have nearly destroyed the natural ecosystem and supporting estuaries that make Florida one of the most unique water systems in the world. The Everglades, and the rivers that flow or used to flow to it are an important aspect of the cycle of water, not only to Florida, but the Southeastern Region. Before development and the "straigtening" or re-engineering of waterways, water was filtered through thousands of miles over a "sea of grass" and swamps. Most of it went to the Everglades, but some was directed to the coastal areas or absorbed back to the aquifer. We have since disrupted this natural cycle and constantly fight the battle between fresh water lakes and saltwater rivers. With the disruption of the natural ecosystem, we have seen declines, abandonment, and in some cases extinction of several species of water birds, fish, invertabrates, etc. The development introduced high levels of pollutants that killed of the estuaries in the inter-coastal areas. When we cleaned those areas up to sustain life again, there is a fresh water discharge to disrupt everything once more. I witnessed this cycle firsthand while growing up on the South Fork of the St. Lucie River. Another crucial river system is the St. Johns River which is globally unique in that if flows north. Its headwaters start from underground springs inland, just north of Lake Okeechobee and flows north to Jacksonville. Along the way it includes several important lakes and tributaries in its path. This prize has been decimated by agricultural pollutants, development, and coming soon -- water withdrawls. We must be responsible stewards of our water systems. Our impact is huge, yet we are just a part of the system. Florida cannot survive without healthy water systems.

Land, the commodity of Florida, sustains or kills our economy. This must stop. We have experienced no less than four major land development booms in the last 100 years. The cycle creates great prosperity and then inevitable hardships. There are a few swamps and agricultural areas left. Fortunately, there are some in our district. Rural boundaries must be defined and then defended against encroachment. Agriculture is in sore need of revitalization and modernization to include environmental safeguards and eco-friendly activities. These areas and the few remaining swamps will be very necessary to maintaining a good water cycle mentioned previously. Development of remaining green areas should be highly discouraged. Conversely, re-development of areas within urban boundaries should be highly encouraged. It should be much more cost effective to rehabilitate an urban area than clear cutting a forest or even paving an old used farm.

Solar, the technology made for the Sunshine State, is often over-looked or disregarded in our policy decisions. With advancements of photo voltaic conversion, this becomes an even more viable option. Leaving the solar cell argument alone for just a moment, there is passive heating opportunity all over the place. Pools and hot water heaters do not need solar cells to heat the water. They simple need a flat surface , some UV rated PVC, and the sun. On average a solar hot water heater will reduce electricity costs up to 30%. This alone is a huge opportunity for energy/economic savings. Once the price of photo voltaic panels reduce a little more, there will be no logical reason not push for solar becoming a major source of energy for our state.

Wind blows around and over a peninsula by natural design. The prevailing winds and trade winds are some the most predictable and constant wind currents in the world. This could be a viable opportunity for agricultural lands looking for new endeavors. Orlando, is considered the middle of the state and is about 60 miles from either coast. Think about how much land would be available to the constant breezes that are sometimes felt up to 25 miles inland. It only takes about 7-8 knots to generate viable energy from a wind mill. Will it solve our energy problems? No, it cannot produce enough energy to sustain constant supply. However, it could be a supplement that reduces the load on conventional energy and future solar supplies, and in doing so help revitalize hurting agricultural areas without developing them into concrete pads.

Jobs, economy, technological advancement, and environmental stewardship should be symbiotic partners, not adversarial opponents.

OFF SHORE OIL DRILLING:
Short term gains should never outweigh long term consequences. Even the cleanest oil rig produces waste, spill, and debris. I understand the need for competing globally and creating jobs and reducing consumer energy costs and I agree with those priorities and needs. I am also positive we can accomplish all of those goals right here in Florida without oil rigs off our coastlines. Take a moment to consider where we would be at, if the millions of dollars that have been spent to convince us that we "must" tap oil off the coasts were instead used to fund alternative sources. We are the Sunshine State. We have the advantage of constant prevailing winds. The Gulf Stream is accessible to the entire east coast. It is time to quit spending resources on pollutants that will cease to be useful. It is time to employ a strategy that utilizes a combination of renewable and sustainable energy sources.
The Terrible Greed of Thneeds - Steve Edmonds

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