Since my election as County Commissioner I’ve worked diligently on behalf of Martin County residents to improve the quality of the St. Lucie and Indian Rivers. In 2000 I voted to include specific recognition of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan/Indian River Lagoon (CERP/IRL) in our Comprehensive Plan.
My efforts to improve relations with the National Estuary Program have yielded additional funds for our portion of the Indian River. As commissioner, I have testified before Congress and both the Florida Senate and House committees about water issues affecting the State of Florida and Martin County. As Florida Association of Counties’ Growth Management Committee Chairman, I worked on the Water Policy Subcommittee to further state water policy initiatives to protect Florida’s water supply. I supported the acquisition of Cypress Creek for the protection of the Loxahatchee River.
I was one of two commissioners statewide to receive the Florida Local Environmental Resource Agencies’ environmental stewardship award for “Exemplary Leadership on Environmental Issues on Local, Regional and State Levels.”
During my tenure as commissioner I have also worked on a local level to improve the Indian River. I championed the cause of reducing the size of the spoil islands as part of the design of the new Ernest Lyons Bridge. Actual plans call for the shortening the existing spoil islands by 300 feet. This will increase the size of the channel and enhance the river’s flow. Design of the bridge is such that at sometime in the future we could reorient the spoil islands in a more north/south configuration if so desired.
Additionally, I’m proud to have taken a leadership role in the conversion of surificial wells to Floridan Aquifer. This will help maintain sustainable water resources far into the future and will reduce the drain on wetlands. Had we not done this, the result could have been the ultimate destruction of out wetland base.
Furthermore, I’ve supported the crucial preservation of our potable water resources. As such, another significant milestone has been our use of 1 billion gallons of reclaimed water for many years. Reused water is being used for irrigation of golf courses, right of ways, by homeowners’ association in several subdivisions, for commercial property in the city of Stuart and at Jensen Beach High School.
Respect for the environment, and the importance of the Indian River in particular, are values that I feel need to be instilled in our children. As such, I’ve continued to secure funding through the National Estuary Program for the Environmental Studies Center’s Camp Wet for past 6 years and for 2009. Camp Wet teaches grammar school kids about the river, our unique environment and biodiversity. The camp gives 156 kids, many of whom might not otherwise have been able to attend summer camp, a great fun and educational experience.
Improvement of the St. Lucie and Indian Rivers is unquestionably a major issue for residents. We must support CERP/IRL, work to use less potable water resources, produce less wastewater through reclamation and educated our children to be stewards of the environment. With Congress’s passage of CERP/IRL we must now push for federal funding for implementation and ultimately completion. I will continue to put forward my agenda to enhance and protect the country’s most diverse ecosystem.
