I do not very often promote online petitions for various reasons. But this petition to inform Congress of the need to help the Apalachicola River and Bay is very important. It was sent to me by the Florida Conservation Coalition which is a very credible organization that is working hard to protect Florida’s water.
The Apalachicola River and Bay is under serious threat from water shortages and nitrate pollution. The bay is a very important fishery for the State of Florida and is the source for much of the nation’s oysters. Recently, U.S. Commerce Secretary Pritzker declared a Fisheries Disaster for Florida’s oyster fishery. Shortly thereafter, the State of Florida announced plans to sue the State of Georgia in the Supreme Court over water usage. The situation is dire. Here’s the email from the Florida Conservation Coalition as well as the petition and link (below the image):
Dear FCC Members,
On Tuesday, August 13th, FCC representatives delivered the following letter from Senator Bob Graham at a Senate Hearing on the health of the Apalachicola River and Bay and the economy of the region.
Read the letter below to Senator Bill Nelson, then join Senator Graham in calling for Congressional action to protect and restore the Apalachicola River and Bay by signing this important online petition.
The Florida Conservation Coalition is very appreciative of your interest in the challenges facing the Apalachicola River system, and taking the time to come to Apalachicola and hear Florida’s points of view first-hand. The Coalition consists of 55 conservation organizations throughout Florida and several thousand individuals dedicated to conserving and protecting Florida’s natural resources.
The Apalachicola River and Bay System is more than one of the most productive oyster, blue crab, and seafood regions in the Country; it is also a way of life and a living for its people. Florida has worked for more than four decades to keep the River and Bay healthy and protect these treasures. The state and federal government have invested tens of millions of dollars in acquiring nearly a million acres of land in the River floodplain, watershed, and Bay. Tens of millions of dollars have been spent to install and upgrade wastewater treatment systems along the River and Bay. Florida has rejected proposals to build dams and required dredging and de-snagging operations in the River be improved or curtailed. Florida has honored the River as a priceless and irreplaceable natural asset, the foundation of the economy of several counties, and an important part of our culture.
Too little water has flowed down the River for too long – now the River and Bay System is approaching the point of no return. We have tried to resolve the issue of river flow necessary to sustain a healthy river with a tri-state pact and lawsuits. We have done all we know to do. Now, we are running out of options.
The people of the River and Bay area and throughout Florida are tired and distressed, as is our precious River and Bay. It serves no good purpose to point fingers at the federal government or to lay blame on Georgia and Alabama. Each entity is doing the best it can within its means. Each would like to see the conflict resolved.
The states and Corps have tried to find a solution, but so far have not. In such interstate conflicts, it is appropriate and necessary for Congress to step forward and act. That is what we are asking.
We strongly support your amendment, as it offers a reasonable approach to resolving this long-standing conflict and hope for restoring and sustaining a healthy Apalachicola River and Bay System.
Sign the online petition today to join with Senator Graham and help save the Apalachicola!
Best Regards,
Ryan Smart
FCC
Here is the petition:
U.S. Congress: Save the Apalachicola River and Bay
Petition by
Mismanagement of the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint (ACF) river system by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is starving the Apalachicola River and Bay of the freshwater they need to survive. Water levels in the Apalachicola River are so low that the floodplain is completely disconnected from the River’s flow for much of the year. As a result the floodplain has lost more than 4 million trees, and fish and fish habitat are being drastically reduced. Lack of freshwater reaching the Apalachicola Bay has caused the Bay’s oyster, shrimp, crab and fish populations to collapse, devastating the regional economy and causing untold harm to the many people who rely on a healthy River, Floodplain and Bay for their livelihoods and way of life.
The ACF river system has been managed primarily to the benefit of upstream states and at the expense of Floridians and the Apalachicola River, Floodplain, and Bay. The states and Army Corps have tried to find a solution, but have not been able to. In such interstate conflicts, it is appropriate and necessary for Congress to step forward and act.
The undersigned call on Congress to act now to pass legislation requiring the Army Corps to operate the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint river system to ensure that the Apalachicola River, Floodplain, and Bay receive the freshwater flows they need to support, restore, and reestablish healthy populations of fish and wildlife and the vibrant resource based economy that relies on a healthy natural system.
Sincerely,
[Your name]
Click Here To View And sign The Online Petition
Jim Weeks
Florida Politic Archive 