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EPA OKs Ocean Discharge for Piney Point After a delay of more than a month, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency approved an emergency request to barge nutrient-laden wastewater from the Piney Point phosphate facility near Palmetto out to sea where it can be discharged with minimal impact. Phosphogypsum stacks at Piney Point were nearing capacity, thanks to near-record rainfall, which pushed the stacks to within inches of breaching in March. A permit issued April 9 provided authorization for the releases. Without relief, dikes surrounding stacks at the abandoned fertilizer plant could have failed in heavy rain, releasing hundreds of millions of gallons of highly acidic water into Tampa Bay, along with potentially closing U.S. 41 and the CSX rail line. By late March, DEP had already discharged about 30 million tons of nitrogen into Bishop Harbor in water treated with a "double lime aeration process" that corrects acidity but doesn't remove all nutrients. That compares with a discharge of 16 tons of nitrogen released after Tropical Storm Gabrielle in 2001. Scientists report early signs of environmental damage, but are concerned that it may worsen as the weather continues to warm and nutrients spawn algal blooms. Costs for treating and containing the wastewater continue to rise as well. Initially, DEP estimated that it could cost $50 to $100 million to drain the stacks and close the site. More recent estimates range from $130 to $160 million. In one of the few new taxes expected to pass the Florida Legislature this year, phosphate companies are supporting a plan that would raise severance taxes by more than 20% to help pay for the Piney Point cleanup and replenish an industry trust fund created to reclaim land mined prior to 1975.
Desal Comes On Line Nearly two months behind schedule, on March 16 officials from Tampa Bay Water toasted the region's first desalination plant, a $110 million facility located adjacent to TECO's Big Bend plant in Apollo Beach. When fully operational, it will supply the region with 25 million gallons of fresh water daily, making it the largest desalination plant in North America. It's also the cheapest desalinated water in the world, thanks to a grant from the Southwest Florida Water Management District that covered about 90% of construction costs. Residents won't notice a change in taste because the desalinated water is expected to be blended with water from rivers and underground sources. At full capacity, it will supply about 10% of the water used by two million customers in Hillsborough, Pinellas and Pasco counties.
American Victory Ship Underway
Built in 1945, the SS American Victory served in three wars before she was forced into retirement 34 years ago. Restoring her, and creating a maritime museum, will give students a glimpse of the heroism exhibited by previous generations. "We don't want a club for retired mariners, we want to engage people of all ages with an interactive museum that shares the stories and life messages of the heroes who served our country," he said. "We wish to honor that generation, and wish to inspire this one." An inaugural cruise for 850 passengers is planned for later this summer, and overnight cruises for school and church groups, scout troops, and other organizations are scheduled for the fall. For more information, contact the Victory Mariners Memorial & Museum Ship at 813-228-8766 or visit www.americanvictory.org.
Safe Boating No Accident Florida leads the nation in boating accidents, perhaps because of the large number of boats and the fact that there are no requirements for licensing. "Registration of new boats is climbing once again," says Elaine Rothstein, public relations officer for the St. Petersburg Sail and Power Squadron. "With new registrations come an influx of inexperienced and unknowledgeable boaters on the waterways." To help those new sailors enjoy their boats - and long-time skippers learn more about safe boating practices - local chapters of the United States Power Squadrons offer ongoing classes for boaters free of charge. In Tampa, a seven-week course with proctored exam is planned this summer, and a day-long class that offers a comprehensive overview is scheduled for May 3 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Port Tampa Library, 4902 Commerce St. The St. Petersburg Power and Sailing Squadron will offer its "Boat Smart" course on three Monday evenings this summer (dates still to be determined). The course focuses on seamanship, regulations, aids to navigation, marine radio, boat handling and more. In north Pinellas and west Pasco counties, the Anclote Key Sail and Power Squadron has scheduled Boat Smart classes for May 3 and 10 at 9:00 a.m. (two 4-hour sessions), at the Baywood Village Clubhouse, 309 Westwinds Drive in Palm Harbor. And the Manatee Sail & Power Squadron typically offers Boat Smart classes on Saturdays from 8:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. All power squadron courses fulfill the requirements for the Florida Boating Safety Education ID Card, which is required for boaters born after 1980. In some cases, boaters may qualify for lower insurance rates after they have completed the safe boating course. For more information, contact Don Lundeen in Tampa at 813-885-3103, Elaine Rothstein in St. Petersburg at 727-527-3117, Alice Brunner in Manatee County at 941-776-8739, or Howard O. Mielke 727-785-7923 at the Anclote organization. For local links, visit www.usps.org/localusps/d22/squadrons.htm.
"Plant Our Beach" Plays Up Advantages of Vegetation "Plant Our Beach," a learning tool that uses the educational techniques that helped make a local company a national leader in corporate training, is available at no charge to civic organizations and neighborhood associations across Florida and the eastern seaboard. Paradigm Learning President Raymond Green, who lives on Sunset Beach, worked with the Treasure Island Beach Stewardship Committee to create a game that helps players discover why beach revegetation is so vital. "Adding coastal plantings protects the shore from erosion and flooding," he says. "Plus, it boosts the region's economy - from tourism and business to property values - so we all benefit." The game is based on an educational principle called "discovery learning," which holds that people learn and retain more when they are actively involved. Corporations - including PepsiCo, Harris Corp and Xerox - have used Paradigm's games to educate millions of workers on a wide variety of topics, he adds. "Plant Our Beach" includes a game board and a series of Jeopardy-like questions that lead players through the "discovery" process. For more information, contact Diana Blackburn at 813-238-3970.
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After more than 30 years, 70,000 volunteer hours and $4 million in private donations, the SS American Victory cruised through Tampa Bay under her own power in April. "It was an extraordinary performance - far more than we could ever hope for," says Capt. John Timmel, who heads the Victory Mariners Memorial & Museum Ship.