Author name: bruce

Florida counties support “balanced” plan for Apalachicola River dredging

Misc /

BRISTOL, Florida — The six Florida counties along the Apalachicola River say they support shipping on the waterway, but most oppose returning to “full scale” river dredging.

 The counties have adopted resolutions since September, when the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers launched a dredging analysis after receiving $3 million from Congress in 2024 for the work.

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The closure Apalachicola Bay oyster harvesting caused mourning for a lost community identity

Misc /

By BRUCE RITCHIE Floridaenvironments.com ST. TERESA, Fla. — Florida State University’s Betsy Mansfield said that while researching the social effects of the loss of oyster harvesting in Apalachicola Bay she discovered a deep sadness and mourning that fishery closure brought to local residents. Mansfield conducted in-depth interviews with 28 area residents after Florida closed the

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Corps of Engineers would give Georgia more water but less than requested

1 Comment / Water /

A U. S. Army Corps of Engineers proposal released Wednesday would provide about 15 percent less water from the Chattahoochee River for Georgia cities than the state requested in 2013 but substantially more water than they are using now. The federal agency says the effect on Apalachicola Bay, where oysters populations have been suffering, would be

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E. O. Wilson says death of M. C. Davis a “huge loss” for conservation

7 Comments / Conservation /

By BRUCE RITCHIE FLORIDAENVIRONMENTS.COM M. C. Davis, a Walton County developer who became a world-renowned conservationist, died on July 11 after a long bout with lung cancer. He was 70. Davis purchased 50,000 acres in South Walton County to create a massive environmental restoration project he called Nokuse Plantation (pronounced No-GO-see). He also built the

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Northwest Florida could get $21 million for springs protection

1 Comment / Budgets, Land Acquisition, Pollution, Water districts /

By BRUCE RITCHIE FLORIDAENVIRONMENTS.COM MIDWAY — The Northwest Florida Water Management District is in line to receive more than $10 million in springs protection funding from the state budget and could get as much as $21.5 million, the district’s governing board was told Thursday. The eight possible springs projects include $6.4 million for 1,077 acres

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Supreme Court official denies Georgia’s motion to dismiss case

1 Comment / Federal Agencies, Gov. Rick Scott, Water /

By BRUCE RITCHIE FLORIDA ENVIRONMENTS.COM A court official has denied a motion by Georgia to dismiss a U. S. Supreme Court lawsuit by Florida seeking to cap Georgia’s water use. Florida in 2013 asked the Supreme Court to intervene following the crash of the oyster population in Apalachicola Bay. Alabama, Florida and Georgia have battled

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Gov. Rick Scott, Georgia Gov. Deal meet privately on water dispute

1 Comment / Gov. Rick Scott, Water /

Florida Gov. Rick Scott met Tuesday with Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal as part of a continuing round of private meetings to discuss water issues. Alabama, Florida and Georgia have been fighting in court over water since 1990. In 2013, Florida asked the U. S. Supreme Court to cap Georgia’s water use at 1992 levels to protect water

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Graham legislation would require feds to consider Apalachicola Bay water needs

2 Comments / Gov. Rick Scott, Water /

EASTPOINT — After a morning spent working with seafood harvesters on Apalachicola Bay, U. S. Rep. Gwen Graham said Tuesday she is introducing legislation to require federal reservoir managers to consider the bay’s freshwater needs. Alabama, Florida and Georgia have been battling in federal court for 25 years over water from the Chattahoochee and Flint Rivers,

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DEP says no “critical” funding would force state parks to close

2015 Legislature, Budgets, FDEP, Gov. Rick Scott, Parks /

By BRUCE RITCHIE Florida would be forced to close state parks without approval of a new state budget that provides for at least “critical” spending, according to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. DEP on Monday issued a list of critical funding needs as requested last week by Gov. Rick Scott in advance of a June 1-20

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