Why in blazes am I writing about Manhattan? To allow you to visualize how large an area I am talking about.
There are 5 Army Corps rock mining permit applications pending in the Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA) for approximately 17,000 acres. That is 2,500 acres LARGER than the size of the Island of Manhattan! The entire Island of Manhattan is 22.7 square miles or 14,528 acres.
As background:
The Everglades Agricultural Area is South of Lake Okeechobee and it is where the lake water once over-flowed in a sheet in a slow flow Southward -- of course that was before man drained that part of the Everglades. Eric Hughes (pictured) of the Environmental Protection Agency said about 17,000 acres held by 3 Corporations have been submitted to the Army Corps for Rock Mining permits. There are Everglades restoration plans for the Everglades Agricultural Area, now that there are sugar land purchases going on by the South Florida Water Management District. The land would be used for shallow water storage and to create a wider expanse of flow than we have now. Just remember that wide flow, or sheet flow, is better than narrow flow for the Everglades. You would think that they could deny these 5 permits based on the future plans. However, Tori White, of the Army Corps of Engineers, said that they cannot deny a permit on "planned" restoration. They need Congressional Approval for a project in order to deny a permit. In other words the project has to be appropriated.
So it looks like they are going to strip mine this farmland/former Everglades like they did in Miami's Lake Belt, creating deep pits 30 to 80 feet deep (sofia.usgs.gov). We might be saying goodbye to a big chunk of the EAA. Ironically, rock mining might be worse than having the sugar cane farms. The only good news: Rock mining doesn't produce the phosphorus pollution that sugar farming does.
6 comments:
Rock mining of that magnitude appears over-kill.
Only in South Florida would the residents be so disdainful of the local environment and ecosystem as to allow large scale rock mining. The lake belt is sandwiched above the aquifer, between the Everglades and metropolitan Miami-Dade. From the air, it looks like a horrible scar and insult to the land.
We remain ignorant and uncaring about the sources of our drinking water and the environmental health of where we live. Another strip mall, more mini villas, and widened roads suit us just fine. Let the developers develop as they always have, as long as our air-conditioning works!
nope... as long as my heater works
lawsuits, lawsuits, lawsuits are the only solution. name names and hold individuals accountable - including Eric Hughes.
Thanks for explaining this I needed the lesson in plain language. I'm dense!
The bad thing about rock mining in the Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA) is that the proposed rock mines are surrounded by sensitive areas that we are trying to restore. While digging their hole in ground, the miners are grossly disturbing both ground water and surface water. The two types are quite different. Everything in the surface water (toxic contaminants) could go into the groundwater and elevated salt levels from it will contaminate the surface water and the canals. These changes could lead to ecological catastrophes and threaten our already dwindling freshwater supplies.
A very broad and caring vision should be adhered to for the Everglades Agricultural Area. It has been badly damaged in the last century. All the involved agencies need to sit down and develop a holistic vision for the EAA. Land needed to restore the water sheet flow and deliver clean water to the Everglades, and to all of us, should be rigorously protected.
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