Wednesday, February 19, 2014

Fracking Florida while the death of Florida's springs predicts the outcome … by gimleteye

Under the GOP state legislature and the loopy management of Gov. Rick Scott, the destruction of natural resources is proceeding in fashionable misdirection. That is a fancy term for lying.

Now there is fracking. In its Feb. 4th, "Could Florida Become the New Fracking Frontier", misses the key point:

"Disney. The Everglades. Migrating Birds. Tourists. Fracking? Fracked wells and impoundments were once a far-fetched possibility in Florida, but soon they could be hitting close to home. As industry interest in bringing fracking to the Sunshine State intensifies, environmental groups worry about risks ranging from contaminated groundwater, disruption to some of the county's most bio-diverse ecosystems and aquifers sucked dry."

The missing point: environmental groups stopped worrying more than a decade ago, after the state of Florida under Gov. Jeb Bush successfully changed laws that once prohibited the use of so-called "safe aquifers" for the disposal of scarcely treated municipal sewage through what is euphemistically called "underground injection control wells".

The issue, then, as it is with fracking is the "migration" of injected fluids between so-called confining layers. There are no confining layers in Florida, because of the occlusions, faults, and holes in all of the state's subsurface geology. Can geologists prove that? It is hard to do when you need to demonstrate what is happening thousands of feet underground. But what geologists can do is look at the evidence. The outcomes. The results in Florida's rivers, springs, and estuaries. Sick and dying, all of them.

I know, because I spent three years trying to stop, through federal litigation on behalf of Sierra Club, the reversal of safe drinking water protections that were being abandoned by the US EPA in order to speed the fast suburban growth in states like Florida -- a growth pattern that soon thereafter resulted in the worst housing bust since the Great Depression. That was less than ten years ago.

Have mercy, God, on what Florida did through all those good Christians in the state legislature wearing American flag pins and holier-than-thou!

Miami-Dade County was, at the time, the biggest violator of the Safe Drinking Water Act in the nation, through its underground wells right next to Mt. Trashmore in South Dade. The solution? Change the law.

Of fracking, Truth-Out goes on, "The camel's nose is in the tent," said Mary Jean Yon, legislative director at Audubon Florida, which has started a petition opposed to hydraulic fracturing (otherwise known as fracking) in Florida. "We know there is an interest." Oh my aching ass.

In truth, the camel's nose has been up the butt of the state of Florida for a long, long time when it comes to wrecking Florida's aquifers. Fracking is coming, and any geologist who claims that Florida's near surface aquifers will be "safe" are smoking crack.

From the Orlando Sentinel, Jan 14, 2014: "A state House panel earlier this month OK'd two bills that would require the industry to report chemicals used in fracking. In a partisan 8-4 vote, the two measures passed through the majority Republican House Agriculture and Natural Resources Subcommittee, as state legislators grapple with the potential of Florida becoming the Fracking Frontier."

Anyhow, if you don't have a problem with spending several billion dollars "restoring" the Everglades while drilling for natural gas and oil under same Everglades, let's take a quick tour of Florida's dying springs.

Rick Scott isn't responsible for the horrible outcome for central and north Florida springs. These iconic landmarks were wonders of nature. In large measure, Florida's crystal clear springs were original attractions and wonders that helped populate the state. Now they are filled with hydrilla and algae blooms; thanks to the failure of the state of Florida to regulate the use, application, and measurement of fertilizers and to control municipal runoff. 


The fate of the springs also indicate what to expect if we allow well drillers to frack.

Florida's springs declined in inverse proportion of the growth of Big Agriculture and cities into wetland watersheds. The accelerated pace in recent decades resists all efforts at re-branding through legislative sleights-of-hand by GOP extremists or even executive orders like the one Scott pushed through with the US EPA, imposing "narrative" standards for nutrient pollution instead of hard and fast numerical ones.

Dr. Sydney Bacchus, one of the few Florida scientists willing to speak out against Florida's confederacy of dunces when it comes to aquifer exploitation, points out: "We already know that the intended "alternative water source" for central Florida is to suck the St. John's River dry and dewater rural areas, so no need to waste millions on THAT.... when will these idiots simply implement closed loop reverse osmosis systems for treated effluent and waterless/composting toilets with NO new extractions of water from/discharge of effluent to the environment - the ONLY solution to reviving the springs and all of the other surface waters… Wasting limited time and money on "advanced septic tanks or hookups to sewer systems" will be as meaningful as reducing the number of thugs beating a woman to death from 100 to 75 - the woman still ends up dead!"

Gov. Scott doesn't have to wait for legislative action. He could order agencies and water mismanagement districts to start enforcing laws, including the narrative standards for nutrient pollution. But don't worry.

There is an election coming, and another opportunity to hold the Great Destroyers and the Wrecking Crew accountable. One hopes.



-----------------
"A key group of senators earlier this month agreed to file legislation that
would require advanced septic tanks or hookups to sewer systems in areas
around springs with high nitrogen. Draft legislation circulated by Sen.
David Simmons, R-Altamonte Springs, calls for spending 20 percent of net
documentary stamp tax revenue, or about $378 million a year, on hookups."

"These dollars will fund infrastructure projects that will better utilize
water, to reduce water usage and decrease the amount of nutrients flowing
into Florida's springs," he said. "In other words, we'll protect our water
resources and wildlife while restoring water quality."

" Another $25 million would go towards alternative water supply development
in the five-county Central Florida Water Initiative
area and the 14-county North Florida Regional Water Supply Partnership
, Bartlett said."

"But Rob Williams, an attorney with the Center for Earth Jurisprudence at
Barry University, said it's going to take more than money to save Florida's
springs, though he said the governor's announcement is "a start.""
"Part of our problem is we really need some changes in policy with respect
to both nitrate pollution and minimum flows," Williams said. "In particular,
we need plans that set measurable goals and real consequences if the goals
are not met."
__________
Environment and Natural Resources >

Scott announces $55 million for springs to mixed reaction
Bruce Ritchie, 01/21/2014 - 03:37 PM

Gov. Rick Scott said he will propose $55 million for springs protection in
his 2014 -15 budget recommendation. The proposal drew mixed reactions from
environmentalists and some senators want more money for springs. Photo by
Bruce Ritchie.

Gov. Rick Scott on Tuesday announced he will propose a 2014-15 state budget
with $55 million for springs protection, which is less than some senators
want but is more than is in this year's budget.

High levels of nitrogen in groundwater is causing springs across the state
to become choked with algae. Scientists say the nitrogen comes from a
variety of sources including septic tanks, farms, dirty stormwater runoff,
fertilizer and sewage treatment plants.

Scott's announcement on Tuesday follows an announcement in September that
$10 million in this year's budget for springs was being combined with $27
million from cities, counties and local utilities for projects to boost
springs. The governor said Tuesday he expects his proposal of $55 million
would generate additional matches.

"These dollars will fund infrastructure projects that will better utilize
water, to reduce water usage and decrease the amount of nutrients flowing
into Florida's springs," he said. "In other words, we'll protect our water
resources and wildlife while restoring water quality."

A key group of senators earlier this month agreed to file legislation that
would require advanced septic tanks or hookups to sewer systems in areas
around springs with high nitrogen. Draft legislation circulated by Sen.
David Simmons, R-Altamonte Springs, calls for spending 20 percent of net
documentary stamp tax revenue, or about $378 million a year, on hookups.

Asked by reporters on Tuesday whether that was too much money for springs,
Scott said, "I always look forward to seeing what the Senate is going to
propose or the House."

"I think what we need to focus on is the governor's $55 million and utilize
that money appropriately," Department of Environmental Protection Secretary
Herschel T. Vinyard Jr. said later in response to the same question.

Of the governor's proposed $55 million for springs, $25 million would go
towards projects that would be proposed across the state and $5 million
would go to the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services for water
quality and conservation on farms, said Drew Bartlett, director of the DEP's
Division of Environmental Assessment and Restoration.

Another $25 million would go towards alternative water supply development in
the five-county Central Florida Water Initiative
area and the 14-county North Florida Regional Water Supply Partnership
, Bartlett said.

Reaction from environmentalists to the announcement was mixed.

“This is a significant financial investment in protecting and restoring
Florida’s springs," Eric Draper, executive director of Audubon Florida, said
in a statement released by the Governor's Office.

But Rob Williams, an attorney with the Center for Earth Jurisprudence at
Barry University, said it's going to take more than money to save Florida's
springs, though he said the governor's announcement is "a start."

"Part of our problem is we really need some changes in policy with respect
to both nitrate pollution and minimum flows," Williams said. "In particular,
we need plans that set measurable goals and real consequences if the goals
are not met."

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Oklahoma is having hundreds of earthquakes because of fracking.

Anonymous said...

NY times -_Man-Made Quakes Scientists see a link between earthquakes and the disposal of wastewater from oil and gas wells, including those that use the production method known as hydraulic fracturing.

Anonymous said...

Lots of so-called environmentalists are really just corporate hacks. Nancy Payton "the environmentalist" of the Florida Wildlife Federation can't wait for the fracking to begin while we just worry about waterflow into the Everglades. I recall lots of "environmentalists" who supported many other development schemes so we could save a burrowing owl nest or two elsewhere. Jonathan Franzen wrote a book about these kinds of people, by the way.
Anyway, they frack and it's game over forever.
This article lends the impression the game is already over. Let's all lie down and die.
The fact is the water has major issues. But fracking obliterates the prospect of recovery.
By the way, Christian Spilker, one of the guys who leased the land and swore fracking would never happen, is an "environmentalist" who took a seat of the Big Cypress board a few years back.
We are chock full of environmentalists, like the head of the FDA from Monsanto, who will no doubt save the world.