Miami Beach Stinks and Mayor Levine Trashes Hal Wanless.
Levine is such an ass saying Wanless just wants to sell books. How idiotic is that?
I knew this was going to happen if they allowed pumping into Biscayne Bay. And look at how combative they are for doing the wrong thing: The tests are wrong, the newspaper is wrong, the Scientists are not to be trusted. Bullshit. This sucks. I know Levine is a Dem but I hate bullies and he is one Big Bully.Levine is such an ass saying Wanless just wants to sell books. How idiotic is that?
"Full video of the discussion on pollution in Biscayne Bay. Commissioner Kristen Rosen Gonzalez sponsored the item, to engage the scientist whose study found over 600x the legal limit of fecal matter coming from the new Miami Beach pumps. The rest of the Commission rejected the study and the Miami Herald article, and directed the administration to ask the Herald to retract the story.Full video of the discussion on pollution in Biscayne Bay. Commissioner Kristen Rosen Gonzalez sponsored the item, to engage the scientist whose study found over 600x the legal limit of fecal matter coming from the new Miami Beach pumps. The rest of the Commission rejected the study and the Miami Herald article, and directed the administration to ask the Herald to retract the story."
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/environment/article77978817.html
17 comments:
It's interesting that nobody thought to point a finger at our stellar MDWASD and its aging and leaking sanitary sewers as the likely culprits of the human waste. It's also interesting that everyone's panacea, including MDWASD, is to inject the pollution underground.
The Beach's claims about meeting EPA standards are nonsense. "Nutrient" levels and DNA analysis of bacteria prove that the Beach is pumping human poo laced water into Biscayne Bay, Yes it gets diluted in the Bay (thus the Bay continues to meet EPA standards) but the phosphate and nitrogen levels coming off the pumps exceed point point discharge standards. The Beach was in such a hurry to install the pumps, they didn't look to see what was in the water they planned to pump into our Bay. Now they attack the scientists who are looking and the Herald for doing its job. That's not going to stop a Clean Water Act violation action. Miami Waterkeeper, time for another contribution?
While the mayor has provided outstanding leadership in addressing the effects of global warming, dismissing this important research out of hand and blaming the messenger amounts to cheap theatrics. The article produced greater public awareness that will no doubt lead to further efforts to cleanse runoff. This will not diminish the mayor's legacy. Kudos to the commissioner that placed this on the agenda, by the way. She asked great questions.
She did ask great questions. I implore you to watch the video. This is only the beginning. We will soon see this from other communities. You can skip the city experts who say the answer to pollution is dissolution. Go to the FIU people.
True story: City of Miami Beach hires engineering experts and then makes it impossible for the public to get those reports. They go straight to the city manager. He keeps them locked up from public view due to potential lawsuits. Check out all the engineers Miami Beach has hired. Ask the city manager for a report and see how well it goes. It won't. In some cases involving engineers who test condominiums Miami Beach has hired or entered into contracts with every expert in the state. No doubt they will try do the same with anybody who tests water quality. All the reports will become property of city manager. Miami Beach actually employed and engineer who was also a lobbyist for the nightclub industry. How bonkers is that.
My Miami Beach condo had several sewage leaks which drained into the bay. Of course the board used an unlicensed plumber and never replaced the lines, they patch with Fernco couplings. You will get booted from a board if you recommend tearing up a parking lot and replacing leaking sewer pipes. The boards and management companies already know the no permit, it's only a repair drill very well.
The City of Miami Beach got a scientific report they didn't like and decided to lawyer up. Residents of this city should move forward to dissolve the city government in the next election. Simply too corrupt to fathom. Notice how they didn't mention leaky sewage pipes from residential or condominiums. The city already stated to others they will not enforce codes on private property.
This is so scary. No, not the pollution- the cover up. The defensiveness of City of Miami officials is even more frightening because without acknowledging the problem, no solution can be found. Does not bode well for the city going forward. And the health of our coastal waters.
What is the real cost of sea level rise adaptation on Miami Beach and other cities. Sewage pipes need to be replaced or repaired. Septic a tanks removed. Injection wells built. Maybe that's what officials are hiding behind their wall of attacks
I believe the City of Miami Beach needs an additional 400 million in street drainage bond money. I'm not sure they can raise that from Wall Street if the project is a potential pollutant. As we all know the General Obligation bond money for the Flamingo Park neighborhood is gone or the street scape money has been used up. Not only does the city need storm drain bonds, but the street-scape money from a General Obligation bond. Two separate animals. They will probably get caught commingling money.
Why doesn't Mr. Climate Change Mayor come out and say it: adaptation to sea level rise means abandoning environmental protection. Not just on Miami Beach. Face it: our goose is cooked.
This story doesn't shock much. Imagine if Rosen Gonzalez had lost to the mayor's slate, we wouldn't even hear about these issues.
Is this how you want government to act: defaming scientists, attacking newspaper reporters? I'm absolutely appalled by Mayor Levine's statements. Is he trying to shirk the city of its responsibility to clean up contaminated water before discharging to Biscayne Bay? It's time for EPA Administrator to return to Miami Beach and order the city to clean up it's act. Sea level rise adaptation isn't a license to pollute the waters of the U.S.
Please listen to this radio interview. It begins at about 9:15 of recording time.
Plan to attend MB Commissioners meeting next June 8th
Copy and paste this link on your browser
https://soundcloud.com/grantstern/miami-beach-commish-kristin-rosen-gonzalez-s-miami-mayor-phillip-stoddard-ep-120-5302016
Great post.
As for "outstanding" leadership; Mayor Levine only did these patch jobs to run for Governor/Federal office.
This isn't just about Miami Beach. People swim and fish and snorkel in Biscayne Bay. The waters flow to our beaches. And so does the pollution. Dismissing the tests results because they were taken at the outfall is ridiculous. The beach is operating just 2 pumps but plan 70! Imagine the pollution befalling our bay waters if that gets going and Miami Beach is allowed to proceed as it is. Imagine all the coastal cities doing the same to furiously pump out seawater from their streets continuously as seas rise. Yes, you are imagining the destruction of the bay and all swimmable waters. Our community ringed by a cesspool. We need to set standards now. Or all is lost.
Very disturbing video. I think the residents of South Florida need to realize that ocean level rise will eventually take over South Florida and all of these measures are meaningless, a band-aid on the fetid and festering wounds of global warming. d
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