---------- Forwarded message ---------- Date: Fri, 2 Dec 2005 15:32:26 -0800 (PST) From: Save the Manatee Club <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Reply-To: Save the Manatee Club <[EMAIL PROTECTED] .org> To: Alan Sondheim <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: State Proposal Threatens Blue Spring Manatees
STATE PROPOSAL THREATENS OUR MANATEES AT BLUE SPRING Comments Needed by January 15, 2006 Hi Alan, Blue Spring State Park is the winter refuge to well over 140 manatees (including Save the Manatee Club's adoptees Whiskers, Howie, Nick, and Dana), and is one of only two places in the state where the manatee population actually appears to be increasing. Blue Spring is one of the very few natural warm water refuges remaining in Florida for manatees. The St. Johns River Water Management District (SJRWMD) has been tasked with assigning a "minimum flow" by state rule for Blue Spring. The most recently revised SJRWMD proposal and supporting report still show that their proposed "minimum flow" would allow spring flow to be reduced by at least 15%, which will reduce the currently available warm water refuge area for manatees by at least 35% (from 348 feet to 218 feet) under severe conditions. In addition, the SJRWMD proposal still doesn't require the flow to be restored to present levels until the year 2024. Less flow from the spring means less warm water available for manatees and more cold water moving up the spring run from the St. Johns River. Save the Manatee Club believes no reduction in flow should be authorized and that historic flow levels should be restored. WHAT YOU CAN DO: -If you live in Florida, please attend the public workshop on December 6 in Deltona (see information below). -For more information on this issue, or if you can't attend the workshop, please click here to send an online letter http://www.savethemanatee.org/actionalert.cfm?id=8 -If you would like to send a personalized letter, e-mail, or fax, please see contact information below. DIRECTIONS AND CONTACT INFORMATION: FLORIDA RESIDENTS: Please attend the public workshop on December 6, 2005 in Deltona at the time and location listed below. We need as many people as possible to attend the hearing and speak out for better protection of Blue Spring, the most important manatee warm water refuge on the St. Johns River. We will also need your attendance at the SJRWMD Governing Board Meeting tentatively set for early February. Blue Spring Minimum Flow Public Workshop City of Deltona Commission Chambers 2345 Providence Blvd., Deltona, FL 32725 December 6, 2005, 6:00-8:00 p.m. Phone: (386) 561-2100 (see driving directions at the end of this e-mail) IF YOU CAN'T ATTEND, OR FOR THOSE LIVING OUTSIDE OF FLORIDA, AND WANT TO SEND A PERSONALIZED LETTER, FAX, OR E-MAIL: Please contact Florida Governor Jeb Bush and the SJRWMD Governing Board chairman and tell them the proposal is unacceptable and that the SJRWMD should adopt a minimum average flow for Blue Spring at NO LESS THAN THE CURRENT MEAN ANNUAL FLOW (156.6 cfs), with a long-term goal of recovering the historic flow. Written, faxed or e-mail comments will be accepted through January 15, 2006. If you e-mail, be sure to put "SAY NO TO DISTRICT'S BLUE SPRING PROPOSAL" in your subject line. IN ADDITION, please write, e-mail or fax Sam Hamilton, SE Regional Director for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Secretary Colleen Castille of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. Urge the Service to maintain their past position that supports keeping the spring's flow at current levels with no reduction at all, as to do otherwise will result in an incidental "take" of manatees (including habitat alteration and reduced carrying capacity, injury, or death) under the Endangered Species Act and the Marine Mammal Protection Act and impair the recovery of manatees. Urge the Florida DEP to take the responsibility for setting minimum flows (at current levels) at Blue Spring State Park if the SJRWMD is unwilling to do so. Contact Information: Governor Jeb Bush The Capitol Tallahassee, FL 32399 E-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Fax: 850-487-0801 David G. Graham (request your comments be distributed to all Governing Board members) Chairman, SJRWMD Governing Board 4049 Reid Street Palatka, FL 32177 Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Fax: 386-329-4125 Norma K. Messer (please copy her on your letter to Chairman Graham) Rules Coordinator, SJRWMD Office of General Counsel P.O. Box 1429 Palatka, Florida 32178-1429 E-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Fax: 386-329-4485 Colleen Castille, Secretary Florida Department of Environmental Protection 3900 Commonwealth Boulevard, M.S. 49 Tallahassee, FL 32399 E-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Fax: 850-245-2128 Sam Hamilton, SE Regional Director U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 1875 Century Blvd., Suite 400 Atlanta, Georgia 30345 E-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Fax: 404-679-4006 DRIVING DIRECTIONS TO DELTONA CITY HALL:
From I-4 Eastbound:
-Get off at Exit #114 and continue in the far right hand lane. -This lane will merge onto Howland Blvd. -Take Howland Blvd approximately 2 miles to Providence Blvd. -Turn right on Providence and continue for approximately 1 mile. -City Hall is on the left hand side of the road.
From I-4 Westbound:
-Get off at Exit #114 and turn left at the light onto Howland Blvd. -Continue on Howland Blvd approximately 2 miles to Providence Blvd. -Turn right on Providence and continue for approximately 1 mile. -City Hall is on the left hand side of the road. For a list of the Blue Spring manatees in our adoption program and to see photos of the spring, go to: http://www.savethemanatee.org/adopt_blue_spring.htm http://www.floridastateparks.org/bluespring/default.cfm Thank you for helping manatees receive the strong protection measures they deserve! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ You are subscribed to this list as [EMAIL PROTECTED] To unsubscribe, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sign Up for our Paddle Tales E-Newsletter! Go to http://www.savethemanatee.org/enews_signup.htm Our postal address is 500 N. Maitland Ave. Maitland, Florida 32751 United States ABOUT SMC Save the Manatee Club is a nonprofit organization founded in 1981 by former Florida Governor Bob Graham and singer Jimmy Buffett. To learn more about manatees and our work, go to http://www.savethemanatee.org. JOIN US! Adopt-A-Manatee and join Save the Manatee Club. Your contribution will support our work to help protect endangered manatees and their habitat. For more information, go to http://www.savethemanatee.org/adoptpag.htm PASS IT ALONG Help spread the word about manatees! Please forward this action alert to your family and friends. If you got this message from a friend, sign up to receive our Action Alerts at our Take Action page at http://www.savethemanatee.org/action.htm QUESTIONS? You can get updates on Action Alert issues by visiting the Take Action page of our web site. If you have additional questions, e-mail us at [EMAIL PROTECTED]