Environmental Coalition issues joint comment on commercial fish operation proposed off of Sarasota

A company seeks to build and operate a fish farm in waters off of Sarasota County. A public hearing is set for Jan. 28 - more background here.

Below are excerpts from a Joint Comment issued by a coalition of environmental organizations to the EPA, expressing manifold concerns about the agency's assessment of a commercial fish farm seeking to operate off the coast of Sarasota County.

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The permit would allow Kampachi Farms, LLC to operate the only industrial ocean fish farm in U.S. federal waters – in the Gulf of Mexico approximately 40 miles from the coast of Sarasota, FL – and discharge untreated, industrial wastewater from the facility directly into the surrounding ocean.  

Industrial ocean fish farming – also known as offshore or marine finfish aquaculture – is the mass cultivation of finned fish in the ocean, in net pens, pods, and cages.  

These are essentially floating feedlots in open water, which can have devastating environmental and socio-economic impacts. 

Kampachi Fish Pod

• . . . escaped farmed fish will likely spread a multitude of parasites and diseases to wild stocks, which could prove fatal when transmitted.

• It is no secret that confining large populations of animals will breed pests and disease. In response, the agriculture and aquaculture sectors administer a pharmacopeia of chemicals – and in the open ocean, residues of these drugs are discharged and absorbed into the marine ecosystem. 

• the use of antibiotics in marine finfish aquaculture facilities is contributing to the public health crisis of antibiotic resistance. For farmed fish, antibiotics not only leave residues in your seafood, but they also leach into the ocean, contaminating nearby water and marine life. 

• Another vital concern is the direct discharge of untreated toxins, including excess food, feces, antibiotics, and antifoulants associated with industrial ocean fish farms. 

• These underwater factory farms can also physically impact the seafloor by creating dead zones

• EPA . . . must assess the myriad environmental, socioeconomic, and human health impacts from the full scope of the intended operations 

• We also urge EPA to fully consider the range of available alternatives that can increase domestic seafood production while avoiding and/or reducing environmental, public health, and socio- economic impacts. 

• In this instance, EPA has unlawfully failed to meet its ESA [Endangered Species Act] mandate.. . . EPA has not provided sufficient data to support its conclusions, and made no attempt to quantify or analyze the potential harm from several significant impacts to the Listed Species.

• In conclusion, EPA must remedy the above violations of law prior to reaching a decision on the permit. We strongly oppose issuance of the permit for industrial wastewater discharge from a marine finfish aquaculture facility in the Gulf of Mexico, and we request that EPA hold a public hearing, with the opportunity for live public testimony, prior to reaching a decision on the permit.

For the foregoing reasons, the undersigned organizations strongly oppose EPA’s issuance of the permit.

Friends of the Earth, 

Center for Food Safety, 

Center for Biological Diversity, 

Food & Water Watch, 

Healthy Gulf, 

Institute for Fisheries Resources, 

National Family Farm Coalition, 

Northwest Atlantic Marine Alliance, 

NY4WHALES, 

Ocean Conservation Research, 

Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations, 

Sanctuary Education Advisory Specialists LLC, 

Sierra Club Grassroots Network 

Joint Comment in full


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 EPA public hearing details:

• Date: January 28, 2020
• Time: 5:30 PM - 9:30 PM
• Location: Wave Center
• Mote Marine Laboratory
• 1600 Ken Thompson Pkwy, Sarasota, FL 34236

Also:

Justin Bloom from Suncoast Waterkeeper will offer an update on this issue at CONA Sarasota Jan. 10. Details here.

Time to take a new look at dredging, maintenance and water policies?

From ManaSota-88, Inc.  a 501.c3 Public Health and Environmental Organization:

THE COSTS OF MAINTENANCE DREDGING

The majority of waterways originally dredged in the Sarasota & Manatee were dredged before permitting was required.  In most cases canals were dug as a source of fill for coastal wetlands to maximize the number of waterfront lots for the development. There was little or no thought given to the environmental consequences that occurred during the original dredging of these canals. As a result of inappropriate waterfront development, inadequate stormwater runoff control and habitat destruction, many of the original canals dredged have silted in and are restricting motorboat access for some waterfront property owners. 

Dredging at New Pass, Sarasota

Instead of wasting taxpayers money on environmentally damaging maintenance dredging projects, Sarasota & Manatee should instead embark on a program of habitat restoration, stormwater runoff control, and enforcement of existing best management practices to reduce the problems of erosion and siltation. 

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP)  has adopted and frequently references a series of studies whose primary goal is to prioritize channel dredging based on the greatest need for increasing motorboat access to public waterways. This has had the effect of impairing and polluting the waters and natural resources of the State of Florida directly, secondarily, and cumulatively.

The adverse secondary impacts from boating activities (i.e. prop scars, hydrocarbon pollution, boat paints ect.), frequent maintenance dredging, and wildlife disturbance are having long-term water quality impacts.

Maintenance dredging can channelize flows and sediments can be resuspended more readily. Dredging can also destabilize adjacent areas which have developed over time through succession. Impacts to bottom sediments result in reducing the chances for successful seagrass colonization and growth within the footprint of the dredge and immediately adjacent to a new channel.

There is no reason to extend a historic dredging mistake. The need for maintenance dredging indicates that the original dredge was historically a bad idea.If siltation of the waterway is the problem, then there are soil conservation problems, inadequate stormwater runoff controls, improper agricultural practices, or inappropriate urban development within the basin. It would be better to spend money fixing the problem than temporarily trying to fix the ailment.

Update: Fish Farming company seeks permit to operate in Gulf off of Sarasota: Public Hearing Jan. 28, 2020

Update: Sign a statement from the Center for Biological Diversity opposing this effort to open our region to commercial fish farming. 

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A company known as Kampachi Farms LLC is seeking to operate a commercial fish farm in federal waters approximately 40 miles off the coast of Sarasota County. An EPA public hearing is scheduled for Jan. 28, 2020 - details below.

Kampachi Farms Pod on surface

The EPA-Region 4 will hold a public hearing regarding the proposed issuance of an NPDES permit (FL0A00001) for the Kampachi Farms LLC-Velella Epsilon marine aquaculture facility. 

The draft NPDES permit authorizes the discharge of industrial wastewater from a marine net-pen aquaculture facility located in federal waters in the Gulf of Mexico at approximately 45 miles southwest of Sarasota, Florida (near 27° 7’ 20.51”N, 83° 12’ 1.37”W).

The facility would include a supporting vessel and a single floating cage in a water depth of 130 feet. The project would begin culturing a single cohort of approximately 20,000 Almaco jack and produce a maximum harvest of 88,000 pounds. A video of Kampachi Farms Velella project can be seen here.

Mote Marine has been identified to be the monitor of the proposed site and will be raising the hatchlings. 

A full account of the public hearing procedure and timing for public comments is here. 

The Sarasota hearing details:

• Date: January 28, 2020
• Time: 5:30 PM - 9:30 PM
• Location: Wave Center
• Mote Marine Laboratory
• 1600 Ken Thompson Pkwy, Sarasota, FL 34236

All persons interested in the draft NPDES permit are invited to attend the public hearing. If you are interested in attending the hearing, the EPA encourages you to pre-register at least 72 hours in advance. You may also register to speak when you arrive at the hearing.

At one time, fish farming was in operation in state waters off the coast of Washington state, but now has been banned there.

Norway has been besieged by problems threatening its salmon:

Against the Current states: "Fish farming in open net pens is considered the largest man-made threat to wild stocks."

The Independent reported in May, 2019: "Eight million salmon killed in a week by sudden surge of algae in Norway."

Norway has banned new fish farming licenses, but existing fish farms continue to operate there.

A variety of articles reported by US News & World Reports, including one by NPR, describe fish farming. The reported results do not bode well for our Florida coastline, including an increase in nitrogen levels in an area already afflicted with poor wastewater controls and red tide.

A guest column by Florida environmental attorney Marianne Cufone raising concerns about impacts of fish farming on red tide and more was published in the 11.29.19 Herald Tribune: Off Sarasota’s coast, a new industrial threat.

Sierra Club Florida News announcement of the public hearing.

Friends of the Earth has addressed the dangers of fish farming.

The draft NPDES permit, draft Environmental Assessment, and other supporting documents can be found here.

The public comment period will be open through February 4, 2020. Information on how to submit comments can be found at that same website.

Public comment from the Suncoast Waterkeeper to EPA Sept. 29, 2019.

Again, pre-register here.

Protest of 12.13.19 at Phillippi against Gerrymandering

Video below of the Friday the 13th Protest at the Gazebo in Phillippi Park near the Edson Keith Mansion where the Board of Sarasota County Commissioners were meeting.

A broad range of speakers protested the Board's Resolution to redistrict without solid data, and its decision to use a meretricious map that excises a large portion of District 1's black voters and excludes potential Democratic and Republican opponents of sitting Commissioner Mike Moran from District 1.

Speakers included former candidates for office like Edward James III, Fredd Atkins, Frank Alcock and Ray Porter; minority rights advocates like Elvira Sanchez-Blake, Valerie Buchand and more, and statements from current office holders including Sarasota City Commissioner Shelli-Freeland Eddie, North Port City Commissioner Jill Luke, and former Venice City Mayor John Holic.

Of the Commission's redistricting action Luke said in part:

"We find them using invalid counts and disenfranchising the very people they swore to serve." 

The Board is now facing a Class Action lawsuit charging it with racially-motivated gerrymandering violating the Federal Voting Rights Act and the US Constitution.

More about the lawsuit in the Sarasota News Leader (subscription req'd) and about the Protest from the Herald Tribune.

Class Action Suit against Sarasota Commissioners Maio, Moran and Detert filed 12.11.19

Below is the heading and paragraphs 1-2, and 19-24 of the class action lawsuit filed today against Sarasota County, charging three Commissioners with violating the US Constitution and the Federal Voting Rights Act:

The entire suit is here.

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

MIDDLE DISTRICT OF FLORIDA

FREDD ATKINS, MICHAEL WHITE and 

MARY MACK, individually and on behalf of all CLASS ACTION

others similarly situated, (Jury Trial Demanded)

Plaintiffs,

v.

SARASOTA COUNTY, FLORIDA, COMMISSIONER 

NANCY C. DETERT, COMMISSIONER MICHAEL A.

MORAN, COMMISSIONER ALAN MAIO,

Defendants.

____________________________________________/

CLASS ACTION COMPLAINT

Plaintiffs, FREDD ATKINS, MICHAEL WHITE and MARY MACK, individually and on behalf of a class of all others similarly situated, sue Defendants, SARASOTA COUNTY, FLORIDA, NANCY C. DETERT, in her capacity as a member of the Sarasota County Board of County Commissioners, MICHAEL A. MORAN, in his capacity as a member of the Sarasota County Board of County Commissioners, and ALAN MAIO, in his capacity as a member of the Sarasota County Board of County Commissioners, and allege as follows:

NATURE OF THE ACTION

1. Sarasota County and its Board of County Commissioners (collectively, the “County Commissioners”) have recently approved, by a 3 – 2 vote, a resolution defining new boundaries for the five County Commission districts (the “Resolution”). The Resolution was designed to deprive, and has deprived, thousands of African-American voters living in the Newtown community of the right to vote in the 2020 election for members of the Board of County Commissioners. It also was designed to deprive, and has deprived, Plaintiff Fred Atkins, an African-American candidate for the Board from District 1, of the right to run for election as District 1 Commissioner in the 2020 election.


2. The Resolution violates the United States Constitution and the Federal Voting Rights Act. This Action seeks to rectify the County Commissioners’ unconstitutional and illegal race-based redistricting, and restore Plaintiffs’, and similarly situated Newtown residents’, right to vote in the 2020 Sarasota County election.

SARASOTA COUNTY COMMISSION ELECTIONS

19. While the voting rights lawsuit helped to rectify the unfair electoral system in the city of Sarasota, the Sarasota County system continued to inhibit election of African-American county commissioners.  The County Charter divided the County into five single-member districts, but did not limit voting to residents of each district. Rather, it permitted all voters in Sarasota County to vote in each County Commission election, notwithstanding the actual District in which the voter resided.  For years, this system impeded Newtown’s ability to meaningfully participate in the election of Sarasota County commissioners, because the community’s votes were diluted by the overwhelming caucasion majority throughout the County. An example of this was the 2016 election for District 1 Commissioner, in which Plaintiff Atkins garnered the most votes from District 1 residents but lost the countywide vote. 

20. One solution to this unfair situation was a citizen initiative in 2018 to amend the Sarasota County Charter to eliminate countywide voting and limit voting in each district to residents of that district.  Over 15,000 citizens signed petitions enabling the initiative to be placed on a referendum to be voted on in November 2018.

21. As described by one proponent of the plan, the citizen initiative generated “a tidal wave of opposition” by Sarasota County’s entrenched power structure.  One of the most vocal leaders of the tidal wave was Robert Waechter, the former head of the Sarasota Republican Party. Waechter publicly opined that the initiative should be voted down because it was designed to prevent Republicans from “gerrymandering,” which is an oft-used technique to protect those already in power.  Even though political or racial gerrymandering is prohibited by Article III, Sections 20 and 21 of the Florida Constitution, Waechter and others in the Republican Party wanted to gerrymander because it would protect the seats of existing commissioners and preserve control of the County Commission by white residents and the Republican Party.  Not only were they determined to gerrymander, they ultimately decided to do so based upon race.

22. Waechter was less than a perfect advocate for the opposition to the initiative.  He had been arrested in 2012 for engaging in a political “dirty trick” – making campaign contributions to Democrats on behalf of Republican primary candidate Lourdes Ramirez, thereby falsely portraying Ms. Ramirez as supporting Democrats.  Ms. Ramirez had run afoul of Waechter and his patrons by challenging proposals for commercial development made by large Republican donors. Waechter ultimately pleaded guilty to a felony violation of election laws and a misdemeanor fraud charge.  He was sentenced to three months of house arrest, two years of probation, 100 hours of community service and $5,000 in fines.  

23. Notwithstanding the efforts of Waechter and others to preserve the unfair voting system, the Charter amendment was adopted by almost 60% of the voters.  By this important reform, each Sarasota County Commissioner would now be elected only by the voters in his or her district.

SARASOTA COUNTY’S REACTION: RACE-BASED REDISTRICTING

24. The reform had another consequence, however, that existing Commissioners and their money patrons feared.  With single-member district voting, Newtown would have a real opportunity to elect a county commissioner who was either African-American or who was responsive to the needs and priorities of the Newtown African-American community in District 1. Indeed, absent countywide voting, Plaintiff Atkins would have been elected District 1 Commissioner in 2016.

Read entire class action suit here.

Recommendations to the Board for 12.13.19 strategic meeing

The email below was sent to the Board and Administrator ahead of their Dec. 13, 2019 strategy session: Audio of that meeting is here.

Argus CEO Robinson
at 12.13 Board Session

To: The Board of Sarasota County Commissioners

From: Citizens for District Power

RE: Recommendations for consideration at your December 13 Strategic Planning Retreat

Commissioners,

Citizens for District Power supports fair and open electoral processes. In advance of your 12.13.19 strategy meeting, we respectfully offer these considered recommendations:

1. Single Member Districts: We urge you to produce clear simple voting directions, with detailed maps showing all precincts with updated boundaries, so that all citizens will be clear about where they will vote in primaries and general elections.

2. We strongly advise against consideration of any amendment to overturn the Single Member District decision approved by a clear bi-partisan majority of voters in 2019.

3. We recommend that you reverse the Board's Charter Amendment regarding citizen-initiated petitions; it places an undue burden on citizens’ rights and ability to petition their government.

4. We recommend formulation of a policy to encourage Commissioners to make sure their commitment to their constituents in Sarasota County takes precedence over commitment to assignments on other boards and committees.

5. We advise adoption of a clear, strong set of guidelines serving to eliminate conflicts of interest involving elected officials.

6. Anonymity of Board Actions: A review of Board meeting minutes and related documents has revealed that the nominating Commissioner's identity (for appointments to Boards such as the Board of Zoning Appeals) is not explicitly stated. A clear public record needs to be established showing which Commissioner nominated which member of each Board.

7. Finally, we ask that you undertake a review of the record of the Economic Development Corp. with an eye toward determining whether it should continue to receive public support, or should be decoupled from the County.

Should you desire more background on any of these recommendations, please contact Pat Rounds at roundspc@earthlink.net.

Thank you,

Kindra Muntz
Glenna Blomquist
Susette Bryan
Adrien Lucas
Tom Matrullo
Pat Rounds
William Zoller

Fredd Atkins addressing those at Phillippi Protest 12.13.19

Friday 13th in Sarasota: Robust Protest against Rotten Redistricting

The Sarasota County Commission is forcing a county-wide redistricting that every thinking resident opposes. It's doing it for one reason only -- to retain the corruption that has run things for many years:

This is the Board that selected Bob Waechter's curdled map that carves out Blacks and stuffs District 1 with white & right voting blocks.

This is the Board that was pleased to give our public lands at the Celery Fields to industrialists Jim Gabbert and Bob Waechter -- until the people spoke out.

Board of Sarasota County Commissioners

This is the Board that approves super-sized developments like Siesta Promenade for Benderson Development Inc., and grants outmoded community formats to Pat Neal, Rex Jensen, Carlos Beruff and their ilk. Wealthy developers, builders contractors and Realtors bankroll the powers that keep control of Sarasota in the hands of the few.

At Phillippi Park on Friday 12.13, tell the Board their attempt to protect Mike Moran's seat in District 1 will not work. We know who Mike answers to:

And whom they all answer to:

Come out and tell them their rotting dominion of broken infrastructure, rampant development, Red Tide and regressive power lunches with oligarchs is over. 

Friday morning, the Board will be meeting at the mansion in Phillippi Park. Let's be so loud they'll hear themselves being tossed out of office in November 2020.

Rex Jensen on growth, development, vision and the history of Lakewood Ranch

Rex Jensen

Rex Jensen, longtime developer of the 50-square-mile Lakewood Ranch in Manatee and Sarasota Counties, was recently interviewed by WUSF - he talks about LWR's beginning (property still owned by the Milwaukee family that owns Schlitz); about his vision; about concurrency, Community Development Districts (CDDs) and the growth management act. John Clark gets a brief mention as "my predecessor."

A brief snippet of Florida growth orthodoxy (57 seconds)

Entire WUSF Inteeview with Rex Jensen