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The Caribbean Conservation Corporation, through its Sea Turtle Survival League (STSL), initiated a new campaign to address the threats to Florida's nesting sea turtles posed by coastal development, construction of sea walls, and increasing reliance on beach nourishment to protect poorly sited upland development. STSL's new initiative, dubbed the Free the Beach Campaign (FTBC), seeks to eliminate or reduce the continued destruction of Florida's remaining coastal habitat by addressing the root causes—poorly designed coastal management policies and ineffective enforcement of existing laws and regulations.
Latest News:
Members of the Coastal High Hazard Study Committee announced
The committee is comprised of 18 appointed members, including Florida coastal legislators and representatives of various state agencies and interest groups. Out of the 18 members, only one appointment was set aside to represent the environmental community. CCC was selected to fill the “environmental advocacy” position and will be represented on the committee by CCC’s Policy Coordinator, Gary Appelson. Information about the Coastal High Hazard Study Committee, meeting times, agenda and minutes can be found on the web at: http://www.dca.state.fl.us/fdcp/dcp/chhsc. CCC encourages those with concerns or expertise on the need for coastal policy reform to get involved in this process. Meetings are open to the public.
Information related to Florida's coastal management policies:
 On September 7, in a surprise announcement, Governor Jeb Bush of Florida issued an Executive Order calling for a study of coastal development policies (pdf below). The Executive order established a Coastal High Hazard Study Committee of 18 appointed representatives of various agencies and interest groups. The committee is to report back to the legislature after studying and formulating recommendations for managing growth in Coastal High Hazard Areas, which are defined as the Category 1 hurricane evacuation zones. The Committee will serve as a forum for identifying and recommending land use policies that safeguard the public from natural hazards, protect property rights, preserve coastal ecosystems and enhance economic development and tourism opportunities. There is little doubt this will be quite a balancing act.
CCC has been calling for coastal management and policy reform for over a year and has met with legislative leaders, the Governor's staff and with the heads of several agencies. We applaud the Governor for this effort. CCC intends to be involved in this study and review process.
• Executive Order calling for a study of coastal development policies
Accompanying a letter sent to the Governor of Florida by CCC calling for major reforms in Florida's coastal policy in order to better protect the beaches and dunes of the state was a list of Recommendations for Coastal Policy Reform (pdf below) for the two state agencies charged with regulating coastal construction and comprehensive planning along the coast.
• Recommendations for Coastal Policy Reform
• Letter to the Governor of Florida calling for coastal policy reform.
Article: Protecting a Ribbon of Sand –An Overview of the Issues.
Article: STSL's 2004-2005 Flroida Legislative Initiatives.
Editorial: Time to reassess coastal-management policies. Orlando Sun, February 18, 2005.
Beginning in the Fall of 2003, CCC began working with the University of Florida Conservation Clinic on a variety of matters addressing Florida's coastline.
Paradise at Risk - Florida's costly battle with beach erosion: A special report by some of Florida's most respected newspapers on what is wrong with coastal management policies in Florida.
Documented Impacts of Beach Armoring Structures on Sea Turtle Nesting Behavior - A Florida Marine Research Institute Progress Report By Andrea Mosier.
Single File (993k) | Two Files: Part One (360k) Part Two (635k)
Editorial: Beach Nourishment Projects Must Consider Cumulative Impacts to Marine Life.
Article: Coastal development & sea turtles—the debate heats up.
Article: Emergency armoring permits illegally issued.
Article: STSL Launches Free the Beach Campaign.
Article: Turtle encounters wall; has a great fall; Vets put her back together again.
Article: New Threats to the Carr Refuge.
Article: Armoring laws weakened.
News Alert: Sea Turtle Survival League and coastal conservation groups present Coastal Friendly Awards for first time.
News Alert: Congress Passes a Bad Bill to Reauthorize the Coastal Barrier Resource System.
News Alert: Sea Turtle Nesting Beaches and Coastal Barrier Islands Under Attack, Again!
News Alert: Critical nesting beach threatened by illegal sea wall!
For more information about STSL's Free the Beach Campaign, please contact Gary Appelson or David Godfrey or call 352-373-6441.
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