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Item K2BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY Meeting Date: 6/10/15 — KL Division: Commissioner — District 3 Bulk Item: Yes No XX Staff Contact: Carol Schreek, 292-3430 AGENDA ITEM WORDING: Approval of a resolution supporting a statewide ban on the use of hydraulic fracturing, acid fracturing, and similar well stimulation processes and treatments performed for the purpose of exploration or production of exploration or production for emergency resources, also known as "fracking", in the State of Florida. ITEM BACKGROUND: "Fracking" threatens the Florida Keys, and the entire State of Florida, with long-term irreparable damage to our sensitive ecological environment and to the public health and safety of our residents and visitors due to the air pollutants and underground migration of the chemicals used in "fracking" into nearshore waters and groundwater supplies. In addition to the cumulative health and environmental impacts, damage of this magnitude threaten the County's long term economic well-being as residents, businesses and visitors depend on clean drinking water and the ecological integrity of our natural environment. This resolution supports a state-wide ban on "fracking" in the State of Florida and directs the Clerk to furnish copies of this resolution to the Governor and the legislative delegation for Monroe County to clarify Monroe County's position on this issue of grave r4ol-ONW-41 PREVIOUS • BO C ACTION: N/A EK9112M I .11Y.11 "0114 SPEZIA 1611 IFR W a Iil TOTAL COST: n/a INDIRECT COST: n/a BUDGETED: Yes 110 I REVENUE PRODUCING: Yes No xx AMOUNT PER MONTA — APPROVED BY: County Atty,!!Iy OMB/Purchasing — Risk Management DOCUMENTATION: Included X Not Required DISPOSITION: AGENDA ITEM # Revised 7/09 Commissioner Carruthers *191 Ftel V�\ WHEREAS, the Board of County Commissioners of Monroe County, Florida (hereinafter the "Board") is the governing body of Monroe County (hereinafter the "County"); and, WHEREAS, the Board is charged with safeguarding the public health, safety, and welfare of the residents of the County; and WHEREAS, the wise stewardship of our natural resources involves the protection of Florida's water supplies and natural environment for generations to come; and WHEREAS, the Florida Keys Aqueduct Authority (FKAA) pipes potable water for the Florida Keys from the mainland; and WHEREAS, that water is pulled primarily from the Biscayne Aquifer as freshwater, augmented when necessary by brackish water pulled from the Floridan Aquifer and desalinated by FKAA; and WHEREAS, the Biscayne Aquifer is a highly permeable unconfined aquifer; and WHEREAS, the Florida Keys also contain several freshwater lenses that provide drinking water for non -human species in the Keys; and WHEREAS, the possible chemical contamination and environmental degradation caused by fracking may result in grave irreparable damage to the groundwater that supplies potable water to the residents, businesses and visitors to the Florida Keys and, by threatening our water supply and watersheds, have disastrous effects on our environmentally sensitive plant life, and marine life for generations to come; and WHEREAS, protection of the environment is better accomplished by the prevention of contamination and environmental degradation, as opposed to post -contamination, post - degradation, or otherwise after -the -fact environmental cleanup and restoration; and Res Fracking (Carruthers) BOCC 5/20/15 Page 1 of 3 WHEREAS, the Board finds that the exploration for and extraction of coal, natural gas, petroleum, and other energy resources through means of well stimulation is a practice used in energy exploration and extraction that involves treatment of a well to enhance production by increasing the permeability of an underground geologic formation; and WHEREAS, acid or hydraulic fracturing, also known as "fracking," is a well stimulation process that involves the high-pressure injection of complex fracturing fluids that contain a mixture of chemicals, sand, and/or water into underground geological formations to create fractures in order to enhance access to and increase flow of the production of coal, natural gas, petroleum, and other energy resources; and WHEREAS, the well stimulation process known as "fracking" involves vertical and/or horizontal drilling, which creates a nuisance and negative environmental impact upon property owners who reside on, or own property above, the drilling site, or who reside on or own property adjacent to areas subjected to such drilling; and WHEREAS, such vertical and/or horizontal drilling creates a nuisance and negative environmental impact upon endangered, threatened, or otherwise vulnerable animal and plant species and their habitat(s); and WHEREAS, human exposure to the chemicals used in "fracking" poses a widespread and significant risk to public health and safety, as "fracking" involves the deployment of complex chemicals, many of which are known to be carcinogenic or have otherwise been documented as having adverse effects upon human health; and WHEREAS, use of fracturing mixes expose adjacent land and waters to the risk of contamination through well activities, open pit storage, and transport on roadways, resulting in heightened risk of contamination and irreparable damage to public health, safety, and environment; and WHEREAS, "fracking" is the subject of grave concern regarding the documented irreparable damage to public health and safety and adverse environmental impacts of such practice, including, but not limited to, the generation of air pollutants, the underground migration of fracturing chemicals into nearshore waters and groundwater supplies, the generation of hazardous radioactive or otherwise toxic waste, and increased seismic activity; and WHEREAS, such harmful effects threaten the County's long-term economic well-being, as both businesses and consumers depend on clean drinking water and the ecological integrity of the natural environment; and WHEREAS, the potential long-term and cumulative health and environmental impacts of "fracking" pose a risk of irreparable danger to the public health, safety, and welfare of the County's residents; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS OF MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA that: The above recitals are hereby incorporated into this resolution as if restated herein and constitute the legislative findings and intent of the Board of County Commissioners of Monroe County, Florida. 2. The Board supports a ban on the use of hydraulic fracturing, acid fracturing, and similar well stimulation processes and treatments performed for the purpose of exploration or production of energy resources, also known as "fracking", in the State of Florida, or in the Florida Keys, or any area where fracking would possibly impact or threaten the water supply and watersheds or natural environment of the Florida Keys, due to the potential harmful impacts on the residents, environment, and natural resources of Monroe County, Florida. The Clerk for this Board shall furnish copies of this resolution to the Governor and the legislative delegation for Monroe County as soon as reasonably possible. 4. This Resolution shall take effect immediately upon adoption. PASSED AND ADOPTED by the Board of County Commissioners of Monroe County, Florida, at a regular meeting of said board held on the 1 Oth day of June, 2015. Mayor Danny L. Kolhage, District 1 Mayor Pro Tem Heather Carruthers, District 3 Commissioner George Neugent, District 2 Commissioner David Rice, District 4 Commissioner Sylvia Murphy, District 5 (Seal) Attest: Amy Heavilin, Clerk BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA U7 LE Mayor Danny L. Kolhage . ... ... ... . . .. . ........ P P Res Fracking (Carruthers) BOCC 5/20/15 Page 3 of 3 Cord e All V1/eAz Whether you believe that high carbon oil from fracking will accelerate global warming or not. Whether you think it's unfair for the legislature to consider helping fracking companies conceal the chemicals they use. Whether you're worried that fracking increases the likelihood of earthquakes. Whether you're'concerned that the South Florida W ter Management District doesn't care about this issue all. Or whether you worry about increased air pollution in Southwest Florida or not. You should be concerned about our water. The Aqueduct Authority currently pumps the maximum allotment of 17 million gallons of water'a day from its plant in Florida City. In the winter during tourist season FKAA has to augment that with water from its high energy usage desalination plant, also in Florida City. More tourists more water. Well, fracking uses an enormous amount of water. Millions of gallons of water are pumped into the ground with a cocktail of chemicals, some of which are carcinogenic. Yes, newspaper headlines said the EPA wasn't worried but if you read their actual report you'll see that they admit that the chemicals are dangerous but the threat isn't widespread. Widespread. Right. According to an article by William Gibson in the Sun Sentinel on July 5 of last year it's likely that contaminants from oil and gas wastes have already flowed through the Miami -Dade water system. A mix of hydrocarbons and brines is brought regularly to Opa-Locka for "pre- treatment," before being dumped into Miami-Dade's sewer and storm water systems. �qhx -T�ouY oce* N . So, if you aren't worried about what's not in our backyard you should be concerned about the water supply for the Keys. If the aquifers are pumped down, salt water intrusion is more likely. If sea level rises, salt water intrusion is more likely. And if our primary water supply is ruined by an idiotic search for ever more oil, it's game over for the Keys. I urge you to not only pass this resolution but also let the state of Florida know that we don't want fracking in Florida. Ever. Y� b1 u e Coral YOh61 q$er.&.ee MayvWe a -op ro yecl AD be co rru� PCr1 0ff ' ?k.b/je r-e ccriq/.