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Item K10BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY Meeting Date: Dec 9, 2015 Department: BOCC- Neugent Bulk Item: Yes No x Staff Contact /Phone #: T. Colonna X4512 _ AGENDA ITEM WORDING: Approval of a resolution of the Board of County Commissioners of Monroe County, Florida regarding the ecological conditions and restoration needs of Everglades National Park and Florida Bay; urging the South Florida Ecosystems Restoration Task Force and the State and Federal Governments to expedite full implementation of planned restoration projects; requesting re -initiation of the Bi-annual Florida Bay Sciences Conference; and inviting the South Florida Water Management District to brief the Commission on issues related to the impacts of the current crisis in Florida Bay and to outline a plan moving forward for the construction and operation of critical restoration projects that will help to prevent similar catastrophes from occurring in the future. ITEM BACKGROUND: PREVIOUS RELEVANT BOCC ACTION: CONTRACT/AGREEMENT CHANGES: STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS: N/A TOTAL COST: INDIRECT COST: BUDGETED: Yes __No DIFFERENTIAL OF LOCAL PREFERENCE: COST TO COUNTY: SOURCE OF FUNDS: REVENUE PRODUCING: Yes AMOUNT PER MONTH Year APPROVED BY: County Attorn %� OMB/Purchasing Risk Management DOCUMENTATION: Include x Not Required__ DISPOSITION: AGENDA ITEM Revised 6 15 Mayor Pro Tern Neugent RESOLUTION NO. 72015 A RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA REGARDING THE ECOLOGICAL CONDITIONS AND RESTORATION NEEDS OF EVERGLADES NATIONAL PARK AND FLORIDA BAY; URGING THE SOUTH FLORIDA ECOSYSTEM RESTORATION TASK FORCE AND THE STATE AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENTS TO EXPEDITE FULL IMPLEMENTATION OF PLANNED RESTORATION PROJECTS; REQUESTING RE - INITIATION OF THE BI-ANNUAL FLORIDA BAY SCIENCE CONFERENCE; AND INVITING THE SOUTH FLORIDA WATER MANAGEMENT DISTRICT TO BRIEF THE COMMISSION ON ISSUES RELATED TO THE IMPACTS OF THE CURRENT CRISIS IN FLORIDA BAY AND TO OUTLINE A PLAN MOVING FORWARD FOR THE CONSTRUCTION AND OPERATION OF CRITICAL RESTORATION PROJECTS THAT WILL HELP TO PREVENT SIMILAR CATASTROPHES FROM OCCURRING IN THE FUTURE. WHEREAS, the waters of the Florida Keys are connected to and dependent on the Everglades landscape as the primary source of fresh water that serves as the foundation of the nearshore estuarine environment; and WHEREAS, Monroe County's coast line encompasses Florida Bay, the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary and Everglades National Park; and WHEREAS, Florida Bay is within the vitally important ecosystem located between the mainland and the Florida Keys, with approximately 200 o of Florida Bay within the boundaries of the FKNMS and approximately 8010 of Florida Bay within the boundaries of Everglades National Park; and WHEREAS, the ecological health of the coastal and marine resources of Monroe County is inextricably linked to that of Florida Bay and Everglades National Park; and WHEREAS, Florida Bay comprises a significant portion of the coastal Everglades recreational fishing industry worth $880 million annually and commercial shrimp and stone crab fisheries worth more than $80 million annually; and WHEREAS, the ecosystem of the Florida Keys including Florida Bay attracts over 4 million visitors and over $4.5 billion in economic activity annually, generating $192 million in sales tax revenue for the State of Florida each year; and Page I of 3 Mayor Pro Tern Neugent WHEREAS, the health of Florida Bay is vital to the multi -billion dollar fishing and eeotourism industry of South Florida, including commercial and recreational fishing, snorkeling, diving, boat and equipment rentals, and other related businesses; and WHEREAS, the Board of County Commissioners of Monroe County recognizes that the restoration of America's Everglades is critical to the long-term sustainability of South Florida's economy, quality of life, and environment; and WHEREAS, these restoration projects are funded by the federal and state government with goals of restoring wetlands, ecosystems, national parks and wildlife refuges and protecting threatened and endangered species; and WHEREAS, lack of freshwater flow, coupled with unseasonably low rainfall over the past year, have led to high salinity in Florida Bay which has contributed to resultant mass seagrass die -offs that may continue to worsen; and WHEREAS, scientists caution that a harmful algal bloom in Florida Bay is possible as a result of the widespread sea grass decomposition that could lead to further habitat loss for a number of species, a disaster from which it would take many years to recover; and WHEREAS, the dire situation in Florida Bay is a symptom of a larger water crisis plaguing Florida whereby northern coastal estuaries are being inundated by Lake Okeechobee discharges while the Everglades National Park and Florida Bay are starved for freshwater due to lack of infrastructure for treatment and storage of water and restoration of flow; and WHEREAS, in years past the agencies involved in management of Florida Bay and Everglades restoration projects held a bi-annual Florida Bay Science Conference, which was a productive gathering of scientists and managers that synthesized current conditions, science and management of Florida Bay; NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Board of County Commissioners of Monroe County that: 1. The state and federal agency partners that implement South Florida restoration projects (the South Florida Water Management District, Department of Environmental Protection and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers) are urged to expedite full implementation of planned restoration projects, and operate them in a manner designed to maximize restoration goals and ecological benefits to Everglades National Park and Florida Bay without delay or minimization. 2. The bi-annual Florida Bay Science Conference be reinitiated to promote a deeper understanding of the current conditions, science, and management of Florida Bay. Page 2 of 3 Mayor Pro Tern Neugent 3. We invite the South Florida Water Management District to attend a Commission meeting to discuss issues related to the impacts of the current crisis in Florida Bay and to outline a plan moving forward for the construction and operation of critical restoration projects that will help to prevent similar catastrophes from occurring in the future. PASSED AND ADOPTED by the Board of County Commissioners of Monroe County Florida, at a regular meeting of said Board held on the 91h day of December, 2015. Mayor Heather Carruthers Mayor pro tent George Neugent Commissioner Danny L. Kolhage Commissioner David Rice Commissioner Sylvia Murphy (SEAL) ATTEST: AMY HEAVILIN, CLERK BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSERS OF MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA By: By:___ Deputy Clerk Date_ Page 3 of 3 Mayor Heather Carruthers FLORIDA BAY: AN ECOSYSTEM ON THE BRINK Background he Florida Bay estuary is located at the southern edge of the Everglades ecosystem at the tip of the Florida peninsula. This shallow water body, which connects to the Gulf of Mexico to the west and hugs the Florida Keys to the southeast, covers nearly 1,100 square miles of interconnected mangrove islands, sea grass meadows and mud flats. Florida Bay has been a world -class fishing destination for nearly 75 years, with its robust populations of tarpon, bonefish, snook, and numer- ous other species attracting fishermen from afar. This one -of -a -kind ecosystem is nourished by freshwater flows from the Everglades that mix with saltwater in the bay to provide important habitat for species, including American crocodiles, roseate spoonbills, and Caribbean spiny lobsters. Florida Bay is an essential part of South Florida's econo- my, comprising a significant portion of the coastal Ever- glades recreational fishing industry worth $880 million annually. The Bay also supports robust commercial shrimp and stone crab fisheries worth more � than $80 million dollars a year. Inflows to Florida Bay from Shark River and Taylor Sloughs. Historic inflows from Taylor Slough in blue, and current modified flows in red. PHOTO: North Swell Media Fishing in the crystal blue waters of Florida Bay. The Problem Historically, Florida Bay received its fresh water from Taylor and Shark River sloughs in what is now Ever- glades National Park. However, development and man- made canals have diverted more than 50 percent of traditional freshwater which is now discharged it to tide, instead of being sent south into Florida Bay. Thus, the River of Grass no longer provide freshwater inflows needed to maintaining healthy salinity levels needed to support fish, shellfish and other species. CONTINUED ON OTHER SIDE -EVER GLADES FOUNDATION CONTINUED FROM THE FRONT SIDE Today, Florida Bay is more dependent than ever on rainfall; and in the face of South Florida's record 2015 drought, scientists are reporting record high salinity levels and temperatures, resulting in fish kills and sea grass die -offs —conditions that could lead to cata- strophic algal blooms not seen since the early 1990s. "I am concerned that this is a precursor to the horrible situation we had in the 80's. The accumu- lation of neglect and lack of protecting this resource is putting it on the verge of collapse beyond anything we've ever seen before." Sandy Moret, Owner, Florida Keys Outfitters, Nov. 2015. In 1991, the crystalline turquoise waters of Florida Bay turned to a murky "pea soup" during a toxic algae bloom that lasted for years. The incident triggered by high salinity levels and sea grass die off that began in 1987 following low rainfall wiped out populations of sponges, spiny lobster and diminished sea trout that some scientists believe still have not recovered. The regional drought and reduced Everglades inflows created hypersaline conditions blamed for historic low shrimp harvests and high unemployment within Florida fishing industry are nearly identical to conditions that developed in the summer of 2015. Close-up showing dead seagrass blades adjacent to remnant healthy plants. PHOTO: FWCC-FWRI What Can Be Done? Restoring the flow of clean freshwater to Florida Bay can prevent future algae blooms and ensure a healthy habitat and viable estuary for future generations. The plan to do this already exists — the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP), authorized by Congress in 2000, will achieve a more natural flow of water to protect Florida Bay if political and bureaucratic delays can be overcome. Dead seagrass floating to the surface in central Florida Bay, Summer 2015. PHOTO: NPS Solutions 1 Secure dedicated funding to accelerate priority CERP projects, including new storage outlined in Florida's 20-year plan; 2 Fast track authorization and construction of the Central Everglades Planning Project (CEPP), which can bring more than 200,000 acre-feet of water will increase freshwater flows to Florida Bay; 3 Further bridging of Tamiami Trail and operation of the C-111 N Spreader to deliver promised benefits.