Statement from DEP Secretary Herschel T. Vinyard, Jr. Regarding Outcome of Environmental Regulations Commission Adoption Hearing for Numeric Nutrient Standards

“Today, the Environmental Regulation Commission unanimously approved amended rules for numeric nutrient standards for Florida, which will serve to protect our rivers, lakes, streams, springs and estuaries.

“The future of Florida’s environment depends on the health of our water resources, and no one knows our waters better than us.
This is the right thing for Florida, and the right thing to do.

… Continue Reading

Florida State Parks Recognize Veterans Day with Free Day-Use Entrance

~State park system honors the nation’s service members and their families~

TALLAHASSEE – The Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s (DEP) Florida Park Service will offer free day-use entry to all* state parks on Friday, Nov. 11, 2011, in recognition of Veterans Day.

“We are pleased to honor the nation’s veterans, their families and communities with free state park entrance this Friday,” said Florida Park Service Director Donald Forgione. “This recognition is but a small token of the appreciation due to those who have selflessly served this country and its citizens.”

… Continue Reading

DEP Secretary Kicks off 26th Meeting of the United States Coral Reef Task Force

~National attention focused on the importance of research, stewardship and conservation for the more than 350 miles of the Florida Reef Tract~

FT. LAUDERDALE – Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Secretary Herschel T. Vinyard Jr. joined more than 500 international members of the coral reef community this week as part of the 26th United States Coral Reef Task Force (USCRTF) meeting in Ft. Lauderdale. Hosted in Florida for the first time in seven years, the meeting gathered USCRTF members and the most elite researchers in coral reef science to focus on the Florida Reef Tract. The largest living coral reef in the Northern Hemisphere, this 358 mile span is vital to Florida’s coastal environment and serves as a key element in promoting Florida’s coastal economy.

“Florida is proud to welcome this esteemed group of scientists and members of the international coral reef community to our great state to focus on the protection of the Florida Reef Tract,” said Secretary Vinyard. “People may not realize that corals are integral in keeping Florida’s waters clean and seafood healthy, creating jobs and increasing valuable tourism opportunities.”
… Continue Reading

State Park to Host Public Meeting Regarding Unit Management Plan Updates

~Public invited to comment on plans for four Islamorada state parks~

ISLAMORADA — The Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s (DEP) Florida Park Service will host a public meeting to present unit management plans for Indian Key Historic State Park, Lignumvitae Key Botanical State Park, San Pedro Underwater Archaeological Preserve State Park and Windley Key Fossil Reef Geological State Park on Wednesday, Oct. 26, 2011.

State park unit management plans form the basis for all aspects of planning, budgeting, development, management and administration of the park and are renewed every ten years. The public meeting will consist of a presentation of the unit management plans for each park and an opportunity for attendees to make comments and ask questions. All interested persons are invited to attend.

A copy of the land management plan amendments can be found at the DEP Public Notices Calendar.

The public meeting will take place:

Wednesday, Oct. 26, 2011
7 p.m.
Helen Wadley Branch, Monroe County Public Library
81830 Overseas Highway
Islamorada, Florida 33036

CONTACT: DEP Press Office, 850.245.2112, DEPNews@dep.state.fl.us

Jonathan Dickinson State Park to Host Fire Fest

~Visitors invited to a fun event to learn the importance of this natural land management technique~

HOBE SOUND – The Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s Jonathan Dickinson State Park will host Fire Fest on Saturday, Oct. 22, 2011. This fun-filled family event will emphasize the importance of fire safety and the role of prescribed fire in Florida.

In coordination with the Friends of Jonathan Dickinson State Park and the Florida Forest Service, Jonathan Dickinson State Park, local businesses and organizations like Barricade Fire Gel, Boy Scouts of America and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission will provide free demonstrations, activities and educational materials. Prescribed burn demonstrations led by the Florida Park Service’s District Five Fire Team will take place throughout the event. Inside the Kimbell Education Center, visitors can enjoy interactive exhibits, relax and watch a short film or be creative with crafts, activities and scavenger hunts.

The Friends of Jonathan Dickinson State Park will sell books, t-shirts and walking sticks to help support the historical, educational and ecological enhancement of the park. Visitors will also enjoy live music, guided nature walks, geocaching activities, a dunk tank with park staff, campfire stories and marshmallow roasting, a haunted hayride and a spooky trail with Loxahatchee River Mutants and a Camp Murphy ghost town.

This event is free with regular park entrance fee of $6 per carload of up to eight people. The hayride and dunk tank activities are $1 per person. Most other activities are free.

This event will take place:
Saturday, Oct. 22, 2011
3 p.m. – 10 p.m.
Jonathan Dickinson State Park
16450 Southeast Federal Highway
Hobe Sound, Florida

CONTACT: Libby Reinert, 561.745.5551
DEP Press Office, 850.245.2112, DEPNews@dep.state.fl.us

Florida Students Pledge to Recycle

~Contest encourages recycling and reducing waste in Florida~

TALLAHASSEE — In recognition of America Recycles Day on Nov. 15, 2011, Florida students are promising to protect Florida’s environment by committing to recycling as part of the eighth annual Florida K-12 Schools Recycling Pledge Card Contest.
The contest, announced by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), Recycle Florida Today, Publix Super Markets and Creative Recycling Systems, Inc., is designed to reward the three Florida schools that submit the greatest number of pledges per capita. By participating in the contest, schools are encouraging recycling and competing for a chance to win a refurbished computer.

“By starting at a young age and getting involved in recycling, students can play a major role in helping Florida achieve its recycling goal of 75 percent by the year 2020,” said DEP Director of Waste Management Jorge Caspary. “This contest encourages Florida’s youth to take personal responsibility to manage waste and demonstrate environmental stewardship at school and at home.”

… Continue Reading

State Parks to Host Public Meeting Regarding Land Use Amendments

~Public invited to comment on land management changes at Seabranch Preserve and Savannas Preserve state parks~

STUART — The Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s (DEP) Florida Park Service will host a public meeting to present amendments to the land management plans for Savannas Preserve State Park and Seabranch Preserve State Park on Tuesday, Oct. 18, 2011.

The public meeting will consist of a presentation of the land management plan amendments for each park and an opportunity for attendees to make comments and ask questions. All interested persons are invited to attend.
A copy of the land management plan amendments can be found at the DEP Public Notices Calendar.
The public meeting will take place:

Tuesday, Oct. 18, 2011
6 p.m.
John F. Armstrong Wing at the Blake Library
2351 Southeast Monterey Road
Stuart, Florida 34996

CONTACT: DEP Press Office, 850.245.2112, DEPNews@dep.state.fl.us

Florida Meets with Federal Leaders, Reaffirms Florida’s Commitment to Everglades Restoration

~ State presents strategy to improve water quality ~

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Florida Governor Rick Scott, Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Secretary Herschel T. Vinyard Jr. and South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) Executive Director Melissa Meeker today met with U.S. Department of Interior Secretary Ken Salazar, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa Jackson, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Deputy Secretary of Civil Works Jo Ellen Darcy and U.S. Department of Justice Assistant Attorney General Ignacia Moreno to reaffirm Florida’s long-standing commitment to restoring America’s Everglades. During a meeting of state and federal principals, Florida’s Governor outlined a strategy for improving water quality and sending cleaner water south to the vast ecosystem, while protecting jobs and the state’s economy.

“Today, I traveled to Washington, D.C. to ask our federal and state Everglades restoration partners to agree on a strategy that puts the ecosystem first and prevents costly, ongoing litigation from derailing our mutual progress toward restoration,” said Governor Scott. “A strong Florida partnership will help usher in the next generation of projects that will improve water quality in South Florida, while still protecting jobs and the state’s economy.”

… Continue Reading

Ammunitions Collection Event Makes Environmental Stewardship Easy

~DEP, SWIX, State Fire Marshal’s Office and Kevin’s Guns and Sporting Goods partner to dispose of more than 250 pounds of old or unwanted ammunition~

TALLAHASSEE – The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), along with the Southern Waste Information eXchange, Inc. (SWIX), the State Fire Marshal’s Office and Kevin’s Guns and Sporting Goods, collected more than 250 pounds of old or unwanted ammunition last weekend at a collection event in Tallahassee. This marked the seventh year DEP has co-sponsored the event.

“Improper disposal of ammunition has potential environmental, health and safety risks,” said Jorge R. Caspary, P.G., Director of DEP’s Division of Waste Management. “This event makes it easy for hunters and other residents to safely remove potentially dangerous ammunition from their homes and prevent it from ending up in Florida’s landfills.”

… Continue Reading

DEP Celebrates National Estuaries Day

~ Family and educational activities celebrate “Where Rivers Meet the Sea”~

TALLAHASSEE – The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) celebrated National Estuaries Day with special events at the state’s three National Estuarine Research Reserves (NERR) and the Indian River Lagoon Aquatic Preserves (IRLAP). The celebrations focused on the importance of Florida’s estuaries – the valuable natural areas where rivers meet the sea.

Among the most productive ecosystems on earth, estuaries serve as nurseries for fish and shellfish and provide vital nesting and feeding grounds for coastal birds, sea turtles and marine mammals. Governor Rick Scott issued a proclamation declaring Sept. 24, 2011, as National Estuaries Day, in recognition of the important role estuaries play to both Florida’s environment and economy.

“I encourage our residents and visitors to enjoy these unique ecosystems throughout the year, and to help preserve and protect them,” said DEP Secretary Herschel T. Vinyard Jr. “Florida’s estuaries are vital to coastal communities, providing millions of
dollars through tourism, recreational sport fishing and boating.”

… Continue Reading

Portions of Palatka-Lake Buter State Trail Closed for Repairs

~Public access to a section of trail temporarily restricted~

PUTNAM COUNTY–The Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s Division of Recreation and Parks advises the public and all interested parties that a portion of the Palatka-Lake Butler State Trail (PLBST) is temporarily closed for renovations. A one-mile section of paved trail, from CR 315 in Grandin, west to Goodson Prairie Road, is currently closed to public access. The remainder of the paved portion of the PLBST, from west of Keystone Heights to Goodson Prairie Road, just east of State Road 26, remains open to the public.

… Continue Reading

Florida DEP to Celebrate Earth Day at the Capitol

~41st anniversary of Earth Day promotes easy ways to protect the environment~

TALLAHASSEE – The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), through ongoing efforts to encourage the public to participate in environmental protection at home, school and work, will hold its annual Earth Day at the Capitol on Thursday, April 21, 2011.

More than 40 exhibitors from multiple agencies will share interactive environmental displays and will be available for discussion. Nearly 500 students are registered to attend and will receive a one day pass to any Florida State Park. At DEP’s Easy As One booth, students can pledge to protect our air and water quality, conserve water and reduce waste. Students who volunteer to be interviewed regarding their pledge may be featured on the Easy As One blog.

Easy As One is a public awareness initiative by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) that encourages citizens to adopt more sustainable habits that protect air and water quality, conserve water and reduce waste. Easy As One highlights easy actions the public can take to make sustainable practices part of daily life at home, school, work and play.

Read Governor Scott’s Earth Day proclamation.

For more information on eco-friendly tips, visit http://easyasone.wordpress.com/easy-actions/ or follow on Twitter at www.twitter.com/EasyAsOne.

The event will take place:

Thursday, April 21, 2011

9:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.

Capitol Complex

Tallahassee, Florida

–30–

CONTACT: DEP Press Office, (850) 245-2112

Governor Rick Scott Will Visit the Department of Environmental Protection

Tallahassee, Fla. – On Friday, Feb.11, Governor Rick Scott will visit the Department of Environmental Protection in Tallahassee. At the conclusion of the visit, he will be available to the media.

WHAT: Department of Environmental Protection

WHEN: 10:00 – 11:00 a.m. Governor Scott will be available to the media following Governor’s visit.

WHERE: Department of Environmental Protection
3900 Commonwealth Blvd.
Tallahassee, FL 32399.

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Contact: Amy Graham
850-488-5394

Florida Chamber Applauds Governor-Elect Rick Scott’s Selection for Secretary, Department of Environmental Protection

TALLAHASSEE, FL (January 3, 2011) – The Florida Chamber of Commerce today applauded Governor-elect Rick Scott for his selection of Herschel Vinyard as Secretary of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP).

“As a veteran environmental lawyer, strong business leader, and Florida Chamber member, Herschel is a solid choice and brings impressive skills that will allow him the ability to balance our state’s natural resources with job creation,” said Allan Bense, Chair of the Florida Chamber of Commerce, and Partner with GAC Contractors, Inc., Panama City, FL. “His knowledge and appreciation for Florida’s environment, coupled with experience as a leader in Florida’s business community make Herschel Vinyard the right pick to lead the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.”

… Continue Reading

Statement From DEP Secretary Mimi A. Drew Regarding EPA Promulgation Of Nutrient Criteria For Inland Streams, Rivers And Lakes In The State Of Florida

“In August 2009, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) signed a settlement agreement setting a firm schedule to federally promulgate numeric nutrient criteria for Florida. Today EPA released those criteria.

“I am pleased that EPA has responded to our request for additional time to implement numeric nutrient criteria in Florida by setting an effective date 15 months beyond the date of promulgation. This extra time will allow everyone to reach a better understanding of the criteria and develop implementation strategies. … Continue Reading

DEP Celebrates Recycling In Florida

~America Recycles Day promotes recycling programs across the nation~

TALLAHASSEE – In recognition of America Recycles Day on November 15, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is hosting several events that coincide with the theme for America Recycles Day 2010 — “I Recycle.” This year’s theme encourages citizens to recycle more at home, at work and on the go. … Continue Reading

State Parks Waive Entrance Fees For Veterans Day

~Visitors will receive free day-use entrance on Thursday, November 11~

TALLAHASSEE – The Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s Florida Park Service will offer free day-use entrance to Florida State Parks on Thursday, November 11, 2010. … Continue Reading

DEP Ribbon Cutting Marks Two Milestones For Florida’s Greenways And Trails

~DEP celebrates Greenways and Trails Month at ribbon cutting event~

TALLAHASSEE – As part of Florida’s celebration of Greenways and Trails Month, Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Deputy Secretary for Land and Recreation Bob Ballard today participated in a ribbon cutting event for the reopening of the southern three miles of the Tallahassee-St. Marks State Trail. The reopened segment stretches from St. Marks north to US 98 and is the first segment of the newly paved and widened rail-trail to open for public use. … Continue Reading

DEP To Host Ribbon Cutting Event On Tallahassee-St. Marks Trail

~Event signifies reopening of the trail’s newly repaved southern segment~

TALLAHASSEE – Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Secretary Mimi Drew will participate in a ribbon cutting ceremony hosted by the DEP Office of Greenways and Trails to mark the completion of the first, newly resurfaced section of the Tallahassee-St. Marks Historic Railroad State Trail on Wednesday, October 13 at 11:00 a.m.

Secretary Drew will officially open the first completed segment of the resurfaced trail, beginning at its southern terminus in the City of St. Marks, extending three miles north to Highway 98. The Secretary will be joined by Mayor of the City of St. Marks Phil Cantner, members of the Florida Greenways and Trails Council and Will Seccombe, Chief Marketing Officer for VISIT FLORIDA, who will discuss a new trails website.

The event will take place:

Wednesday, October 13, 2010
11:00 a.m.
55 Riverside Drive
(One block west of Riverside Café)
City of St. Marks, Florida

DEP Announces New Florida Park Service Director

~26 year veteran promoted to lead Florida’s award-winning state parks~

TALLAHASSEE – Today, Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Secretary Michael W. Sole and Deputy Secretary for Land and Recreation Bob Ballard announced the selection of Donald Forgione as Director of DEP’s Division of Recreation and Parks, also known as the Florida Park Service. Forgione is the first director to have worked his way up from a park ranger. … Continue Reading