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Press Release Contact: Dan Clark, Cry
of the Water, 954-298-9737 THOUSANDS OF MARINE CORALS TO BE BURIED
Governor and cabinet will
decide whether to permit the destruction Tallahassee, FL-Cry of the Water and the Global Coral Reef Alliance along with other environmental groups will ask Governor Bush and members of the State Cabinet to deny the Florida Environmental Protection Agency's request for the consent on the second phase of the Broward County’s Dredge and Fill Project at its next meeting on Tuesday, November 26, 2002 at 9:00AM. We are urging Governor Jeb Bush and the Cabinet to halt Broward County's plans for a massive beach-dredging project because of concerns that it would destroy marine reefs, harm sea turtles and alter much of South Florida's offshore environment. The combined project will bury 13.5 acres of essential fish habitat, hardbottom and corals. County consultants estimate as many as 25,000 corals will be killed by the entire project. South Florida's marine reefs are nurseries to red snapper, grouper, drum and other tropical species. They also mark the northernmost reach of coral in the United States, and divers consider Broward's coral to be the best remaining shallow reef in the region. A major concern is reefs between Lauderdale-by-the-Sea and Fort Lauderdale. The beach in that area has never before been re-nourished, the near shore habitat there seem to be particularly favored by endangered sea turtles. Scuba divers and others are also concerned about secondary impacts to ancient coral reefs adjacent to the burial area. They consider these reefs a precious natural resource comparable to the redwood forests of northern California. The $52 million project--sliced into three phases in hopes of slipping its passage through regulatory agencies--would temporarily widen 12 miles of beach using 2.5 million cubic yards of sand dredged from excavation pits located between fragile coral reefs. The phase (identified as Segment 2) involves dredging 935,000 cubic yards of sand from an area one-third mile offshore from Deerfield Beach and filling almost five miles of beach to the south. Work on Segment 3 would begin in south Broward and temporarily add up to 90 feet to the shoreline stretching near condominiums and hotels. Deerfield Beach city officials have expressed concerns that the project, intended to beautify and protect Broward's tourist-packed shorelines from erosion, could actually worsen beach erosion in other areas. City officials argue that the taking of sand from near northern Broward County for the project could complicate future beach rebuilding projects by having less sand available in those areas. “We, the divers of Broward County have see the destruction of our neareshore reefs from past projects we will not sit ideally by and watch the last great nearshore reefs destroyed” said Dan Clark of Cry of the Water, “It is time we take a common sense approach to marine resource management in Broward County. We need sustainable beaches, reefs and fisheries". Dr. Tom Goreau, President of the Global Coral Reef Alliance said, "The coral reef right in front of Fort Lauderdale is the only one in North America that can be dived from shore. It is packed with fishes, has miles of coral in excellent condition including one of the largest staghorn coral forests remaining in the Caribbean region, and is the only place in the US where corals can spread north as global warming continues. This reef has survived because it is in the only stretch of Southeast Florida where the beaches have not already been filled by dredged material.” “The beach at Fort Lauderdale is not eroding because it is still protected by living coral reef. Piling dredge sand on the beach will destroy the adjacent corals, cause more erosion, eliminate most of the reef fish, and damage Broward County's diving and watersports earnings—the highest in Florida. These corals are the last survivors, like the Giant Redwoods. We call on the State of Florida to reject this irresponsible dredging permit that would destroy a priceless national treasure, and to protect this unique and beautiful area forever." For more details see: COMMENTS ON BROWARD BEACH DREDGE FILL PLAN, SEGMENT II ## Cry of the Water P.O. Box 8143 Coral Springs, FL 33075 reefteam2@yahoo.com visit our web site at http://www.cryofthewater.org |
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