Culture Wars: FL Legislative Agenda - Thursday, Feb. 2 at Quaker House in Gainesville
Hello Sarah,
Join us on Thursday, February 2 at 6:30 PM for our Culture Wars - FL Legislative Agenda 2023. Our location for meetings is Quaker Meeting House, 702 NW 38th St, Gainesville, FL 32607. This will be a hybrid meeting for those who wish to participate remotely from Zoom please register for the meeting here.
As Floridians struggle to make ends meet, the gavels have been passed to Rep. Renner and Sen. Passidomo, the new Republican leadership of 2023 Legislative Session in Tallahassee who will likely be in lock step with Governor DeSantis.
We will hear from Florida Chapter Political Director, Luigi Guardarrama about Sierra Club's priorities for this next session.
We will be presenting opportunities on how you can become advocates for communities and our natural environment in this session.
You will leave prepared to be engaged in the political process this season.
Remote: Zoom link shared via email after registration
This is a working meeting to imagine and formulate our highest potential for the Sierra Club mission with Suwannee-St Johns Group.
We will build on our recent successes (see last month's 2022-Year in Review) to grow our membership and broaden support.
This will be a hybrid meeting where we will gather to brainstorm and determine our priorities for 2023.
We will be undertaking online and in-person group exercises to ensure that everyone's offerings are included.
Come and participate so our group efforts reflect our community members priorities.
Lunch will be provided for those that participate in-person.
Please register in advance and specify if you are attending virtually or in-person, and if you have food restrictions.
Registration for the meeting will close on Friday, February 3, so don't delay!
Photo Credit: Maryvonne Devensky
By Maryvonne Devensky
Our first outing for the year was on Saturday, January 14 at the Orange Lake Overlook. The weather was cold that morning and we were a smaller group than anticipated. The property was acquired by Alachua Conservation Trust a few years back, and Heather Obara, ACT Associate Director, led us through the property.
It used to be an orange grove and the buildings on 441 were an orange packing building and a small store. The property is open to the public, and I encourage you to park your car and to follow the trail through meadows and through the forest. It is truly beautiful. You may spot sandhill cranes and eagles if you are lucky.
In the future, ACT plans to restore the buildings and to open the former packing building for community events. ACT leads walks on full moon nights and if you are interested, please contact ACT directly at www.alachuaconservationtrust.org.
Right now, ACT is fundraising to acquire 84 acres on the North side of the Orange Lake Overlook. Contact them if you want to contribute.
FUTURE OUTINGS
Walk along Hogtown Creek
SUNDAY February 19, 2023 from 9:30 am -11:30 am. If you are new to Gainesville or do not know what I am talking about, you will want to come on that “urban” walk. We will meet at 9:30 am on the Parking lot of Ring Park, on 23rd Avenue. We will walk across Ring Park to 16th Avenue, cross that road, walk across to 8th Avenue and then down to Loblolly Park, off 34th street. Difficulty is easy to moderate due to tree roots on the path. Wear good shoes, and a hat.
You can register here.
Service Outing at Morningside Nature Center
FRIDAY, MARCH 3, 2023. From 9:00 am until…work is done
We will be putting signs along the hiking trails to mark the way.
Gainesville’s premier nature park, Morningside Nature Center, is one of the last remaining examples of fire-dependent longleaf pine woodlands in the area. More than six miles of trails wind through sandhill, flatwoods, cypress domes, and areas where native vegetation is being restored. Morningside boasts a spectacular wildflower display and opportunity to see a diverse array of wildlife.
Please register here.
Contact me if you have any questions, at maryvonne.deven@gmail.com.
THERE WILL BE NO PHOSPHATE MINING IN BRADFORD COUNTY
by Carol Mosley
At the Bradford County Commission meeting of January 20, 2023, the county manager announced that the phosphate mining company, HPSII, is withdrawing its application in Bradford County, FL.
Since 2016 local environmental groups and residents have worked to block the proposed phosphate mine in Bradford and Union Counties. The original idea was to mine about 10,000 acres straddling the New River, that runs into the Santa Fe River. The plan was to use a newfangled homemade method of mining, and then ship raw ore by rail to who knows where for processing.
Local residents in the two counties were up in arms about the plan and made their presence known at county commission meetings. Environmental groups went into action holding strategizing at meetings, making giant banners and small yard signs, holding workshops, meeting with FDEP, tabling at events, consulting with attorneys and doing some deep digging through documents to separate the facts from fiction. Bradford Environmental Forum took the local lead in Bradford County with Citizens Against Phosphate Mining leading the charge in Union County. Regional groups Suwannee-St. Johns Group of Sierra Club and Our Santa Fe River joined in from the outlying areas to assure the Santa Fe River was protected. Sierra Club even hired a geologist to evaluate the first of three Master Mining Plan (MMP) submissions. The Center for Biological Diversity gave consult on endangered species in the area and on legal challenges they've made in the past against phosphate mining.
In 2016, Union County enacted a moratorium on mining while updating their Land Development Regulations (LDRs). They refused to accept a mining application from HPSII, who sued Union County for nearly $300 million under a Harris Act Claim. Bradford County did not enact a moratorium and HPSII promptly submitted an application to mine. Alachua County dedicated funds for a legal team to defend Union County.
After nearly seven years of lawsuits in Union County, HPS came to agreement with the county to dismiss their lawsuit, in July 2022, without prejudice, meaning they could reopen the case at a later date if desired.
In January 2020, the hydrologist hired by Bradford County's consultant produced a less than favorable review of the MMP. Then we had three years of angst while no action took place at the county level. Bradford County residents continued to present evidence of anomalies to the county commission, to no seeming avail.
An upheaval in Bradford County in late 2022 left a new county manager and county attorney in place to deal with the mess. After a meeting between the new county manager and Bradford Environmental Forum co-founder, Carol Mosley, the commission realized it was time to get a reality check. They tasked the county manager with inquiring what the heck is going on.
The room was filled with anticipation as representatives of the various groups anxiously awaited County Manager Kornegay's “update.” He read from the letter he received from HPS in response to his query. “On behalf of HPS, this letter is to confirm that HPS wishes to withdraw the above-referenced Application without the County taking any formal action on it. HPS therefore respectfully requests that the Board of County Commissioners consider the Application withdrawn, effective immediately.”
The room erupted in joy. Even the county commissioners were relieved to be unburdened of their quasi-judicial responsibility. There were hugs all around and the commissioners thanked the groups for coming and caring about what happens in our region of unique beauty. With our efforts, we had proven our point. The plan to mine phosphate in Bradford and Union counties was a bad idea.
It was a good night.
Pictured below (left to right): Kristin Rubin, Our Santa Fe River; Kathy Stills, Bradford Environmental Forum, Sarah Younger, Sierra Club; Commissioner Carolyn Spooner, Commissioner Keeny Thompson, Commissioner Diane Andrews, Carol Moseley, Bradford Environmental Forum; Kate Ellison, Bradford Environmenatal Forum; Jane Blais, Citizens Against Phosphate Mining; Commissioner Danny Riddick
Call to Action
In October, the Gainesville City Commission gave initial approval to a massive development project that will significantly increase sprawl in the rural northern border of the city.
City officials voted 4-3 to approve land use changes that would bring thousands of homes to Weyerhaeuser-owned parcels north of 441 along Highway 121.
The Sierra Club strongly opposes this proposal. Now is the time to act and we ask that everyone email the City Commission to express their opposition - citycomm@gainesvillefl.gov.
A second vote is still required for the plans to be finalized. The City Commission meeting for that vote is currently not scheduled although it is anticipated soon. (check our social media channels for updates).
LiDAR, Traces and Land Development
PART I
By Joanne Tremblay and Merrillee Malwitz-Jipson
"For years the Government spent billions of Federal dollars trying to keep water away from people. Missouri woke up and started moving people out of harm's way... " Governor Mel Carnahan of Missouri, 1995
Who is foolish enough to build in a river? Yet what of the river hidden below our feet?
LiDar (Light Detection and Ranging) uses light pulses to generate precise, three-dimensional information surface characteristics. Topographic lidar uses a near-infrared laser to map the land, while bathymetric lidar uses water-penetrating green light to measure seafloor and riverbed elevations. https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/lidar.html
The water’s path is etched in the low-lying areas, readily captured by LiDAR’s accurate measurements. The waters' path, sometimes called a trace, can easily be modified when objects are placed within the trace, or the trace is dug up, redirecting the water's path.
How much of a role does LiDar mapping play in determining site appropriateness? The SRWMD employs two cartographers to compile these specialized maps to determine the need for retention ponds and appropriateness of an area for development.
Here are examples of LiDAR mapping. The image on the left is the expanded view and the white boxed area is expanded on the map on the right. The blue color shows the water’s path. The map on the right shows the intersection of I-75 and SR47, the LiDAR picks up the drainage for Clayhole Creek (next to Park and Ride of I-75 at the SR 47 Hwy interchange), following the Ichetucknee Trace which includes the Cannon Creek confluence to Clayhole Creek and then follows the trace in Suwannee County flowing westerly, and then to the Ichetucknee headspring and this spring run all the way to the Santa Fe River.
SRWMD LiDAR mapping shows the proposed Cornerstone Crossings Project directly on top of Cannon Creek and Clayhole Confluence, a part of the Ichetucknee Trace, Columbia County, FL.
Towns affected include Lake City, Columbia City (no government, more of a location) and Fort White.
Would LiDAR be helpful in the face of sprawl in sensitive areas? Learning about LiDAR takes us one step closer to a greater understanding of hydrological systems.
This Black History Month take the time to learn how Black Resistance continues to inform us on combatting white supremacy in our communities.
There are many free events available virtually through the Black History Festival Month and offered through ASAHL, the organization that founded Black History Month.
One event will feature author, Dan Berger. He wrote the book, Stayed on Freedom, a tribute to one family's ability to remain steadfast in their work to build Black power and to end racism and white supremacy. The book has been touted as a welcome contribution to the literature written about the Civil Rights Movement.
In addition, the Martin Luther King, Jr. Commission of Florida, Inc. has highlighted the following events occurring in February in Gainesville:
Theatrical Production: "BLACK PEARL SINGS"
Dates: February 10 -19
Showtimes: Thurs - Sat 8PM, Sun 3PM
Tickets: Adults $22 - Seniors/Military $20 - Students $12 - Thursday Show $10 for All
Location: Star Center Theatre, 11 NE 23 Ave. Gainesville
Contact: Angie Terrell @ 352-222-3699
Talk: Power Over Prostate Cancer Gathering for Black Men and Family Members
Date: February 11 from 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Location: Springhill MB Church, 120 SE Williston Road, Gainesville
Contact: Dr. Carolyn Tucker @ 352-215-0717
Eco Chase Challenge is an exciting multi-month, scavenger hunt competition that will lead you and your team on the ECO CHASE CHALLENGE in THE RACE AGAINST WASTE. Missions designed to encourage waste reduction, proper recycling, and conservation awareness, will lead you to discover the many resources and community partners that make Alachua County a great eco-friendly place to live.
