Suwannee-St. Johns Group

Sierra ClubNewsletter

Published monthly except June and August from Gainesville, FloridaVOLUME 40 • NUMBER 10 • December 2010

POST-ELECTON ANALYSIS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2, 4gLObAL wArmINg SATIrE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4bACkPACkINg TrIP IN hONOr Of kAThY CANTwELL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

BY DAN VAZQUEZ

The Exxon Valdez oil spill ranks among the costliest and most

devastating environmental disasters in human history.

Recent events surrounding the spring 2010 BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill sparked reexamination among legal scholars of the Exxon Valdez spill to find lessons for a more positive outcome for residents of the gulf coast affected by the BP spill.

The Exxon Valdez spill affect on human health took years to onset, as did the oil’s effect on the local economies and fisher-ies. Respiratory and blood-borne illnesses caused by oil exposure were chronic and masked by flu-like symptoms that were of-ten discounted by Exxon’s physicians. Years of scientific monitoring showed that the oil-induced genetic mutations and massive fish kills prevented full recovery of many fish species in Alaska’s Prince William Sound.

While Americans saw shocking images of surface oil slicks caused by the Exxon

Valdez spill, equally devastating was the unseen, subsurface oil that permeated deep into beach sand. Virtually everything living in the marine environment of Prince Wil-liam Sound was affected by oil during the 20 years that followed the Exxon Valdez di-saster. The 2010 BP spill dwarfed the Exx-on Valdez, and that now begs the question – what will be the environmental, legal, and human legacy of the BP spill?

Dan will shed light on the future of the gulf coast and how residents of at least five states must respond to the oil that remains in the Gulf of Mexico. He will discuss sci-entific findings of the Exxon Valdez disaster as well as the fascinating litigation history and environmental justice movement that followed the oil spill.

Dan will share his insight into what resi-dents affected by the spill can expect from local and national leaders, and how envi-ronmental activists can take a pro-active ap-proach to help the region continue moving toward recovery.

Dan Vazquez practices environmental law;

toxic torts including oil spill litigation, land use, environmental justice, and permitting. Dan serves on the UF College of Law Cen-ter for Governmental Responsibility Oil Spill Working Group.

He works with the Center’s legal response and policy solutions regarding several oil spill issues including fallout from the spring 2010 BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill.

The Exxon Valdez Oil SpillFacts, science, and Litigation Lessons

BY RILEY PECKOn November 2, 2010, I received no-

tification that the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP)/Florida Park Service (FPS) will host a public meet-ing to address the proposed livestock man-

agement plan at Payne’s Prairie Preserve State Park.

The meeting will be on Tuesday, No-vember 30th at 7 pm at the Doyle Connor Building (1911 SW 34th Street).

Along with this meeting advisory, the DEP/FPS attached an 18-page proposed livestock plan (you can find the plan

at: http://www.dep.state.fl.us/secretary/events/ppp_livestock_plan.pdf ).

The Livestock Management Plan states that there will be removal of “all of the male bison from the Paynes Prairie herd.” These animals will be removed by “quali-fied vendors to take ownership of the bison

HaVe YoU HeRd?

see HeRd, page 3

GENERAL MEETINGThursday, Dec. 2, 7:30 p.m.

Entomology/Nematology Building on the UF campus, ** room 3118 **

(Just east of the Performing Arts Center. Turn south offHull Road on to Natural Areas Road.)

ExxON VALDEz OIL

SPILLDAN VASquEz

ENVIRONMENTAL LAWYER

Natural Area Drive

Natural Area Rd.

Surge Area Rd.

Visit the National and Local Sierra Club Websites!National: www.sierraclub.org Local: www.gatorsierra.org

Suwannee-St Johns Group Chairs & Executive CommitteeChair Brack Barker 528-3751 brack154@msn.com Administrative Dwight Adams 378-5129 dwight.adams@att.netConservation Whitey Markle 595-5131 whmarkle@gmail.comPolitical Dwight Adams 378-5129 dwight.adams@att.net Program Co-Chairs Melanie Martin 246-3084 mlfocus@gmail.com Dwight Adams 378-5129 dwight.adams@att.netMembership/Fundraise Whitey Markle 595-5131 whmarkle@gmail.comNewsletter Publisher Scott Camil 375-2563 s.camil@att.net Events Sherry Steiner 375-2563 sherrysteiner@att.netLegislative Liaison (OPEN) ICO/ Enviro Ed. Maryvonne Devensky 871-1606 marydeven@yahoo.com Secretary Melanie Martin 246-3084 mlfocus@gmail.com Treasurer Roberta Gastmeyer 336-2404 rgastmeyer@bellsouth.netPublicity/ Outings Knox Bagwell 468-1790 knoxberries@msn.comNewsletter Editor Chuck Hawkins 505-803-3736 chuck.hawkins1@gmail.comSocial Robert Fisher 514-7674 rbertisher@gmail.comLegal Larry Marsh 379-2784 ldmarsh@cox.netNewsletter Design Colin Whitworth 372-2464 colinwhitworth@att.net Webmaster Mike Wright 372-7975 mike@sugarfoot.org

Interested in hosting a newsletter folding party? Contact Scott Camil at 375-2563

Suwannee-St. Johns Group Sierra Club Newsletter (UPS 317-370) is published 10 months a year, except June and August, by the Suwannee-St. Johns Group Sierra Club, 1024 NW 13th Ave, Gainesville, 32601. Non-member subscription rate is $5.00. Periodicals Postage Paid is paid at the Gainesville, FL 32608 post office. Postmaster: Send change of addresses to SSJ SC Newsletter, P.O. Box 13951, Gaines-ville, FL 32604, or to ssjsierranl@bellsouth.net. Send both your old and new addresses and a Sierra ad-dress label, which contains your membership number. PLEASE AD-DRESS ALL GENERAL CORRE-SPONDENCE FOR THE SuWAN-NEE-ST. JOHNS GROuP OF THE SIERRA CLuB TO: P.O. BOx 13951, GAINESVILLE, FL 32604.

FOLDING PARTY

2 Suwannee-St. Johns Sierra Club December 2010

BY BRACK BARKER

Recent elections have everyone, not just environmentalists,

wondering what is going to happen in Florida and their local areas.

The incoming State Administration has stated their desire to change the way Florida works. What had been a few years of protec-tive measures may be undone for this parti-san mantra of “We need more jobs”.

Well, we need more protection from pol-lution, more protection for our wetlands, streams, rivers, aquifer, and coastal waters.

While creating more jobs is a noble en-deavor, it can possibly lead to BIG INDuS-TRY insinuating itself even further into the landscape.

Do we really need more limerock mines sited in wetlands (Levy County), or cement plants that burn tires (Suwannee county), and genetically engineered (GE) eucalyptus trees grown as fuel for biomass fuel (Alach-

ua, Marion, Columbia Counties). Weren’t we told that the biomass plant was going to use local sources only? Was that part of the redacted GRu contract? But I guess if it is ‘grown here’ then it becomes ‘local’.

There should be concern over the unin-tended consequences of these GE plants impacting our wonderful biodiversity of flora.

At recent meetings, we’ve heard that un-known impacts within the Rainbow Spring shed are slowing the flow rates at Silver Springs. Studies are ongoing to determine the cause.

Coca Cola is trying to sell its water bottling plant on the Santa Fe River: supposedly it hasn’t been producing in months, and they will close the plant if it doesn’t sell. Gilchrist County is bemoaning the loss of jobs, not the loss of water.

I would like to request that all Suwannee/St. Johns Sierra Group (SSJ) members con-

tact a member of the Executive Committee to share your ideas and concerns for issues relating to your specific county.

We need to increase communication among members within our Group. We have 15 counties within SSJ, and Citrus is our newest member.

We have a 40th Year Anniversary Cel-ebration of SSJ planned for February 12th, 2011, and we need your support for this momentous occasion and of course your at-

tendance; location TBA. And finally, a BIG congratula-

tion to Whitey Markle and the members of quiet Lakes for the recent air boat noise curfew ordi-nance passing in Alachua County.

Whitey has been working on this project through the years with others, via public participation in the Alachua County Waterways

Master Plan process, and behind the scenes grassroots action.

What Now?

cHaiR’s

coRneR

December 2010 Suwannee-St. Johns Sierra Club 3

culled from the herd rather than have the FPS auction or surplus the culled animals,” and a “herd of up to 12 female bison will be released back onto the prairie basin.”

Finally, the plan states that “a group of three to five weaned female yearlings or two-year olds will be released into an inter-pretive grazing area near the Paynes Prairie Visitor Center for interpretive purposes.”

The cracker cattle will be limited to “three non-reproductive cattle” and “will be placed in the interpretive grazing area near the Vis-itor Center, and the remaining members of the herd will be kept at Hickory Ranch.”

“This plan also calls for up to 12 female horses to be left free roaming on the prairie basin and three female horses to be pastured at the Visitor Center in the interpretive grazing area for interpretive purposes.”

I was told that attendees of the November 30, 2010 meeting can ask questions, voice their concerns about the livestock at the

park, and provide feedback on a draft livestock manage-ment plan proposed for Payne’s Prairie Preserve State Park.

One question I would like an an-swer to is what ex-actly is an “interpre-tive grazing area”?

State park offi-cials have stated that “nothing is set in stone and, despite public skepticism, no decision has been finalized.”

I find this encouraging news. Maybe this meeting will prove to be grounds for every-one to come together and “manage” the bi-son together.

Maybe there are alternative methods that have not been explored at this point and together, the community, Department of

Environmental Protection and Florida Park Services can come up with a new proposed plan.

I am hopeful that the community will get involved and show the DEP/FPS just how big of an impact Paynes Prairie State Pre-serve Park with its animals and beauty has on the community.

In Deep Water: The Anatomy of a Disaster, the Fate of the Gulf, and How to End Our Oil AddictionBy Peter Lehner, with Bob Deans

By Peter Lehner, with Bob DeansThis thin volume of less than 200 pages

provides a complete account of events in the Gulf of Mexico following the blowout of the Deepwater Horizon on April 20, 2010. Everything is covered from the blowout

itself and shortcuts that Brit-ish Petroleum took that con-tributed to the blowout. This book goes into the geology of the Gulf to explain how the same area that contributes so much of our seafood is also the uS source of oil. The key to understanding this is the large amount of sediment washing down the Mississippi and accumulation over eons of time. The Gulf of Mexico is treated like a national sacrifice zone; it is “ground zero for the environmental impact of our addiction to oil.” The book provides

a substantial history lesson on development of the clean wa-ter act, the clean air act, and the EPA. Fittingly, the final chapter is devoted to ways to end our dependence on oil.

Peter Lehner, executive di-rector of the Natural Resource Defense Council, created and led New York City’s Environ-mental Protection unit. Bob Deans is author of several books and spent eight years as

a reporter covering the White House. By Dwight Adams

The newsleTTer needs layouT help. The newsleTTer layouT uses

The adobe IndesIgn program.

emaIl chuck.hawkIns1@gmaIl.com.o

HeRd, from page 1

4 Suwannee-St. Johns Sierra Club December 2010

BY WHITEY MARKLEConservation Chair

The Nov. 2 election shocked the environmental commu-nity. We knew it would be

bad, but it was terrible.

The Republicans now have “veto proof” power in the state legislature. unfortunate-ly, the legislature doesn’t see the situation as we do. Sustainable growth is a foreign con-cept for the majority in Tallahassee. Water is endless, as is rural land…there for the taking in their minds. Fortunately, we have a recession.

Rock mining in Levy, Marion, and Su-wannee Counties, water transfer in the making (in the face of water flow rates that

are at record lows), nutrient accumulation in the springs (and aquifer), and industrial irresponsibility all seem to be sure signs of the legislature’s vision of Florida’s environ-mental future. Add those (and many other environmentally unfriendly issues) to the demise of the Department of Community Affairs and Amendment 4 and you have a state, like California, overpopulated and out of control.

On the local level, we have lost one of our dear friends on the Alachua County Com-mission, Cynthia Moore Chestnut. During her many years in the Florida legislature, the League of Conservation Voters gave Mrs. Chestnut the highest possible grades and she continued her environmental lead-ership though her tenure on the Alachua

County Commission. The Suwannee/St. Johns Sierra Club will miss her dearly.

We will continue to press the agencies and political bodies to preserve and protect our natural resources in the eye of stormy weather. Hopefully our members and their like-minded friends will join us in the ef-fort. We need you.

We want to begin an anti-bottled water campaign soon. Withdrawing water from the springs is one problem, but disposing of the plastic bottles is equally as important.

If each of our members purchased a Sierra Club water bottle and refilled it with tap water, we would make a significant impact as well as enhancing our meager treasury, which has been a great resource for local and statewide environmental campaigns.

What in the Hell Happened on Nov. 2?

Fred the activist climate change denier said that he had read that scientists are

divided on the ¨theory¨ of global warming. He had read on a hoax web site that 10,000 scientists had signed a petition that global warm-ing was a hoax.

And hadn’t George Will just written his umpteenth article saying that scientists were confused, Al Gore was a looney lib-eral, and that the past ten years showed a cooling trend?

This was comforting to Fred. Jim the climate scientist was less enthusiastic about

Will who speaks on Sunday morning talk shows in his confident, smirking tone about conservative talking points.

Jim said that the 10,000 scientists named as hoax supporters were checked out. They were mostly people with bachelor degrees and no climate science background, dead people, or persons who were incensed that their name had been put on a list support-ing what they were opposed to.

In contrast, the scientific community claims 95% of climate scientists believe with a 90% certainty that global warming is real with massive implications.

Jim was bugged that media coverage re-sponding to strong advertiser pressure in-sisted that there were two sides to the glob-

al warming “controversy” and they should be printed.

Jim said that in this case, it was like giv-ing the Flat Earth Society equal time every time we shot an astronaut into orbit.

Fred said yeah, but 5% of scientists were not convinced, and that was good enough for him. Jim countered, if you were told that the plane you were about to board had a 90% chance of exploding when it reached 30,000 feet, would you board?

Beliefs, like bad food habits, are difficult to penetrate.

That is the people problem coupled with the wealth and incentive of lobbyist pow-er.

By Chuck Hawkins

Jim, Fred, and Global Warming, Part I

Want to Write for the SSJ Sierra Club Newsletter?

Contact Chuck Hawkins at chuck.hawkins1@gmail.com.

aiR Potato RoUndUPThe 12th annual Great Air Potato

Roundup is Saturday, January 29.I will again volunteer as site leader for

the “The Great Air Potato Roundup.” This is a volunteer driven effort organized

by the City of Gainesville to remove inva-sive plants, including the air potato and Coral ardisia, from parks found through-out the greater Gainesville area.

Please help me celebrate my birthday by volunteering for this event.

All interested individuals should contact Robert Fisher at rbertisher@gmail.com or

352-514-7674. Once I have been assigned a site location, a map along with additional details will be sent to all volunteers.

This volunteer opportunity is open to the general public.

By Robert Fisher

• • •

HoLidaY FoLding PaRtYPlease join us for our annual Holiday

Folding Party 7:00-9:00 pm Saturday, De-

cember 18, hosted this year by David and Joanne Auth.

We always have a wonderful time, do a little work and have lots of good food and company.

It’s a great chance to find out more about what is happening in the Club locally and to meet like-minded people.

Please bring a treat to share. The Auth’s address is at 425 NE 7th St,

Gainesville and you can call them at 352-371-1991 if you need directions.

By Roberta Gastmeyer

December 2010 Suwannee-St. Johns Sierra Club 5

This ICO outing was on Wednesday October 20, at Ring Park in the center of Gainesville. Eleven students hiked to the trail that goes along Hogtown Creek. Five volunteers from the ICO program went with them: Ruth Steiner, Knox Bagwell, Roberta Gastmeyer, Stephanie Lee, a teacher at Lake Forest, and myself.

Photo by Maryvonne Devensky

news&notes

6 Suwannee-St. Johns Sierra Club December 2010

BY ROBERT FISHER

Before Kathy Cantwell’s tragic bicycle accident, she had backpacked

throughout the united States including the Sierra Nevada Mountains and the Grand Canyon.

She wrote a memorable letter to the Gainesville Sun in 2007, just before the Alachua County Commissioners met to decide on a land use amendment change permitting the Gainesville Country Club to build townhouses along the northern perimeter of Paynes Prairie.

She remarked that one of her most memorable outdoor experiences was her overnight backpacking trip to Persimmon Point at Paynes Prairie.

To honor Kathy Cantwell’s noble ef-forts to protect Paynes Prairie and other conservation areas throughout the State

of Florida, I am organizing a ranger-led, overnight backpacking trip to Persimmon Point during the winter or early spring of 2011 to provide an opportunity for both Sierra Club members and nonmembers to experience a wilderness area that Kathy worked so hard to protect.

This overnight weekend backpacking trip is being planned in cooperation with Friends of Paynes Prairie and Paynes Prai-rie State Park.

We will depart mid-morning on Satur-day for a 4.5 mile pack-in to the primitive campsite at Persimmon Point.

Following a blissful night of communing with nature and enjoying the night sky, we will depart on Sunday morning and hike along a scenic 2-mile section of the north rim of the prairie basin. Our expected ar-rival time is around noon.

Throughout the trip, our ranger will highlight important features of Paynes Prairie.

This backpacking trip is limited to 20 participants, and there will be a $20 fee.

Half of the fee will be donated to Friends of Paynes Prairie and the other half will be donated to a memorial fund in the name of Kathy Cantwell. Prospective weekends include February 26-27th and March 12-13th.

I strongly encourage prospective partici-pants to consider the weekend of February 26-27th, which should allow us to view migratory Sandhill Cranes before their departure back to the upper Midwest and Canada.

This tribute backpacking trip represents a wonderful opportunity for backpackers of all levels to experience and enjoy one of the great outdoor treasures of Florida.

All interested individuals should respond to Robert Fisher (rbertisher@gmail.com or 352-514-7674) by December 31, 2010 with their preference for February 26-27th or March 12-13th.

Please note that this tribute backpacking trip is open to everyone. An equipment list along with additional details will be sent to all participants.

Backpacking in Memory of KathyBackpacking in Memory of Kathy

December 2010 Suwannee-St. Johns Sierra Club 7

Suwannee-St. Johns GroupSierra ClubNEWSLETTERP.O. Box 13951Gainesville FL 32604

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DEC 2—SSJ Sierra Club Group general meeting, 7:30 pm, in the Entomology/Nema-tology Building on the UF campus, room 3118. See page 1 for details.DEC 2—ICO Planning Meeting, Cultural Arts Center, 5:00 pm; Contact Maryvonne Devensky 352-871-1606.DEC 8—ICO Outing at Morningside Nature Center with Lake Forest Group; Contact Maryvonne Devensky 352-871-1606.DEC 9—SSJ Sierra Club Executive Committee meeting, 7 pm, at the Santa Fe Com-munity College Downtown Gainesville Campus Board meeting room. DEC 11—ICO Outing at St. Augustine, Girl Power group, Contact Maryvonne Deven-sky 352-871-1606.DEC 18—Holiday folding party for the December Newsletter, 7 pm, at the home of JoAnne and David Auth. 425 NE 7th St., Gainesville.