Save the Manatee Club: Protect Manatees’ Winter Refuge!
July 28th, 2006 5:36 pm by Kelly Garbato———- Forwarded message ———-
From: Save the Manatee Club – action [at] savethemanatee.org
Date: Jul 28, 2006 10:25 AM
Subject: Protect Manatees’ Winter Refuge!
Speak Up to Protect Manatees’ Winter Refuge!
Meeting on August 8 is our last chance to protect Blue Spring
Blue Spring is one of the very few natural warm water refuges remaining for manatees in Florida. It is the winter home for Save the Manatee Club’s adoptees and one of only two places in the state where the manatee population actually appears to be increasing.
But a proposal by the St. Johns River Water Management District (District) will allow significant reductions in Blue Spring’s flow to support increasing development and demands for water from surrounding counties. Less flow from the spring means less warm water available for manatees in the winter. Manatees are susceptible to cold-related disease, and any reduction in Blue Spring’s flow could have catastrophic consequences.
The District is basing their proposal on an erroneous model that “predicts” future flow and when the manatees would “need” the warm water. But the District model has already underestimated actual manatee use. For example, a minimum of 190 manatees were documented at Blue Spring during the 2005/2006 season, while the District model would not provide warm water for that many manatees until 2009. Furthermore, the District proposal doesn’t require the Blue Spring flow to be restored to present levels until 2024. By that time it will be too late for manatees!
Both Florida and Non-Florida Residents: Please speak up to protect Blue Spring for manatees!
What You Can Do:
1. Attend the Public Hearing
Please come to the public hearing on August 8, 2006 (see more information below) and state that you are OPPOSED to a proposal that allows any additional reduction in Blue Spring’s flow.
Blue Spring Minimum Flow Public Hearing
Regulatory Meeting of the Governing Board
When: Tuesday, August 8, 2006, 1:00 p.m.
Where: St. Johns River Water Management District
4049 Reid Street
Palatka, FL 32177
Click here for more information and driving directions
2. Send a Quick Online Letter and tell Florida Governor Jeb Bush, the Secretary of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, and the Chairman of the District Governing Board that you oppose the District’s proposal. Please click on the link below to get more background information and send a quick and easy online letter. If you prefer to send a personal letter or e-mail, contact information is listed below.
Take action: www.savethemanatee.org/actionalert.cfm?id=8
Contact Information:
Governor Jeb Bush
The Capitol
400 South Monroe Street
Tallahassee, FL 32399
Fax: 850-487-0801
E-mail: jeb.bush [at] myflorida.com
Secretary Colleen Castille
Florida Department of Environmental Protection
3900 Commonwealth Blvd, MS 10
Tallahassee, FL 32399
Fax: 850-245-2128
E-mail: colleen.castille [at] dep.state.fl.us
David G. Graham, Chairman
SJRWMD Governing Board
4049 Reid Street
Palatka, FL 32177
Fax: 386-329-4125
E-mail: nmesser [at] sjrwmd.com
3. Please forward this e-mail to as many people as you can.
Thank you for your help on this important issue for manatees!
Sign up for our free Paddle Tales E-Newsletter: Go to www.savethemanatee.org/enews_signup.htm
Our postal address is:
500 N. Maitland Ave.
Maitland, Florida 32751
United States
About SMC
Save the Manatee Club is a nonprofit organization founded in 1981 by former Florida Governor Bob Graham and singer Jimmy Buffett. To learn more about manatees and our work, go to www.savethemanatee.org
Join Us!
Adopt-A-Manatee and join Save the Manatee Club. Your contribution will support our work to help protect endangered manatees and their habitat. For more information, go to www.savethemanatee.org/adoptpag.htm
Pass It Along
Help spread the word about manatees! Please forward this action alert to your family and friends. If you got this message from a friend, sign up to receive our Action Alerts at our Take Action page at www.savethemanatee.org/action.htm
Questions?
You can get updates on Action Alert issues by visiting the Take Action page of our web site. If you have additional questions, e-mail us at action [at] savethemanatee.org
