———- Forwarded message ———-
From: Save the Manatee Club - action [at] savethemanatee.org
Date: Sep 26, 2006 12:50 PM
Subject: Keep The Heat On!

Keep The Heat On So Manatees Won’t Be Left Out In The Cold

Your help is making a difference for manatees!

A big THANK YOU to everyone who sent messages to the St. John’s River Water Management District (District), Florida Department of Environmental Protection, and Florida Governor Jeb Bush – your actions are helping us get some movement in the right direction! The District recently met and decided to delay the final vote on the proposal to tap into waters from Blue Spring to support increasing development and demands for water from surrounding counties.

The District has postponed their decision until October 10th in order to re-run their model using the most recent winter season manatee counts, which is expected to force them to revise the rule proposal. We have repeatedly told the District that their model is erroneous and underestimates manatee use, and this past winter season proved our point with substantially more manatees showing up to use the spring than their model predicted. 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. And the District’s current minimum flow proposal doesn’t require the Blue Spring flow to be restored to present levels until 2024!

As you know, Blue Spring is a critical warm water refuge for manatees in the winter. And manatees have gained an ally in Philippe Cousteau, grandson of the late explorer Jacques Cousteau, who was recently at Blue Spring creating a documentary for National Public Radio. In an Orlando Sentinel article, Philippe was quoted as saying, “This spring and these manatees represent a resource that should benefit all of the people of Florida, not just a few special interests.”

The District has made the right decision to delay the final vote on the proposal. They have seen first hand that their model doesn’t work before the rule was even adopted. The District should set the minimum flow at no less than the current average annual flow level (157.7 cfs). We need to keep the heat on so manatees are not left out in the cold come October!

What You Can Do:

Both Florida and Non-Florida Residents: Please speak up to protect Blue Spring for manatees!

1. Attend the Public Hearing

Please come to the public hearing on October 10, 2006 (see more information below) and state that you are OPPOSED to a proposal that allows any additional reduction in Blue Spring’s flow.

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 email, contact information is listed below.

www.savethemanatee.org/actionalert.cfm?id=8

Blue Spring Minimum Flow Public Hearing
Regulatory Meeting of the Governing Board
When: Tuesday, October 10, 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.

3. Please forward this email to as many people as you can.

Thank you for your help on this important issue for manatees!

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 [ay] sjrwmd.com

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, email us at action [at] savethemanatee.org