Conservation Committee

ASE’s CONSERVATION COMMITTEE

Rosa (Cissie) Durando (561-965-2420), 2008 Winner of Governor’s “Points of Light” award. Congratulations, Cissie!

Cynthia Plockelman (561-585-1278), Audubon of Florida board member, Regional Conservation Committee Co-Chair.

Conservation Meetings

The Palm Beach Post lists upcoming meetings on their website.

South Florida Water Management District Meetings

On the second Wednesday and Thursday of every month, the governing board of the South Florida Water Management District meets, usually at their headquarters building on Gun Club Road in West Palm Beach (but check the website for specific dates, as the meetings sometimes move around).

Board of County Commissioners Meetings

On the first Tuesday of every month, the Board of County Commissioners meets. Public comments are invited at 2 p.m. every first Tuesday. Please come and share your concerns with the board. Meetings take place in the Jane M. Thompson Memorial Chambers located on the sixth floor of the County Governmental Center, 301 North Olive Avenue, West Palm Beach.

Everglades

Everglades restoration, now undertaken through the huge Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP) is the primary goal of all conservation activities undertaken by the Audubon Society of the Everglades. Despite the numerous individual issues affecting Palm Beach County, our response to each issue (landfills in the EAA, rock mining in the EAA, shortsighted economic “development” schemes) must be considered in light of that one goal. For more information on CERP, please go to our CERP page; there you will find a brief history of our involvement, and links to various sites that will help you get a handle on this largest restoration project ever attempted.

RECENT CONSERVATION ISSUES FACING PALM BEACH COUNTY

June 25: Governor Charlie Crist proposes $1.75 billion buyout of U.S. Sugar.

April 3: Helena Chemical company has finally withdrawn its application to site their new warehouse right on the doorstep to the Loxahatchee NWR. County zoning staffers recommended that the application be withdrawn, but the commissioners approved a delay to April 3, on the owner’s promise that it would be the last request for postponement. Hooray. And the project is now officially dead.

Solid Waste Authority looking to site new dump adjacent to Lox NWR

Proposal to extend Roebuck Road directly through Grassy Waters Preserve

STATEWIDE ISSUES:

Water in Florida is a serious issue. So serious that it’s worth devoting some time to understanding the topic. If you have the time, explore this special feature on the News-Journal’s website: Got Water?