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Here are some must reads: Alan Fargos on on
the bottom,
What the Hell Is Going On With The Red
Tide?
by Justin Cote
Posted
07.07.2005
I’ve heard it all now.
“It’s a natural occurrence.”
“It’s unharmful to humans.”
“It’s so pretty at night.”
Yeah, right. I’m so sick of perky news-anchors
telling me the glowing, alien-like water is “pretty.” See it once,
no need to see it again.
Unharmful to humans?
Says who?
Says public officials who are more wary of losing
tourist dollars than public health. I’ve heard of stomachaches,
urinary tract infections, sore throats, burning eyeballs, and one
unfortunate dude who’s been pissing blood. Along with a co-worker,
I’ve been having a stabbing pain in my guts that just happened to
start after accidentally swallowing water while surfing Oceanside
Pier at lunch.
The red tide, which has been around Southern
California for nearly two months, doesn’t seem to be letting up, and
many old timers are claiming it’s the longest they’ve ever seen it
hang around. “How long has it been here now?” asks lifelong surfer
Kevin Muir, 53 of Leucadia, CA. “Seems like two months. I’ve never
seen a red tide hang around here for so long. Must be from all the
shit in the water.”
Nobody seems to have an answer as to when the slimy
and stinky shit will go away. Everyday, the red tide comes and goes,
at times heavier than others. One day, it’s O’side looking toxic,
the next Encinitas. Lowers had it during the Nationals and
Huntington Beach was red during the recent USA Surfing
Championships.
And it’s not just surfing that’s been suffering--the
fishing sucks right now! I spent an entire day fishing in Carlsbad
and didn’t have one bite. I should have figured that out though--how
can a fish see a lure when the visibility is nil?
Sorry to whine, but this red tide shit is really
frustrating, and contrary to what our elected officials are telling
us--possibly harmful to humans.
To hear from more people who are ranting about red
tide, go to: www.redtidealert.com
Additionally, if anyone has a qualified response,
feel free to email me at jcote@twsnet.com.
Saving manatees or grabbing
power?
Editor:
The more I see the Save the Manatee Club stop citizens from
building docks, running boats or basically doing anything, the
madder I get.
I spent half a million dollars developing a manatee-friendly boat
and I can't get the leaders of the Save the Manatee Club to even
come look at it. The two celebrities, Sen. Bob
Graham and Jimmy Buffett, who received all the free
publicity for starting the Save the Manatee Club have shown
absolutely no interest in a manatee-friendly boat. They won't even
return a phone call.
The senator's office even told me that when he was running for
governor it was important because it was a state of Florida issue.
Now that he is a senator it was not important to him.
I was shocked. I couldn't believe my ears, so I faxed that quote
back to them. They called me and confirmed that he was not currently
interested in talking about manatee-friendly boats.
These people have caused the citizens of this state to spend
millions on legal bills and destroyed millions in man hours, yet
they will show no interest in a solution to the issue they drummed
up. That is wrong.
I was shocked to find out that the leaders were interested only
in publicity and political power. I actually believed in them and
voted for Graham; never again.
I do believe that there are good people in these clubs;
unfortunately, I do not believe that the leadership wants anything
other than publicity and political power.
Ralph D. Brown
Dream Boats
Spring Hill, Fla.
By CATHY
ZOLLO, crzollo@naplesnews.com
February 22,
2005
Despite a
significant change to the red tide information on its Web site, Mote
Marine Laboratories says it hasn't changed its tune about the
harmful algae that again is plaguing the Southwest Florida coast.
Red tide is a marine algae that
produces neurotoxins that kill fish, birds and marine mammals and
cause respiratory problems in some people.
A large bloom is now present from Tampa
to Lee County and expected to move south toward Collier County in
coming days. Another is north of the Florida Keys.
In the days after the Sierra Club
Calusa Group announced last week its intention to file a lawsuit
against Mote in Sarasota and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Research
Institute in St. Petersburg over red tide, information on Mote's Web
site changed significantly.
Before last week, the Mote Web site
said, "Florida red tides represent a natural process not caused by
pollution." Sometime last week, the site changed and now says, "The
extent to which coastal pollution influences red tides is an area of
intense interest and considerable effort is being placed toward
those investigations."
Sierra Club Calusa Group members
monitoring Mote caught the shift.
The dispute between the conservation
group and red tide researchers working for the state concerns
whether researchers, despite years of work and millions in tax
dollars for study, have failed to seriously seek a possible link
between land-based nutrient runoff and red tide.
It's what led to talk of a lawsuit and
has the local Sierra Club group appealing to the state and national
club for financial backing for that suit.
"If (Sierra Club Calusa Group) never
came along, they'd still be singing the same old song and dance,"
said Lori Glenn, Calusa Group chairwoman.
Mote spokeswoman Nadine Slimak said the
change is not much of one and came about because Mote wanted to
update information on the site.
"The information on the Web site was
posted a number of years ago, and with all the interest in the
current red tide bloom, we thought it was time to update our
information," Slimak said.
Slimak said Mote does look at
nutrients, manmade and otherwise.
"We have a number of different sources
that can be found to be feeding red tide blooms," she said. "There
is not one thing we can point to and say, 'Aha.'"
But Glenn said at public presentations
about red tide, Mote and state scientists working for FWRI take
pains to downplay the role of land-based nutrients in red tide.
Like other plants, algae grow faster
with added nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus. The water
flowing from the Caloosahatchee and Peace rivers is often loaded
with both and red tides forming where the rivers empty into the Gulf
of Mexico is now at least an annual occurrence.
Upstream are phosphate mines and
agriculture that, along with increasing development, feed nutrients
into coastal waters.
Glenn contends that while Mote may have
changed the site, they've continued what she calls a public
relations campaign to take the heat off polluters and draw attention
away from coastal nutrient pollution as a factor in red tides.
Slimak said that's simply not so and
the difference in opinion may be due in part at least to a failure
to communicate.
"Coastal pollution is an issue, and we
should do anything we can to reduce it," Slimak said. "But that's
where we can't make the leap scientifically. They haven't been able
to draw that conclusion. That might be the conclusion. We just don't
have the data to prove it."
But Glenn said the Web site is just the
beginning. She produced government documents, new and decades old,
that counter what Mote and FWRI say about red tide.
Among them is a 1962 U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers study that states, "It is now well known that red tide
outbreaks on the west Florida coast are correlated with years of
high rainfall and heavy freshwater discharge from the western rivers
of the Florida peninsula."
The study — aimed at making sure Corps'
actions did not aggravate the red tide problem — said that along
with providing the proper salinity for the blooms, the water seemed
to bring in nutrients to feed them.
At the local Sierra Club's urging, Lee
County hired two independent scientists who last year, using their
own research and FWRI data, found the link between red tide and land
runoff.
They will deliver the data at a public
presentation on March 14, from 9 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. at Three Oaks
Conference Center, off Three Oaks Parkway in
Estero.
Herald tribune:
Make phosphate cleanup ongoing
Why can't the phosphate-mining operations be required to treat
the poisonous waste they produce so that it is environmentally safe
as the waste is produced? They should also dispose of the treated,
safe waste as it is produced. Then we would not be faced with the
Piney Point situation, a mountain of poison, at risk of polluting
our waters by storms or unforeseen disasters and costing the public
thousands of dollars to remedy.
The principal of treating
waste as it is produced, and safe disposal, is practiced with most
other byproducts of human activities, including garbage, trash and
human waste.
Theodore H. Bonn
Sarasota
November 5, 2003
Red Tide Alert
Little
Gasparilla Island
Placida, Florida
Red Tide - Street
Cleaner
Dear Editor/Lisa
You may find the following
story bizarre, but believe me - it's true. I've lived it since 1984,
and a new unbelievable chapter - more recently since September
2001.
In September 2001, I wrapped up 8 years of research for
a distribution system and formula to kill "Red Tide"! No your
eyes don't deceive you; I discovered a destructive formula to kill
"Gymnodinium Breve"!
Needless to say, I was elated. In a
professional manner, I notified by letter one of the states leading
research organizations, who had previously nominated me for a
Presidential award for another environmental product I had patented
and developed for removing stormwater pollutants from street and
highways before the pollutants could reach Florida's receiving
waters. That machine was successfully tested several times by The
United States Environmental Protection Agency (E.P.A.), and The
Florida's Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP). As a
matter of fact, the FDEP was so impressed by the machines
performance, they dubbed the machine a "street cleaner", due to it's
capability of removing 12 to 15 times the amount of heavy metals and
nutrients from street surface than a conventional street
sweeper. More latter on the street cleaner!
After
notifying the very well known marine research laboratory I waited
patiently for several weeks for a return letter or call. It
never came! Professionally, I called the Director of Research
at the laboratory and left a message on his voice mail, requesting a
return call. I repeated that request two weeks later -
nothing.
Then a person I knew who is politically connected,
suggested I contact a group on Anna Maria Island who financially
supports the research laboratory. A meeting by their Board of
Directors was requested and I met several times to discuss financial
support to move my process forward. They wanted the formula -
badly, asking for a non-disclosure agreement, allowing them to
verify the formula using a private laboratory to confirm the
formula's destructive capability. I agreed. I was going no
where fast, although several months had passed since I had notified
the laboratory. The non-disclosure agreement of course had a
financial penalty clause to guarantee a financial settlement to me,
in case any of the gentlemen decided to strike out on his own,
claiming the formula to be his own. I was ask if I had any
problems with their attorney reviewing the agreement. I told
them no, that it was only prudent for them to do so.
Two
weeks later another meeting was requested, and I then find out these
"gentlemen" had gutted the penalty clause. Well, it turns out
all they wanted was to get the formula and run to the marine
laboratory with the formula composition. I ended that
association.
It was suggested I make a public
announcement. I chose the Venice City Council. I described my
situation, and, that there appeared to be no local interest by
marine research laboratories, or support groups. I had not
filed for a patent, but decided it was only fair that someone from
the city should be able to verify my formula. I decided that
person was Dean Calamaras, current Mayor of Venice. I had
known Dean for several years, and found him to be an extremely
honest person, with a background in chemicals. After a lengthy
meeting with Dean, describing the formula and distribution process,
Dean's response was - "well I'll be D---".
During the next
City Council meeting, the Council, with my agreement, decided to ask
and fund all cost for Venice High School to verify the
formula. That was almost two years ago. Incidentally,
the research laboratory "refused to give or provide" the school with
a red tide sample for the school use to verify the formula. I
retrieved my samples from gulf waters during red tide
events.
During the past two years, The Florida Department of
Environmental Protection, threatened me if I test in Gulf
Waters. At the request of a state senator, I received a call
from the laboratory asking me to give them the formula for
verification. I refused. I was approached by a high-ranking official
from the laboratory's endowment committee, offering me a "royalty",
if I would let the laboratory "take credit for my discovery and
research". I refused. That's about where I stand today. I have the
formula and distribution process, and have refused to be taken
advantage of by The State of Florida or any laboratory "receiving
millions of state dollars" to research red tide.
Back to my
"street cleaner". During my endeavors to advance the machine,
I became involved with General Dynamics, who wanted to promote the
machine to the United States Department of Energy (DoE) for cleaning
nuclear weapons facilities. General Dynamics Space Service Company
was a specialty service company providing prototype equipment for
the space shuttle. During the time I worked with General Dynamic
they merged, that, and other divisions with Martin Marietta, and
again Martin merged with Lockheed, becoming Lockheed
Martin.
In 1995, a meeting was held at Lockheed Martin's
plant in Largo, Florida with Florida State Senator John Grant.
Lockheed informed the senator during a three hour briefing about the
machine, that the machine use could save the State of Florida
between "700 to 800 million dollars a year". This was in lieu
of retention ponds. As you may know, the state and federal
government have recently and reluctantly came to the conclusion that
retention ponds do not filter out heavy metals, or nutrients, and
are breeding grounds for "Harmful Algae Bacteria" (HAB), not to
mention West Nile Virus Mosquitoes a situation they have known about
since research by Florida State University's Marine Biology Center
in 1992. The FDEP tried desperately to discredit Robert J. "Skip"
Livingston Ph.D., and Professor of the Center, who conducted the
research. Senator Grant conducted a 7-month investigation into FDEP,
and their reasons for not using the machine. Grant discovered
Governor Lawton Chiles had
previously ordered FDEP on two
occasions to confirm the machine capabilities. While United States
Senator, Chile had ordered EPA to include information about the
machine in EPA's second report to Congress.
Grant's
investigation ended with a request to then Senate President James
Scott for full senate investigation into FDEP
activities. Scott did nothing.
You and I
have paid for this very costly "special interest" blunder. If the
state had used the machines to clean stormwater pollutants the
savings to Florida would be in the "billions of dollars". I was ask
by FDEP, EPA, Sarasota County, SWFWMD and New York City to provide
the machines for five basins studies; Miami, Sarasota County,
Hillsborough County, Tallahassee, and New York City. Instead,
the EPA and FDEP and SWFWMD killed all five studies, and covered up
the machine, knowing the financial savings and more importantly the
environmentally benefits to our states receiving
waters.
Bitter - you bet!
Screw me once shame on
you. Screw me twice, shame on me!
Bob Rigby
October 28th 2003
Dear
redtidealert.
The phosphate mining and processing industry has flourished
in Florida for a century. Powerful lobbying efforts by the industry,
coupled with legitimate claims of providing good jobs and enriching
the nation’s farmland, drowned out any complaints of environmental
damage to land and water. Only recently was a coalition of
environmentalists and municipalities able to make an effective case
that the industry is no longer compatible with present day, crowded
Florida.
Clearing accumulated plant debris by open burning from wood
lands, parks, farms and construction sites has an even longer
history than phosphate mining in Florida. Arguments that the
practice is “natural”, reduces number of disastrous wildfires, and
helps growth of native species suppress objections that the smoke is
dangerous and that other methods of debris removal may be preferred.
Smoke from burning plant debris is two or more times as toxic
as cigarette smoke. The Irish government recently alerted churches
to use caution with burning incense around
children.
The 1997 EPA report,
“Evaluation of Emissions from the Open Burning of Land Clearing
Debris”, states that forest fires are a major source of US air
pollution. An acre containing 100 tons of debris can emit twelve
gallons of benzene.
Dozens of other volatile organics and chlorinated
hydrocarbons also form. And about 1% of the burned debris becomes
air borne particulates. Mercury is also
released.
Most smoke is carried skyward, but later enters the sensitive
upper layers of ocean waters. According to the September 6 issue of
“Science News”, the big Indonesian wildfires of 1997 caused a
massive bloom of red tide along a 250 mile stretch of coral reefs,
killing much of the sea life.
The energy equivalent of 100 tons of debris in an acre is
over 25 tons of coal. Florida has a potential biomass industry that
could replace the jobs lost in a declining phosphate
industry.
Very truly
yours,
R.J.Windgassen
941- 485-0865
Oct 14th 2003
Choked through the night 13th 14th with all the
symptoms of your dogs and played unco-ordinated golf both days I
have to
agree it's a problem! However, we looked and looked and
saw no 'red
tide'. My suspicion is that it is always (invisibly)
there waiting for a
whipped up sea and and an 'inshore' wind to
get us.
Have you tried 'smog' masks? If so, do they work.
Failing that I would
suggest anti-asthma inhalers such as
Salbutamol or beclomethasone both
for humans and
animals.
Next year, ( I was a UK Doc) I intend to bring both
cos there's no
darned way I'll pay a US one $100 just for the
'pleasure' of meeting him!
David Valentine, Manasota Key
Florida
Fouled beaches, unfriendly policies deter touristsReaction
from German tourists to our red tide:
Re: "Tourism from Germany a shadow of its former self"
(Page 1D, Aug. 17 2003 Herald Tribune):
True, the
declining German economy may be one reason for some German tourists
to stay away from Florida. However, average-earning German people
almost never spend vacation overseas; this makes the economy less
influential in terms of visitors to Florida. The typical Florida
visitors were people with higher incomes and often an academic
background, who liked the pristine beaches and crystal-clear waters.
Observing today's situation, Florida is only a shadow
of its former self. Look at the Gulf side of Florida. The once
beautiful beaches are no longer enjoyable. Who wants to spend a lot
of money to end up on a beach covered with dead fish, where you
cough and sneeze, and where you have water with the most harmful
version of red tide? Look at what is happening with the harmful
waste water of the Piney Point phosphate plant; it seems that the
Florida administration has not learned the lesson yet. Dumping of
hundreds of millions of gallons of lime-treated phosphate water into
Bishop Harbor was only stopped when algal blooms and problems
developed. As a consequence of these changes, two friends of ours
have now sold their properties in the Sarasota area and will no
longer come to Florida.
In addition, there are political aspects. Germans who
are more educated and sensitive to environmental concerns aren't
visiting the U.S. because of Bush administration policy that ignores
environmental responsibilities (not signing the Kyoto protocol,
seeking to admit oil drilling and mining in national parks, still
promoting gas-guzzling). Further, immigration is being made more
stressful and cumbersome, which makes Florida unattractive for
property owners.
And last, but not least, consider the German-bashing
of members of the Bush administration, especially Donald Rumsfeld.
It is not only Italian tourism minister Stefano Stefani, as
mentioned in your article.
Bernhard Schimmele, Barbara Schwarz, Germany
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