HomeMy WebLinkAboutRE Turtle MonitoringFrom: McDowell, John [John.McDowell@dep.state.fl.us]
Sent: Wednesday, August 06, 2008 11:22 AM
To: Bennett Boucher
Cc: meghan.koperski@myfwc.com; Walter Bandish; Chuck Billias, City
Manager; Furru, Christine; A.J. Hutson; Jeff Ratliff, CC Public Works
Subject: RE: Turtle Monitoring
Mr. Boucher:
Thank you for your comments and concerns. I have forwarded them to program
staff in Tallahassee.
Thanks again,
John McDowell, ESIII
FDEP Bureau of Beaches and Coastal Systems
Pager: 877/314-1329
The Department of Environmental
Protection values your feedback as a customer. DEP Secretary Michael W. Sole is committed to continuously assessing and
improving the level and quality of services provided to you. Please take a few minutes to comment on the quality of
service you received. Copy the url below to a web browser to complete the DEP
survey: http://survey.dep.state.fl.us/?refemail=John.McDowell@dep.state.fl.us Thank you in advance for completing the survey.
From: Bennett Boucher [mailto:boucher-cape@cfl.rr.com]
Sent: Wed 8/6/2008 10:53 AM
To: McDowell, John
Cc: meghan.koperski@myfwc.com; Walter Bandish; 'Chuck Billias, City
Manager'; 'Furru, Christine'; 'A.J. Hutson'; 'Jeff Ratliff, CC Public Works'
Subject: FW: Turtle Monitoring
Good morning John,
As a follow up to the beach cleaning permit you issued the City of
Cape
Canaveral on 7-16-08, attached.
I have a few comments and concerns.
The requirement to have a turtle survey, and the related cost of
$4,000 to
$6,000 for GEOMAR to conduct
this required survey seems duplicative in nature.
GEOMAR is already tasked with surveying the beach for turtle nests,
and they
want to charge again for doing the
same work?
This does not make sense. Also the permit conditions require all
cleaning
activities to occur
below the high tide line, so why the requirement of having a turtle
survey
if we are
not allowed in the nesting areas?
It seems that these rules and conditions are not favorable to urban
beach
activities and should
be reviewed and updated.
There needs to be a balance between the public health and safety of
the
people that visit our beaches
and sea turtle protection in urban areas.
I will be asking State Representative Sasso to look into this issue.
Bennett Boucher
City Manager
City of Cape Canaveral
105 Polk Avenue
Cape Canaveral, FL. 32920
phone 321-868-1230
fax 321-868-1224
www.myflorida.com/cape
-----Original Message-----
From: Jeff Ratliff, CC Public Works [mailto:jratliff-cape@cfl.rr.com]
Sent: Friday, July 18, 2008 3:12 PM
To: Walter Bandish
Cc: City - Bennett Boucher; kaymc-cape@cfl.rr.com
Subject: Turtle Monitoring
Walt:
I discussed the beach rake issues with GEOMAR Environmental
Consultants
(turtle monitoring firm). As you are aware, the City was to request a
formal
turtle survey and then have 65 days before we could use the rake on
the
beach. GEOMAR informed me that the turtle surveys are not free of
charge -
he estimated a charge of $4,000 to $6,000 to the City for a complete
survey.
The suggestion was made that the City just wait until November 1
(conclusion
of turtle season) to use the beach rake - since GEOMAR could not
start the
survey until about August 1 - August 1 plus 65 days would be October
4 (with
no weather delays). A formal request for a turtle survey was,
therefore, not
made since the City may want to wait until November 1 to use the
beach rake.
Let me know how the City wishes to proceed and I will notify GEOMAR
and the
FDEP.
Thanks,
Jeff