Land Based Pollution

CSalt5 at aol.com CSalt5 at aol.com
Fri Jan 3 07:11:16 EST 2003


     I received the email regarding Coral Reef Task Force Priorities
indirectly, through Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility.
Sand dredged from offshore may not be considered land based, but it is one
of the primary causes of coral reef degradation in south Florida.  As a
Fish and Wildlife Service biologist, I specialized in commenting on beach
restoration projects for over 10 years; I know beach projects and beach
project politics.  This controvercial area is not for the faint hearted.

     I was eventually forced into early retirement for proposing that the
FWS conduct surveys of the proposed Broward County beach project area (and
offshore dredge area) rather than Broward County's environmental
consultant.  This was in accordance with past procedures and consistent
with the Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act.  The Broward County project
will bury at least 36 acres of nearshore coral communities and degrade
uncalculated acreage just outside the proposed fill area due to the
settling of suspended sediment.  Unnumbered ancient star and brain corals
near the proposed dredge area will suffer the same fate.  These impacts
have been documented in numerous past projects.  How is it that this,
perhaps the number one cause of direct coral destruction, is not on the
Coral Reef Task Force's list of priorities?

     As for land based pollution, there are perhaps hundreds of acres of
coral community in Broward County that are either dead or nearly dead
because insufficiently treated sewage is being pumped just offshore of
Broward beaches.  The one outfall I know of runs east from Hollywood, Fl.
I would be happy to accompany you or any other Task Force member to see
the damage first hand.

                                  Chuck Sultzman

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