U.C. Berkeley student Alan Toth made a film
about environmental concerns embroiling a small town in North Florida.
Mining Phosphorus explores the subject of phosphate mining in
Florida. Phosphate rock is our main source of phosphorus, one of the
most critical elements in modern agriculture, but the practice of
mining phosphate produces significant environmental concerns,
including literal mountains of toxic waste.
You will probably recognize many of the people in this trailer.
In the first view of protesters, there’s Continue reading →
You can hear Mike and the other finalists play while you munch on finger foods
with a cash bar, silent auction, and kayak raffle at the
Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest,
1-5PM this Saturday, June 23,
at the Salty Snapper, 1405 Gornto Rd, Valdosta, GA 31602.
Mike isn’t the only Valdosta participant.
One of the judges, Continue reading →
“Finalists will play, and will be judged. The prizes will be awarded, and of course the acknowledgment of the sponsors.”
Plus a buffet of snacks prepared by the Salty Snapper,
including some vegetarian,
all for $10 in advance online,
and there will be a silent auction and kayak raffle tickets.
Gretchen Quarterman was on the radio with Steve Nichols, WVGA 105.9FM
(I was scheduled, but the flu said otherwise; I’m better now).
Gretchen said you don’t need to write a song, just come listen
to the finals this Saturday afternoon, with
judges
Cindy Bear from Jacksonville,
Dan Crews from Live Oak, and
J.J. Rolle from Valdosta
Plus the Outings Committee has organized a paddle 9AM Saturday morning
from Langdale Park to Sugar Creek Landing,
just across the railroad tracks from the Salty Snapper,
so you can paddle to the songwriting contest.
Steve Nichols remarked:
“As a kid, I used to go down that stretch of the river with my friends.
When I say as a kid, I was in high school in the early eighties.
It would be fun for me to do that trip as a nostalgic trip,
and going back and look at that beautiful stretch of river right there.”
Gretchen said the water is high so probably there will be no dragging,
and the river is different every time.
She showed the metal Sheboggy Boat Ramp signs Phil made to sell
so people maybe won’t keep stealing them off the GDOT signposts
for their man cave or woman cave.
Videos: Gretchen Quarterman about Songwriting Contest on Steve Nichols radio 105.9FM WVGA 2018-06-18
Video by Gretchen Quarterman for WWALS Watershed Coalition (WWALS).
I’ll be on the radio Friday morning; stay tuned for a post about that.
A leisurely two-mile morning paddle from the recently reopened Langdale Park on the largest river through the biggest city in the Suwannee River Basin,
arriving at the recently rediscovered Sugar Creek Landing, well in time for the
Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest in the afternoon.
Bring: the usual personal flotation device, boat paddles, food, drinking water, clothes, and first aid kit.
Also trash pickers and trash bags: every WWALS outing is also a cleanup.
If you don’t have a boat, let us know; we may able to loan you one.
Free: This outing is free to WWALS members, and $10 (ten dollars) for non-members.
We recommend you support the work of WWALS by
becoming a WWALS member today!
Tomorrow morning, 8:30AM, Tuesday, June 19, 2018,
I’ll be on the radio with Steve Nichols, 105.9FM,
talking about the
Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest
coming up 1-5PM, this Saturday, June 23, 2018 at the Salty Snapper, 1405 Gornto Rd, Valdosta, GA 31602.
When Gretchen was on his show last month,
he said he wanted to hear more, so tomorrow morning it is.
The
phosphate mine agenda item he expected
for Gilchrist BOCC this afternoon is not there,
Mike Roth, President of Our Santa Fe River (OSFR),
called to say.
So I’m not going. Instead I sent them the letter you see below
(see also PDF).
June 18, 2018
To: Gilchrist Board of County Commissioners
Sharon Langford <sharonlangford@gilchrist.fl.us>,
“D. Ray Harrison” <drayharrisonjr@gilchrist.fl.us>,
Todd Gray <tgray@gilchrist.fl.us>,
Marion Poitevint <mpoitevint@gilchrist.fl.us>,
Kenrick Thomas <kenrickthomas@gilchrist.fl.us>,
Cc: County Administrator Bobby Crosby <bcrosby@gilchrist.fl.us>
Re: Phosphate mines
Dear Chairman, Commissioners, and staff,
While I applaud your decision to discuss opioid litigation at your
meeting today, I was a little surprised to find Continue reading →
Emmett Carlisle sent in a song from Gainesville, Florida, saying about himself:
I am working on my 8th CD of original songs, many about the History,
Environment and Characters of Florida. I play at most of the
Festivals including the Florida Folk, Will Mclean, Lake County Folk
Festival and others.
Three judges from Florida and Georgia will choose from
finalists from three states to award prizes in the
Suwannee
Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest, Saturday, June 23, in Valdosta,
Georgia.
Each finalist has a good chance to win the first prize of $300. Or
the $50 prize for a finalist from within the Basin, or the $50 prize
for a finalist from outside, plus there will be a prize for one
finalist in each musical genre or style.
Gainesville isn’t actually in the Suwannee River Basin, but many of
the paddlers on the Suwannee and its tributaries and springs come
from there.
Acquiring lands in a springshed is one of the best ways to protect springs and rivers,
and a judge just said the Florida legislature can’t divert funds from that purpose of Florida Amendment 1, which was passed by 75% of the people of Florida.
On June 15, 2018, Florida Circuit Judge Charles Dodson ruled in
favor of environmental organizations that the land conservation
constitutional amendment overwhelmingly approved by voters in 2014
requires funding to be used for land acquisition, restoration and
management, not for other purposes.
Earthjustice, Joe Litte of Florida Defenders of the Environment and
the plaintiff organizations— Continue reading →
Tifton spilled twice into the New River watershed,
36,000 gallons and 5,400 gallons,
both into the New River watershed upstream of the Withlacoochee and the Suwannee Rivers,
apparently both spills during or after Tropical Storm Alberto,
and there was no public notice until two weeks later.
Stuart Taylor, Tifton Gazette, June 11, 2018,
36,000 gallon raw sewage spill enters drainage system,
cited as source Thomas Coker, “plant manager with ESG Operations,”
who is also listed by the City of Tifton as Wastewater Superintendent.
I called him to clarify some details.
Here is information about the two spills, both related to Tropical Storm Alberto:
36,000 gallons, Wednesday, May 30 through Thursday, June 7, 2018,
from 315 E. 20th Street, into Tifton’s stormwater system, after 2 inches of rain.
