August 8, 2010
At the risk of becoming the Oil Spill news web site instead of the Red Tide Florida Web site, I have to throw one more quick article up about the BP Oil Leak. There is a criminal investigation going on against Haliburton (recognize that name?) , Transocean, Cameron International and British Petroleum for what has become know as the BP Oil spill (which was actually a leak, not a spill).
In criminal investigation there is usually physical evidence that needs to be gathered. This one is know exception. In criminal investigations the prosecutors usually let the suspected criminals gather the evidence for the prosecution. Wait! That’s not how it works at all. but that’s what’s happening in the gulf. The companies mentioned have but put in charge of gathering the evidence at the bottom of the sea floor because the government doesn’t have the equipment to do it, and evidently our government has never heard of all the other companies in the world that can do deep water salvage. Evidently they’ll put the Coast Guard (which is also under investigation for helping BP perpetrate several after the fact crimes) supervise the whole thing.
Just one question: Are we actually going to pay them to do this?
Categories: BP Oil Leak, inept government.
Tags: BP, BP Oil Leak
July 3, 2010
The whole time the EPS has been implying to the public that they have “cracked down” successfully on the massive amount of dispersant use by BP in the gulf of Mexico, it apparently made the rules to allows almost as much dispersant use as BP wants.
The EPA has set up a ridiculous formula for the reduction of dispersants that would make it look to the public like they are reducing the use of these dangerous chemicals when in fact, they are not. In addition they have set it up so that the Coast Guard can (and does) waive the any daily use of the maximum daily allowed limit of these chemicals anytime BP asks for it.
This IS NOT how you hold BP accountable. This is how you let them do whatever they’d like.
Categories: inept government.
Tags: BP Oil Leak, dispersants, federal government, Oil cleanup, pollution
February 27, 2010
NOAA has been using some new technologies to predict future red tides. Off the coast of Maine, it appears that they will have the worst red tide ever this summer. New Hampshire is included in this gloomy forecast.
The projection is based on a sea-floor survey of the seed-like cysts of Alexandrium fundyense, (which is different than the K. Brevis red tide we get here in Fl, but just as devastating), an organism that causes the harmful algal blooms that are referred to as red tides. Cysts deposited in the fall hatch the following spring, and last fall the abundance of cysts in the sediment was 60 percent higher than observed prior to the historic bloom of 2005, indicating that a large bloom is likely in the spring of 2010.
The Scientists are so alarmed that they held a teleconference for the media in addition to their normal outlook report. Sadly the local oyster farmers seem to be in denial and even seem to be trying to blame the scientists. Saying things like “It’s so unlikely, We certainly don’t lose any sleep about it or worry much about it.” and that the last red tide closure that Duxbury oyster farmers faced was in 2005, when the state’s shellfish industry grappled with the worst red tide bloom in recent memory. Well guys, this one is supposed to be even worse so get worried. Not that there is anything to do about it. Continued…
Categories: Environmental News, News, Red Tide Maine, Rumors, inept government.
Tags: Alexandrium fundyense, forecast, Maine, New Hampshire, red tide
December 19, 2009
It’s been long known by citizens, especially in Florida, that red tide kills pets and contributes to deaths of the elderly and the sickly that are bed ridden near red tide contaminated waters. The latter is pretty rare, because usually, anyone that has the resources to live near the water in Florida, has the resources to move when their doctor says “You’re sick already, get away from the red tide!”
Pets and other land animals are a completely different story. Not only are their mouths closer to the ground (the toxins are slightly heavier than air), but lots of animals have no choice but to stay.
Texas Officials are warning people to keep their pets away from the beach, as the red tide has killed several and sickened many many more.
Ever seen a pelican that appears to be drunk during a red tide bloom?
WARNING: It gets grim, sad and a little graphic below: Continued…
Categories: Education, Red Tide Information, Rumors, Texas Red Tide, inept government, medical info.
Tags: birds, health effects, pets, Texas
May 17, 2009
To the UAE, ( a Persian Gulf country), red tide blooms are a new thing. However after just one year they already have the US and the State of Florida beat. That’s yet another country that is using various clay slurry treatments to mitigate red tide blooms.
Our only attempt in Florida (that we know of, if there are any others, please let us know), was sponsored by Mote Marine. Sadly, they insisted that polluted clay from phosphorus mines be used (phosphorus is one of the main nutrients that red tide needs to sustain a bloom). The scientist refused to participate, were fired and the Mote Marine declared that clay slurry treatments were bad for the environment (only true if you use polluted clay).
Heck, even high school kids and local inventors are beating us with red tide mitigation methods.
It is definitely time to shake up Florida’s dysfunctional scientific community. One has to wonder whats up with Mote Marine wanting to use polluted clay from Phosporus mines, does it have something to do with their funding, are they somehow connected? We asked them, but they just won’t answer.
Categories: Actions, Environmental News, News, inept government, red tide mitigation method, solutions.
Tags: mitigation, mote, solution
May 17, 2009
Lacking leadership and legislation from the State of Florida, many townships cities and counties are making their own laws banning or partially banning the use of fertilizer. The latest legislation to be enacted is from Lee county.
Sounds like good news right?
Sure it is. However the fertilizers that the homeowners in coastal communities aren’t as much as their governments put into the water over fertilizing and over watering their medians, parks and the yards of thier public buildings.
Even worse are the farms up river. these farms put Tons per acre of fertilizers on their lands, not even Naples puts that much fertilizers on their medians (although . . .)
these counties where the farms are will never ban or limit fertilizers. however the fertilizers that wash off their lands pollute the communities down river of them. The entire southern half of Florida (except the developed portions) is a river. It’s called “The River of Grass”. It also happens to have a traditional river running through it, The Caloosahatchee river. It’s through these rivers that thousands of tons of fertilizer flows into the Gulf and Bays and feed the red tide.
The state is the only org that can do anything about this. But they are still trying to pretend there’s nothing unusual about our red tides . . .
Categories: Environmental News, Florida Red Tide News, inept government.
Tags: fertilizer, Lake O, lee county, river of grass
May 4, 2009
It looks like Lee County is not only learning how to prevent red tide, but is also learning that all they have to do is try and they’ll make a difference. They’ve recently enacted legislation which while poorly written and still not very effective, will make a difference.
Here’s some of the points the legislation covers:
The new ordinance stipulates that fertilizers containing nitrogen or phosphorus cannot be used during the four-month rainy season of June through September.
Fertilizer application is also prohibited within 10 feet of any body of water, seawall or wetland.
All spreaders must be equipped with a deflector shield to better target application and to prevent errant fertilizer from being spread into water buffer areas and hard impervious surfaces like roads, driveways and sidewalks.
Clippings and trimmings cannot be swept or blown into ditches, drains or any body of water, or onto any road or sidewalk.
Professional landscapers are required to register with the county and have at least one employee certified through a training program offered by the University of Florida Lee County Extension Service.
What’s the poorly written parts:
Continued…
Categories: Education, Environmental News, Florida Red Tide News, Prevention, Red Tide Information, inept government, red tide mitigation method.
Tags: lee county, Prevention
February 11, 2009
Red Tide mitigation is actually pretty easy. Japan, the Phillipines, South Korea, Vietnam and many other countries have been doing it for years. I call it the clay mitigation method. The exact formula is even know. I’ll give it away for free right now:
Spray a clay slurry on the effected area to a concentration of 8 grams per liter of water.
Bloom gone, fish live, no untoward consequences.
Yup, that’s it. Simple whuh?
Ok, now U.S. and Florida government, why won’t you mitigate red tide blooms?
By the way, preventing red tide is pretty simple too.
The real question is:
How are we going to force the government to prevent and mitigate Florida Red Tide?
It’s a shame we have to, but they went for several years trying to say that red tide doesn’t bother us, red tide is harmless, red tide isn’t on the increase, red tide isn’t linked to pollution etc. etc. etc. So it looks like we are going have to either persuade or force the government to serve it’s citizens.
latest news story on this topic for the east
TAGS: Solution, Mitigation
Categories: Education, Red Tide Information, inept government, red tide mitigation method, solutions.
Tags: mitigation, solution
January 11, 2009
In the past we’ve heard from the Florida Government, Mote Marine, START and other government and semi-government entities that “There is no proof that red tide is caused by nutrient pollution. This site provided the evidence and other groups brought to meeting after meeting held by Mote Marine, FWC and others. finally after a few years these organizations and government entities stopped trying to say there was no link.
Several studies have come out recently proving the relations between nutrients like fertilizers from homeowners lawns, golf courses and those oh so important medians between roads (they really need to be fertilized?)
Continued…
Categories: Education, Red Tide Information, Rumors, inept government.
Tags: evidence, polluted runoff, pollution link, research
November 25, 2008
State officials are proposing to eliminate Maine’s red tide monitoring program in order to comply with required budget cuts, a move shellfish diggers fear could drive them out of business.
Commissioner George LaPointe of the Department of Marine Resources says Gov. John Baldacci’s order to reduce its budget by 10%, or $1 million, requires either radical cuts in the marine patrol or the scrapping of all shellfish inspections.
The commissioner acknowledged that the proposal would essentially close Maine’s $50 million shellfish industry but said deep cuts in marine patrol would hurt all of the state’s fisheries.
red tide news story broke by:WCAX.COM Local Vermont News, Weather and Sports.
Categories: Red Tide Information, Rumors, inept government.
December 1, 2007
I’m all for the study of red tide. We can’t ever learn how to control red tide if we don’t study it, in fact. But it downright makes me angry when money that is supposed to be going for the study of red tide is instead diverted to some kind of hustle. That what’s happening with the new “Florida Red Tide Center” here in lovely St Petersburg, Florida.
Continued…
Categories: Florida Red Tide News, News, Red Tide Information, Rumors, inept government.
December 11, 2006
That’s not the only environmental issue they’ve been caught directly lying about. Seems someone at the Governors mansion feels bad about what they’ve been doing and is leaking things to environmental groups and the press! More on that later but for now:
Continued…
Categories: Actions, Education, Florida Red Tide News, News, Red Tide Solutions News, Rumors, inept government.
Tags: evidence, government, lies, proof
October 18, 2006
A government employees group on Tuesday criticized state officials for denying connections between red tide and pollution – a connection that a leading state researcher insists has not been proven. Continued…
Categories: Florida Red Tide News, News, Rumors, inept government.
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