What's Up With the Gulf

Dredging Today – USA: Perdido Key Renourishment About to Begin

2011-11-14T07:20:00.000-08:00

Dredging Today – USA: Perdido Key Renourishment About to Begin: Gulf Islands National Seashore and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers are expected to begin a sand-renourishment project on the south shore of Perdido Key next week.

The project is expected to be completed by the end of December.
Seashore Superintendent Dan Brown said the purpose of the project is to:
- Restore beach that has been lost to erosion through storm action and active shoreline processes.
- Relocate sand deposited within the Pensacola Pass navigational channel.
- Restore the sand that erodes from the island, which is vital to barrier island function and longevity.
The renourishment project with sand taken from the Pensacola Pass channel will be placed along a two-mile segment of shoreline near the eastern end of Perdido Key, park officials said.
The sand is expected to be similar to the existing island sand in grain size, texture and color. In time, the sand placed in what’s called the swash zone –- the near-shore area and up to an elevation of approximately 3 feet near of the sand berm — on the beach will be indistinguishable from the sand already there.
The public may notice unusual concentrations of sea birds that will flock around the work site because the sand slurry discharged from the dredge pipes will include aquatic organisms. The initial discharge will appear grayish or blackish until the finer materials settle out into the water column leaving behind the white sand for which the area is known.
The operation will involve dredges that will remove sand from the borrow area and pump it onto shore through 30-inch pipes. The pipes will place slurry of sand and water on the beach where bulldozers and other construction equipment will be used to place the sand.
Operations will be conducted 24 hours a day, seven days a week until the project is completed. Floodlights will also be used at night to illuminate the project areas. For public safety purposes there will be fencing and personnel on site to restrict access in the active project areas to authorized personnel only.
By Kimberly Blair (pnj)

Senate votes to audit BP claims fund | Pensacola News Journal | pnj.com

2011-11-02T17:04:00.000-07:00

Senate votes to audit BP claims fund Pensacola News Journal pnj.com: Senate votes to audit BP claims fund
WASHINGTON — The fund that compensates businesses and people hurt by last year's oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico would be audited under a measure the Senate approved Tuesday.
The proposal, drafted by Republican Sens. Marco Rubio of West Miami and Roger Wicker of Mississippi, passed as an amendment to a package of spending bills. The vote on the package was 69-30.
The amendment would require the Justice Department to find an independent auditor to review the process that the Gulf Coast Claims Facility uses to evaluate and pay out claims of economic damage as a result of the oil spill.
The claims fund was set up last year with $20 billion from BP.
Kenneth Feinberg, administrator of the compensation fund, has said he would welcome an audit and it should be done as soon as possible.
He cautioned that several competing interest groups would want input in the audit process. Groups representing business interests, environmental agendas and low-income Gulf residents already have lobbied claims fund officials.
"You can't win on this independent audit," he told lawmakers last week.
Rubio voted against the overall spending bill Tuesday because he wants to see more cuts to the $182 billion measure that funds agriculture, transportation, housing, law enforcement and NASA programs. But he said he's glad it includes language requiring the audit.
"This amendment brings us one step closer to an audit that will bring greater transparency to the claims process by providing a full review of the Gulf Coast Claims Facility on behalf of those impacted by the 2010 Gulf oil spill," Rubio said in a statement.
Florida Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson, who co-sponsored the audit proposal, voted for the entire spending package.
A similar amendment introduced by Rep. Jo Bonner, R-Ala., was approved by the House Appropriations Committee in July.
Tuesday's vote follows a hearing last week before the House Natural Resources Committee where Gulf Coast lawmakers angrily said the compensation fund has processed claims slowly and inconsistently, and lacks transparency.

Rep. Steve Southerland, R-Panama City, who sits on the Natural Resources panel, last week called the compensation fund process "a flawed payment system that lacks accountability and fails to account for the tremendous economic growth in North and Northwest Florida over the past two years."
U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder visited Orange Beach in Alabama in July to assess damages from the spill and to meet with Bonner. He met later that month with Feinberg, and both agreed to support plans for an independent audit.
"We are pleased that Mr. Feinberg agreed to the department's request that an independent audit be commenced before the end of the year," Wyn Hornbuckle, a spokesman for the Justice Department, said in an email. "We believe the process will benefit from the input we have received from our Gulf partners over the past several weeks, and we remain on schedule and pressing forward."
Gulf Coast lawmakers are irked that it hasn't happened.
News Journal Washington bureau reporter Ledyard King contributed to this story.

Transocean claims indemnity from fines under BP contract | Pensacola News Journal | pnj.com

2011-11-02T17:00:00.000-07:00

Transocean claims indemnity from fines under BP contract Pensacola News Journal pnj.com: Transocean claims indemnity from fines under BP contract

Depleted oyster beds just need time to rest, biologist says | Pensacola News Journal | pnj.com

2011-11-02T16:59:00.000-07:00

Depleted oyster beds just need time to rest, biologist says Pensacola News Journal pnj.com: Depleted oyster beds just need time to rest, biologist says

4 dead dolphins wash up on Gulf Coast beaches in 5 days; deaths part of 'unusual mortality event' | al.com

2011-10-12T07:04:00.000-07:00

4 dead dolphins wash up on Gulf Coast beaches in 5 days; deaths part of 'unusual mortality event' al.com: 4 dead dolphins wash up on Gulf Coast beaches in 5 days; deaths part of 'unusual mortality event'

Courtesy of blog of al dot com

4 dead dolphins wash up on Gulf Coast beaches in 5 days; deaths part of 'unusual mortality event'
Published: Wednesday, October 12, 2011, 6:29 AM Updated: Wednesday, October 12, 2011, 6:53 AM
By Ben Raines, Press-Register Press-Register
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Print DAUPHIN ISLAND, Alabama -- A dolphin carcass, bloated and violet in the morning sun, was found on Fort Morgan early Saturday, bringing the number lost since the BP oil spill to more than 400.
Three other dolphins have washed up in Alabama in the past week, including a pregnant female on Dauphin Island and a mother and calf pair on Hollingers Island in Mobile Bay.

Courtesy of John C.S. PierceThis dolphin was found on the Mobile Bay side of the Fort Morgan peninsula Saturday morning, one of four found since Friday. The death brings the total number of dead dolphins found since the BP oil spill to more than 400. Federal officials say an "Unusual Mortality Event" has been declared for the Gulf's dolphin population, which have been dying at a rate 5 to 10 times higher than average.
"We should be seeing one (death) a month at this time of year," said Ruth Carmichael, a Dauphin Island Sea Lab scientist tasked with responding to reports of dead dolphins. "We’re getting one or more a week. It’s just never slowed down."
An examination of the Gulfwide death toll, broken down by month, reveals that dolphins continue to die at rates four to 10 times higher than normal. For instance, 23 dolphins were found dead in August, compared to a monthly average of less than 3 each August between 2002 and 2009.
Federal scientists acknowledge they are no closer to solving the mystery behind the "Unusual Mortality Event" that has been sweeping through the Gulf’s dolphin population since March of 2010, one month before BP’s well was unleashed.
But progress has been made, federal officials said, noting that tissue samples are now being sent to various laboratories for analysis. No results have been released.
"We have samples out now, and they’ve been going out for a while," said Jenny Litz, a research biologist with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. "We still have animals stranding. I would say the event is still unfolding."
Blair Mase, NOAA’s point person for all dolphin strandings in the Gulf, said that reports of dead dolphins have remained stubbornly high, meaning a final report is a long way off. She said that most of the casualties now are adults.
Stillborn or juvenile dolphins made up nearly half of the casualties in February and March this year, but 90 percent of the deaths since then have been adults. Scientists said part of the explanation is simply timing. Dolphins typically calve in the spring, meaning pregnant females and newborns are at their most vulnerable between February and May.
Though many believe a link between the BP oil spill and the elevated death rate seems obvious, dolphins actually began dying a month before the spill.
'Unusual mortality event' for dolphins not unheard of
To report dead dolphins

To report dolphin and other marine mammal strandings, call: 1-877-942-5343 (1-877-Whale-help).
In March of 2010, 56 dolphins washed ashore in the Gulf, compared to the seven-year average of 16 for the month.
Mass die-offs of dolphins are not unheard of. Fifty-three dolphins washed up on South Carolina beaches this year, and three or four such events typically occur each year around the country.
The majority of the time, the official cause of death is listed as "undetermined," according to federal records.
What’s unusual about what is happening in the Gulf is the duration of the die-off, now well into its second year. It’s possible, scientists said, that whatever killed dolphins in March of 2010 — be it a cold winter, scarce food supplies, or a virus — meant the population was already in a weakened position when the Gulf spill began.
"Clearly, something is going on. My prediction is that it is not going to stop in the near time, if it is what we’re afraid it might be," said Graham Worthy, a University of Central Florida researcher specializing in examining the blubber layer of dolphins and seals to glean information about their health.
"Earlier this year, with the major die-off of the neonates, one of the ideas scientists were throwing around was the disruption of the food chain. Many folks had speculated that was one possible outcome of the spill."
Worthy said such a disruption could weaken the health of the dolphin population on a broad scale, though he cautioned that he has not received any samples from federal officials for analysis.
"I haven’t seen any of these dolphins and don’t know their physical condition. Without tissue samples, all we can do is speculate," Worthy said. "But there have been some interesting stories lately, about abnormalities in developing fish in Louisiana, and reports of the shrimp catch being way, way down this year. Something similar happened after Exxon Valdez, where they had record catches the year after the spill, then a number of species crashed and have never recovered."
Carmichael said the scientific community could do little more than guess about the causes of the deaths until the carcasses have been analyzed.
"We don’t know about lesions on the animals, or about the blubber content. Those are the kinds of analyses we are waiting on," Carmichael said. "When they are done we can work as a group all along the coast and figure out what is going on."
Until that time, all researchers can do is count the bodies as they wash ashore.

Related topics: Dauphin Island Sea Lab, dauphin island sea lab, dead dolphins, dolphins, Gulf of Mexico oil spill 2010, Institute for Marine Mammal Studies, ruth carmichael

2011 Gulf Shores Shrimp Festival Entertainment Schedule

2011-10-08T15:17:00.000-07:00

View the following Link at http://www.chuckbarnes.com/ for the 2011 Gulf Shores Shrimp Festival Entertainment Schedule

Link : http://chuckbarnes.com/2011-gulf-shores-shrimp-festival-entertainment-schedule/

Updated: Feds order Transocean to investigate oil floating above well responsible for Deepwater Horizon spill | al.com#incart_hbx#incart_hbx#incart_hbx#incart_hbx

2011-09-28T08:27:00.000-07:00

Updated: Feds order Transocean to investigate oil floating above well responsible for Deepwater Horizon spill al.com#incart_hbx#incart_hbx#incart_hbx#incart_hbx: Updated: Feds order Transocean to investigate oil floating above well responsible for Deepwater Horizon spill

Updated at 6:59 p.m. to reflect BP comment at close of story.
MOBILE, Alabama — The U.S. Coast Guard announced Tuesday that it would require Transocean, owner of the drilling rig that exploded and unleashed the Gulf spill, to determine the source of the BP oil found floating above the wellhead.
The announcement came one month after the Press-Register collected samples of oil bubbling up on the surface of the Gulf of Mexico and sent them to Louisiana State University for scientific analysis.
The newspaper visited the well site 4 days after Bonny Schumaker with On Wings of Care and the Gulf Restoration Network first observed oil on the surface during an Aug. 19 overflight.
Coast Guard Capt. John Burton, commanding officer of the Morgan City Marine Safety Unit, said the agency routinely issues Notices of Federal Interest to companies believed to be responsible for sheens found floating on the Gulf’s surface. He said federal officials do not believe the well is leaking.
Burton said the Press-Register samples, coupled with repeated sightings of sheens in the area by Schumaker and interviews with LSU chemist Ed Overton, suggested that oil originating from BP’s well was making its way to the surface.
The notice stated that the oil on the surface suggests “the possibility of a release from the riser pipe or other debris on the ocean floor from the April 20, 2010, Deepwater Horizon incident.”
“They did the survey of the well, and it doesn’t seem to be coming from there, so we’re looking at other sources. One of the possible sources is the wreckage of the Transocean rig,” Burton said. “One option is to send down a remote vehicle. Certainly a survey of the wreckage, a survey of the riser pipe is appropriate.”
The notice also says that Transocean may be responsible for debris removal costs.
"If a volume of oil has remained in the riser, there is no question that it is oil from BP’s Macondo well," Transocean PR spokesperson Lou Colasuonno said in an email.
"As owner and operator, BP is the responsible party for all fluids that emanated from the Macondo well head, and BP has repeatedly acknowledged that responsibility. Transocean has accepted responsible party status for rig fluids, such as diesel fuel, consistent with the law. We take this very seriously, and we are committed to working with BP, the Coast Guard, and other parties to investigate these reports."
In the weeks after LSU’s Ed Overton described the Press-Register’s oil samples as a “dead ringer match” for oil from BP’s well, federal officials suggested the oil might have come from another source, such as a natural seep.
Overton, who did much of the government’s oil sampling work during the BP spill, conducted additional analyses suggested by BP and federal scientists and ruled out natural seeps and nearby production wells.
He urged officials to conduct a thorough survey of the wreckage of the Deepwater Horizon using machines designed to sniff for oil underwater to determine the source of the oil on the surface.
Petroleum engineers have said it was important to rule out other, more remote possibilities, such as oil bubbling up around the outside of the sealed well.
“Transocean will come up with the best way to determine if they are the responsible source,” Burton said.
A BP spokesman said the company would work with the Coast Guard to identify the source of the oil at the site.
"As we have said and the U. S. Coast Guard now confirms, the Macondo well is not leaking oil and is not the source of the sheens," said spokesman Ray Melick. "We will continue to cooperate with the Coast Guard to investigate other possible sources, including Transocean's riser

Baldwin County commissioners vote 3-1 to proceed with $11.95 million BP claim | al.com

2011-08-28T21:20:00.000-07:00

Baldwin County commissioners vote 3-1 to proceed with $11.95 million BP claim al.com: Baldwin County commissioners vote 3-1 to proceed with $11.95 million BP claim

BP Contractor attempting to remove Tarmats from the Surf Zone in Perdido Key FL

2011-05-13T15:35:00.000-07:00

BP Contractor is attempting to remove Tarmats in the Surf Zone in Perdido Key, FL

A BP Contractor has been working the last three days on the Beaches of Perdido Key, FL to remove large areas of tarmat in the surf zone near Eden Condominiums.

I was able to gain access to the area on Thursday afternoon 5-12-11 and take som photo's of the operation.

This is their machine of choice. The process is seems slow and deliberate. The operator seems to be sifting through the surf zone until he sees enough black and then he dumps the content of the bucket into a blanket that is laying out on the beach.

Sifting taking place

Sad version of BP Beach Blanket Bingo!

The Day's Haul

I am obviously happy they are going after the subsea oil, but I realize that this is basically just a media event.

BP working to remove tar mats on Perdido Key | Pensacola News Journal | pnj.com

2011-05-11T12:41:00.000-07:00

Originally Published by the Pensacola News Journal

BP working to remove tar mats on Perdido Key | Pensacola News Journal | pnj.com: "BP working to remove tar mats on Perdido Key"

BP contractors have begun work today to remove two more submerged oil mats just off the beach near Eden Condominium on Perdido Key.

The process is expected to take four days for each tar mat, weather permitting, said Floyd Sanders, section planning chief for BP’s Florida restoration organization.

These oil mats were discovered in late April by a shoreline assessment team of representatives from BP, Florida Department of Environmental Protection and the Coast Guard. One mat is just east and the other just west of the oil mat that was removed in March. Sanders said.

The mats are in about 3 feet of water and are being removed by an excavator sitting on the beach. The excavator is able to dig up the underwater mats that are buried in the sand on the Gulf floor. The excavator’s arm can reach up to 45 feet offshore.

Once the job is completed, the areas will be reassessed to make sure all of the mats were removed, Sanders said.

The operations are independent of, but coincide with, a plan BP is about to launch to test a number of sonar methods to search for suspected tar mats farther offshore – between water that is four feet deep out to the edge of the second sand bar -- along Pensacola and Perdido key beaches. That operation is expected to take more than two months.

Editorial: Gulf research is critical

2011-05-11T08:38:00.000-07:00

Editorial: Gulf research is critical

Originally Published by Pensacola News Journal

Link: http://www.pnj.com/article/20110511/OPINION/105110309/Editorial-Gulf-research-critical?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|FRONTPAGE|p

Concerns about sick red snapper and other fish in the Gulf of Mexico make clear the importance of continued, long-range research into the environmental impact of the BP oil spill.

The layman's logical step is to conclude that the problems in the fish — including skin lesions, spots, liver blood clots and fin rot — are connected to the oil spill. But scientists admit they don't yet know the cause, and that it could be something else.
Maybe it's a natural condition that has been exacerbated by the stress the spill induced in fish.
A roster of state and federal agencies testing seafood assure us that it is safe. They report no traces of oil-related chemicals being found in commercially available seafood. But perhaps their testing method — obtaining fish from local seafood markets across the Gulf Coast — selects out the sick fish because fishermen don't try to sell them to the markets, or else the markets won't buy them.
That could simultaneously mean that seafood available for sale is indeed safe, but that there are also sick fish out there.
It could also raise concerns about how long the fish are sick before these problems manifest themselves. Could the sickness in the fish make them unhealthy for human consumption even though they don't show any signs of oil contamination at that point?
It shows the complexity involved in trying to identify environmental problems.
Dick Snyder, director of the University of West Florida's Center for Environmental Diagnostics and Bioremediation, made the point well: "Cause and effect is a huge problem for environmental work. You see anomalies in fish. Is it oil related? How do we prove it? We can make the connection with economic stuff. But after the oil is gone, how do you definitely say the fish are sick because of the oil spill?"
Snyder said that we might never know the full impact. But the only real chance we have is to continue the research, and to increase the focus anytime a specific problem surfaces.
Certainly, this problem is one that bears more intense scrutiny

Greener plan for Saufley landfill pitched | Pensacola News Journal | pnj.com

2011-05-10T09:12:00.000-07:00

Greener plan for Saufley landfill pitched | Pensacola News Journal | pnj.com: "Greener plan for Saufley landfill pitched"

Greener plan for Saufley landfill pitched
Local company says it can clean site safely, affordably

8:30 AM, May. 10, 2011 | 3Comments
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Written by
Jamie Page
jepage@pnj.com Filed Under
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A chemist puts black, oil-saturated sand into a glass beaker, adds water and a clear plant-based cleaner, and swirls the now jet-black water.

Within minutes the sand becomes visibly clean and the oil eventually separates from what is seemingly clear water.
The demonstration held Monday in a University of West Florida laboratory holds promise that the same industrial technology can clean debris, soil and contaminated groundwater at Saufley Field Landfill and avoid taking most of the waste to an expensive lined landfill, says Bio Blend Technologies.
The Cantonment-based company, which conducts its research and development at UWF, also says its processes can be done at a significantly lower cost than Escambia County would spend hauling all removed Saufley debris to the county's lined Perdido Landfill.
That's the county's current plan for cleaning up Saufley, an abandoned, mismanaged construction and demolition debris (C&D) landfill that the Florida Department of Environmental Protection has said is contaminated.
The original plan was to haul Saufley material that "appears to be" C&D debris to other C&D pits, such as Rolling Hills or Longleaf C&D landfills.
But after the News Journal wrote a story about how residents in those communities planned to fight the decision because they feared their groundwater would become contaminated from the waste, commissioners voted unanimously to send all Saufley waste to a lined landfill.
"The people who live around Saufley can assure you that what they saw go in Saufley Landfill was unimaginable, things like refrigerators and air conditioners where Freon could have leaked into the ground. They said caskets were put in there, medical waste and materials from old buildings that may have had asbestos in it," said Commissioner Wilson Robertson, whose district includes Saufley.
Robertson, last week, moved for all waste removed from Saufley to go to Perdido Landfill.
"So, we have committed to taking it all to a lined landfill," he said. "But with this technology, if the Department of Environmental Protection is on board and there is a better way to do this, we are open to considering it. Safety is number one here."

Bio Blend representatives made the lab presentation to show a group of elected officials, engineers, environmentalists and others stakeholders how its plant-based liquids work in hopes of eventually getting a county contract to clean up Saufley.

After seeing the presentation, Robertson said he would be open to allowing the company to meet with county engineers and create a small test site at Saufley Landfill to determine whether the technology could work there.
The Bio Blend cleaners can leave the water they clean in drinkable condition, meaning the water can be reused, said David O'Neill, president/CEO of Bio Blend Technologies.
Roger Kubala, COO of the company, also claims the product can clean the contaminated groundwater wells and contaminated soil at Saufley in an environmentally green way.
As proposed, Bio Blend also would use another of O'Neill's Cantonment-based companies, Enviro Pro Tech, for the landfill cleanup.
EPT uses a trommel machine that takes a mixture of things like wood, concrete, metals and dirt, and grinds, screens and separates them into separate piles by material for recycling. As the debris is fed through the machine it is sprayed with a Bio Blend cleaner that its makers say will remove all contaminants and leave no harmful by-products.
EPT currently provides environmental monitoring services to Rolling Hills C&D Landfill, the only C&D pit in the county that recycles construction waste.
State Sen. Greg Evers, R-Baker, also attended the presentation, where he said he would like to see the Saufley mound brought down to ground level if state and U.S. Navy funds are available to assist with it. And Robertson agrees.
Currently, the plan is to take off 20 to 30 feet of the top of the 58-foot mound.
Evers favors the Bio Blend/EPT method of dealing with Saufley's waste.
"I don't care where the waste is taken, but if we are concerned about people's health and the odor that is going to be generated out there, well, if they want to use something to actually break down the contaminants then that's great," Evers said.

"But I have a problem with just hauling off the raw contents from the landfill without treating it and trying to be as safe as possible."

Bio Blend used its technology to clean up an active gas station in Escambia County. After 30 years as a gas station, it had contamination from three underground storage tanks and dispensers that occurred prior to 1996.
The gas station owner first tried a different remedial cleanup method starting in July 2002, and after four years had limited results. Then Bio Blend was hired and after 77 days of treatment, nearly 99 percent of the contamination was removed and the gas station continued operating during the cleanup, O'Neill said.
The cost was $575,000 compared to $1.2 million spent using the previous unsuccessful method, O'Neill said.
It's unclear whether the product has DEP's approval. The county's DEP representative who inspected Bio Blend's work at the local gas station could not be reached for comment.
Bio Blend said its process also could be used to clean up the BP oil spill.

Sick fish in Gulf are alarming scientists | Pensacola News Journal | pnj.com

2011-05-08T08:38:00.000-07:00

Sick fish in Gulf are alarming scientists | Pensacola News Journal | pnj.com: "Sick fish in Gulf are alarming scientists"

Sick fish in Gulf are alarming scientists
Unusual number a 'huge red flag' to scientists, fishermen

11:00 PM, May. 7, 2011 | 82Comments
Red snapper with abnormal stripes caught by a local commercial fisherman. Scientists are seeing a growing number of Gulf fish with lesions and other health problems and are conducting tests to determine whether they are related to the BP oil spill. / Special to the News JournalTwitterFacebookShare
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Written by
Kimberly Blair
kblair@pnj.com Filed Under
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Zoom Red snapper with a skin lesion and fin rot caught by a local commercial fisherman. / Special to the News JournalFish health
Some of illnesses scientists are concerned about may be signs of compromised immune systems and include:

» Fin rot: When bacteria eats away the fins of a fish.

» Skin lesions: Ulcers or infections on the skin of a fish that may be caused by a wound not healing properly.

» Skin pigmentation: Fishermen are finding red snapper with odd black pigmentation.

» Parasites: Fungus, bacteria, worm or crustaceans.

» Liver damage: Blood clots where liver is hemorrhaging.

What's next?

Preliminary results of UWF's research may take months. Research will continue until enough data is collected to better understand what is happening, and if there is a real problem or if the occurrences of sick fish are random. Data collected will go through scientific review and be published.
Scientists are alarmed by the discovery of unusual numbers of fish in the Gulf of Mexico and inland waterways with skin lesions, fin rot, spots, liver blood clots and other health problems.

"It's a huge red flag," said Richard Snyder, director of the University of West Florida Center for Environmental Diagnostics and Bioremediation. "It seems abnormal, and anything we see out of the ordinary we'll try to investigate."
Are the illnesses related to the BP oil spill, the cold winter or something else?
That's the big question Snyder's colleague, UWF biologist William Patterson III, and other scientists along the Gulf Coast are trying to answer. If the illnesses are related to the oil spill, it could be a warning sign of worse things to come.
In the years following the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill in Alaska's Prince William Sound, the herring fishery collapsed and has not recovered, according to an Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Trustee report. The herring showed similar signs of illness — including skin lesions — that are showing up in Gulf fish.
Worried that same scenario could play out along the Gulf Coast, Patterson is conducting research on the chronic effects of the BP oil spill on Gulf fish. And he sees troubling signs consistent with oil exposure: fish with lesions, external parasites, odd pigmentation patterns, and diseased livers and ovaries. These may be signs of compromised immune systems in fish that are expending their energy dealing with toxins, Patterson said.
"I've had tens of thousands of fish in my hands and not seen these symptoms in so many fish before," said Patterson, who has been studying fish, including red snapper, for 15 years. "All those symptoms have been seen naturally before, but it's a matter of them all coming at once that we're concerned about."
He's conducting the research with some of the $600,000 in BP money distributed to UWF from $10 million the oil company gave to the Florida Institute of Oceanography in Tampa to study the impact of the spill.
Higher scrutiny
As part of his studies, Patterson is collecting samples at targeted sites in the Gulf and from commercial fishermen. Samples from his targeted sites have shown fewer problems than those from fishermen.

While Patterson is alarmed, he's quick to point that the Gulf's ecosystem never before has been scrutinized as closely as it is now, or by so many scientists.

"Are we looking more closely, or are these unusual?" he said.
Sick fish have been reported from offshore and inshore waters from Northwest Florida to Louisiana, he said. Scientists are trying to figure out how prevalent these abnormalities are and their cause.
In that pursuit:
» Patterson and Florida A&M University scientists are conducting toxicology tests to find out if the fish were exposed to hydrocarbons or oil. Results are not final.
» Scientists at Louisiana State University's veterinarian school are in the Gulf looking into what microbes might be causing the diseases.
» Pensacola marine biologist Heather Reed is studying red snapper for a private client using broader testing methods than mandated by the federal government, which she says are not adequate.
"I've been testing different organs in game fish that have been brought to me, and I'm seeing petroleum hydrocarbons in the organs," said Reed, the environmental adviser for the City of Gulf Breeze. "I was shocked when I saw it."
She is trying to secure grants to continue that research and is talking to federal and state officials about her findings, she said.
All the studies are aimed at one goal: "To find out what is really going on and get things back to normal," Reed said.
Solving the mystery
But both Reed and Patterson say it's hard to determine just how many fish are being found sick because many commercial fishermen are reluctant to report their findings to state and federal officials out of fear fishing grounds will be closed and their livelihoods will be put at risk.
But at the same time, to protect the future of the Gulf, Patterson said, the fishermen quietly are asking scientists to look into what is happening.
Clay Palmgren, 38, of Gulf Breeze-based Bubble Chaser Dive Services, is an avid spear fisherman who has about 40 pounds of Gulf fish in his freezer. He has not seen sick fish so far, but he said many of his angler friends, both recreational and commercial, are talking about catching fish that appear abnormal.

"I'm 100 percent glad scientists are looking at this," he said. "I'm concerned with the health of fish, and I think it will take a couple of years for the (toxins) to work up the food chain. I think that's a shame."

Patterson's studies and those of other scientists delving into this mystery of the sick fish are not trying to determine whether the seafood is safe for public consumption.
"There is fish health and human health, and we're concerned about the sublethal effects of the oil spill on communities of fish," he said.
Findings so far demonstrate that studies need to continue far into the future, he said.
The $500 million BP has provided for long-range research on the Gulf oil spill will ensure "people will be examining the impacts for the next decade," Patterson said.
The cause of the fish illnesses may be hard to nail down, Snyder said.
"Cause and effect is a huge problem for environmental work," Snyder said. "You see anomalies in fish. Is it oil-related? How do we prove it? We can make the connection with economic stuff. But after the oil is gone, how do you definitely say the fish are sick because of the oil spill?
"We may never know, and that's the frustrating thing."

FT.com / Companies / Oil & Gas - Exxon chief says BP lost time

2011-04-19T20:53:00.000-07:00

FT.com / Companies / Oil & Gas - Exxon chief says BP lost time: "Exxon chief says BP lost time"

GO to the LINK to View the Video!
http://video.ft.com/v/910041966001/BP-one-year-on

Exxon chief says BP lost time
By FT reporters

Published: April 19 2011 21:10 | Last updated: April 19 2011 21:10

BP lost valuable time at the height of its devastating accident in the Gulf of Mexico last year pursuing solutions to contain the oil spill that were never going to succeed, the chief executive of ExxonMobil has claimed.

In a sharp criticism of the handling of the disaster, Rex Tillerson said Exxon’s engineers knew that one of BP’s initial efforts to stem the oil flowing from the ruptured Macondo well – by building a containment dome – “wasn’t going to work”.

More FT videoEDITOR’S CHOICE
Silent minute to mark year of change at BP - Apr-19.BP clean-up costs to soar, say experts - Apr-19.Graphic: how the BP spill happened - Apr-19.Video: BP one year on - Apr-19.California steps out on bold green venture - Apr-18.Testing times await disaster response units - Apr-17..“We knew they were going to form hydrates [a type of ice], which they did,” he told the Financial Times on the eve of the first anniversary of the accident which killed 11 workers and led to the worst offshore oil spill in US waters. There was, he added, “a significant loss of time while they pursued that option and while that was going on, the integrity of the well itself was deteriorating daily”.

He said: “So I think there was some time lost pursuing some alternatives that most of us felt that in the end were not going to be successful – and with the loss of time the challenges just got greater.”

Exxon, he said, had learnt over the years that in crisis situations like the Gulf accident, companies needed to act quickly and aggressively “because these situations only get worse with time”.

Mr Tillerson has formerly criticised BP about its assessment that there are industry-wide lessons to be drawn from the Deepwater Horizon accident – but his remarks about the handling of the crisis are the most specific to date.

BP responded: “We made all efforts to contain the well and worked closely with industry, US federal agencies and regulators on proposals to respond to the incident at the time. Our response drew on all of those.”

Mr Tillerson said he would be concerned if the public or regulators were to be told that “this industry was operating on the edge of its capabilities as we moved into ever-deeper water”. He added: “[That] flies in the face of 14,000 wells that were drilled without this happening.”

A year after the accident, only 10 fresh drilling permits have been issued in the gulf. “We are not back to business as usual. I can’t really see the end,” Mr Tillerson said.
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Seashore wants to set record straight about oil on beaches | Pensacola News Journal | pnj.com

2011-04-15T08:43:00.000-07:00

This our Friend: "Citizens for a Clean Coast" HE IS DOING A GREAT JOB KEEPING UP ThE PRESSURE.

Seashore wants to set record straight about oil on beaches | Pensacola News Journal | pnj.com: "Seashore wants to set record straight about oil on beaches"

Dan Brown, superintendent of Gulf Islands National Seashore, received an email this week from Citizens for a Clean Coast implying the Seashore is misleading the public about how much oil is still on the beaches of Fort Pickens and Perdido Key.

Brown wants the public to know the Seashore has never claimed to have cleaned up all the BP oil.

"There’s still is subsurface oil out there,” he said. “And in some places wind has exposed it.”

Citizens for a Clean Coast maintains a blog that is compiling stories and news about the Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill from contributors. Some of the information is excerpts from news stories. Contributors post updated photos of tar balls and mats they find on area beaches, including those in the Seashore.

The Seashore has been very open about the fact that submerged oil will continue to be uncovered and tar balls will continue to wash up, Brown said.

And that’s because deeply buried oil was only mechanically removed in the recreational portions of the Seashore, and this only came after much debate with National Park Service scientists, he said.

They recommend no mechanical cleanup of submerged oil on beaches at all because of concerns about damaging the ecosystem. The Park Service position was to let the oil naturally biodegrade, Brown said. That process could take decades, he said.

None of the non-recreational stretches of beaches have been deep cleaned below 6 inches, Brown said. “We had recommended no further cleaning to allow waves and wind to expose the areas so it would be easier to clean up and not have as much impact on the marine life in the sand,” he said.

Fort McRae, at the mouth of Pensacola Pass, on the tip of Johnson Beach, is the most oiled area. And it’s an area for which the Seashore is receiving the bulk of complaints.

Cleanup at that area and all along the Seashore beaches stopped on March 1 because of bird nesting season and likely won’t resume until after Aug. 15, at the end of nesting season, Brown said.

Small numbers of BP cleanup crews and Seashore rangers do monitor the beaches and clean up tar balls along the surf line on a regularly basis.

Under some circumstances the Seashore may cleanup larger tar mats that become exposed, only if birds and their chicks are not in the area.

BP searching for underwater tar mats near Northwest Florida beaches | Pensacola News Journal | pnj.com

2011-04-15T08:40:00.000-07:00

THIS IS HUGE IF IT IS DONE RIGHT!!!

BP searching for underwater tar mats near Northwest Florida beaches | Pensacola News Journal | pnj.com: "BP searching for underwater tar mats near Northwest Florida beaches"

PNJ.COM/BEACHES: What's new at Pensacola Beach this year? Visit our beaches page for tons of information on where to eat, where to party, where to shop and where to play at the beach this summer.
BP has completed a tactical plan for locating and removing underwater tar mats near Northwest Florida shores, and specialized equipment is being moved in to begin the process.

Several Escambia County officials traveled to New Orleans last week to meet with BP representatives, cleanup contractors and Coast Guard officials.

During the meeting, BP officials said acoustic instruments will be used to search for offshore tar mats in areas where tar balls are still washing ashore.

Once tar mats are located, they will be recovered using dredging, vacuuming and excavation techniques, as well as other methods, officials said.

The full BP report outlining the plan should be released to county officials this week.

County officials said the plan was a step in the right direction, but they made clear that they wanted a complete survey of local shorelines, not just targeted searches near areas of known oil.

“We are happy with the commencement of this operation but still feel the scope may be too narrow,” Escambia County Director of Community Environment Keith Wilkins said.

Deadline approaching for those wishing to sue Transocean over Deepwater Horizon disaster | al.com

2011-04-15T08:16:00.000-07:00

Deadline approaching for those wishing to sue Transocean over Deepwater Horizon disaster | al.com: "Deadline approaching for those wishing to sue Transocean over Deepwater Horizon disaster"

MOBILE, Ala. -- People have less than a week to get involved in a lawsuit against Transocean, the owner of the Deepwater Horizon rig, in connection with last year’s oil spill.

U.S. District Judge Carl Barbier, based in New Orleans, set an April 20 deadline for plaintiffs to sign up for a February 2012 trial of the Transocean case.

The trial is part of the multi-district litigation blaming Transocean, BP PLC and several others for last year’s Gulf of Mexico spill. More than 40,000 individuals and businesses have signed up as plaintiffs so far, according to Stephen Herman, one of the lawyers on the plaintiffs steering committee.

The 2010 spill poured an estimated 200 million gallons of oil into the Gulf, savaging the tourism and fishing seasons in a wide coastal region.

Transocean is trying to invoke a maritime law that would limit its liability to $27 million.

But according to a document released by Barbier’s court, the trial might also determine much larger issues, such as how fault could be divided amongst defendants and whether any defendant is liable for gross negligence, which could form the basis of a punitive damage award.

If people do not sign up for the trial, they risk losing the benefit of any ruling made against the drilling rig giant, said Joy Patterson, a spokeswoman for the Alabama Attorney General’s Office.

People who miss the deadline can still pursue a lawsuit against BP PLC or other parties linked to the spill, she said.

"It’s all about preserving rights," Herman said. "The only way you risk anything at all is by not filing by the deadline."

Anyone who believes they suffered damage from the oil spill can join the lawsuit by filling out a form and mailing it to the U.S. District Court in New Orleans, postmarked by April 20.

For more information about the form, or a copy to fill out, go online to www.laed.uscourts.gov/OilSpill/OilSpill.htm. People can also call 1-877-497-5926 or consult with a lawyer.

The form should be mailed to: Clerk of Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana, 500 Poydras St., New Orleans, LA 70130.

Gulf oil spill: Environmental official more optimistic as anniversary approaches | al.com

2011-04-15T08:15:00.000-07:00

Gulf oil spill: Environmental official more optimistic as anniversary approaches | al.com: "Gulf oil spill: Environmental official more optimistic as anniversary approaches"

GULF SHORES, Alabama -- Almost a year after mobilizing to deal with the biggest oil spill in history, environmental officials looked out over a Baldwin County beach where tourists sunbathed on white sand and pelicans soared overhead.

The worst predictions about the effects of the spill did not happen, Bob Haddad, chief of the Assessment and Restoration Division of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, said standing on the beach of the Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge. Officials will be working for a long time, however, to determine what the long-term impact of that Deepwater Horizon spill will be, he said.

"Twelve months ago, I was ramping up to try to put natural resource damage teams across almost 2,000 miles of coastline," Haddad said. "This has been the largest accidental oil spill in the world, not just in our history. Sure, I was pretty pessimistic 12 months ago. In some cases I’m less pessimistic now, more optimistic. I think the shoreline issues now as we work through those we are going to find what those injuries look like."

Haddad and other environmental officials toured the refuge as part of several days of inspections of sites hit by the spill.

During the spill, birds, mammals and marshes were coated in oil. What was not so obvious was the effects that cannot be seen right away, Haddad said.

30,000 turtle eggs moved

At the wildlife refuge in Gulf Shores, 30,000 sea turtle eggs were moved to Atlantic coast beaches. No one will know for years if those turtles will return to Alabama when the time comes to lay their eggs or if a generation of animals will be lost. The effect of the oil on the predators at the top of the food chain also might not be clear for decades.

Haddad said NOAA officials are preparing a report on the environmental impact of the spill to be used by the federal government to seek compensation. He said he did not know when the Natural Resource Damage Assessment would be ready.

"We need to make sure we understand the totality of the injuries before we settle and let anybody off the hook, whether it’s BP or any of the other responsible parties," he said.

Haddad said some data gathered as part of the assessment has not been released to the public because the information could be used in civil or criminal court cases.

Jereme Phillips, manager of the Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge, said officials have been working in the last year to protect and clean the refuge, which includes about five miles of undeveloped beaches.

Berms were built after the April 20 spill to protect the dune system and areas such as Little Lagoon.

Work continues to clean the beaches, but officials are also trying to be sure that the cleaning efforts do not disturb sensitive areas. He said cleaning equipment is not allowed at the edge of the surf line, an area known as the wrack, where birds often feed and small fish and other animals congregate.

Now, they are waiting to see how the wildlife, such as the sea turtles, responds this year. In about a month, the turtles will return to lay eggs on the sand. He said 20 to 30 nests are built on the refuge beaches in an average year.

Auburn University beach study could be ready by end of month in Baldwin County | al.com

2011-04-15T08:14:00.000-07:00

Auburn University beach study could be ready by end of month in Baldwin County | al.com: "Auburn University beach study could be ready by end of month in Baldwin County"

ORANGE BEACH, Alabama -- An Auburn University report on the cleanliness of the city’s beaches could be ready by the end of the month.

Joel Hayworth, an engineering professor with the university, told the City Council on Tuesday that he would start the first of six beach sample collections this week.

Hayworth is working with fellow engineering professor Prabhakar Clement on scientifically proving whether the beaches were thoroughly cleaned after the BP oil spill.

They were hired by the city in February for about $100,000 to analyze the sand after the oil giant spent months on a deep-clean process, removing tar buried as deep as 3 feet below the surface.

In Orange Beach, Mayor Tony Kennon sent crews to the sand with augers to determine whether anything was left behind. Kennon has said that little tar was located, but workers marked spots where it was found.

The city approved the Auburn study after Hayworth suggested a more scientific approach.

The professors had initially hoped to reveal some preliminary findings by the anniversary of the April 20 Deepwater Horizon explosion, but Hayworth said they had run into delays.

They spent the past two months on preparation work and getting the OK to collect samples from Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge, an area impacted by the oil spill where BP was asked not to perform a deep beach clean in order to protect sensitive habitat.

Hayworth said the Bon Secour samples would be collected to compare differences in the sand.

The professors plan to continue analyzing their data well after they submit their report to the city, by publishing findings in scientific journals and seeking grants to continue studying the ecosystem of the beaches.

“We anticipate this is going to be a long, drawn-out thing into the future,” Hayworth said.

“All of this is about trying to make sure that our friends don’t leave town without really addressing this all the way.”

The two also completed a review of dispersant analysis collected by the city, but Hayworth said he was not prepared to release the findings because their report was not final. He expected that to be released at the end of this month, as well.

The city spent months collecting air, water and sediment samples to test for oil and dispersants, reaching out to scientists at the Dauphin Island Sea Lab, along with universities around the state, to help analyze what was found.

Officials have said that areas such as Cotton Bayou are free of dispersant.

In other business Tuesday, the council agreed to spend much of its $4 million in excess revenue from 2010 on The Wharf Conference Center, now known as the Orange Beach Civic Center.

The majority will go toward the $1.6 million purchase, upon which the council agreed last month, with an additional $500,000 of excess revenue spent on capital upgrades and another $300,000 reserved for additional parking at the facility.

Gulf Seafood Deemed Safe But Still Under Scrutiny : NPR

2011-04-15T07:56:00.000-07:00

PHOTO's DID NOT COME OVER IN THIS POST> GO TO NPR LINK BELOW:

Gulf Seafood Deemed Safe But Still Under Scrutiny : NPR: "Gulf Seafood Deemed Safe But Still Under Scrutiny"

April 14, 2011 The Gulf of Mexico is known for its bounty — blue crab, shrimp, grouper, tuna, oysters — but ever since oil tainted a portion of the Gulf's fishing grounds, the seafood has been a tough sell.

Even though much of the oil that spilled from last April's Deepwater Horizon rig explosion has been cleaned up, the future is still murky for people who make a living plying Gulf waters.

Mike Voisin is a seventh-generation Louisiana oysterman.

"Once it was capped, everybody brought out that proverbial sigh of relief, like 'Whew, we're through this thing.' Well we weren't, and we still aren't," Voisin says.

Voisin is president of Motivatit Seafoods, an oyster processing company in Houma, La. His workers are shucking oysters mostly from Texas these days.

The Biggest Challenge

Before the spill, Louisiana produced half of the oysters sold from the Gulf. Voisin's business was down 60 percent after the spill, and it has been slow to recover. The state's fisheries are projected to lose $74 million this year from the lingering impact of the oil spill.

NOAA technician Chanda Gaines pulls a sample from a tripletail caught in the Gulf of Mexico. The lab puts Gulf seafood through a series of sensory and chemical tests for contamination from the BP oil spill.

NOAA technician Chanda Gaines pulls a sample from a tripletail caught in the Gulf of Mexico. The lab puts Gulf seafood through a series of sensory and chemical tests for contamination from the BP oil spill.
"People are hesitant to buy Gulf shrimp or Gulf product coming out of this oil area," says Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Secretary Robert Barham.

Most oyster grounds are open again. But they're not producing nearly what they did before, in part because of damage caused by flushing freshwater out of the Mississippi River to hold the oil at bay.

But Voisin says the main problem is that customers are afraid.

"The brand for the seafood community is the biggest challenge that we're faced with," he says.

A recent survey of restaurants around the country conducted by Greater New Orleans Inc. shows just how bad the perception is. The economic development group's president, Michael Hecht, says twice as many people now ask about the origin of seafood.

"The implication of course is they're asking about whether it's from the Gulf or whether it's Louisiana seafood," Hecht says.

He says 50 percent of people surveyed nationally now have an unfavorable view of Louisiana seafood. That's a huge swing from a 73 percent favorable view before the spill.

They plan to fight back with a national ad campaign paid for with BP money.

The state of Alabama is already doing that with a new Serve the Gulf campaign.

Seafood samples are placed in Pyrex dishes to await sensory analysis. Inspectors will sniff for the slightest whiff of oil. Samples are also cooked for a taste test to detect any problems.

Seafood samples are placed in Pyrex dishes to await sensory analysis. Inspectors will sniff for the slightest whiff of oil. Samples are also cooked for a taste test to detect any problems.
Seafood Testing

The federal government is also trying to get the word out.

"Test results have been unequivocal. Gulf seafood is safe to eat," says Eric Schwaab, head of fisheries at NOAA.

At the agency's lab in Pascagoula, Miss., sensory analysts spend their days bending over Pyrex dishes and smelling the fish inside for the slightest whiff of oil.

Then they'll have a taste. Seafood samples are also chemically analyzed for hydrocarbons and the dispersant BP sprayed on the oil slick. NOAA's Walt Dickhoff says they've analyzed more than 5,000 samples and all have passed at margins 100 to 1,000 times below levels of concern.

"This is the most tested seafood in history. I'm completely confident it's safe, it's not contaminated," Dickhoff says.

But others aren't so convinced.

"I'm not eating the seafood, and I really think there are questions about its safety," says Anne Rolfes, founding director of the Louisiana Bucket Brigade, an environmental group that helps citizens collect their own samples.

She says their testing has found oil and heavy metals in Gulf seafood at levels the FDA says are not of concern. Rolfes says she has a different definition of tainted.

"It shouldn't be considered normal to have the presence of oil in your shrimp and to have heavy metals in your oyster. What I fear is that we're creating this new normal where you have oil in your seafood and nobody blinks an eye," she says.

Oyster processor Voisin says restoring trust will take time. It took several years to recover from Hurricane Katrina, he says, and he expects to overcome this man-made disaster, too.

"We're not shy about portraying who we are. And in five years, we've been knocked down a few times. But we're getting back up. We're comin'," he says.

Florida Flirts With Deadline To Join Oil Spill Lawsuit : NPR

2011-04-15T07:55:00.000-07:00

Florida Flirts With Deadline To Join Oil Spill Lawsuit : NPR: "Florida Flirts With Deadline To Join Oil Spill Lawsuit"

Eric Thayer/Getty Images
Workers clean oil leftover from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico last month at Perdido Key State Park in Pensacola, Fla. The state has until April 20 to decide whether to join a lawsuit to recoup economic damages.
text size A A A April 14, 2011 from WUSF The one-year anniversary of the Gulf oil spill is April 20; that's also the deadline to join a massive lawsuit to recoup economic damages from the companies involved.

It may seem simple: You get wronged, you sue. But when you up the stakes to include the oiled shoreline of four states and economic damages to thousands of fishermen, hotel operators and restaurateurs, the political waters can get muddied.

Related NPR Stories
Gulf Seafood Deemed Safe But Still Under Scrutiny

April 14, 2011
Gulf Oil Spill: Complete Coverage

April 14, 2011
Florida Gov. Rick Scott isn't making the situation any clearer. He talks tough about getting the state's fair share of the damages: "We will continue to hold BP accountable to Floridians, and the Floridians and the businesses who lost millions of dollars because of the oil spill."

But he's balking at joining a consolidated lawsuit against Transocean, the operator of the Deepwater Horizon rig that exploded last April, killing 11 workers and setting off a massive spill that took months to contain.

As for BP, which leased the rig, Scott says he'd rather negotiate than litigate. Earlier this week, he celebrated a pledge of $30 million from BP to promote tourism in Florida's Panhandle.

Steve Yerrid, who served as special counsel on the oil spill to Scott's predecessor, former Gov. Charlie Crist, has another description of that money: "chump change."

Yerrid has tried to contact Scott with his findings three times. Three times, he got no response. He says the governor owes it to Florida taxpayers to get all the money he can.

"I know that we had a viable claim," Yerrid says. "We can argue over the money — OK, if it wasn't $2 billion, it was a billion; if it wasn't a billion, it was $500 million. It was a hell of a lot of money."

A Pro-Business Governor?

Scott was elected on a pro-business platform. And that, says University of South Florida political scientist Susan MacManus, is coloring his strategy.

"He's reticent to sue — he pursues every other avenue possible," she says. "And I think that this is consistent with his business philosophy."

Louisiana and Alabama aren't hesitating. Those states have joined the lawsuit against Transocean, which is likely to include finger-pointing at who's responsible — BP, Transocean, or oil services company Halliburton.

Alabama's top officials, Gov. Robert Bentley and Attorney General Luther Strange, even recorded a PSA encouraging people in that state to join the lawsuit.

Yerrid says Scott has less than a week to make his decision, or the state may be left out of that settlement.

"This governor has run up on a deadline, which they can minimize, they can ignore or they can utilize," he says. "The problem is, it is a deadline, and I hope we don't end up being dead wrong."

A spokesman for Scott says the state may still sue BP, but they want to keep their options open.

Guy Fieri to host 500-seat dinner on beach in Gulf Shores | al.com

2011-04-14T08:18:00.000-07:00

Guy Fieri to host 500-seat dinner on beach in Gulf Shores | al.com: "Guy Fieri to host 500-seat dinner on beach in Gulf Shores"

GULF SHORES, Alabama -- Celebrity Chef Guy Fieri is hosting a 500-seat dinner on the beach in Gulf Shores this weekend to mark the anniversary of the Deepwater Horizon explosion that sent 200 million gallons of oil into the Gulf of Mexico.

Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism spent $100,000 of BP grant money putting together “Supper on the Sand: A Celebration of the Gulf.”

It’s an invitation-only event that Kim Chapman, spokeswoman for the tourism group, said officials hoped would “showcase safe seafood and safe, wonderful beaches,” while thanking community leaders who helped the area recover from the disaster.

The dinner starts at 4 p.m. at Gulf State Park Pavilion, where a menu of Gulf seafood will be cooked and served on a 175-yard-long table.

Along with Fieri, host of NBC’s “Minute to Win It” and the Food Network’s “Guy’s Big Bite” and “Diners, Drive-ins and Dives,” the event features local chefs Lucy Buffett, owner of Lulu’s at Homeport Marina, and Pete Blohme, owner of Panini Pete’s in Fairhope.

Students from the Faulkner State Community College Culinary Institute also will help with the meal.

YouTube - Cat and Dolphins playing together

2011-04-11T09:22:00.000-07:00

YouTube - Cat and Dolphins playing together: "Cat and Dolphins playing together"

A friend sent this to me off of Youtube, I don't know where or when it took place?

Some of the comments allude to Australia but all of the voices sound very American.

This is what's up with the GULF!! I hope we can see more HAPPY Postings like this in the Month's ahead!

Scientists unsure why dolphins washing up dead - CNN.com

2011-04-07T22:24:00.000-07:00

Scientists unsure why dolphins washing up dead - CNN.com: "Scientists unsure why dolphins washing up dead"

Surfrider Foungation is sponsoring Beach Oil Testing this weekend - Baldwin County NOW - A Gulf Coast Information Source for South Alabama

2011-04-06T06:41:00.000-07:00

Surfrider Foundation is sponsoring Volunteer oil testing on Florida beaches this weekend. The Testing is to take place in South Walton County and Pensacola Beach.

Surfrider Foundation would like to invite any and all volunteers from the surrounding area's to assist in this second phase of testing our area Water and Beaches for oil along Gulf since last year’s oil spill.

The second phase consists of digging three trenches along beaches on April 10 in Pensacola and South Walton County and taking core samples of the sand to submit for results, according to the nonprofit group’s news release.

“Based on our initial results we are seeing heavy settling of oil in our beaches that are not being cleaned up but rather just grinded into place,” the news release stated.

The Surfrider Foundation is a nonprofit environmental group dedicated to protection of the world’s oceans, waves and beaches, according to the release.

For more information, visit the group’s website at http://www.surfrideremeraldcoast.org/ or contact Mike Sturdivant at 850-225-1747 or emeraldcoast@surfrider.org.

BP ends deep-cleaning operation; mayor relieved, activist skeptical | al.com

2011-04-04T07:02:00.000-07:00

BP ends deep-cleaning operation; mayor relieved, activist skeptical al.com: "BP ends deep-cleaning operation; mayor relieved, activist skeptical"

Originally Published by The Mobile Press Register

MOBILE, Ala. -- BP PLC officials said Friday that they have moved all their deep beach-cleaning equipment and personnel from Alabama’s shoreline in time for the tourist season.
BP workers will continue to monitor the beaches and will keep equipment staged nearby to clean any oil or tar balls that wash ashore, company officials said in a news release.
Orange Beach Mayor Tony Kennon said the shift brings with it a sense of relief.
“It’s time to get back to normal and get BP out of our hair,” Kennon said. “It’s time for us to get back to doing what we do well, and that’s entertain our guests.”
Kennon said the sand in Orange Beach is as clean as it ever has been, and good weather over the past month has helped draw large crowds.
Dauphin Island Mayor Jeff Collier said the beaches the public can access on the island are clean. But the west beach, on the other side of the Katrina Cut project, is only about 35 percent clean. BP had to leave it alone because of bird nesting season, but will finish the deep clean there in the fall, Collier said.
Clean enough?
A mid-February federal report indicated that in most areas across the four states most affected by the spill, cleanup operations had already removed as much oil as was practical from shorelines. The report argued that in some cases, further cleaning would do more harm than good from an environmental perspective.
But Casi Callaway, executive director of Mobile BayKeeper, said she doesn’t understand how BP can say it’s done with deep cleaning.
She said that she visited the Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge last week. The beach looked beautiful from far away, she said, but when she got close to the water, she saw small tar balls everywhere.
“I want this to be over more than anybody,” she said, “but the oil is not gone. We’re going to have tar balls every day, probably for the rest of our lives.”
BP spokesman Justin Saia said the level of personnel and equipment staged for the beach monitoring will fluctuate depending on need. The company said in a written statement that at the peak of its deep-cleaning operation, it had more than 1,300 workers and 370 pieces of heavy equipment on Alabama’s shoreline.
Collier said he just wants the workers to be on the beach early.
“We need them out there at sun-up to take look at beaches, clean up anything they find and get off the beach before the public gets there,” Collier said.

USGS Release: 2,000 Year-old Deep-sea Black Corals call Gulf of Mexico Home (3/30/2011 3:19:44 PM)

2011-04-01T15:53:00.000-07:00

USGS Release: 2,000 Year-old Deep-sea Black Corals call Gulf of Mexico Home (3/30/2011 3:19:44 PM): "2,000 Year-old Deep-sea Black Corals call Gulf of Mexico Home"

Originally Published by the USGS March 30, 2011 (see link above)

SANTA CRUZ, Calif. — For the first time, scientists have been able to validate the age of deep-sea black corals in the Gulf of Mexico. They found the Gulf is home to 2,000 year-old deep-sea black corals, many of which are only a few feet tall.
These slow-growing, long-living animals thrive in very deep waters—300 meters (984 feet) and deeper—yet scientists say they are sensitive to what is happening in the surface ocean as well as on the sea floor.
“The fact that the animals live continuously for thousands of years amazes me,” said Dr. Nancy Prouty of the U.S. Geological Survey Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center, who analyzed the coral samples that were collected by the USGS and colleagues as part of several ongoing deep-sea coral ecosystem studies between 2003 and 2009. “Despite living at 300 meters and deeper, these animals are sensitive to what is going on in the surface ocean because they are feeding on organic matter that rapidly sinks to the sea floor. Since longevity is a key factor for population maintenance, recovery from a disturbance to these ecosystems, natural or manmade, may take decades to centuries.”
Reliably age dating the corals, as done in the recent study, is a critical step in using them as natural archives of environmental change.
Like shallow-water coral reefs, deep-sea coral-reef ecosystems are among the most diverse and productive communities on Earth, providing shelter and feeding grounds for commercial and non-commercial fish species and their prey, as well as breeding and nursery areas. Activities that affect both the seafloor and the surface ocean, such as certain methods of petroleum exploration and commercial fishing, can impact these ecosystems.
“We used a manned submersible, the Johnson-Sea-Link, to go to the sea floor and specifically collect certain samples using the sub's manipulator arms,” said Prouty. “Deep-sea black corals are a perfect example of ecosystems linked between the surface and the deep ocean. They can potentially record this link in their skeleton for hundreds to thousands of years.”
The skeletons that these animals secrete continuously over hundreds to thousands of years offer an unprecedented window into past environmental conditions. Age dating used in combination with emerging technologies, such as sampling skeletal material with a laser to determine its chemical composition, enables scientists to reconstruct environmental conditions in time slices smaller than a decade over the last 1,000 to 2,000 years.
Black corals grow in tree- or bush-like forms. Scientists confirmed that black corals are the slowest growing deep-sea corals. They grow 8 to 22 micrometers per year as compared to the shallow-water reef-building coral, typically found in tropical areas like Hawai‘i, which grows about 1 mm per year, or 65 times as fast as black coral. Human fingernails grow about 3 mm per year, or 200 times faster than black coral.
Because black corals get their food from sinking organic matter instead of from symbiotic algae, like their shallow-water counterparts, they need skeletons that are flexible but strong enough to withstand currents that transport food to the colonies. In addition to a constant flow of water bringing them food and oxygen, the corals require a stable substrate, such as volcanic or calcareous rock, or even a shipwreck or oil rig that can serve as a platform for the corals to settle on and build their skeletons.
Black corals can capture and record in their skeletons the history of changing concentrations of carbon in surface waters and the atmosphere. Unlike the skeletons of most shallow-water corals, which consist of calcium carbonate, black coral skeletons are composed mainly of organic matter: successive layers of protein and chitin (a long molecule containing carbon, oxygen, hydrogen, and nitrogen) glued together by a cement layer. These skeletons are very similar to insect cuticles in that they are quite flexible and can thus bend in water currents.
“The flexibility and shiny luster of black coral have made it a precious commodity in the coral jewelry trade and international trade is regulated by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora,” noted Prouty. “In fact, black corals have been harvested for centuries to create charms; the scientific name of the order to which black corals belong, ‘Antipatharia,’ comes from Greek roots meaning ‘against suffering.’”
Like trees, black corals exhibit radial growth, with the oldest skeletal material found in the center and successfully younger material building out toward the edge. Viewed in a horizontal cross section, the black coral’s growth bands resemble tree rings.
USGS scientists and their colleagues, for example, are measuring trace metals and stable isotopes in the black coral skeleton that are related to nutrient supply in surface waters, which in turn may reflect the amount of runoff from nearby land surfaces. With a proper understanding of how these chemical constituents vary over time, scientists can reconstruct a record of environmental changes, such as changes in land-based sources of nutrients and natural variations in climate.
The recent study was part of the USGS Diversity, Systematics, and Connectivity of Vulnerable Reef Ecosystems (DiSCOVRE) Expedition, in which USGS scientists are partnering with other federal agencies, such as the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, as well as several academic institutions, to study deep-sea coral reefs. A full copy of the study can be found online in the Feb. 10, 2011, edition of “Marine Ecology Progress Series.”
An upcoming DiSCOVRE expedition scheduled for summer 2011 will include mapping the sea floor and studying underwater canyons off the coasts of Maryland and Delaware. More information about the deep-sea cruises can be found on the USGS Southeast Ecological Science Center website.

Dead Baby Dolphin on Innerarity Point | INNERARITY POINT, Florida

2011-03-31T11:04:00.000-07:00

Dead Baby Dolphin on Innerarity Point INNERARITY POINT, Florida: "Dead Baby Dolphin on Innerarity Point"

Fort McRee Recon for Tarmats 3-22-11

2011-03-23T09:13:00.000-07:00

3-22-11 Fort McRee Recon for Tarmats

The following are pictures from our trip to Fort McRee on the very east end of Perdido Key. We had some friends in from Germany who are doing a "One Year Later" project on the Oild Spill and we wanted to show them some Tarmats that BP seems to continue to "overlook".

The Gulf Islands Nat Seashore sign at Fort McRee.

Our Track

Melting tarmats

The Big Nasty

Older Oiled Jetty Foundation that is starting to melt and run down the rock!

We have some extremely knowledgable folks who are helping us with locations...

Runny Oil on our beaches ... just what I was hoping for a year later!

If you can look closely in this photo...it's tarmats and tarballs are everywhere. Email me and I will send you the original photo. chuckb61at gmaildotcom.

When I look at this Photo I keep getting the Gilligans Island Theme Song running through my head...... three hour tour...

Particularly Deadly Night on Perdido Key, FL

2011-03-01T06:41:00.000-08:00

One more Juvenile Porpoise and Turtle found this morning on Perdido Key.

I figured my foot would give you some scale.

From Cleanup to Recovery

2011-03-01T05:39:00.000-08:00

From Cleanup to Recovery: "From Cleanup to Recovery"

From Cleanup to Recovery

The relatively few, isolated incidents of oil coming ashore were dealt with quickly and efficiently, say economic developers along the Gulf Coast, but the national press never bothered to report the full story on the cleanup.

Source: Gulf Shores (Ala.) Convention and Visitors Bureau.

In the aftermath of the BP oil spill in the Gulf, what's needed is a massive and expeditious response.

by Ron Starner
ron.starner bounce@conway.com

ine months after the Deepwater Horizon oil rig explosion and ensuing spill in the Gulf of Mexico, the people and communities of the Gulf Coast region are still awaiting the massive relief effort that has never materialized.

Yes, the oil has largely been cleaned up and removed from the Gulf's waters, estuaries and bays, and the Gulf Coast Claims Facility has paid out billions in BP funds to victims of the disaster.

But the real help that is desperately needed, from Florida to Texas, has yet to arrive.

Companies are closing. People are losing their jobs. Whole industries are being shut down. Communities are cutting back services and laying off workers. And the voices of civic leaders are crying out for help.

So far, that aid has been slow in coming, if it has come at all.

"BP's first words to us after the spill were, 'We will make you whole,' " says Bob Higgins, vice president of the Baldwin County Economic Development Alliance in coastal Alabama. "It turned out that this was an overstatement."

Inefficiencies, bureaucratic delays and downright incompetence are all hindering the claims process that was designed to pay restitution to the victims of the spill's economic impact and help beleaguered communities recover.

"More stress has been caused by the broken claims process than was caused by the disaster in the first place," Higgins says. "Without that process being fixed, affected businesses in our region will face a hard road to recovery."

Throughout the five-state region of the Gulf Coast, a clearer picture of the oil spill's devastating effect is starting to emerge.

"The oil spill's effects are expected to last a number of years," according to Samuel Addy and Ahmad Ijaz of the Center for Business and Economic Research at the University of Alabama. "In the worst case, the oil spill results in losses of $3.3 billion in Alabama economic output, $971 million in earnings, and nearly 49,000 jobs for 2010."

The best case results in losses of about $1 billion in economic impact and the loss of 13,600 jobs in Alabama, the researchers conclude in their comprehensive report on the economic impact of the BP oil spill.

Whichever estimate is closer to reality, the bottom line is this: Alabama has been severely damaged by the spill and various public policy decisions and media-generated public opinion in the wake of the disaster.

'We Still Face the Perception Problem'

According to Herb Malone Jr., president and CEO of the Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism agency in coastal Alabama, lodging revenue was down 41.5 percent and retail sales were down 22.9 percent in the summer of 2010 versus 2009 along the state's coast.

Adam Sacks, managing director of tourism economics for Oxford Economics in Philadelphia, extensively studied the oil spill's effect on Gulf Coast tourism in 2010 and concluded that "the interest in beach area vacations along the Gulf Coast plummeted for key destinations."

Among the hardest hit areas, he said, were Gulf Shores, Ala.; Pensacola, Fla.; and Fort Myers, Fla. Hotel bed tax collections were down sharply in Bay, Broward, Escambia, Citrus and Gulf counties in Florida, and recreational sales taxes were down by 50 percent in Franklin County, Fla.

The problem, according to economic development officials along the Gulf Coast, was the media-generated perception that tar balls were washing ashore from Texas to Florida all summer. But that was simply not the case. The relatively few, isolated incidents of oil coming ashore were dealt with quickly and efficiently, they say, but the national press never bothered to report the full story on the cleanup.

"We still face the perception problem," says Chris Laborde, an official with the New Orleans Regional Transportation Management Center and a leader of the multi-state Gulf Coast Alliance. "The perception is that we have oil-tainted beaches and seafood, and that is blatantly not true. And the drilling moratorium by the federal government is a real killer for small businesses, especially for those who sell products and services to the offshore oil and gas drilling, even for shallow draft drilling."

Jeff Helms, vice president of PBS&J in Pensacola and volunteer chairman for Florida's Great Northwest, tells Site Selection that "tourism was hit pretty hard this past summer. Our secondary industries of food and lodging were hit hard in Gulf, Escambia, Franklin, Santa Rosa and Washington counties. Gas stations and fast-food restaurants were hit too. Whenever the beaches suffer, they suffer."

The result was a lost year for tourism and economic development in Northwest Florida, he said. "The perception created by the media hit us badly. It hit our economic development pretty hard," he notes. "We basically skipped a year."

Help that was promised, in the form of relief payments from the $20-billion fund set up by BP, has not come fast enough for the businesses and communities that need it most.

The administration of President Obama took over the relief payment process last summer and assigned that task to new claims czar Ken Feinberg, the official who had earlier presided over the much-criticized relief fund for 9/11 victims.

His track record for helping the victims of the BP oil spill has been even worse, say dozens of business and community leaders interviewed by Site Selection for this article. Queries to the office of Feinberg by phone and e-mail were not returned.

"The bottom line on the claims process is that Mr. Feinberg over-promised and under-delivered," says Helms. "He did make some adjustments, after we complained, and the money started flowing a lot quicker. The problem is that these businesses along the coast were hit, and they have to make 80 percent of their annual revenue in the summer. When it takes such a long time to get your check cut, it is very difficult to pay your workers."

Lack of Accountability Frustrates Local Officials

Help is needed now so that companies can keep their workers employed and so that communities can do remedial marketing.

"If the oil spill fine money is reallocated to the coast, we will be fine," says Helms. "The problem is that we do not want to lose another year. We need some revenue to help the economic development folks reach out and let everyone know we are okay. We need the money to do marketing now, not later."

Higgins adds that the longer Feinberg waits to pay claims, the worse the situation is going to get on the ground. "It is very bad right now. We have 20 mental health people on the ground right here in Baldwin County," he says. "How do we get our arms around this, especially if we don't have the money we need to help these people recover?"

Higgins says that nothing less than a full-scale relief program from Washington is needed to help the region rebuild its economy. "We would like to see programs out of Washington that encourage investment to happen here, similar to the Gulf Opportunity Zone program after Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita in 2005," he says. "We need to incentivize buyers to invest in the entire five-state region."

Donna Watts, CEO of the South Baldwin Chamber, says the sooner that relief arrives, the better. "The impact to our businesses has been dramatic," she says, while fighting back tears borne of anger, frustration and a sense of loss. "The Gulf Coast Claims Facility has been worse than anything I have ever dealt with in my entire life. Our businesses are failing and closing. We are struggling every day, trying to help as much as we possibly can. The money is still not coming to Alabama. We are far, far, far from being made whole."

Appeals for help from Feinberg's office have fallen on deaf ears, says Watts. "The only person I know of who can make a difference in this small area of South Alabama is President Obama, and to get his attention right now is a difficult thing to do," she says. "We have people going out of business who have run their family business for decades. We are seeing our free and reduced-price lunch rolls go up in our schools. Our children who are classified as homeless are increasing. That speaks volumes of our economic crisis here. People are not dying from starvation, but there is human suffering going on here."

Watts wants to make it clear that the proud people of South Alabama do not want charity. "We have said all along that we do not want a handout," she notes. "We don't want to just get a check. We want to help BP save us, and we know how to do that better than anyone else. We know how to recover. Living on the coast, you learn how to do that, but we need a shot at recovery. If you give us a shot at recovery, we will make it work."

Tourism-dependent communities are not the only ones looking to Washington for relief. The hard-hit oil and gas exploration industry is desperate for help as well.

"The moratorium on new oil drilling in the Gulf of Mexico is and was unnecessary from the outset, and the delay of future drilling only adds to the cost burden that American consumers will experience in gasoline and diesel prices," says John Hofmeister, former president of Shell Oil Company and the founder and CEO of Citizens for Affordable Energy.

"The federal government is in shutdown mode," he says. "In six months, the shallow water of the Gulf has received the equivalent number of permits that it used to receive monthly, and there are zero new permits for deepwater — therefore, no new drilling since the May 25 shutdown of the industry. Meanwhile, the rest of the world keeps drilling for oil offshore in deepwater."

A Proposed Four-Step Action Plan

The Houston-based Hofmeister says that while large companies can absorb the impact caused by the moratorium, small businesses cannot. "For the small companies directly dependent on the Gulf of Mexico for most if not all of their livelihood, they are either shut down or operating on longstanding maintenance projects," he says. "The head of the Gulf of Mexico for a major services firm told me in September that they had effectively shut down payments to about 2,000 companies for Gulf of Mexico work."

When asked what was needed to prompt change in Washington, Hofmeister said, "It will take more than industry pressure to move the administration to a different permitting environment. Until American consumers pay an exceedingly high price for gas at the pump, there will be no change in policy."

What's needed to help the devastated economy of the Gulf Coast region is swift and remedial action. A broad-based aid plan should include the following:

Expedited Gulf Coast Claims Facility payments, whereby damaged companies and individuals are recompensed appropriately and quickly. A deadline for paying out the $20 billion in damages should be set and the payment process fixed to match it.
A new GO Zone program, created to specifically jumpstart investment in the hardest hit communities along the Gulf Coast, should be fully funded and ramped up to incentivize new investment into coastal economic development as soon as possible.
The U.S. Department of Interior should scrap its ill-fated, de facto drilling moratorium in the Gulf in exchange for a common-sense policy compiled by a coalition of private industry engineers and government scientists.
An influx of marketing dollars targeting beleaguered industries to help them recover. This should include fishing, tourism, restaurants, recreation, lodging and other industries in Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas.

If Washington would devote the same attention to helping Gulf Coast communities recover from the BP oil spill as it did to helping the victims of Katrina and Rita, then places like Foley and Gulf Shores in South Alabama would recover sooner rather than later.
These communities have already lost one year to the economic fallout of the spill. If they lose another, it will be only because decision-makers in Washington lacked the political will to act.

Oh no! Baby dolphins dying at 10 times annual average in Gulf Coast, scientists said

2011-02-26T06:56:00.000-08:00

Oh no! Baby dolphins dying at 10 times annual average in Gulf Coast, scientists said: "Oh no! Baby dolphins dying at 10 times annual average in Gulf Coast, scientists said"

On Gulf beaches, 5 more dead dolphins discovered, officials say | al.com

2011-02-25T06:59:00.000-08:00

On Gulf beaches, 5 more dead dolphins discovered, officials say al.com: "On Gulf beaches, 5 more dead dolphins discovered, officials say"

Alabama tourism dollars drop $100M after oil spill | pnj.com | Pensacola News Journal

2011-02-12T06:12:00.000-08:00

Alabama tourism dollars drop $100M after oil spill pnj.com Pensacola News Journal: "Alabama tourism dollars drop $100M after oil spill
Associated Press • February 12, 2011"

Alabama tourism dollars drop $100M after oil spill

Associated Press • February 12, 2011

GULF SHORES, Ala. — Tourists spent almost $100 million less visiting Alabama's main tourist beaches last year than the year before the Gulf oil spill, a tourism official said Friday.

The vice president for the Gulf Shores-Orange Beach tourism agency, Mike Foster, said Friday that $144 million was spent in the Baldwin County beach communities of Orange Beach, Gulf Shores and Fort Morgan in 2010. That compares with $241 million in 2009, the year before the spill. The spending figures include money spent at hotels, restaurants and beach-related businesses, such as souvenir shops and beach chair rental stands.
"That is very significant," Foster said.

Associated Press

He said the decrease showed people, concerned by images of oil- and tar-coated sands, stayed away from the beaches. Tourism plummeted across the coast after BP PLC's well in the Gulf of Mexico blew out in April, spewing millions of gallons of crude into the sea. Crews spent weeks clearing oil and tar balls from the beaches.
Foster said the number doesn't include revenues from people who stayed in motels or hotels in nearby communities like Foley or Mobile, or those who made a one-day trip to the shore. He said it also doesn't include revenue lost from tourists who would have stayed in motels or visited restaurants across Alabama on their way to the Gulf Coast.
The loss is probably worse than the numbers show because many merchants, hotels and motels offered large discounts to spur business, Foster said.
The Alabama Attorney General's Office has filed a lawsuit seeking to recover revenue lost by the spill. A spokeswoman for Attorney General Luther Strange, Jessica Garrison, said the tourism figures would be an important part of the overall assessment of damages to the state caused by the oil spill. She said Strange is working with Gov. Robert Bentley to determine Alabama's total economic loss as a result of the oil spill.
State tourism officials said 1 million fewer people visited Alabama's beaches in 2010 than in 2009. That figure was part of an annual report on the state's top tourist attractions.
The report said 3.6 million people visited Alabama beaches in 2010 compared with 4.6 million 2009. While the number of visitors to attractions on the Gulf was down, other attractions across the state showed an increase in visitors in 2010.
Gulf State Park alone recorded 300,000 fewer visitors in 2010 than the previous year.
Advance bookings suggest more people will visit the coast this year, but the numbers aren't likely to hit 2009 levels, Foster said.
"I hope that people who come for spring break take the message home that everything is fine," Foster said.
AP-WF-02-11-11 2331GMT

Keep an eye out to help national bird count | pnj.com | Pensacola News Journal

2011-02-08T18:32:00.000-08:00

Keep an eye out to help national bird count pnj.com Pensacola News Journal: "Keep an eye out to help national bird count"

Keep an eye out to help national bird count

Travis Griggs • tgriggs@pnj.com • February 7, 2011

Bird-watchers across the country will get to use their skills for science this month during the Great Backyard Bird Count.

The event, a joint project of the National Audubon Society and the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, pools the efforts of thousands of amateur bird watchers to count birds near their homes and report their findings to a website.
Audubon and Cornell researchers use the data to learn more about how environmental changes affect birds and how to protect them.
"It gives a picture, a quick snapshot, of where the birds are and how they're doing," said Peggy Baker, a president's council member at the Francis M. Weston Audubon Society.
The count this year is Feb. 18-21. Anyone can participate, from novices to expert bird-watchers. Organizers ask that participants count birds for a minimum of 15 minutes on one day of the event.
Last year, participants submitted more than 97,200 bird checklists, a 4 percent increase over the previous year.
Baker said the event can be an eye-opening experience for local residents.
More information is available at http://www.birdsource.org/, including checklists, guides and other tools to help participants identify and report birds likely to inhabit their area.

Full Oil Spill Recovery By 2012, NOT! (VIDEO)

2011-02-04T08:01:00.000-08:00

Full Oil Spill Recovery By 2012, NOT! (VIDEO)

February 4, 2011 8:08 am

By Debbie Williams
WKRG
Original Article

ORANGE BEACH, Alabama – Looks can be deceiving. There may not be oil visible in the Gulf of Mexico but signs still linger of the impact it had on the gulf coast.
“It is impossible to forecast when all this stuff will be back to normal,” says charter boat captain Ben Fairey. But that’s exactly what Kenneth Feinberg says is contained in a report from a Texas A&M professor and what he is basing his calculations on when paying for damages caused by the BP oil spill.
Fairey calls it premature and reckless. “This hasn’t even been a year so how can we make an informed decision on what the long term recovery of the Gulf of Mexico is?”
To prove his point Fairey says you only have to look back about six years to the west coast of Florida where a red tide incident impacted the gag grouper population.
“That didn’t show up until this past year,” he says, “and unfortunately now the fishermen are not going to be able to harvest gag grouper for the first six months of 2011 because of something that happened at 2005.”
“This is not over just cause someone wants it to be.” Mobile Baykeeper executive director Casi Callaway read the report and says Feinberg needs to do his job. “Feinberg’s job is to deal with the economic impacts to individuals and businesses. it it not to do environmental work.”
She believes there is another reason Feinberg commissioned the report and BP paid for it.
“What Feinberg would like to do, and BP would like to do is wrap everything in a nice little bow and call it finished, and put a timeline on it, and we never have to look at the gulf again.”
According to the study, shrimp in the gulf coast should return to normal harvest levels by 2012, excluding royal red shrimp. Blue crab should be back this year. Oyster reefs could take as long as ten years to fully recover. The recovery of finfish depends largely on how much the juvenile classes were impacted during the disaster.
See video here: http://www.wkrg.com/gulf_oil_spill/article/full-oil-spill-recovery-by-2012-not/1204499/Feb-03-2011_7-35-pm/

Mayor pleased with judge's ruling on claims czar | Fox10tv.com

2011-02-02T20:40:00.000-08:00

Mayor pleased with judge's ruling on claims czar Fox10tv.com: "Mayor pleased with judge's ruling on claims czar"

Updated: Wednesday, 02 Feb 2011, 8:51 PM CST

Published : Wednesday, 02 Feb 2011, 8:49 PM CST

Paige Malone

ORANGE BEACH, Alabama (WALA) - The news that Ken Feinberg must not claim independence from BP was music to Orange Beach Mayor Tony Kennon’s ears.

Wednesday, U.S. District Judge Carl Barbier ruled that claim Czar Ken Feinberg was not independent of BP and he must stop telling claimants that he is.

Kennon said this ruling validates everything they have been saying.

“We do not consider Mr. Feinberg independent of BP. We do not consider his actions in our best interest, the claimants best interest and we do not consider him an advocate as he says he is for the claimants and we see no way he could follow through on BP’s promises to make us whole,” said Kennon.

The judge also said that Fienberg must make it clear to claimants that he is acting on behalf of BP in all of his communications.

Kennon said this is a big step in the right direction.

“At this point and based on this judges ruling the White House needs to recalculate Mr. Feinberg as the administrator and look at some other checks and balances to make sure that the process becomes fair because as it stands now, its not fair,” said Kennon.

Possibly, the next step will be to look further into controversial topics in the claims conversation

Big blob of gunk found in the Gulf | HeraldTribune.com

2011-02-02T14:29:00.000-08:00

Big Blob of Gun Found off Perdido Pass HeraldTribune.com: "Big blob of gunk found in the Gulf"

Big blob of gunk found in the Gulf

PHOTO PROVIDED / UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA
Buy photo
Scientists used a multi-corer to take sediment samples near Perdido Pass, offshore of the Alabama and Florida border. Lab tests found no traces of oil. The goo is made entirely of dead plankton, algae and bacteria.

By Kate Spinner
Published: Wednesday, February 2, 2011 at 10:28 a.m.
Last Modified: Wednesday, February 2, 2011 at 2:25 p.m.
( page 1 of 3 )
From a distance the toxic goo looks like oil, but up close it smells like rotten eggs and wiggles like jelly. Scientists have no idea what it is or how it wound up in the northern Gulf of Mexico, near Perdido Pass.
Related Links:
Map: Underwater gelatinous blob off Perdido Pass | Graphics
Manatee's environmental scourge recast as asset
Call for more Gulf damage study at Mote gathering
Scientists seek insight on BP oil disaster's toll
Sarasota Bay seaweed study focuses on causes of growth

Click to enlarge
A core sample from Perdido Pass taken in Dec. 2010, shows black goo at least 50 centimeters deep.
Buy photo
PHOTO PROVIDED / UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA

Just off the Florida Panhandle coastline, within site of Perdido Key, scientists have discovered an underwater mass of dead sea life that appears to be growing as microscopic algae and bacteria get trapped and die.
Early samples indicate the glob is at least three feet thick and spans two-thirds of a mile parallel to the coast.
No one knows where it came from or where it will go.
Scientists are trying to determine if oil from last year's Deepwater Horizon disaster led to the glob. But tests so far have found no sign of oil.
"It seems to be a combination of algae and bacteria," said David Hollander, a chemical oceanographer with the University of South Florida, describing the substance as "extraordinarily sticky" and toxic.
While scientists have drawn no conclusions about the gooey mat's origin, they are not ruling out a potential connection to the oil spill. Oil gummed and slicked that part of the Gulf for 30 to 40 days during the three-month well gusher, which pumped 186 million to 227 million gallons of crude into the Gulf.
"We don't know all the ramifications, the implications of a spill like this," Hollander said.
He and other scientists plan to return to the glob in a few weeks for more samples. The equipment available on the last cruise was not long enough to reach the bottom of the mat. The bottom sediments could hold important clues about how the glob formed. The scientists also did not have the time or equipment to map out the entire blob.
Researchers found the substance while on a December search for oily sediments on the Gulf floor. Scientists found such sediments, but were diverted when they got a tip about something unusual about a half mile from Perdido Pass.
The environment near the blob is a relatively pristine sloping shelf, where wave action usually sweeps away sediments.
Tests show it had no connection to land, was less than a year old and almost 100 percent biological. Tests also showed that tiny organisms had been getting stuck to the blob and dying as a result.
George Crozier, executive director of the Dauphin Island Sea Lab in Louisiana, said such material is foreign to the northern Gulf coast environment.
"It sounds a lot like an organic deposit, the source of which is frankly very difficult to ascertain," Crozier said.
He speculates that a bloom of algae may have feasted on something - possibly oil - ran out of food and then died. The decaying algae might have then sucked all the oxygen out of the water and killed whatever was in the way.
The blob is equally puzzling to local ecologists who study the coastal resources near Perdido Pass. But it could be one of many strange discoveries that scientists find as they conduct oil spill research. Gulf research has been limited over the decades, so every odd discovery may not have a link to the spill.
"The scrutiny and the eyes and the awareness and the attention on the water these days, people are noticing things they've never noticed before," said Phillip West, coastal resources manager for the city of Orange Beach, Alabama.
But all of the damage caused by the oil and the 1.8 million gallons of chemical dispersants used to break it up will be difficult to trace, especially as time passes.

In his nine years with Orange Beach, West said he has never heard of a substance matching Hollander's description. Occasional mats of decayed marsh muck turn up, but those are far different.
West also is not ruling out a potential link to the oil.
"Ecology tells us there are chains of events that occur for inputs or disturbances in the environment. One thing can lead to another," West said.

Perdido Key park in trouble | pnj.com | Pensacola News Journal

2011-02-02T07:50:00.000-08:00

Perdido Key park in trouble pnj.com Pensacola News Journal: "Perdido Key park in trouble"

Perdido Key park in trouble

Proposed budget cuts could close 53 state parks

Travis Griggs • tgriggs@pnj.com • February 2, 2011

Perdido Key State Park is among 53 Florida parks that could be closed later this year as state officials scramble to meet a nearly $4 billion budget shortfall.

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection included the closures in a budget proposal outlining how it could cut 15 percent from its budget in the upcoming fiscal year, which begins in July.

Perdido Key State Park is a 247-acre barrier island tract, located about 15 miles southwest of Pensacola on Gulf Beach Highway.
"Everybody would just be sick if they closed it. It's lovely," said Ann Griffin, a board member with the Perdido Key Association, a nonprofit advocate for environmental preservation and responsible development. "I hope they would think long and hard before closing it."
The park, which is open from 8 a.m. to sundown, has basic facilities including a parking lot, boardwalk, covered picnic tables and restrooms. It provides a habitat for several endangered species, including the Perdido Key beach mouse, which is one of North America's rarest mammals.
Details of how the closures would be carried out, including how much access the public would have to closed park land, had yet to be decided, said Kristin Lock, DEP spokeswoman.
"The proposed closures are still just that, proposed," Lock said.
Lock said details would be worked out once the state budget gets final approval, which usually occurs in May.
Jim Lane, president of the Friends of Perdido Bay community organization, said that while the park may not be fancy, it is a community asset.
The park is only occasionally attended by state employees, and admission fees of $3 per vehicle and $2 per pedestrian are collected in an "honor system" drop box near the park entrance.
"It seems like it's pretty low maintenance," Lane said.
Low attendance
Statewide, the closures would save $6.4 million per year in expenses but would cost the DEP more than $900,000 in lost park entry fees and other revenues, according to the budget proposal.
Parks selected for the proposed closure list have the lowest attendance numbers and don't offer camping or other overnight accommodations, DEP officials said.
In the 2009-10 fiscal year, 31,133 people visited Perdido Key State Park, DEP officials said, and the park's operating budget was $33,571.
During a legislative committee meeting last week, DEP's deputy secretary for policy and planning, Jennifer Fitzwater, said the agency does not plan to sell any closed park land, because the parks could be reopened at a later date when the budget allows.
Escambia County Commissioner Gene Valentino, whose district includes Perdido Key State Park, said he planned to ask Gov. Scott for more details on the possible park closure during a conference call today.
"I respect very much his aggressive approach at getting our financial matters under control at the state level," Valentino said. "The concern I have is I'm not looking to have the state continue to own property and have local tax dollars maintain it."

Gulf Coast chamber names Island Spirit winner for January - Baldwin County NOW - A Gulf Coast Information Source for South Alabama

2011-01-31T13:32:00.000-08:00

Gulf Coast chamber names Island Spirit winner for January - Baldwin County NOW - A Gulf Coast Information Source for South Alabama: "Gulf Coast chamber names Island Spirit winner for January"

JOE BARNETT The Best Surfer in all of ALABAMA!

GULF SHORES, Ala. —The Alabama Gulf Coast Area Chamber of Commerce Catch the Island Spirit Committee presented its Award for the month of January to Joe Barnett with Barnett Wood Working. At the ceremony, from left, are, Jan Umphrey, Deborah Pineda, AGCACC; Steve Jones, Kaiser Realty; Judy Smith, Vision Bank; Nora Mandoki, Island Spirit Chairwoman; Joe Barnett, Island Spirit Recipient; Linda Whitlock, Ann Motes, AGCACC; Allen McElroy. In addition to a plaque, Joe received an ‘Island Spirit’ lapel pin, a cash award, and a Shrimp Festival gift bag. The Catch the Island Spirit Award is presented each month to an individual who works on our island and offers great customer service to our guests or residents. Do you know someone who deserves this recognition? Contact the Alabama Gulf Coast Area Chamber of Commerce so that your nominee can be considered. Written nominations are necessary. Contact Vicki Stillings at 968-7200 for more information or to download an application, visit www.alagulfcoastchamber.com.

Press Release: N. Gunter Guy Jr. Appointed Alabama Conservation Commissioner

2011-01-24T14:11:00.000-08:00

N. Gunter Guy Jr. Appointed Alabama Conservation Commissioner

January 21, 2011

Alabama Governor Robert Bentley has appointed N. Gunter Guy Jr. as Commissioner of the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Guy is a graduate of Auburn University and the Cumberland School of Law at Samford University. Most recently he practiced law with the firm of Ball, Ball, Mathews & Novak, P.A. in Montgomery.

Guy is a native of Alabama and lives on a family farm near Pintlala, Ala. He is an avid hunter and angler and looks forward to serving as Conservation Commissioner. “I am honored to have been selected by Governor Bentley for this position,” he said. “I have a lifelong love of the outdoors and am looking forward to overseeing the agency that is responsible for managing much of Alabama’s natural resources.”

One priority Guy will have is helping fulfill Gov. Bentley’s directive to state agencies to create jobs. Rebuilding the hotel and convention center at Gulf State Park will be a priority. “We need to get a first class facility built on the Gulf Coast so that in-state and out-of-state groups will have a place to meet in Alabama,” Guy said.

Guy is married to the former Patsy Lynn Wright of Montgomery. They have two children: Catherine, who attends Auburn University, and Ashley, who is a student at Hooper Academy.

The Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources promotes wise stewardship, management and enjoyment of Alabama’s natural resources through five divisions: Marine Police, Marine Resources, State Lands, State Parks, and Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries. To learn more about ADCNR, visit www.outdooralabama.com .

242 sea turtles released into the Gulf of Mexico

2011-01-21T11:09:00.000-08:00

242 sea turtles released into the Gulf of Mexico

Posted from http://www.orangebeach.ws/ Fri Jan 21 2011

January 20, 2011 - Orange Beach, AL (OBA) - Gulf of Mexico (GOM) - Two hundred forty-two cold-stunned sea turtles removed from St. Joseph Bay this winter were released Wednesday into the Gulf of Mexico off Cape San Blas in Gulf County. All were green turtles. Twenty-five Kemp’s ridleys, also rescued from the cold, will be released at a later date, along with green turtles that need additional rehabilitation.

Dedicated volunteers fanned out around the southern end of St. Joseph Bay Jan. 13-16 when a frigid cold front enveloped the South, triggering the third sea turtle cold-stunning event in the bay this winter. Local residents, University of Florida turtle researchers, and volunteers from the St. Joseph Bay State Buffer Preserve braved the cold to search marshy shorelines and inshore waters and to bring the immobile animals to safety. Rescuers took the turtles to Gulf World Marine Park in Panama City Beach, where they were evaluated and warmed. About half of the turtles were then moved to Florida’s Gulfarium in Fort Walton Beach to provide them with more swimming space.

Dr. Allen Foley, a sea turtle biologist who oversees sea turtle rescues for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), said the cold-stunning event was triggered by the latest bout of cold weather, causing the shallow-water temperatures in the southern end of St. Joseph Bay to drop into the 40s.

“Sea turtles can tolerate water temperatures down to about 50 degrees, but when it drops below that, they’re in trouble,” Foley said. “St. Joseph Bay is a long bay that is open only at the north end, and turtles may become trapped when the water cools quickly.” Dr. Robbin Trindell, an FWC biological administrator who oversees sea turtle management efforts, offered high praise for the volunteers who scoured the bay, sometimes several times a day, and for staff at Gulf World Marine Park and Florida’s Gulfarium.

“In addition to efforts by the volunteers and by the marine parks, Florida’s sea turtles are regularly helped by the funds received from the sea turtle license plate program and by grants from the NOAA Fisheries Service, which provide funds needed for the supplies, equipment and transportation used to respond to these events,” she said.

The public can help conserve and fund research for sea turtles by purchasing a specialty license plate or making $5 donations to receive a decal. Every dollar for the sea turtle plate helps sea turtles. Approximately 30 percent of the money goes to the Sea Turtle Grants program, which the nonprofit Sea Turtle Conservancy administers (visit www.HelpingSeaTurtles.org for more information). The other 70 percent of tag revenue goes to the FWC’s Marine Turtle Protection Program to support research and management activities related to sea turtles, such as the rescues during cold weather events.

Plates and decals are available at county tax collectors’ offices.

To report sea turtles near the bay acting abnormally, call the FWC Wildlife Alert hotline: 888-404-FWCC (3922).

Giant Coral Die-Off Found; Gulf Spill "Smoking Gun?"

2010-11-14T08:45:00.000-08:00

Giant Coral Die-Off Found; Gulf Spill "Smoking Gun?"

2010-11-12T15:49:00.000-08:00

Crazy as it sounds we have fresh tarballs washing in on this onshore flow that developed today. They were dotting the beach every 10-15 feet in Perdido Key, FL. This is the exact location where we water tested on 11-4-2010. Photos included.

Water Conditions

This is smaller Quarter Sized Tarball, what worries me about this one is that it is very black and soft (not weathered at all). Therefore concievably it could be more toxic.

Larger Red Weathered Tarball size of a Dollar Coin. My size 10.5 footprint is next to it.

Orange Beach Photo's of Water Testing Nov. 4, 2010

2010-11-05T09:27:00.001-07:00

Photos of Beach Conditions as well as the BP Contractor digging for Black Gold!?!?!

More Photo's of Nov 4, 2010 Water Testing

2010-11-05T09:03:00.000-07:00

Gulf Shores Beach Condtions
Fort Morgan

Photo's from Nov 4, 2010 Testing

2010-11-05T08:42:00.001-07:00

Photo's from 11-4-2010 Testing

Todays Water Testing

2010-11-04T15:41:00.000-07:00

11-4-10 Testing Sites

I was able to test four sites today. Mike Sturdivant suggested I try to work alot of the most heavily impacted areas from the June and July blackouts.

The four sites we settled on are as follows:

Fort Morgan, AL (Bon Secour Wildlife Refuge Beach Access Site)

View Unnamed Rd in a larger map

Gulf Shores, AL (Gulf Shores Public Beach East Access)

View 30.246908, -87.687979 in a larger map">

Orange Beach, AL (Cotton Bayou State Park Beach Access)

View 30.269094, -87.581871 Cotton Bayou State Park Beach Access in a larger map

Perdido Key, FL (River Rd Public Beach Access Site)

View 30.293109, -87.45136 Perdido Key, FL River Rd. Public Beach Access in a larger map

First Surfrider Water Testing Starting 10-28-2010

2010-10-29T07:13:00.000-07:00

The Emerald Coast Chapter of the Surfirder Foundation has agreed to fund a Water testing program in our area. Mike Sturdivant is the President of the Chapter and will be my contact to operate the testing progam.

We have had several incidents of "surfer sickness" during some of our swells since BP capped the well in early August. I believe we all need to have some idea as to what is going on in terms of the environment we recreate in. Unfortunately right now we just don't have any local, state of federal testing data to look at in the areas we frequent.

Today we tested two sites, Terry's Cove aka Cotton Bayou State Park and the Jetty @ Alabama Point. These are certainly our two most surfed areas so I felt like we should get some test run here immediately. Test results take 2-3 weeks to get back from the lab. I will post results and blast everyone via email.

Maps of the two sites tested

Cotton Bayou State Park aka Terry's Cove

View 30.269094, -87.581871 in a larger map">

Alabama Point

View Larger Map">

I will be looking for volunteers to help with the process in the coming weeks so hit me up on gmail chuckb74atgmaildotcom.

I have some photo's I'll be posting. Thanks

BP begins deep-cleaning beaches with 'Sand Shark' (with photo gallery)

2010-10-22T21:44:00.000-07:00

BP begins deep-cleaning beaches with 'Sand Shark' (with photo gallery)

Gulf's health grade lowered | pnj.com | Pensacola News Journal

2010-10-19T13:37:00.000-07:00

Gulf's health grade lowered | pnj.com | Pensacola News Journal: "Gulf's health grade lowered"

BP's deep cleaning to start Monday; scientist wonders whether tilling could disrupt beaches | al.com

2010-10-18T15:11:00.000-07:00

BP's deep cleaning to start Monday; scientist wonders whether tilling could disrupt beaches | al.com: "BP's deep cleaning to start Monday; scientist wonders whether tilling could disrupt beaches"

Orange Beach to continue testing air, water for at least another month | al.com

2010-10-14T15:14:00.000-07:00

Orange Beach to continue testing air, water for at least another month | al.com: "Orange Beach to continue testing air, water for at least another month"

BP to start deep cleaning Baldwin County beaches next week

2010-10-13T15:18:00.000-07:00

BP to start deep cleaning Baldwin County beaches next week

BP Pledges US Assets to Help Oil Spill Fund - CNBC

2010-10-01T06:57:00.000-07:00

BP Pledges US Assets to Help Oil Spill Fund - CNBC

BP told by Orange Beach mayor to clean beaches by year's end | al.com

2010-09-30T15:16:00.000-07:00

BP told by Orange Beach mayor to clean beaches by year's end | al.com

At least 258 Alabama residents have reported suspected oil-related health issues | al.com

2010-09-17T20:11:00.000-07:00

At least 258 Alabama residents have reported suspected oil-related health issues | al.com

Administration Officials Travel to the Gulf Coast | The White House

2010-08-25T20:04:00.000-07:00

Administration Officials Travel to the Gulf Coast | The White House

USF scientists find oil spill damage to critical marine life - St. Petersburg Times

2010-08-19T15:24:00.000-07:00

USF scientists find oil spill damage to critical marine life - St. Petersburg Times

Open for Questions: Gulf Seafood Safety with Dr. Jane Lubchenco | The White House

2010-08-13T15:27:00.000-07:00

Open for Questions: Gulf Seafood Safety with Dr. Jane Lubchenco | The White House

BP Wants To Wash Away the Evidence | BPs Oil Drilling Disaster in the Gulf of Mexico | Blog

2010-07-22T18:46:00.000-07:00

BP Wants To Wash Away the Evidence | BPs Oil Drilling Disaster in the Gulf of Mexico | Blog

President Obama Gives an Update on the BP Oil Spill in the Gulf | The White House

2010-07-16T15:27:00.000-07:00

President Obama Gives an Update on the BP Oil Spill in the Gulf | The White House

Kemp's ridley turtle is species hardest hit by oil disaster | BPs Oil Drilling Disaster in the Gulf of Mexico | Blog

2010-07-12T20:06:00.000-07:00

Kemp's ridley turtle is species hardest hit by oil disaster | BPs Oil Drilling Disaster in the Gulf of Mexico | Blog

Hurricane Alex strengthens, sends oil-soaked waves into Gulf Coast | al.com

2010-06-30T20:18:00.000-07:00

Hurricane Alex strengthens, sends oil-soaked waves into Gulf Coast | al.com

Gulf oil spill: Photos from June 30, 2010 | al.com

2010-06-30T20:17:00.000-07:00

Gulf oil spill: Photos from June 30, 2010 | al.com

YouTube - Oiled Beaches Florida and Alabama

2010-06-25T17:42:00.000-07:00

YouTube - Oiled Beaches Florida and Alabama: "Oiled Beaches Florida and Alabama"

BP plans to replace oil spill cap with larger device next month | al.com

2010-06-07T05:55:00.000-07:00

BP plans to replace oil spill cap with larger device next month | al.com

Deepwater Horizon OilSpill Trajectory Link

2010-05-06T09:39:00.000-07:00

Deepwater Horizon OilSpill Trajectory Link Very Interesting

LinK: http://ocg6.marine.usf.edu/~liu/Drifters/latest_roms.htm

EIS | Foley Land Cut | Gulf Intracoastal Waterway | Gulf Shores & Orange Beach, AL

2010-03-29T11:32:00.000-07:00

EIS | Foley Land Cut | Gulf Intracoastal Waterway | Gulf Shores & Orange Beach, AL: "Comment Period Closed
—January 23, 2010"

This EIS is being prepared to assess potential impacts associated with mixed-use waterfront development planned along the Foley Land Cut portion of the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway in southern Baldwin County, Alabama. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Mobile District, will use this EIS in making permitting decisions under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act, Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act, and NEPA. The EIS is a complete evaluation of the positive and negative effects, including the secondary and cumulative effects associated with development along the shoreline. The EIS analyzed the following major issues: hydrologic and hydraulic regimes, threatened and endangered species, essential fish habitat and other marine habitat, air quality, cultural resources, wastewater treatment capacities and discharges, drainage discharges, transportation systems, waterway capacity, hurricane evacuation, and socioeconomic impacts.

The EIS evaluated a range of alternatives to the proposed action, including the no action alternative. The no action alternative represents a continuation of current permitting activity, by the Corps. Information obtained following the public scoping meeting were considered in finalizing the array of alternatives evaluated in the EIS and included alternative methods of issuing permits, as appropriate.

The Hangout Beach Music and Arts Festival Announces 2010 Lineup Featuring John Legend, Trey Anastasio and TAB

2010-02-18T20:21:00.000-08:00

Feb 18, 2010
The Hangout Beach Music and Arts Festival Announces 2010 Lineup Featuring John Legend, Trey Anastasio and TAB
Zac Brown Band, Alison Krauss and Union Station Featuring Jerry Douglas, The Black Crowes, The Flaming Lips, Ben Harper And Relentless7

GULF SHORES, Ala., Feb. 18 -- The Hangout Beach Music and Arts Festival announces the lineup for its inaugural year including performances from Trey Anastasio and TAB, Zac Brown Band, John Legend, Ray LaMontagne, Ben Harper and Relentless7, The Flaming Lips, and Alison Krauss and Union Station Featuring Jerry Douglas. The three-day festival is scheduled for May 14 - 16 and will feature musical entertainment directly on the sandy white beaches of Gulf Shores, Ala. The Hangout is the first major music festival of the summer festival season. A confirmed lineup is listed below with more bands to be announced in the coming weeks.

"Watching this caliber of performers directly on the beach will truly be a unique experience. There's just nothing like it," said A.J. Niland, of HUKA Entertainment. "This will be one of the biggest beach parties this area has ever seen."

With performances taking place on four stages including two main stages on the beach, the festival hopes to bring the Gulf Coast into the national music scene. In addition, festival organizers have other activities still to be announced. Attendance will be limited to 35,000 people per day.

Festival tickets are available online at hangoutmusicfest.com as well as at The Hangout and Surf Style stores along the central Gulf Coast. Ticket prices are $159 for a three-day pass and limited $82 day passes will be available after the schedule is announced in the weeks to come. VIP ticket packages and travel packages start at $500 and are available online or by phone at 1-888-512-SHOW 1-888-512-SHOW.

There is an assortment of lodging options surrounding the festival including traditional hotels, beach-front condos and camping at the local state park. Visit hangoutmusicfest.com for more information.

WHEN: MAY 14 - MAY 16
WHERE: 101 EAST BEACH BOULEVARD IN GULF SHORES, ALA.
(THE SOUTHERN END OF AL-Hwy 59)
PRICES: $159 THREE-DAY PASS / LIMITED $82 DAY PASSES / VIP TICKET
AND TRAVEL
PACKAGES AVAILABLE
WEB SITE: hangoutmusicfest.com

CONFIRMED ARTISTS: Trey Anastasio and TAB, Zac Brown Band, John Legend, Ben Harper and Relentless7, The Black Crowes, Alison Krauss and Union Station featuring Jerry Douglas, Gov't Mule, The Flaming Lips, Ray LaMontagne, Michael Franti and Spearhead, Rodrigo Y Gabriela, Funky Meters, Blind Boys of Alabama, Matisyahu, Girl Talk, Guster, Brett Dennen, Keller Williams, Jerry Jeff Walker, North Mississippi All-stars, ALO, The Whigs, Ozomatli, OK GO, Orianthi, Davy Knowles & Back Door Slam, Pnuma Trio, Black Joe Lewis and the Honey Bears, Toubab Krewe, Mat Hires, A.A. Bondy, Rachel Goodrich, Moon Taxi, El Cantador, Kristy Lee, Roman Street

For more information, please visit hangoutmusicfest.com.

Source: The Hangout Beach Music and Arts Festival

Nonprofit eyes Orange Beach for arts facility

2009-08-27T04:56:00.000-07:00

Originally Published by the Mobile Press Register

Link: http://www.al.com/news/press-register/baldwin.ssf?/base/news/125136456919590.xml&coll=3

Beach CITE Studios had earlier agreed to build education center in Gulf Shores

Thursday, August 27, 2009

By RYAN DEZEMBER
Staff Reporter

ORANGE BEACH — A nonprofit that earlier this summer struck a deal to build and operate a 6,700-square-foot art education center on city property in Gulf Shores has backed out of that deal and instead proposed putting its facility in the next city over.

Beach CITE Studios Inc. struck a 99-year, $1-a-year lease agreement with the Gulf Shores City Council in February. Its leadership said in June that it expected to open its art center at the corner of West 19th Avenue and West Second Street early next year but that deal fell apart.

As the nonprofit sought approval for its building designs this summer, Gulf Shores officials sought to develop the public space with green building techniques, but Beach CITE Studios representatives said adding things like landscaped stormwater retention basins and a permeable parking lot would price the project out of their budget.

"At the end of the day we just had a different vision," said Jim Coughlin, the nonprofit's executive director. "We were virtually devastated that didn't work out."

About a month ago, the nonprofit approached Orange Beach leaders about building their facility on municipal property along Canal Road just south of the city's Arts Center and The Hot Shop, a public glass-blowing studio that opened this month.

Mayor Tony Kennon said that the nonprofit would build and operate the studio on public land at no cost and that there would be no city money involved.

Should the arrangement fail after the facility is built, Orange Beach would get to keep the structure, he said.

Beach CITE Studios — CITE stands for community interactive teaching experience — was founded last October as a 501(c)3 organization by area residents Dan and Linda Scott and Drew Osika. A donation from the Gulf Shores-based Camille Schroeder Charitable Foundation, which Coughlin also runs, is paying for construction of the facility and its initial operating funds, but the organization has said it plans further fundraising.

Coughlin said the building proposed for Orange Beach is virtually the same as the one that had been planned in Gulf Shores: "There will be a culinary kitchen, dance studio, music room, three or four different rooms for painting and things of that nature, a creative writing lab.

"We're trying to reach out to a variety of arts."

Coughlin has said he envisions the facility offering both private lessons and group instruction in several disciplines. During the day the focus would be on programs for preschool and home-schooled students and senior citizens. After-school, evening and summer programs are also anticipated, along with recitals, showings and other events.

During a Tuesday work session, each member of Orange Beach's City Council, Kennon and numerous residents voiced support for bringing the project to Orange Beach. Councilwoman Pattisue Carranza, however, said she'd prefer it be built behind the city's Adult Activity Center, on the Wolf Bay waterfront, leaving the area in front of the Arts Center available for festivals and other special events.

"They spent a lot of time exploring options in Gulf Shores and they came to us ... just over a month ago," Carranza said. "I don't want to be told this is the only place it can be; there are other options."

Other elected officials disagreed. They cited the added cost of filling in wetlands and building up a foundation at the waterfront site, the potential need for that space for a library expansion, and the desire to put all the art buildings in one spot as reasons they preferred the Arts Center parcel.

"After looking at the sites," said Councilwoman Joni Blalock, "I believe this is the best place for it."

Kennon said it was Coughlin's "prerogative to tell us this is the only option because it's his money."

The mayor's informal tally of the council members indicated that they would consider the proposal to build it near the Arts Center at the panel's Tuesday meeting.

Company seeks to mothball Gulf Shores landfill

2009-07-08T21:42:00.000-07:00

Originally Published by the Mobile Press Register

Link: http://www.al.com/news/press-register/baldwin.ssf?/base/news/1247044556323330.xml&coll=3

Emerald Waste Service seeks to lease struggling county facility, reserve it for next storm cleanup

Wednesday, July 08, 2009
By RYAN DEZEMBER
Staff Reporter
GULF SHORES — With space dwindling at its construction and demolition debris landfill off Ala. 59, Emerald Waste Services has proposed mothballing the Landward Drive facility and instead leasing Baldwin County's struggling Eastfork Landfill in the Elberta area, according to city and county officials.

The Freeport, Fla.-based waste company has asked Gulf Shores to support its efforts to take over operations at the county landfill and in exchange has offered to reserve the Landward Drive landfill's remaining capacity for a post-hurricane cleanup.

Gulf Shores Public Works Director Mark Acreman said Monday that Emerald Waste Services has estimated that the landfill, which sits across Ala. 59 from Pelican Place at Craft Farms, has room left for about two years of typical construction and demolition debris or one major storm cleanup.
Gulf Shores currently takes its C&D waste, anything from vegetative debris to the remains of buildings, to the facility, but will have to switch to Baldwin County's Magnolia Landfill if the proposal comes to fruition. Although Gulf Shores would spend more in fuel and man-hours to haul waste to Magnolia Landfill, which is southwest of Summerdale, the city would ultimately see savings because of reduced tipping fees at the county facility, Acreman said.

Gulf Shores might further reduce its waste disposal costs through a vegetative debris recycling program it is developing with the owners of a Mobile County paper mill, Acreman said.

Under that plan, the city would take tree limbs and other vegetative trash to the Landward Drive landfill where the paper company would have it collected and hauled to Mobile where it would be burned as fuel for the factory, Acreman said. While the city would pay a fee in that arrangement, it would be far less than what it costs to dump the debris in a landfill, the public works director said.

"If this pilot program can get off the ground we may see substantial savings," Acreman told elected officials during a City Council work session on Monday. "That would be something that we think we can maintain in perpetuity if it's a good deal for everyone involved."

Baldwin County Solid Waste Director Jim Ransom told council members that he and Emerald Waste Services wanted a letter from the council supporting the plan before the Baldwin County Commission is approached with a formal proposal to lease Eastfork to the private company.

Located northeast of Elberta on C.C. Road, the Eastfork, which only accepts construction and demolition debris, was originally opened in the aftermath of Hurricane Ivan.

"It did really well and then we shut it down," Ransom said.

With vast residential growth forecast for easternmost Baldwin County, the 115-acre facili ty was reopened in March 2007.

"Of course everything sort of went south after that, so it's losing us money right now," Ransom said.

In the first eight months after it was reopened, county officials estimated that Eastfork lost $100,000. At the time, the landfill was receiving only about a quarter of the 100 tons of debris it needed each day to break even.

Leasing the facility to Emer ald Waste Services and closing the northern Gulf Shores landfill would not only stanch the county's losses, it could eliminate the private company's taxpayer-funded competition for debris in south Baldwin County, Ransom said.

The plan could also save Gulf Shores money during its next hurricane cleanup by guaranteeing the city a very close place to pitch all its debris, Acreman said.

"We think it's a good idea for all involved and you don't see that often," Ransom said.

Orange Beach Sewer plant land swap still not final

2009-05-14T07:00:00.000-07:00

Originally Published by the Mobile Press Register

Link: http://www.al.com/news/press-register/baldwin.ssf?/base/news/1242292584318040.xml&coll=3

Thursday, May 14, 2009

By RYAN DEZEMBER

Staff Reporter

ORANGE BEACH — Though the city's new $24 million wastewater treatment plant is about half complete, municipal officials have learned recently that problems remain with the land swap that provided the property upon which the facility is being built.

Ironing out details of the swap with the state delayed construction by nearly 18 months. And while the latest snag won't stall the already-started project, it will require the city to deed about 20 wooded acres worth $198,100 to the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources to satisfy federal regulators.

Elected officials, who were briefed on the matter during a City Council work session Tuesday, expressed no hesitation about giving the state the land, a slender piece southwest of City Hall. The council is scheduled to consider deeding the property to the state at its Tuesday meeting.

Mayor Tony Kennon said that with the original land swap, "the state essentially came to our res cue." The new plant will double the city's treatment capacity when it opens, most likely in spring.

To build the new plant, the city needed about 40 acres and wanted it south of Canal Road, where the odor from the existing facility had long greeted motorists upon their arrival to the city.

The only suitable land, city officials determined, was state-owned property south of the present facility. At the time, Orange Beach officials offered to trade land the city owned south of City Hall for

40 acres at the northern edge of Gulf State Park.

Greg Lein, assistant director of the Conservation Department's State Lands division, said the state agreed because "the city was under what was described as a public health crisis" in terms of the development pressure being put on its sewage treatment plant.

In March 2006, the state agreed to trade the 40 acres west of the city's Sportsplex for 48 acres of maritime forest along the city's Backcountry Trail.

That deal sent both tracts back to their previous owners.

Five years earlier the city traded 588 acres, including the sewer plant's 40, to the state in exchange for 204 acres south of City Hall.

It also piqued federal regulators, who noticed that in the 2001 swap, the state neglected to replace in a grant program some 240 acres of the land it was giving up.

The grant, dating back to the 1970s, was intended to finance state acquisition of land that would be set aside for public recreation and wildlife habitat.

State officials believed they had a solution, proposing to place deed restrictions on land they recently bought along the Perdido River to satisfy federal regulators. But the Perdido River property was appraised for only $2.2 million and the 240 acres were valued at $2,398,100, Lein wrote in a memo to city officials.

"It's not an acre-for-acre situation; it's a dollar-for-dollar situation," Lein said Tuesday.

As such, the state has asked Orange Beach for $198,100 worth of conserved property to insert into the equation, said Phillip West, Orange Beach's coastal resources director. The simplest solution, West said, is for the city to give the state 19.81 additional acres south of City Hall. That land has already been appraised at $10,000 an acre, Lein said.

"From a practical standpoint we're not giving up much," West said. The property is already traversed by three sections of the city's Backcountry Trail and the change in ownership wouldn't affect the popular nature path.

Perdido Key building caps may remain

2008-10-13T19:41:00.000-07:00

Originally Published by the Pensacola News Journal

County would have to widen road to support development
Jamie Page • jepage@pnj.com • October 13, 2008

Escambia County likely will call off its pursuit to remove building caps on Perdido Key — for now.

In December 2007, county commissioners voted to remove the caps. However, the Florida Department of Community Affairs refused to approve the move.

The county contends it has addressed the state's concerns. But recognizing the DCA likely won't support the cap removal without a major financial commitment to widen Perdido Key Drive to handle added development. Commissioners are expected to vote Thursday to repeal the ordinance they created last year to remove the caps.

"I believe we have the legal basis for our claim. The caps should be removed," said Commission Chairman Gene Valentino, who represents the district that includes the Key. "But I think there are certain factual findings that we can not substantiate effectively. We have to sharpen our pencil further on our case to DCA."

The votes are there to support his move to back off for now. Commissioners Mike Whitehead and Grover Robinson IV have said they'll support it.

The DCA's concerns remain the same, claiming the county hasn't identified a funding source to pay for widening Perdido Key Drive, demonstrated adequate sewer capabilities for added development or proved the Perdido Key beach mouse will be protected.

Perdido Key resident Dan Henderson, 68, has the same concerns and is glad to hear the board may call off cap removal.

"They don't have the infrastructure to support it," he said. "It isn't that we are against growth. We are for controlled growth on Perdido Key."

Henderson said he isn't convinced the narrow barrier island needs a wider road.

On the other side of the issue are residents like Alison Davenport, a real estate broker specializing in Perdido Key.

"The caps should be removed and let concurrency be the driving force for development, as it has been everywhere else in Florida," Davenport said. "But I agree the road should be widened, regardless ... to make it safer."

Whitehead said DCA likely will want to see road contracts in place before it will support removing the cap, and that could mean two to three years before the county submits a new DCA request. Valentino thinks it will be much sooner.

"It will be months. It better not be years. Otherwise the economic consequences to our citizens will be graver," Valentino said.

A maximum of 7,150 dwelling units — houses or condominiums — and 1,000 hotel or motel rooms are allowed on Perdido Key. The county's proposal would have increased it to 12,000 dwelling units and 2,500 lodging units.

One of the primary issues that has stymied its DCA request is a Florida Supreme Court ruling last year. The ruling initially put the brakes on the county's intent to issue $135 million in bonds for the widening of Perdido Key Drive, Theo Baars Bridge, and Sorrento Road from Blue Angel Parkway to U.S. 98.

The court since reversed its decision, allowing property tax for such projects paid for through tax-increment financing to proceed without voter approval.

Gregory Strand, who filed the 2006 lawsuit, has asked the court to reconsider, making the TIF unavailable until it's resolved.

In fryer oil, city sees fuel savings

2008-07-31T08:36:00.000-07:00

PUBLISHED by the MOBILE PRESS REGISTER

Beach town partnering with USA scientists to make biodiesel

Sunday, July 27, 2008

By RYAN DEZEMBER Staff Reporter

ORANGE BEACH — Though most have relegated dollar-a-gallon gas to nostalgia, some in this south Baldwin County resort city are batting around the phrase in the future tense.

City officials have teamed up with University of South Alabama researchers on a project to convert used cooking oils into biodiesel in hopes of reducing clogs in Orange Beach's sewer system, lessening the carbon emissions of municipal vehicles and saving taxpayers thousands of dollars a year in fuel costs.

Though Orange Beach and its partners at South Alabama's Chemical Engineering Department are still waiting to see if the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs funds its $128,000 grant request, the $15,000 reactor needed to make biodie sel is not out of the reach for the city considering the potential savings, municipal officials said.

The biggest factor in the program's success will be residents', and restaurants', willingness to provide the used cooking oil. To that end, City Hall plans to provide one-gallon containers to residents so they can collect and deliver their old oil to the Public Works Department starting next month.

If the state grant is awarded, Orange Beach must begin making biodiesel by October, so city officials are trying to ensure they have a batch to cook when the equipment is assembled and ready to go, said Coastal Resources Manager Phillip West.

Though the city is working to establish cooking-oil collection points throughout the city, grease will initially have to be taken to the Public Works office on William Silvers Parkway. West said Orange Beach is ready with a 750-gallon reservoir for the grease, and, according to the city's grant application, the machinery it plans to use can churn out biodiesel in 50-gallon batches.
Orange Beach is largely basing its efforts on a biodiesel program that has been run successfully for the past few years by Daphne Utilities, West said. The utility has told the Baldwin Register that by collecting about 100 gallons of grease a week they're able to reduce sewer spills by 40 percent and save about $10,000 a year on diesel.

Officials at the county-managed Magnolia Landfill have also started experimenting with biodiesel production in hopes of cutting into the fuel costs at the facility, which uses about 7,500 gallons of diesel every 10 days.

With 92 diesel engines — be they in trucks, tractors, generators or heavy equipment — Orange Beach burns upward of 50,000 gallons of diesel a year, said Coastal Resources Planner Nicole Woerner. Last year's diesel bill, she said, came to $116,257.30 for 49,311 gallons, a price of about $2.36 a gallon.

Prices have soared since last year, though, making $1-per-gallon biodiesel — which is about what Daphne Utilities pays to make fuel — all the more alluring. At the moment the city is paying about $4.15 per gallon, Public Works Director Tim Tucker said.

If, for example, Orange Beach can brew 5,000 gallons of biodiesel at $1 a gallon, it would represent a savings of $15,750, assuming the cost of diesel holds at $4.15 a gallon.
Besides the savings, the plan fits into Orange Beach's goal to clean up the local environment, an initiative that has seen Orange Beach start programs to pick up recyclables curbside, purchase equipment to rake litter from the beach, collect used motor oil for recycling and sell the tens of thousands of pounds of abandoned beach chairs and tents to a Pensacola scrap dealer.
"Hopefully we'll remove a lot of cooking oil from our sewer system," West said. "And the emissions from biodiesel are much cleaner."

Of biodiesel's three ingredients, the city would have to buy methanol and either sodium hydroxide or potassium hydroxide, said Srinivas Palanki, the chair of South Alabama's Chemical Engineering Department who is advising Orange Beach on the project.
The lone byproduct of biodiesel manufacturing is glycerin, which can easily be turned into decorative soaps used to promote the effort, or fed to the bacteria at the city's wastewater treatment plant, Palanki and Woerner said.

Much of the grant proceeds, should the city win them, will be used to pay the university to supply faculty and graduate students to help set up, tweak and study Orange Beach's efforts. Eventually, Palanki said, the process could be replicated in other area cities and school systems.

Sewer Land Swap will proceed in Orange Beach

2007-11-16T09:08:00.000-08:00

Orange Beach also restarts negotiations to lease Josephine area lines

Friday, November 16, 2007

By RYAN DEZEMBER Staff Reporter

ORANGE BEACH -- After a nearly 18-month delay, the city and Alabama conservation officials have set a date later this month to finalize a land swap that will allow construction of a new $20 million municipal sewer treatment plant, Mayor Pete Blalock said Tuesday.

The two sides plan to close the transaction Nov. 27, which will give Orange Beach 40 acres south of the city's current treatment facility on Canal Road while the state will get 46 acres of maritime forest to be added to the Gulf State Park.

The trade had been delayed first because of problems with appraisals used in the deal, and later because of a disagreement between the state and the federal government over whether the state land could leave Alabama's hands.

But Blalock said those issues have been resolved and the city, as soon as the swap is finalized, plans to begin building a plant that can treat 10 million gallons per day with the ability to be expanded to handle 15 million gallons daily. The current plant can treat 5.5 million gallons a day.
Last month, with the future of the new plant still up in the air, the City Council voted to stop promising wastewater treatment service to large developments for 180 days. The fear was that with the delays in building the new plant, the current facility might be overloaded by new condos and shopping centers.

Councilman Jeff Silvers said the city has contractors already lined up to clear the site, and that construction will likely take 18 months.

Also Tuesday, the city officials said that after putting the brakes on negotiations to lease its Josephine-area sewer lines to a private company, it would resume working out a short-term deal with Alabama Utility Services LLC.

Orange Beach now bills 817 customers in the area north of the Intracoastal Waterway that the company seeks to take over. Each of those customers is charged, like city residents, $20 per month.

The Pell City sewer company, which is building a treatment plant in the Lillian area, seeks to lease those lines from the city for the first few years it's open. That would not only give the company some business to start with, but it would provide the city's sewer system some relief until the new plant is finished, city officials have said.

The city would then be able to reclaim the lines when its plant is completed.

City Administrator Jeff Moon said that after the company's initial proposal last month, three council members expressed hesitancy to lease the lines because the company said that it would likely need to raise rates for existing customers.

Council members said a recent 68 percent rate hike by Baldwin County Sewer Service, a separate private provider, caused them some pause in dealing with a private company.
But Alabama Utility Services has now offered to keep rates level for existing customers while charging a separate city regulated rate to customers it hooks up to the lines, its lawyer David Whetstone said Tuesday.

"We can assure you that it would be in the $30 to $40 range, which I think is a very competitive rate," Whetstone said.

Whetstone, who is Gulf Shores' city attorney and a former Baldwin County district attorney, said the company will adhere to city building standards when adding on to the lines and would allow the council to regulate its rates for all customers.
"It will bring a new competitor to the area and I think a competitor is good for everyone," Whetstone said. "I think competition leads to lower prices."

Council members, without taking an official vote, gave City Attorney Wanda Cochran permission to restart negotiations with the sewer company.

Smart growth' improves quality of life

2007-11-07T19:29:00.000-08:00

Originally Published by the Mobile Press Register

Wednesday, November 07, 2007

According to the U.S. Census, more than half of the population of the U.S. lives in a coastal county, and this number is expected to continue to grow.

As residents of a coastal area, we are aware of the sensitive ecosystems that exist in coastal areas, and the natural hazards that face them. As coastal areas continue to grow, they can protect natural resources by implementing land use policies known as "smart growth."

The term "smart growth" can be defined in many ways. For the most part, however, smart growth can be described as being sustainable growth: the planned development of a community that discourages sprawl and encourages open space and the preservation of natural areas -- basically, a balance of development and growth with conservation and natural resources, all leading to an improved quality of life for residents and a healthy community.

According to the Smart Growth Network, there are several major principles that a community may practice to achieve smart growth. These are:

Create walkable communities.

Create a range of housing opportunities and choices.

Encourage community collaboration in the planning process.

Foster distinct, attractive places with a strong sense of place.

Make development decisions predictable, fair and cost effective.

Mix land uses.

Preserve open space, farmland, natural beauty and critical environmental areas.

Provide a variety of transportation choices.

Strengthen and direct development toward existing communities.

Take advantage of compact building design.

Many communities in Mobile and Baldwin counties are currently implementing principles of smart growth and are working to incorporate more of these principles.

For more information on smart growth, visit the Smart Growth Network online at http://www.smartgrowth.org/.

(Jody A. Thompson is an environmental extension associate at Auburn University Marine Extension and Research Center. Sea Grant writers may be contacted at 438-5690. )

State: Keep Perdido Key building cap

2007-11-07T19:15:00.000-08:00

Originally Published by the Pensacola News Journal

November, 7, 2007

DCA disagrees with county plan

By Jamie Page

For the second time in two years, the Florida Department of Community Affairs is objecting to Escambia County's proposal to remove the building cap on Perdido Key.

A maximum of 7,150 dwelling units (houses or condominiums) and 1,000 lodging units (hotels or motels) are allowed on the Key.

But the county has proposed an amendment to the comprehensive land-use plan to allow development to the fullest extent allowable under the proposed zoning ? about 12,000 dwelling units and 2,500 lodging units.

In its recent review of the county's proposed amendment, the DCA recommended the change not be adopted for some of the same reasons the agency cited in 2006.

Mike McDaniel, chief of the DCA's Office of Comprehensive Planning, wrote in a recent letter to county commissioners that the DCA was concerned with the potential impact on coastal evacuation, facilities and services, and natural resources.

"The DCA must review the amendment before it can move forward to public hearings. Escambia County submitted a similar amendment to the DCA in 2005 to remove the cap, and in 2006 it was rejected. So the county rescinded the amendment and hired a firm to help address the DCA's objections and submitted a new one in August.

Commissioner Gene Valentino, who represents the Key, said he's surprised by the objections.He said the county is likely to submit a third revised amendment, and he's confident the DCA's objections can be addressed.

The Perdido Key Association has opposed removing the cap, fearing it would promote irresponsible growth."I wasn't surprised at all with their objections, not in the least," said Ann Griffin, president of the Perdido Key Association. "It's not environmentally responsible, it's not fiscally responsible, it's just not a good idea. They are basically telling them the same thing they did the last go around but telling them even stronger.

"There are about 3,400 residential units on Perdido Key and no lodging units. The remaining 3,750 units that can be built under the current cap have been reserved by developers. About 66 percent of land on the Key is in public ownership, and protected from development by government.

Commission Chairman Kevin White, who is "not surprised by anything DCA does," said commissioners could consider adopting the change anyway, without the DCA's support.

"But I have to find out what the down sides are," White said. "I do not like arbitrary caps. By removing the caps you are going to what zoning allows.

"Commissioners have said they thought the amendment would encourage more commercial growth to support the anticipated increase in residential property.

More than 700 families on the Key represented by the Perdido Key Association have said they don't want the cap removed.

"This further illustrates the huge disconnect between our county commissioners and the residents of Perdido Key who fought this plan change," said Kelly Robertson, vice president of the association. "First, there was the proposed change of 2006, next the challenge to the (tax-increment financing) funding for Perdido Key Drive, now this.

"On Sept. 6, the Florida Supreme Court said tax-increment financing deals that depend on revenue from property taxes must be approved by voters. The decision invalidated a bond for widening Perdido Key Drive.

White said part of the DCA's concern about adequate sewer systems, roads and other infrastructure not being able to support removal of the cap was going to be addressed with the widening of Perdido Key Drive to four lanes. That is, until the court shot it down.

Said White: "The Perdido Key Association is always going to be opposite of whatever Escambia County wants. I believe it's because of a no-growth mentality. They've got theirs and don't want anybody else to have any."Alison Davenport, a real estate broker on the Key, supports commissioners' move to lift the cap.

"Concurrency polices growth on its own; why does it need an additional cap?" said Davenport, founder of the nonprofit Promote Perdido. "It doesn't matter what a property is zoned for if you cannot prove the infrastructure is there to support it. The cap is an additional layer that's punitive to property owners."

Orange Beach puts hold on sewer service pledges

2007-10-10T05:42:00.000-07:00

Originally Published by the Mobile Press Register

Amid delays in new plant construction, Orange Beach negotiating lease of lines north of waterway

Wednesday, October 10, 2007
By RYAN DEZEMBERStaff Reporter

ORANGE BEACH -- With its plans for a new sewage-treatment plant in limbo, the City Council on Monday voted unanimously to put a hold on promises of wastewater service to developers.
In addition, the council began negotiations to lease municipal sewerage north of the Intracoastal Waterway to a private company that is building a treatment plant north of Lillian.

Besides saving Orange Beach money in servicing lines well outside the city's limits and relieving some pressure on the aging municipal system, it would give Alabama Utility Services LLC's burgeoning Blackwater Wastewater Treatment Facility an initial customer base to build from, city officials said.

"They need capacity and we need relief," City Administrator Jeff Moon said. "It really works out well in the short term."

Most of the details in the lease agreement have yet to be worked out, but both sides are considering a three-year deal in which Pell City-based Alabama Utility Services would take control of all of Orange Beach's lines north of the Intracoastal Waterway, excluding customers along the Foley Beach Express.

Though the private company would collect money from customers on those lines, be responsible for repairs and have the ability to add customers and extend the lines, the city would still own the sewerage and would have control over how much the company charges customers, city officials said.

Orange Beach bills 817 customers in the area that the company would take over. Like those living within the city, residential sewer customers there pay $20 a month.

Mayor Pete Blalock said that because of the cost of maintaining lines outside the city limits, Orange Beach will probably have to slightly raise rates for outlying customers even if the lease is not approved.

Alabama Utility Services owner Chris Matthews said that the rate he seeks will have a lot to do with how much the city charges in the lease agreement, but that, "Our rates are going to be in that $30 to $40 window."

City officials said they'd probably seek $5 per customer per month from the company. That would net Orange Beach about $49,000 annually.

Orange Beach obtained the lines, which extend in places into Elberta and Foley, when the city cobbled together its municipal sewer system by buying multiple private concerns.

Blalock said that the council will insist on strict controls over the rates Matthews can charge from the onset and may force him to get the council's approval for any hike in excess of annual changes to the consumer price index, a common gauge of inflation.

On Monday, Matthews and his lawyers, which include former Baldwin County District Attorney and current Gulf Shores City Attorney David Whetstone, met with Orange Beach officials for about 1½ hours to go over the arrangement before handing it off to their lawyers to iron out particulars of the deal. Besides the monetary and regulatory issues, both sides need to figure out what happens to customers and pipes that are added to the lines under Matthews' management.
Orange Beach has its own plans for a new facility capable of treating up to 10 million gallons of sewage each day, up from the 5.5 million gallons the city's Canal Road plant can handle each day.
Though the money for that $20 million project was obtained through a 2006 bond issue, construction has been delayed more than 18 months because the federal government has taken issue with a land swap between Orange Beach and the state that would provide the city with the 40 acres required for the new plant.

Blalock said that federal regulators in Atlanta are working with Alabama to clear up paperwork that will enable the property swap and said that a resolution could come this week, but city officials are considering alternative sites.

In the meantime, the city will not promise sewer service to any developers for up to 180 days.

Projects in the pipeline at City Hall won't be effected by the moratorium and neither will those wishing to build single-family homes, Moon said.

They need capacity and we need relief. It really works out well in the short term.-- City Administrator Jeff Moon

Bird-banding event to be held at Fort Morgan

2007-10-05T05:46:00.000-07:00

Originally published by the Mobile Press Register

Friday, October 05, 2007
Submitted by Kim Shumack

A fall bird-banding session will be held Saturday through Oct. 19 at the Fort Morgan Historic Site in Gulf Shores, organized by the Hummer/Bird Study Group.

The Alabama Gulf Coast hosts thousands of winged travelers each year since the area serves as the last stop in the continental United States for these migratory birds heading to their winter homes in Central and South America.

While the banding will began just before dawn and end around noon each day, the best hours are in early morning. Guests are reminded to bring a lawn chair and insect repellent but to leave pets at home. Although the public is welcome to this free event, they must pay the fort admission to gain access to banding station.

In October 2006, the Hummer/Bird Study Group recorded 2,930 birds representing 73 different species. Interestingly, this nonprofit group founded by Bob and Martha Sargent holds a high number of all the required hummingbird banding permits in the world. This group gathers valuable information about the health, behavior and habitat of these migratory birds in addition to giving visitors the chance to touch, hold and release the birds.

For more information about the banding session, visit www.hummingbirdsplus.org.

Bird Study Group founder Bob Sargent teaches children about one of the migratory birds captured in the group's nets. The group will lead a fall bird-banding session Saturday through Oct. 19 at the Fort Morgan Historic Site in Gulf Shores.

Spotted Australian Jellyfish return to Area Waters

2007-08-16T13:38:00.000-07:00

Published by the Mobile Press Register

Spotted jelly invaders return

Thursday, August 16, 2007
By BEN RAINESStaff Reporter

The basketball-sized Australian spotted jellyfish that swarmed Mississippi Sound in 2000 have made "a vigorous reappearance" in area waters and have also been sighted along the Atlantic Coast as far north as the Carolinas.
Scientists do not believe the local population will be large enough to present any problems for shrimpers or commercial fishermen this year, as they did in 2000, when shrimping became impossible in places. But they said the East Coast sightings raise the possibility that the jellyfish could become established along both the Gulf and Atlantic coasts.
While the invasive spotted jellies (Phyllorhiza punctata) do not sting, other stinging species common in Alabama waters are especially thick this year due to the higher salinity levels resulting from drought conditions throughout the state, according to Dauphin Island Sea Lab scientist Monty Graham, one of a handful of jellyfish experts in the world.

Unless hurricanes or tropical storms visit the area, it is likely jellyfish numbers will remain uncomfortably high through October, Graham said.
When the spotted jellyfish was first seen in Mobile Bay in 2000, scientists believed that an aberration in the Gulf's loop current had moved tens of thousands of the animals from the Caribbean and deposited them along Alabama's coast.
Since then, genetic work performed at the Dauphin Island Sea Lab by Keith Bayha has shown that the animals along the Gulf coast were genetically different from those in the Caribbean, and scientists have discovered that the species is reproducing along the Louisiana coast, particularly near Port Fourchon. The animals in Alabama this year and those that showed up in 2000 appear to come from that Louisiana population.
Graham said the jellies that first turned up in July were about the size of a man's fist. They have been growing ever since, and ultimately may get up to about 25 pounds. He believes far fewer jellies were deposited here by the current this year compared to 2000, and said it was unlikely they would present a problem for shrimpers or be a threat to larval fish and shrimp populations.
In 2000, the animals were so numerous in Mississippi Sound that scientists worried they would cause lasting damage to area fish and shellfish populations. It is unclear if the jellies have started reproducing off Alabama's coast.
"If they are, it's a small population. I suspect they probably are here somewhere, but I think the core of the population is around Port Fouchon," Graham said, adding that the hundreds of rigs around the port, which is in the heart of the Gulf's oil field, provide the hard surfaces jellies require for spawning.
Beachgoers and boaters are encouraged to report their sightings of these exotic jellies to the Dauphin Island Sea Lab's jellyfish Web site, http://dockwatch.disl.org.

61 Foot Boat hits Wall in Perdido Pass and Sinks

2007-08-03T06:18:00.000-07:00

Click Link below to see Photo in PNJ.com

http://www.pnj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070803/NEWS01/708030339/1006

Published by the Mobile Press Register

61-foot boat hits wall, sinks

Friday, August 03, 2007
By GUY BUSBYStaff Reporter

Alabama Marine Police have charged a Panama City, Fla., captain with boating under the influence after the fishing vessel he was operating -- valued at more than $2.5 million -- hit an obstruction and sank in Perdido Pass, officials said Thursday.

James Cooper was arrested when the 61-foot Tar Baby sank Wednesday night, said Officer Rick Miller of the Marine Police office in Orange Beach.

Miller said the boat wrecked when its operator, who was approaching the Pass, apparently tried to maneuver through a gap between the beach and the eastern jetty rather than going around the jetty and entering the marked channel.

The boat hit a low wall under the water surface.
Miller said a final report has not been filed on the incident and he did not know Cooper's blood alcohol level.

The Coast Guard station in Pensacola received a call at 9:42 p.m. Wednesday that the vessel was taking on water, said Petty Officer Vance Pedrick. The caller reported that two people were aboard.

A Coast Guard response vessel was dispatched from Pensacola along with boats from Alabama Marine Police and the Alabama Department of Natural Resources. The two people on board the Tar Baby were taken ashore by a Marine Police boat, Pedrick said.

No injuries were reported. Miller said salvage and insurance representatives were examining the boat Thursday to determine how to remove it. He said paying the cost of removal would be up to the owners and insurance company.

The boat was coming to Baldwin County to take part in the 10th annual Orange Beach Billfish Classic Tournament, scheduled for this weekend, said Beth Reed, tournament director. She said the make of the boat was a Weaver.

More Kids could play ball

2007-07-30T13:08:00.000-07:00

Published by the Pensacola News Journal

Published - July, 30, 2007

More kids could play ball

$1.4 million deal would lead to bigger Bauer Road park

Derek Pivnickdpivnick@pnj.com
An Escambia County Commission decision this week could lead to a field of dreams for a lot of young athletes.The County Commission is scheduled to vote Thursday whether to spend$1.4 million to purchase more than 200 acres of property off Bauer Road to replace Baars Field. A county appraisal determined how much the commission will offer.

The cramped complex is home to the Perdido Bay Youth Sports Association. If the purchase is approved, the burgeoning youth sports organization would get the room it needs to grow."It definitely will alleviate some overcrowding," said Bruce Barrios, president of the PBYSA. "And it will bring all our programs onto one field."It also could reduce traffic concerns. Two people were seriously injured in an automobile accident near Baars Field during a softball tournament in June."We just need the space," Barrios said. "We've just outgrown it (Baars Field)."

The association has added hundreds of kids the past couple of years and now has at least 1,500 kids playing baseball, softball and soccer, Barrios said.Baars Field is a well-worn complex of baseball fields wedged in between Gulf Beach Highway and Sorrento Road, behind a Winn-Dixie shopping center.

About four years ago, to accommodate the growth of soccer, Sacred Heart Hospital leased a few acres it owns nearby to the youth league for the increasingly popular sport. But there are no lights, so when it gets dark the soccer players have to move over to the ball fields, which are lighted. It means coordinating with the baseball teams to get on their fields that are not in use, said soccer coach John Guidroz. But it's a better situation than before."The whole soccer league used to play in the outfield out there," Guidroz said. "Whenever we have land, it's a shared commodity.

"Pat Heye's 13-year-old son, Dylan, has played soccer in the youth league for seven years. The young soccer player may be too old to enjoy the new park when it's done, if the land purchase goes through and the park is completed in two or three years as anticipated.But that's OK."It will be good for the community," Heye said. "You'll see on Saturday, especially in the fall season, this place is just covered with people.

"The new park will have at least a dozen ball fields. Baars Field has five. The new park also will have multiuse fields to accommodate soccer and possibly football.Most children in that area now go to Myrtle Grove or Beulah if they want to play football, Barrios said. If the league starts football, the young athletes might get to stay closer to home with the new sports complex."It's going to be a big ballpark," Barrios said.

That fits into the mold of other large county parks, the county's director of parks and recreation Kevin Briski said.The county has looked years for suitable property for the park before finding this land off Bauer Road. An attempt several years ago to develop Bill Dickson Park into sports fields failed after it was determined that park would have been too small and too remote for a large sports complex.

Money for the Bauer Road land purchase would come from local sales taxes. Funding to develop the park could come from grants the Federal Emergency Management Agency dedicated to rebuild the Pensacola Bay fishing pier. FEMA will allow the county to use some of that money — minus a 25 percent penalty — for other projects. Commissioners want to use some of that pier money to instead develop this park.

The money to buy the land and develop the park won't be affected by property-tax cuts, because it comes from a different source, County Administrator George Touart said. Also, a west-side park was on the list of things to do with the one-cent county sales tax voters passed.

"We're doing nothing but what the voters told us to do," Touart said.

Residents speak out against new sewer plant

2007-07-26T14:07:00.000-07:00

Residents speak out against new sewer plant
Local and regional environmental groups also looking at proposal for facility near Magnolia Springs

Thursday, July 26, 2007
By GUY BUSBYStaff Reporter
FOLEY -- Opponents of a proposed sewage-treatment plant south of Magnolia Springs are joining with other environmental organizations to fight any applications for state permits.
At a meeting Tuesday night at the Foley Civic Center, members of the Weeks Bay Environmental Advisory Association were joined by representatives from Mobile Baykeepers and the Southern Environmental Law Center.
The group was formed earlier this year to oppose plans by Baldwin County Sewer Services to build a treatment plant. The meeting Tuesday was scheduled to inform residents about the situation and make plans to oppose state permits for the plant, according to organizers.
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Organizers said they are working on plans to oppose the plant to be built east of Baldwin County 12 near the headwaters of Noltie Creek.
"That particular spot, in our estimate, is the worst spot in Baldwin County to locate a sewage-treatment plant," Max Reed, one of the organizers of the meeting, told an audience of more than 100.
Opponents said treated effluent from the plant would drain into the creek and other waterways and damage the environment there and downstream into Weeks Bay and Mobile Bay.
"We're not overly reactionary. We're not anti-development. We're not anti-sewer system. We're not anti-Baldwin County Sewer Services. We're pro Weeks Bay," he said. "This is worth fighting for and doing whatever it takes to keep this watershed clean."
Casi Callaway, executive director of Mobile Baykeepers, said the plant would affect the environment not just of Noltie Creek and Weeks Bay, but the entire region.
"Weeks Bay is an integral part of the Mobile Bay watershed and we will do all we can to protect it," she said.
Callaway said that while Baldwin County Sewer Services has not asked the Alabama Department of Environmental Management for a permit for the plant, opponents need to be gathering information now to be ready when an application is filed.
"We need to be able to say what the problems are and how they can be fixed," she said. "Hopefully, they'll hear our voices and move to a different location or we are going to have to fight."
David Pope, director of the Georgia-Alabama office of the Southern Environmental Law Center, said his organization, will also be looking at the proposed plant.
"Hopefully, we'll be able to ensure the laws of the United States of America and the state of Alabama are followed in relation to this proposed sewage-treatment plant," Pope said.
Diane Cocoran, a member of the Weeks Bay Environmental Advisory Association, said that as of last count 1,256 opponents of the plant have signed a petition against the proposal. She said signatures are still being collected to be presented to ADEM or other environmental officials to show opposition to state approval.
Clarence Burke, owner of Baldwin County Sewer Services, was not at the meeting Tuesday night and could not be reached Wednesday.
In an earlier interview, Burke said the company was still looking at plans for a treatment plant at that site or another location and had not yet applied for an ADEM permit.
Baldwin County Sewer Service now operates treatment plants in Lillian, Plantation Hills near Daphne and on the Fort Morgan peninsula.
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