WAS HE IGNORED. WILL JOIN US >> MIME’S DADE VERSUS MANATEES
IS HOW YOU MIGHT DESCRIBE THE
DIGS THIS WEEK WHEN COUNTY
COMMISSIONERS BY UNANIMOUS VOTE
GAVE BOAT SHOW ORGANIZERS THE
GO-AHEAD TO RUN SEA TRIALS
DURING THE EVENT THROUGH
CRITICAL NESTING AND FEEDING
AREAS IN BISCAYNE BAY.
>> AND THAT HAPPENED DESPITE A
RECOMMENDATION TO TURN DOWN THAT
REQUEST BY THE COUNTY’S OWN
DEPARTMENTAL-- DEPARTMENT OF
ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES
MANAGEMENT KNOWN BETTER BY ITS
ACRONYM.
>> LEE IS THE DIRECTOR OF MIAMI
DADE COUNTY, GOOD MORNING, THANK
YOU FOR HAVING ME.
>> SO TELL US ABOUT YOUR
RECOMMENDATION, IN FACT, THAT IT
WAS GOING TO PUT THE MANATEE
POPULATION AND BISCAYNE BAY AT
RISK BY HAVING THESE FLOATING
DOCKS THERE BY THE OLD "MIAMI
HERALD" SITE ON THE BAY AND JUST
NORTH OF THE VENETIAN CAUSEWAY,
WHY IS THIS RISK?
-- RISE.
>> SO THE CONCERN WITH THE
MANATEE POPULATION IS OBVIOUSLY
WE SHARE THIS NATURAL AREA WITH
MANATEES.
AND THEY NEED TO BE ABLE TO
REST, FEED, REAR THEIR YOUNG.
AND THERE ARE CERTAIN PARTS OF
THE BAY THAT ARE MORE UTILIZED
BY MANATEES THAN OTHERS.
THERE HAS BEEN A BOAT SHOW IN
THIS LOCATION IN THE PAST BUT
THEY HAVE NOT BEEN ALLOWED TO
RUN SEA TRIALS BECAUSE SEA
TRIALS ARE A VERY INTENSIVE USE.
MUCH MORE ACTIVITY THAN JUST
SIMPLY BRINGING A BOAT IN AND
PARKING IT FOR FIVE DAYS AND
RETRIEVING IT.
THIS PARTICULAR YEAR THEY ASKED
TO INCREASE THE SIZE OF THE BOAT
SHOW, THEY WERE GIVEN APPROVAL
FOR A BOAT SHOW WITH 634 SLIPS
ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO, NOW
INCREASING IT TO ALMOST A
THOUSAND SLIPSES AND THEY WANTED
TO ADD SEA TRIALS AND THAT IS
JUST TOO MUCH ACTIVITY IN AN
AREA WHERE MANATEES NEED TO BE
ABLE TO LOOK FOR FOOD, REAR
THEIR YOUNGER AND WE THINK IT
WAS JUST TOO RISKY FOR THAT.
>> LEE, THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A BOAT
SLOW IS WHAT WE ARE TALKING
ABOUT, A MIAMI DADE DECISION.
WE HAVE VIEWERS FROM BOCA TO KEY
WEST WATCHING THIS, AND REALLY
WHAT THIS TOPIC IS, IS ABOUT A
GOVERNMENTAL DECISION AGAINST
THE ENVIRONMENT AND WE
APPRECIATE AND RESPECT THAT YOU
ARE A COUNTY EMPLOYEE WHO
ANSWERS TO THE COMMISSIONERS
WHOSE VOTE ARE YOU NOT
CRITICIZING, I GUESS THAT IS MY
WORDS, NOT YOURS.
WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF THEM VOTING
TOTALLY AGAINST WHAT YOU AND
YOUR COLLEAGUES RECOMMENDED?
>> SO ACTUALLY I THINK THE
OUTCOME WAS SOME WHAT OF A
COMPROMISE BECAUSE THE APPLICANT
ASKED TO MODIFY THEIR PERMIT
WHICH IS GOOD FOR ANOTHER SEVEN
YEARS, WHAT OUR COMMISSION DID
WAS ALLOW THEM TO DO SEA TRIALS
FOR JUST NEXT YEAR.
AND I THINK WE HEARD PRETTY
CLEAR FROM THE COMMISSION, THEY
WERE PUT IN A DIFFICULT
POSITION, WE HAD ADVISED THE
APPLICANT AT THE BEGINNING OF
THIS YEAR THAT IT WAS NOT
RECOMMENDED TO PUT SEA TRIALS
THERE.
THE APPLICANT CONTINUED TO MOVE
AHEAD WITH THEIR APPLICATION,
WAS NOT WILLING TO MAKE CHANGES
TO IT.
AND UNFORTUNATELY THIS LATE IN
THE GAME THE COMMISSION WAS PUT
IN A VERY DIFFICULT POSITION TO
HAVE TO MAKE A DECISION.
OBVIOUSLY WE ALL RECOGNIZED THE
ECONOMICS OF A BOAT SHOW AND
QUITE FRANKLY T SHOULDN’T BE
MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE.
THE REASON PEOPLE ENJOY BOATS IS
BECAUSE BUSINESS CABE BAY IS SO
BEAUTIFUL AND PART OF THAT ARE
ARTICLE THINGS LIKE MANATEES SO
I ACTUALLY PUT IT STORT OF IN
THE WIN COLUME THAT THE BOARD
RECOGNIZED THAT THERE WAS A
CONCERN, THERE NEEDS TO BE A
BALANCE AND EVERY DAY I NEED TO
MAKE DECISIONS THAT WILL BAS THE
PUBLIC GOOD WITH ENVIRONMENTAL
PROTECTION.
THAT IS THE CHALLENGE WE HAVE
WITH NEARLY 3 MILLION PEOPLE
LIVING IN THIS SPECTACULAR
PLACE.
>> IT IS SPECTACULAR AND HE WANT
TO KEEP IT THAT WAY.
I SHOULD POINT OUT THAT A SEA
TRIAL IS A KIND OF A TEST DRIVE,
PEOPLE WANT TO GET IN THESE
BOATS, GO OUT O ON THE WATER.
I WOULD SIGH NAH IF IT IS THE
BOAT SELLER THAT IS SHOWING THE
BOAT, THESE ARE PROFESSIONAL,
LICENSED PEOPLE, THEY’RE NOT
GOING TO BE SPEEDING OUT OF
THESE SLIPS FOR THE SEA TRIALS.
I MEAN THEY’RE GOING TO BE AS
CAREFUL AS THEY CAN BE.
THAT’S SORT OF THE BEST CASE
SCENARIO FOR SEA TRIALS BE,
ISN’T IT?
>> YEAH, THAT’S A VALID POINT, I
THINK WE TALKED ABOUT THIS IN
FRONT OF THE IMHITION, PROBABLY
THE WORST THING YOU CAN DO IS IT
TO TRIKE THEM WITH A VESSEL BUT
WHAT PEOPLE DON’T UNDERSTAND IS
THERE ARE SUB LETHAL IMPACTS,
INCLUDING JUST IT BEING VERY
BUSY.
SO IF YOU ARE A MOTHER AND A
CALF TRYING TO FIND FOOD, AND I
MENTIONED THIS TO THE BOARD, IT
IS DIFFICULT BECAUSE WE HAVE
SUCH A LOSS OF SEA GRASSES IN
BISCAYNE BAY, MANATEES ARE
ACTUALLY STARVING TO DEATH ALL
OVER THE STATE BECAUSE THEY ARE
NOT FINDING FOOD.
SO EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENS ON
THE WATER THAT CAUSES YOU TO
EITHER BE SCARED AWAY OR MAKES
YOU STAY IN ONE AREA AND NOT
LOOK FOR FOOD, EVEN IF IT IS
JUST VESSEL TRAFFIC NOT RUNNING
YOU OVER, THOSE ARE THINGS
POTENTIALLY INJURE ARE YUSES TO
THE SPECIES.
>> AND YOU TOLD THAT TO THE
COUNTY COMMISSION AND I WANT TO
READ RIGHT OUT OF THE AGENDA
MEMO WHICH WE PULLED THAT THIS
SITE IS IDENTIFIED AS A
MANATEE-- IN THE MANATEE
PROTECTION PLAN.
SO THE COUNTY HAS A PLAN TO
PROTECT MANATEES.
AND THIS SITE WAS IDENTIFIED IN
THAT PLAN AS AN ESSENTIAL
HABITAT, THOSE ARE THE WORDS,
ESSENTIAL HABITAT, FOR-- OKAY
FOR RESIDENTIAL DOCKING BECAUSE
THE BOATS DON’T GO ANYWHERE, BUT
ESSENTIAL FOR FEEDING AND NESTS
AND MANATEE MATING.
AND FOR TRAVEL BACK AND FORTH.
THERE SHOULD BE NO DESTRUCTION
OR ACTIVITY THERE.
SO WHEN THE COUNTY COMMISSION
HEARD THIS AND EVEN BEFORE THAT
WHEN THE VENDOR HEARD THIS AND
TO YOUR POINT, THEY HAVE A
BUSINESS THAT THEY NEED TO DO,
WHAT IS THE COMPROMISE?
WHERE IS THAT COMPROMISE?
>> SO HISTORICALLY THERE HAVE
BEEN VARIOUS ASPECTS OF THE BOAT
SHOW IN DIFFERENT LOCATIONS
THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY.
AND THERE HAVE BEEN ORIGINALLY A
BOAT SHOW OVER ON MIAMI BEACH
AND YEARS AGO IT MOVED INTO THE
AREA OF THE MARINE STADIUM.
OPERATELY-- SEPARATELY WILL HAS
BEEN A BOAT SHOW AT THIS
LOCATION AND WHEN THIS LOCATION
GOT APPROVED FOR INCREASING THE
SIZE OF THE SHOW A FEW YEARS AGO
IT WAS PREDICATED ON THE
CONDITION THAT THEY NOT HAVE SEA
TRIALS BECAUSE THERE IS A
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BRINGING THE
BOATS IN ONCE AND LEAVING ONCE
FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE SHOW
VERSUS THE IN AND OUT TRAVEL
ASSOCIATED WITH DOING SEA
TRIALS.
AND SO YOU KNOW, THERE ARE
PLACES IN THE COUNTY WHERE
MANATEES ARE NOT OCCUPYING, NOT
USING THOSE AREAS FOR THOSE KIND
OF HABITAT OR ACTIVITY.
>> IF I CAN, LET ME, I’M SORRY
TO INTERRUPT.
OVER BY THE MARINE STADIUM,
THERE ARE MANATEES OVER IN THAT
AREA AS WELL, ARE THERE NOT?
>> THERE ARE CERTAINLY MANATEES
IN A LOT OF PLACES THROUGHOUT
THE BAY BUT WHAT WE FOUND IN
STUDIES IN THE PAST IS IN
CERTAIN PLACES THEY WEREN’T
SPENDING AS MUCH TIME, OBVIOUSLY
OVER NORTH OF THE MARINE STADIUM
IT IS A CRITICAL WILDLIFE AREA,
NOT SPECIFICALLY FOR MANATEES
BUT THERE IS A HABITAT AREA
PROTECTED, A NO ENTRY ZONE SO NO
ONE SUDDEN GO IN ON THE NORTHERN
PART OF VIRGINIA KEY, BUT WITH
THE AREA BY MARINE STADIUM THERE
WAS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO
TRAVERSE GOING SOUTH OF THE
RICKEN BECKER CAUSEWAY AND DO
SEA TRIALS IN PLACES WHERE IT
WAS MORE OPEN AND LESS DENSE OF
SOUTH FLORIDA WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THE UPCOMING BOAT SHOW WITH LEE, THE DIRECTOR OF DERM,
THE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL
RESOURCES MANAGEMENT FOR MIAMI
DADE.
LEE WE SHOULD POINT OUT GLENNA
AND I AND OUR PRODUCER HAVE A
STATEMENT FROM THE BOAT SHOW IN
WHICH THEY SAY THAT THEY ARE
MINDFUL OF THE IMPACTS OF THE
SHOW, THEY HAVE SOMETHING CALLED
A MANATEE PROTECTION PLAN.
THEY DEVELOP FOR THE SHOW AND
THEY DON’T WANT TO HARM THE
MANATEE.
OF COURSE THAT’S WHAT THEY WOULD
SAY BUT YOU KNOW, THEY’RE GOING
TO HAVE SEA TRIALS.
SO IT’S KIND OF A
SELF-CONTRADICTORY, I THINK.
YOU CAN COMMENT ON THAT?
>> SURE, I THINK YOU KNOW WITH
ANY ACTIVITY LIKE THIS, AND
ESPECIALLY NOW WITH THE
DIRECTION FROM THE BOARD TO MOVE
FORWARD, WE’RE GOING TO HAVE
CONDITIONS THAT HAVE THEM
MONITOR THEIR SEA TRIALS, THE
SIZE OF THE VESSELS, NUMBER OF
TRIPS THEY MAKE AND OBVIOUSLY
THE SEA TRIALS WILL BE PILOTED
BY THE REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
BOAT SHOW, NOT LET THE GENERAL
PUBLIC DRIVE THE BOATS AROUND.
THERE ARE SPEED ZONE
RESTRICTIONS IN THERE.
I AM SURE THEY WILL FOLLOW ALL
THOSE REGULATIONS, THE CONCERN
WE HAVE IN THE LONG RUN IS THIS
PARTICULAR DWRARY IS NOT
APPROPRIATE FOR YEARS AND YEARS
OF THE SAME KIND OF ACTIVITY
GOING FORWARD.
SO I THINK WHAT HAPPENED WITH
OUR BOARD GOT PUT IN A TOUGH
POSITION, THIS LATE IN THE GAME,
THIS CLOSE TO THE SHOW, THEY
INSISTED WE TAKE THEIR
APPLICATION TO THE BOARD AND IN
MANY CASES I MAKE DECISIONS
ADMINISTRATIVELY BECAUSE OF THE
SIZE OF THIS SHOW, I NEED TO GO
IT TO THE BOARD.
AND I THINK WE’LL MONITOR THEIR
ACTIVITY, AND I HOPE THAT WHAT
WE WILL DO IS LOOK FOR PLACES TO
HAVE SEA TRIALS IN OTHER PARTS
OF THE COUNTY FOR THE FUTURE
SHOWS.
>> SO THAT IS INTERESTING.
BECAUSE IT STOWNDS LIKE THIS,
YOU KNOW, I WILL JUST GO ON
RECORD, WATCHING THIS DISCUSSION
AT THE COMMISSION LEVEL THAT
ABSOLUTELY THE MIAMI
INTERNATIONAL BOAT SHOW IS HUGE
BUSINESS FOR SOUTH FLORIDA.
IT IS A TOURISM TOUR, IT IS A
GREAT ANNUAL EVENT IN MANY WAYS.
AND I DON’T WANT ANYONE TO THINK
THAT WE’RE TAKING SIDES
ANYWHERE.
AND IT IS JUST ABOUT THIS
DECISION THAT WAS SO CURIOUS
THAT WE HAD INSHALL-- INVITED
YOU ON THIS PROGRAM.
BUT ONE OF THE QUESTIONS WAS, IN
THIS NEW AREA, AND WE HAD AN
AREA BEFORE WE PUT UP, I’M NOT
SURE YOU CAN SEE IT, BUT THE
AREA FOR PEOPLE WHO KNOW
DOWNTOWN MIAMI RIGHT BEHIND THE
OLD OM NEE NORTH OF THE VENETIAN
CAUSEWAY, MICHAEL HAD MENTIONED
EARLIER IN THE LITTLE YELLOW
BOX.
SO IT IT IS KIND OF RESIDENTIAL.
A LOT OF HIGH-RISES THERE.
THIS ACTUAL LAND UNDERNEATH THE
WATER, THEY CALL IT THE
SUBMERGED LANDS, IS PART OF THAT
STATE OWNED LAND?
AND IF IT IS, DOES THE STATE
HAVE TO SIGN OFF ON THIS
DECISION BEFORE THE SEA TRIALS
CAN TAKE PLACE?
>> YES.
IN FACT THAT’S TRUE.
MOST PEOPLE NEVER THINK ABOUT
LAND OWNERSHIP UNDER THE WATER
BUT THE SUBMERGED LANDS ARE
OWNED BY SOMEONE, IN MOST CASES
THEY ARE OWNED BY THE STATE OF
FLORIDA.
IN SOME CASES OWNED BY
MUNICIPALITIESK SOMETIMES OWNED
BY INDIVIDUALS, IN THIS
PARTICULAR AREA, SOME OF THE
LAND IS OWNED BY THE CITY OF
MIAMI AND SOME OWNED BY THE
STATE OF FLORIDA.
AND THEY WILL NEED PERMISSION
FROM THE STATE, THEY WILL
ACTUALLY NEED A PERMIT FROM THE
U.S. ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS
ALSO BEFORE THEY CAN ACTUALLY
BUILD THE BOAT SHOW.
>> SO THIS ISN’T A DONE DEAL
YET, IS THAT TRUE?
>> THAT’S CORRECT.
IT NOT A CONDITION DEAL YET.
I SUSPECT YOU KNOW THE COUNTY,
WE’RE HERE, WE’RE PRESENT.
WE PROBABLY ARE PAYING VERY
CLOSE ATTENTION TO WHAT HAPPENS
IN OUR BACKYARD.
I THINK THE OTHER AGENCIES MAY
PROBABLY FOLLOW SUIT AND GIVE
THE PERMITS.
NOT SURE.
BUT IT’S NOT UNCOMMON FOR THEM
TO ISSUE PERMITS FOR THINGS LIKE
THIS.
>> LEE, LET ME SORT OF BROADEN
THE PERSPECTIVE HERE A LITTLE
BIT.
HERE YOU ARE IN CHARGE OF
PROTECTING THE ENVIRONMENT, FOR
MIAMI DADE COUNTY GOVERNMENT.
AND THE WHAT, TWO AND A HALF
MILLION PEOPLE WHO LIVE HERE IN
THE COUNTY.
I HAVE TO SAY, THIS IS JUST PART
OF AN HE INTERNAL CONUNDRUM FOR
THOSE OF US WHO LIVE IN FLORIDA,
IS TO PROTECT THE THINGS THAT WE
LOVE, THAT MAKE THIS PLACE
SPECIAL.
AND THEN YOU ARE SOMETIMES IN
CONFLICT WITH THE ECONOMIC
FORCES THAT DRIVE OUR AREA AND
ALLOW US TO LIVE AND WORK HERE.
>> THAT’S A FANTASTIC
OBSERVATION.
I THINK THE CHALLENGE THAT WE
HAVE AS A COMMUNITY IS
UNDERSTANDING THE RESPONSIBILITY
WE HAVE, THE THING THAT BROUGHT
US ALL TO LIVE HERE.
WE LIVE IN AN AMAZING PLACE ON
THIS PLANET.
AND THERE IS A REASON WE LIVE
HERE.
ST BECAUSE IT IS SO BEAUTIFUL,
SO ALONG WITH THAT COMES THE
RESPONSIBILITY TO PROTECT THE
RESOURCES SO THAT OUR CHILDREN
AND THEIR CHILDREN CAN ENJOY THE
SAME BEAUTY THAT WE HAVE BEEN
ABLE TO ENJOY SO THERE ARE ALL
KINDS OF THINGS QUESTION DO AS
CITIZENS LIKE FOLLOWING RULES OF
THE ROAD WHEN ARE YOU VOTING AND
LOOKING FOR MANATEES AND EVEN ON
THE LAND WE FIND WHAT IS
HAPPENING IN BISCAYNE BAY IS
VERY MUCH RELATED TO WHAT WE DO
ON THE LAND IN TERMS OF
FERTILIZERS, PUMPING SEPTIC,
TELL YOUR LANDSCAPER NOT TO BLOW
THE GRASS CLIPPINGS IN THE
STREET, THEY GO IN THE DRAIN AND
POLLUTE THE BAY, SO THERE ARE
THINGS TO DE STEWARDSHIP OF THE
COMMUNITY.
>> AND TO TOOT OUR HONE, LOUIS A
GEAREE WITH DON’T TRASH OUR
TREASURE, THAT IS HIS MESSAGE
AND GOD BLESS HIM FOR DOING IT.
I MEAN THAT IS OUR LEADER, OUR
GUIDE ON THIS HERE.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
>> ALL RIGHT SO ONE MORE
QUESTION TO CAP THIS
CONVERSATION.
YOU MENTIONED EARLIER THAT THERE
WOULD BE A PLAN AND WATCHING
WHAT HAPPENS.
AFTER THAT, WHAT HAPPENS.
IS THIS A WRITTEN ASSESSMENT
THAT YOU ARE PLANNING.
WHAT COMES NEXT FOR THE
MANATEES.
>> SO WHEN, YOU KNOW, AT THIS
POINT THE BOARD HAS MADE ITS
DECISION.
MY AGENCY IS STILL THE AGENCY
RESPONSIBLE FOR ISSUING A PERMIT
AND DOING ALL OF THE
ENVIRONMENTAL EVALUATIONS AND
MONITORING OF WHAT GOES ON AND
AS PART OF THAT THERE WILL BE A
REPORT BACK IT TO THE BOARD ON
THE SEA TRIAL ACTIVITY AND ALSO
WHETHER ANY ANYTHING SPECIFIC
WAS NOTICED IN TERMS OF IMPACTS
TO MANATEES, NOW I WILL SAY THAT
I HOPE WE DON’T HAVE ANY IMPACTS
TO MANATEES BUT THAT DOESN’T SAY
THAT THE JOB, THAT THE ACTIVITY
WON’T RESULT IN SOME NONLETHAL
IMPACT LIKE CAUSING THEM TO BE
SCARED AWAY AND NOT FIND FOOD
BUT WE WILL CERTAINLY BE LOOKING
FOR DIRECT IMPACTS TO MANATEES.
>> GREAT TO YOU HAVE ON THE