ENFORCEMENT AND PROTECT PEACEFUL PROTESTORS. >> THE ONGOING MISSION TO SAVE
BISCAYNE BAY.
SCIENTISTS HAVE DISCOVERED AN
ALARMING TREND THAT COULD SOON
SPELL TROUBLE FOR THE BAY AS
THE EFFORTS TO RESTORE IT HAVE
NEVER BEEN MORE URGENT.
ON A COOL MARCH MORNING, I
JOINED THE RESEARCH TEAM FROM
FIU’S INSTITUTE OF ENVIRONMENT
BACK ON THE WATERS OF BISCAYNE
BAY.
THE DATA COMING IN FROM ONE OF
THE RESEARCH BUOYS IS
ALARMING.
FOR THE FOURTH STRAIGHT DAY.
>> THAT’S THE SAME PATTERN WE
SAW SATURDAY MORNING, SUNDAY
MORNING, MONDAY MORNING.
>> OXYGEN LEVELS COMING FROM
THE MOUTH OF THE BISCAYNE
CANAL INTO THE BAY ARE
DANGEROUSLY LOW.
IT’S ONE OF THE FACTORS THAT
CAUSED A DEVASTATING FISH KILL
IN THE NORTH BAY LAST SUMMER.
DR. TODD WHO LEADS THE TEAM IS
WORRIED.
>> WE SHOULD NOT SEE OXYGEN
GET BELOW 5, 6.
>> WHAT’S CAUSING IT?
>> I DON’T KNOW.
>> THE TEAM NOW ON AN URGENT
MISSION TO FIND THE SOURCE,
THE ONLY CONCLUSION IS THAT
IT’S CHEMICAL, AN OVERLOAD OF
DANGEROUS NUTRIENTS FROM LAND
BASED POLLUTANTS, BUT FROM
WHERE?
>> WE REALLY NEED TO FIGURE
OUT WHERE THIS IS COMING FROM
AND COME UP WITH A FIX ASAP.
>> SINCE THIS SUMMER, CLOSELY
MONITORING THE BAY HAS BEEN A
24/7 OPERATION.
IT IS CSI ON THE WATER.
>> WE WILL BE PROACTIVE AND
SAY THE OXYGEN IS DROPPING,
WE’RE GOING TO HAVE FISH DYING
IF WE DON’T GET OUT THERE AND
FIGURE OUT HOW TO OXYGENATE
THE BAY.
>> SO FAR, IT HASN’T COME TO
THAT.
>> OUR BAY HAS BEEN HOLDING
STEADY THE PAST SEVERAL MONTHS
WITH NO MAJOR EVENTS LIKE THE
FISH KILL OR ALGAE BLOOM WE
EXPERIENCED LAST SUMMER.
BUT JUNE IS AROUND THE CORNER.
OUR TEMPERATURES ARE GETTING
WARMER, SO IS THE WATER AND
THE LOOMING THREAT OF ANOTHER
POTENTIAL FISH KILL HAPPENING
THIS YEAR IS A VERY REAL
CONCERN.
SHE PREVIOUSLY CHAIRED THE
BISCAYNE BAY TASK FORCE WHICH
IDENTIFIED DERELICT VESSELS IN
THE BAY, LIKELY SPILLING FUEL
AND OTHER DANGEROUS CHEMICALS
INTO THESE FRAGILE WATERS.
A MONTH INTO HER NEW POSITION,
FIVE OF THOSE SUNKEN BOATS
WERE FINALLY REMOVED IN A
JOINT EFFORT BY MIAMI-DADE
POLICE, DURHAM AND FWC.
>> IT’S A HUGE PROBLEM AND
WE’RE ONE OF THE WORST
COUNTIES WITH THAT PROBLEM.
PEOPLE JUST ABANDON THESE
THINGS.
THERE’S A HUGE BUREAUCRATIC
PROCESS TO REMOVE THEM.
>> IT IS JUST A BAND AID TO A
PATIENT ON LIFE SUPPORT.
BUT FOR THE FIRST TIME, THERE
IS URGENCY AND ACTION.
>> I THINK ALL THE STARS ARE
ALIGNED RIGHT NOW TO REALLY
MOVE A LOT OF THINGS FORWARD.
>> HER NEXT TASK IS THE
APPOINTMENT OF A WATER SHED
MANAGEMENT BOARD MADE UP OF
REPRESENTATIVES FROM STATE,
LOCAL AND FEDERAL AGENCIES TO
COME UP WITH POLICY AND
DELEGATE CORRECTED ACTION TO
SAVE THE BAY.
>> THE IDEA OF CREATING A
PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE
COUNTY, THE STATE AND THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS BECAUSE
WE’RE ALL GONNA HAVE TO FUND
SOME OF THESE BIG
INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS
TOGETHER.
WHICH WILL NOW ALLOW 150
COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES, PLUS A
BUDDING RESIDENCE TO
CONNECTION TO NEW SEWER LINES,
ELIMINATING AILING SEPTIC
TANKS THAT LEAK THOUSANDS OF
GALLONS OF WASTE WATER INTO
OUR GROUND WATER THAT FEEDS
THE BAY.
>> THESE TWO PROJECTS
REPRESENT AN INVESTMENT OF
OVER $5 MILLION.
THE ENTIRE PROGRAM WILL BE
$126 MILLION.
THE LARGEST SEPTIC SEWER
PROGRAM IN THE STATE.
>> MIAMI-DADE HAS OVER 120,000
SEPTIC TANKS.
>> HERE IT IS.
IT’S HISTORIC.
>> MAYOR LEVINE CAVA HAS MADE
THIS A TOP PRIORITY.
THIS CAN’T HAPPEN SOON ENOUGH.
DANGEROUS NUTRIENTS CONSTANTLY
SPEWING FROM LEAKING SEPTIC
TANKS AND SEWAGE SPILLS ALONG
WITH FERTILIZER AND TOXIC
STORM RUN OFF AND ALL THAT
PLASTIC POLLUTION IS KILLING
OUR BAY.
>> WE HAVE NO OPTIONS.
WE HAVE TO GET INFRASTRUCTURE
PUT INTO PLACE.
>> CAN WE SAVE BISCAYNE BAY?
>> IS THERE REALLY A CHOICE?
WE HAVE TO SAVE BISCAYNE BAY.
>> IT’S ALL UP TO US TO MAKE
SURE WE IMPROVE THE HEALTH OF
THE BAY.
TAMPA BAY DID IT, CHESAPEAKE
BAY DID IT, WE CAN DO IT.
>> WE CAN DO IT.
BUT MAKE NO MISTAKE, ALL OF US
WHO CALL SOUTH FLORIDA HOME
MUST BE PART OF THE SOLUTION.
THE COUNTY, THE STATE, THE
CITIES ARE DOING THE HEAVY
LIFTING WITH RACING TO IMPROVE
INFRASTRUCTURE.
BUT ALL OF US HAVE TO COMMIT
TO DO BETTER WITH HOW AND WHAT
WE CONSUME AND HOW WE DISPOSE
OF IT.
OUR LITTERING AND PLASTIC
POLLUTION ARE OUT OF CONTROL.
I’M GONNA TAKE A DEEP DIVE ON