My Perdido

Holiday Harbor on Perdido Key "Clean Marina"

PENSACOLA - The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), together with the Clean Boating Partnership, welcomes the Holiday Harbor Marina to the Florida Clean Marina Program. This voluntary state initiative recognizes marinas and boatyards for their commitment to the protection of Florida’s waterways and natural resources.

“Congratulations to Holiday Harbor Marina on becoming a designated Clean Marina,” said DEP Northwest District Director Shawn Hamilton. “Their dedication to environmental stewardship, including implementing  water quality improvements and recycling, among other initiatives, will help protect the area’s natural resources for future generations.”

To become a designated member of the Florida Clean Marina Program, facilities must implement a set of environmental measures designed to protect Florida’s waterways. These measures address critical environmental issues such as sensitive habitats, waste management, stormwater control, spill prevention and emergency preparedness.

“We are pleased to be chosen as part of Florida’s Clean Marina Program. Our company is very concerned about the environment and we are proud to take part in helping to keep the waterway clean,” said Thomas Bizzell, owner of Holiday Harbor.

Florida has more than 1 million registered motorized vessels and more than 2,000 marinas - the largest number of marine facilities in the country. Drawing millions of visitors each year, Florida’s clear waters, world-class beaches and coral reefs support a $60.8 billion tourism industry, an $18.9 billion boating industry and a fishing industry that injects more than $7.5 billion a year into Florida’s communities. Protecting Florida’s waterways is essential to the health of the state’s environment and economy.

“Holiday Harbor Marina has come a long way since its early days in the 1980s,” says John H. Naybor, Chairman, Clean Boating Partnership.  “It is now a top-notch modern facility which represents all that the Clean Marina program stands for. We are proud to welcome Holiday Harbor into the Clean Marina family of Florida marinas.” 
Ceremony attendees included Jeanne A. Williams, Northwest District Director Shawn Hamilton, owners Tom Bizzell, Allen Bizzell, Dockmaster Bill Davis, facility employee Chris Ledet, owner Steven Bizzell.

 

Grant for U.S. Fish and Wildlife

Perdido Key on Grant List

WASHINGTON -- Secretary of the Interior Secretary Ken Salazar today announced more than $53 million in grants to 17 states to support conservation planning and acquisition of vital habitat for threatened and endangered fish, wildlife, and plants.

The grants, awarded through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s (Service) Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Fund (CESCF), will benefit numerous imperiled species ranging from the Peninsular bighorn sheep to the Karner blue butterfly.

“Our solid partnerships with states are key to Interior’s continued success in preventing the extinction of hundreds of threatened and endangered species, and recovering species, such as the bald eagle, brown pelican, and American alligator,” Secretary Salazar said. “These grant awards will support important state efforts to build and strengthen conservation partnerships, and to conserve and protect vital habitat for threatened and endangered animals and plants.”

Authorized by Section 6 of the Endangered Species Act, the competitive grants enable states to work with private landowners, conservation groups, and other agencies to initiate cost-effective conservation planning efforts and acquire and protect habitat to support the conservation of threatened and endangered species.

“Ensuring the survival of imperiled species depends on long-term partnerships and voluntary landowner participation,” said U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director Dan Ashe. “The vital funding provided by these grants empowers landowners and communities to safeguard habitat for threatened and endangered species and foster conservation stewardship efforts for future generations.”

This year, the CESCF will provide approximately $28.6 million through the Habitat Conservation Plan Land Acquisition Grants Program, $10.7 million through the Habitat Conservation Planning Assistance Grants Program, and $14 million through the Recovery Land Acquisition Grants Program. The three programs were established to help advance creative partnerships for imperiled species conservation recovery.

The Perdido Key Grant is $2,967,022 for acquisition of Perdido Key coastal tract in Escambia County. This grant will enable the acquisition of up to 20 acres of Gulf-front habitat used by the Perdido Key beach  mouse, ensuring its populations can remain connected. The Perdido Key beach mouse exists only on Perdido Key and faces increasing impacts from coastal development.A complete list of the 2011 grant awards under these programs (Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number 15.615) is available online at http://www.fws.gov/endangered/grants/index.html.

Perdido Key Sanitation

Not a Sexy Headline but Important Info For the Key

From the PNJ:

A sewer expansion project is set to start next month for Emerald Coast Utilities Authority customers along Perdido Key Drive.

The project, with a budget of $1.4 million, will allow ECUA to provide gravity wastewater service to 50 additional properties on Perdido Key, including several condominiums.

The project encompasses about 7,200 feet of gravity sewer, beginning at the eastern boundary of Perdido Key State Park, eastward on Perdido Key Drive to the Ocean Breeze East Condominiums.

The planned sewer line will allow for the elimination of three existing ECUA sewer lift stations, and five privately maintained lift stations, which the ECUA says will mean future savings in operating and maintenance costs.

The project is being funded out of the ECUA’s 2011 capital improvement program budget.

The Perdido Key Drive sewer expansion project was delayed to avoid beginning construction until after Labor Day.

The ECUA’s contractor is required in its contract to complete the project within 180 days, which is expected to allow the work to be substantially complete by the 2012 Spring Break season.

 

Turtle nesting climbs along area coastline

Sea turtle nesting season is on a record-breaking pace. That's the word from Gulf Islands National Seashore officials who had been concerned there might be a decrease in nests in the wake the BP oil spill last year.

The 68 nests counted this year on Santa Rosa Island and Perdido Key top the previous record of 58 nests in 2000, said Andrew Diller, marine biologist with Sea Grant of Escambia County. The recording of sea turtle nests on weekly basis goes back to 1991.

Diller goes on turtle patrol before dawn, counting nests from Johnson Beach to the end of the seashore on Perdido Key. The undeveloped areas of the seashore see the most nests, Diller said.

"The darkness and remoteness will always mean better numbers," he said. All but one of the nests recorded are loggerhead sea turtles; there is one Kemp's ridley turtle nest, Diller said. Kemp's ridley turtles are one of the most rare species of sea turtles, which typically nest along the Mexican and Texas coasts, Diller said.

Mark Nicholas, park biologist with the seashore, says light pollution and boaters remain the biggest — and most immediate — threat to turtles.

"When an adult female turtle is killed by a boater, that is a big deal to the future population," Nicholas said. "That female's only job is to produce as many eggs as she can."

Joyce Williams, 49, of Ocean Springs, Miss., doesn't like to think about boaters or oil harming the sea turtles she loves so much.

"I just love them so much, but they're hard to see. You don't want to shine a flashlight on them but I would love to see a nest up close," Williams said. "If we stay out of their way, the sea turtles will be fine I believe."

Six Sea Turtle Nest Found on Beaches

We are one month into the turtle nesting season and there have already been three nests located in Gulf Islands National Seashore here in Perdido Key.  There have also been three other nests found at Fort Pickens on Pensacola Beach.

One of the nest is the endangered Kemp's Ridley and the others are Loggerheads. The peak nesting and hatching season runs from May 1st to the end of October.

How can you help?

• Boaters should always watch the Gulf and bays for Sea Turtles.
• Don't throw plastics or trash in water or on the beach.
• Beach residents are required to use turtle-friendly lights. Other residents and businesses are encouraged to switch to low-pressure sodium lights. For details contact Mark Nicholas at  (850) 934-2600.
• If you find an injured Sea Turtle or Sea Turtle nest call the Gulf Breeze Police Department (850) 916-3010.
• Remember that Sea Turtles are federally protected under the Endangered Species Act.

Report any dead or disoriented Sea Turtles to the Wildlife Alert Hotline at (888) 404-3922

-Courtesy of The Perdido Key Chamber of Commerce

 

Tar Mats Clean Up on Perdido Key

Eden HOA President Lead Concerned Disclosures

The area behind Eden Condominiums has been of concern for months now in an area of submerged tar mats off shore. Here are some excerpts from the Pensacola News Journal with the details. (see full article here) The good news is that we got the county folks to step up and raise cain with BP and to get a private contractor out there to get it addressed.  Good works by many behind the scenes folks just doing their civic duty for our precious Perdido Key area.

Patrick Schibline is excited to see the cleanup operation, which includes 20 workers and six pieces of large equipment stretching across 400 feet of beach."I've been trying to get them to clean up the beach for the last two months — since the tar mat was discovered in December," said Schibline, 61, Eden's homeowners association president.

Escambia County officials say the operation is woefully inadequate, given BP's anemic reaction to at least nine other tar mats pinpointed near Perdido Key. Four tar mats lie between Fort Pickens and Navarre Beach, and many others are suspected to extend 100 miles out, county officials said.

Tired of waiting for BP to address the issue, County Administrator Charles Oliver fired off a letter to BP's incident commander in New Orleans on Friday requesting that the oil giant address the tar mats. While the county waits on a response from BP, it is following the lead of Orange Beach, Ala., and seeking a proposal from a private company to search for and clean up tar mats found from the shoreline to depths of 30 feet in the Gulf."We want to see productivity from BP, or we will move ahead and we'll send BP the bill," said Keith Wilkins, the county's environmental point official, speaking on behalf of Oliver.

County Commissioner Gene Valentino has received kudos for his focus on the BP disater since last May.  He has seen the tar mats himself during scuba diving trips to inspect the Gulf floor.  He said BP responded to the Eden tar mat only because of the "overwhelming volley of complaints" from Eden residents, vacationers, county officials and politicians.

It is encoraging to see that the leaders and concerned citizenry did not stick their collective heads in the sand (pun very much intended) and ignore the problem in hopes it would just go away as BP had apparently thougtht it would. 

This is another example of the paradigm shift that is centered on the resurgence of the Perdido Area/West Pensacola.  People are engaged, there is a unity of purpose, a recognition by a wider range of city and county leaders, a spring in the proverbial step of our neighbors, and an atmosphere of optimism no matter the issues or the odds.

Spring break is on the way with very strong indications with rental numbers up and real estate sales booming.  We cannot afford to ignore anything that may jeopardize our economic recovery so I salute all those who jumped into the fray.  Thanks from all of our Perdido Key Area citizens.

IMPACT OF THE GULF OIL SPILL ON TOURISM

Perdido Chamber Initiatives Having Positive Impact on the Impact

This is a reprint of the Executive Summary of the report to the U.S. Travel Asssociation that was provided by Oxford Economics, a consulting firm from the U.K.  Of particular note for Perdido Key is the last graphic that shows the economic impact durations, in months, to return to "normalcy".  This report was prepared back in July 2010 but the Chamber's public relations campaigns, the gift card promotion this fall and the special events calendar have all combined to mitigate the damage.  In November 2010 the picture is bright for Perdido Key as snow birds return, a robust condo market flourishes and preparations are made for a strong tourist economy in 2011.  See the report for what might be expected without these extraordinary efforts.

Travel and tourism is critical to the economies of Gulf Coast states, responsible for $34 billion in direct traveler-generated spending along coastal communities’ Congressional districts in Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas.

An independent analysis conducted by Oxford Economics measured the current and potential damage to the travel and tourism industry in the Gulf Coast region over a likely prolonged period of impact resulting from the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill.

In its study, the global research firm monitored a range of indicators detailing how the disaster is already affecting traveler behavior and assessed the potential longer term impacts by examining 25 previous historic crises in the U.S. and abroad.

“Business as Usual” Not Expected for Two to Three Years

• The potential impact of the oil spill disaster in the Gulf of Mexico could adversely affect tourism arrivals in coastal communities for up to three years (36 months) at a cost of $22.7 billion in lost revenues. At minimum, Oxford estimates Gulf region travel would be impacted for 15 months at a cost of $7.6 billion in unrealized revenues, though it is expected that this event will trend to the higher end of impact estimates.
• The high profile of the spill has led to incredibly widespread economic impacts. Although the losses have been concentrated where oil has come ashore, visitors have shifted away from the entire region in significant numbers, creating a striking effect on travel to the Gulf region.
• Current indicators show double-digit declines in plans to travel to the region. A series of surveys, along with greatly reduced searches on the travel website TripAdvisor®, reveals that the oil spill has already affected perceptions and intentions to travel to affected areas.
• Expected losses fall heavily on Florida due to the larger area at risk on both the Gulf and Atlantic Coasts; however, coastal areas of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama are more directly exposed to the disaster and the proportional effects are projected to be larger. The impacts on Texas are minimal.

 The Cost of Returning to “Normal” Travel

• The industry calls for a $500 million emergency marketing fund to counter misperceptions and encourage travel to the affected region. Oxford estimates this would generate $7.5 billion in tourism spending based on a return-on-investment of 15:1 (which is conservative in light of a documented ROI of 20:1 for post-SARS campaigns in 2004).

 Perceptions Matter More Than Reality

• Available research affirms that travel intentions are down significantly for the Gulf, misperceptions abound regarding which areas are affected and that travelers believe the impacts of the oil spill disaster will be felt for a long time.
• A review of disasters affecting tourism destinations reveals that the impact endures beyond the resolution of the crisis itself, due to brand damage and ongoing traveler misperceptions.

Case Studies: Examining 25 Past Disasters Worldwide

There is a clear, but not linear, relationship between the length of the disruption and the overall scale of impact on tourism. In its review of a variety of previous events worldwide – including oil spills, hurricanes, pandemics and terrorism attacks – the combined average length for a return to baseline visitor spending following crises ranged from nine to 26 months. The range of initial impacts does differ somewhat across previous crises, and perceptions also affect the peak impact likely to be felt in 2010 in this case. 

Perdido Key on CNN

Here is a great piece from CNN about the "lost summer" on Perdido Key: A summer lost on the 'Lost Key'

Gulf Coast Petition

"Be the One" Video Promotion

This video promotes the drive to restore the Gulf of Mexico following the disastrous spill.  Worth watching

See the full web site here: Restore the Gulf

When the Coast is Clear

Here is the most poingent moment at the Jimmy Buffet concert that may have been missed.  Folks around me on that magical beach concert were in tears. Put this in the hands of all our friends of the Gulf coast.  Pass it on.