To monitor, preserve, and protect the coral reef ecosystem of
South Florida through research, education, and public awareness.
A New Ocean Wastewater Outfall Pipe for Lake Worth
Your success story
In May 2007 the FDEP announced plans to issue a permit to the City of Lake Worth to discharge 4 million-gallons-a-day of nutrient laden wastewater on to our beloved Horseshoe Reef.
You responded by sending 850 objection letters to FDEP demanding a public hearing. FDEP agreed and the meeting was held June 18, at Lake Worth City Hall.
At the meeting paid consultants for the City of Lake Worth tried to convince a standing room only crowd that a little bit more pollution dumped on an already stressed coral reef would not hurt.
(Channel 5 News coverage)
Reef Rescue and six other environmental organizations presented internationally recognized coral reef experts who vehemently argued that the addition of nutrient pollutants to the degraded system would be a disaster. They presented scientific data showing the reef was already dangerously close to an algal bloom tipping point.
The meeting ran 2 hours past the allotted time as one person after another approached the podium and voiced their concern that the FDEP was rubber stamping another permit and turning their back on Florida’s dying coral reefs.
At the meeting FDEP asked for more written comments from the public and they got them; another 150, pushing the total number of objection letters to over 1,000.
In late August Lake Worth learned the FDEP yielding to public pressure was backing away from issuing the ocean dumping permit. The September 1, Palm Beach Post (read here) reported the LW City Council was planning to vote on hiring a law firm to “persuade” FDEP to issue the permit.
Reef Rescue immediately sent out an Action Alert and even though it was the Labor Day weekend you sent over 250 emails to the Mayor and City Commissioners demanding they act environmentally responsible and vote no for attorneys and yes to protect the reef.
At the Tuesday September 4, City Council meeting the Mayor and members of the council were greeted by dozens of sign carrying protesters and the three local TV stations reporting live on the five-o’clock news.
Supporters of the reef again packed the meeting hall to overflowing and made impassioned pleas during the public comment period.
In spite of LW Utility Director Sammy Faried’s assurance the reef would not be harmed by the nutrient-laden wastewater, the Mayor and commissioners didn’t need a weatherman to know which way the political wind was blowing. In a unanimous decision they voted not to hire lobbyists and agreed to find another way other than the ocean outfall to dispose of the RO plant waste.
This experience should teach us the power organized concerned citizens have to protect the environment in the face of politically driven agendas. Let’s hope this is the end to the Lake Worth story.
Palm Beach County Reef Rescue
P.O. Box 207
Boynton Beach, FL 33425
(561) 699-8559