I want to begin by offering condolences to PBCEC co-chair, Barry Silver, who's father passed last weekend. There is a guest book for posting thoughts and memories available at http://www.legacy.com/PalmBeachPost/GB/GuestbookView.aspx?PersonId=109509733
On June 8 there will be a Tribute to Rabbi Sam Silver, hosted by the Silver family. The event will include entertainment and rabble-rousing and will be held at Santa Luces High School, from 3pm-6pm. All are invited.
The May 5 PBCEC meeting took place at the Friends' Quaker Meetinghouse in Lake Worth. We discussed: WCEC/pipeline/gas strorage updates, databasing PBCEC participants and contacts, fundraising, Logan Kensing updates, new road updates, sewage outfalls, new rock mines and development in western Palm Beach County, the newly formed Justice League, supporting local community farmers, and other announcements...
Now, for my seemingly-annual Lord of the Rings inspired rant to you all:
...Today is not the time to be sitting the sidelines, South Florida. We are in middle of our real-life equivalent to the battle for Tolkien's Middle-Earth here in the northeast Everglades. Forces of greed and destruction have been amassing in Palm Beach County and the greater Treasure Coast region . Concrete and corruption have been creeping up from Broward and Miami-Dade. The peaceful and rural countryside of western Palm Beach & Martin County is not safe. The gentle shire-folk of the Loxahatchee, the Acreage, Jupiter Farms, Indiantown, Lake Worth, Hobbit Sound (and other communities) are now on the front-lines of an unprovoked war... The PBCEC represents a fellowship of determined underdogs attempting to hold back the developers bulldozers and turn the tide of corruption in order to truly improve our communities by moving towards sustainability and justice... Where do YOU stand?!
Our next meeting will be June 2, again at the Quaker Meeting on 823 North A Street, Lake Worth, (although that is not yet a permanent meeting place for us.) While we are not required to purchase anything (as with the restaurants where we previously met), there is a donations requested for using the space, so please bring some cash to throw in the pot.
panagioti tsolkas,
PBCEC co-chair
(p.s. if anyone on the list is interested in turning these monthly emails into a newsletter of some sort, please get in touch with me)
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FPL/WCEC/Pipeline/Gas Storage
Florida Power and Light has become akin to Sauron; their Palm Beach Aggregates' construction site: Mordor. FPL have long been in cahoots with the asphalt-and-concrete mongers, pulling the strings of politicians and bureaucrats (and environmentalists), and the plot continues to thicken, as it nears two years of full-blown opposition to the West County Energy Center and its needed infrastructure (including the Gulfstream phase III pipeline and the Floridian Natural Gas Storage facilities), and its associated greenwashing. Despite FPL Group boasting a 66% profit increase this year (PB Post, 5/1/08), FPL Co. President has begun speaking out AGAINST conservation http://pbcec.blogspot.com/2008/05/lies-from-fpl-elite-fuel-rise-of.html , claiming it as a threat to the funding of 'clean' nuclear power plants! This company is the primary threat to our ecosystem in terms of air pollution, water consumption, sprawl and political corruption, we are obligated to fight every bad proposal they put before us...
We all know that the solution to the simultaneous energy and climate crisis will never come from the profiteering crooks who created it (and continue to profit off of it AND the false solutions to it). Which is why we are continuing our fight, and expanding it. We are now challenging the Floridian Natural Gas Storage (FGS) proposal in Indiantown. The PBCEC represented strong at the Martin County Commission meeting May 6, and was in the company of the NAACP of Martin County who was there intervening to question the location of the project, which is in close proximity of the historic Black neighborhood, Booker Park. Check out our Motion to Intervene on the FGS project at http://pbcec.blogspot.com/2008/05/motion-to-intervene-on-floridian.html
The Everglades Earth First! group has taken on a monitoring campaign on the pipeline, in collaboration with the legal challenegs of the PBCEC. We have succeeded at indentifying and protecting unmarked gopher tortoise habitats and other issues. Check out photos http://riverofgas.evergladesearthfirst.org/PLconstructionpics.htm
Mark your calendars:
-May 20 will be a PBC County Commission meeting with two WCEC items on the agenda: (1) giving wastewater to FPL for the WCEC (this precious resource should go to a REAL environmental use.. not a fossil fuel power plant) (2) truck transport of fuel oil for the WCEC through the western communities
-June 23-24 Public Service Commission meeting on WCEC unit 3 (submit comments to PSC, tell 'em we want the meeting here locally, as of now it is scheduled to be held in Tallahassee: http://www.floridapsc.com/about/contact/form.aspx
Last, we need people speaking up to the local papers. They often times appear to be on the FPL leash with the rest of the lackeys . Send 'em your letters , tell 'em we want real debate on energy options. Check out the latest PB Post disgrace "More Power to FPL" http://www.palmbeachpost.com/opinion/content/opinion/epaper/2008/05/11/a2e_fpl_edit_0511.html
Oh, the other last thing.. We are also supporting our friends to the south and north who are fighting FPL's nuclear expansion at Turkey Point and Hutchinson Island. Check out a great new anti-nuke article from Miami, "Beachfront Reactors in an Age of Rising Sea Levels" http://counterpunch.com/farago05132008.html
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Databasing
If you are interested in assisting with this project, please get in touch or if you get these emails and want to help us establish our database, please contact David Simms, dsimm@hotmail.com ASAP
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Fundraising
We are sorely lacking in this area. The PBCEC is well enough established that it could succeed in aquiring grants and large doners, we have not given much energy in this direction. We have a fiscal sponsor who we have not made much use of. If anyone feels inclined to work on this, please get in touch. Ana and Barry offered to work on this, but need help developing fundraising plans. We need some money to keep up this work. Seriously.
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FL Marlins/Logan Kensing update
After a series of hateful and violent emails from Logan Kensing supporters, we have increased our efforts to bring attention to the FL Marlins pitcher's cruelty, indifference and wanton disrespect to wildlife. Under the guise of managing wild hogs, Kensing is promoting the eradication of native predator species such as bobcat and coyote. It turns out Kensing may have been violating the federal Airborne Hunting Act makes shooting an animal from a helicopter illegal. He could face a fine of up to $5,000, imprisonment for up to 1 year, and forfeiture of
any guns and aircraft involved. The text of the Act is available at http://assembler.law.cornell.edu/uscode/html/uscode16/usc_sec_16_00000742---j001-.html,
Congressman Wexlar's office has agreed to pursue the issue. To read a most recent letter from PBCEC participant Marie Zwicker , check out http://pbcec.blogspot.com/2008/05/florida-marlins-and-logan-kensing.html
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New Road proposals
We are working on some new literature to explain our position in opposition to all new roads, road extensions and road expansions. DOT money should be used for improving public transit and basic roadway maintenance for safety. New roads will never keep up with traffic congestion until there are real alternatives to the 'single-occupant vehicle' (SOV) phenomenon. The PBCEC is opposing the Seminole Pratt extension, Roebuck Road, SR 7 extension/Acreage Reliever road, Lyons Road, Jog extension, Okeechobee extension, Turnpike expansion and I-95 expansion (I-95 has been declared a 'Corridor of the Future' for the expansion of Free Trade, making it also a global target for activists.)
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Sewage Outfall
From www.Reef-Rescue.org : "WE WON! Reef Rescue’s six year crusade to stop the discharge of inadequately treated sewage onto our coral reefs became a realization when the Florida House and Senate unanimously approved legislation to end ocean sewage dumping. Thank you to all who worked to achieve this significant milestone in the preservation of South Florida’s coral reefs and coastal environment." Check out their website for NBC and CBS news coverage.
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New Rock Mine and Development approvals
New rock mine proposals are popping up like herpes.. We support our friends with the Everglades Law Center, Sierra and other groups who are standing up to these proposals. Keep an eye on the County Commission for coming hearings..
Massive new development projects are still rolling into the County, despite over half-a-decade of housing on the market. Callery Judge is moving ahead, under a manipulation of the Ag Enclave. They still need approvals from DCA, SFWMD and ACOE. As Rosa Durando asked: "Where is the outfall for all these homes!?" Yes folks-the C-51-more crap into the Lake Worth Lagoon!
June 3, The County will be discussing future development in the Ag Reserve. Let's be there to kick their crooked asses... It's time to put Burt Aaronson in a luxury suite next to Masilotti and Newell.
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Join the Justice League
This is a new group of activists, which PBCEC is a part of, seeking to bridge the issues of social justice and environmental justice, human rights and animals rights, etc. They will be meeting the 1st thursday of every month and are planning a counter-Olympics protest on the 3rd Sunday of June to address the human rights violations of the hosting country, China. For more info, contact Barry Silver, 561-483-6900 or BarryBoca@aol.com
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Support Local small farmers and Gardeners
Sun-Sentinel reporter, Ralph De La Cruz, wrote an excellent story 'Therapy grows in Tony's Garden' on our local community farmer. "A lot of people say they are green or support the environment, but they don't get out and sweat and get their hands dirty," Tony Dagher says. Tony is trying to keep those pesky bulldozers off his vegetable gardens in Depray beach. Support him by asking the City of Delray to protect and nurture community gardening. CityManager@MyDelrayBeach.com (561) 243-7010 You can also support Tony by buying his delicious vegetable and herb baskets. Place orders at: guerreroantonio@bellsout.net
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Announcements
-June 7, Friends of Corbett meeting, 10am-2pm, please attend and support/encourage the group in taking a stand on Seminole Pratt extension
-May 17, a new 'Palm Beach County Green Group' will be meeting in Palm Beach Gardens, 7-9pm, Abbey Road Grill/Bar, 10800 N. Military Trail.
-May 30, 'Cancer Project', 8-10pm, On behalf of Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, the Cancer Project will promote nutrition, cancer prevention and planetary awareness/health through everyday dietary choices. At the Quaker Meeting, 823 North A Street. For more info, contact bonnie@pbcgreenparty.org
-Greenpeace and their Project Hotseat is back in town, organizing around climate change in the coming congressional race. for more info, contact: lauren.thorpe@greenpeace.org
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