Florida’s Environment: 12 Stories to Watch for December

To pair with the rest of our educational content in each Earth to Florida newsletter, we bring you monthly updates on statewide environmental news. Read on below to see what we found for the month of December:

12 Florida Stories to Watch

The British biotechnology company Oxitec and the Florida Keys Mosquito Control District have reached a new stage in a project to wipe out the invasive Aedes aegypti mosquito. Oxitec released 130 boxes of genetically modified male mosquito larvae in several locations throughout the Keys. The male mosquitos have a “death mechanism” meaning when they mate, there will be no viable female offspring. After mating, the male mosquitoes should pass on a “self-limiting gene” that should cause the number of mosquitoes to dwindle. The project will be monitored until February.
Nutrient pollution in Miami’s Biscayne Bay has led to algae blooms and killed more than 20 square miles of seagrass in the past decade. In November, Biscayne Bay was left out when the Florida Department of Environmental Protection gave nearly half a billion dollars to communities around the state to clean up water problems. This is because the Bay does not currently have any pollution limits – which was a stipulation for receiving the funds. Irela Bague, Miami-Dade County’s chief bay officer says a permanent advisory board is currently working together to set pollution limits that satisfy both community and business interests.
Earlier this year, Florida lawmakers nixed a proposed toll road in South Florida. But plans to extend Florida’s turnpike north into rural counties near the state’s Big Bend are moving ahead. The No Roads to Ruin Coalition, a toll road opposition group, says the extension is unnecessary and would threaten some of Florida’s remaining rural lands, iconic wildlife and pristine waterways. Another public information session on the plan is scheduled for next summer.
Advocates from the Florida Turtle Conservation Trust say a new executive order by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission makes the threatened gopher tortoise more vulnerable to development. The order waves a rule that prohibits relocating the species more than 100 miles to the north or south, which is meant to prevent isolated turtle populations. Gopher tortoises are considered a keystone species because they dig deep extensive burrows in the ground that are used by over 365 other animal species.
First introduced through the exotic pet trade, the invasive Argentine black and white tegu population in Florida has been growing rapidly. In 2019, 1,425 tegus were captured throughout the state, more than double the number trapped in 2015. The huge lizards will eat just about anything, and several have been documented eating hatchlings of the threatened gopher tortoise. Tegus also thrive in cold weather, meaning they could survive as far north as Alabama. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission plans to meet soon to address the problem.
As manatees make their annual journeys toward inland waterways this winter to escape cold ocean temperatures, federal and state wildlife agencies have decided to hand feed these imperiled gentle giants. More than 1,000 manatees have died this year, an unusual decline attributed to starvation and diminishing seagrass. One of these warm water refuges, a power plant site near Cape Canaveral, will be the focus of this effort. The Save the Manatee Club, an influential conservation organization, has voiced its support for this emergency measure but emphasizes that it is still illegal for individuals to feed manatees. Meanwhile, in South Florida, tensions are high between organizers of the 2022 Miami Boat Show and those who say preparations for the event will disturb manatee protection areas.
Critically endangered North Atlantic right whales are calving near Florida’s coast this winter, so boaters are encouraged to take precautions to avoid a collision with these hard-to-spot creatures. With their population estimated at less than 350 individuals, researchers in South Carolina were elated when they confirmed that a right whale finally gave birth off the Atlantic coast. These mammals are threatened by entanglements, boat strikes, climate change and more.
After a 215-million-gallon wastewater leak at the Piney Point facility in Manatee County this summer, environmental organizations across Florida banded together to sue the state and others involved in the breach. Now, the defendants are seeking to dismiss the case, stating that they are already working to solve problems. Currently proposed solutions include pumping the contaminated wastewater deep underground. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection is close to issuing a permit to allow this measure but faces objections from environmental organizations who say the pumping could contaminate the aquifer.
Florida is set to receive more than $33 million as a settlement for the 2010 BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The funds will be put toward the acquisition and management of 32,000 acres of wetland and floodplain habitat in Apalachicola. The project aims to improve freshwater and nutrient flow to Apalachicola Bay and the Gulf of Mexico. $356 million more dollars are expected to be allocated in the future.
A new report from the Environment Florida Research & Policy Center has named Florida third in the United States for cumulative electric vehicle sales through 2020. Florida has over 77,000 electric vehicles on the road and more than 5,600 charging ports. Though electric cars were once a fringe idea, today several automakers have plans to cease production of gas and diesel-fueled cars within the next two decades. In the U.S., a recent poll found that more than 50% of U.S. voters support requiring new cars to be electric within just a decade, and more than 50 power companies plan to build a coast to coast fast-charging network for electric vehicles by the end of 2023.
Citrus greening, a disease that has decimated citrus groves in central and south Florida has been confirmed for the first time in north Florida. According to the USDA, this year Florida citrus growers will produce 11% fewer boxes of oranges than last year.
As cities across Florida look to lower greenhouse gas emissions, new state laws have blocked municipalities from doing so, according to a report by the Miami Herald. The laws are part of a national trend of gas-industry-supported laws aimed at deterring cities from cutting down on their emissions. So far, 19 states have passed similar laws and five more are in the works.

The Good News

Four decades ago, monarch butterflies migrated from all over the western U.S. to coastal California by the millions. In recent years, less than 30,000 butterflies have been migrating yearly and those numbers dropped to 2,000 in 2020. This year though, numbers have increased with biologists already counting 100,000 monarchs. Residents in the western U.S. can help monarch populations by planting native milkweed and flowers in their yard.

Things You Can Do

For the past couple of years, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has been mapping “heat islands” or places in cities that experience significant heat. Fort Lauderdale was one of the cities in the first round of mapping, and researchers found that some areas of the city were up to 15 degrees warmer than surrounding areas. NOAA is now seeking volunteers to help map more cities using special sensors. The application to participate is due Jan. 1, 2022.

Florida Research News

Scientists at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences are researching ways to prevent the Aedes aegypti mosquito from contracting the dangerous dengue virus, which is spread to 100 million people worldwide each year. The researchers say if they can help the mosquito fight off the virus before it replicates, then they could help prevent the spread to humans.
Researchers from Florida Atlantic University’s Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute have assessed water quality at 20 sites along the Indian River Lagoon in Indian River County to see if septic systems in the area are a significant contributor of nutrient pollution. Their findings showed that even the septic tanks that are properly functioning are leaching harmful nutrients that have contributed to recent seagrass and manatee die-offs.
It’s well-known that toxins produced by harmful algae blooms such as red tide can kill marine life and make people sick, but little is known about what levels of toxins cause human illness. Researchers from Florida Atlantic University plan to study the health impacts of harmful algae in order to understand exactly how much toxin is too much. Their study will measure toxin concentrations in the environment and inside people’s noses. They also plan to assess how the algae affect people with preexisting conditions such as asthma and people who have had COVID-19.
In a new Florida State University study, researchers have created a model that will better project the threat of sea level rise. Current models are inconsistent, projecting wide-ranging estimates of the number of people expected to be affected by sea level rise this century. The new model will use a larger number of metrics that will take more critical factors into account.
University of South Florida marine scientists are testing a new method of mapping shallow coastal areas that are most vulnerable to coastal changes and storm events. Their first field mission was recently launched in Tampa Bay and the Gulf of Mexico — an area that makes a great testing ground due to its many different conditions. The method involves the use of several technologies to aid in mapping the coastal areas, including satellite-derived imagery and laser-based sensors.
Florida International University’s new study has revealed that sea level rise has pushed underground water closer to the surface, even reaching underground levels of coastal buildings. The study was conducted as a response to the collapse of the Champlain Towers South in Surfside earlier this year. Coastal geologist Randall Parkinson, who conducted the study, urges condo associations and owners to have their buildings inspected by licensed engineers more frequently.
Over the past two years, Florida Atlantic University has polled 1,400 adults about climate change five times. Since 2019, the percentage of Florida Republicans who believe in climate change has risen from 44% to 88%. University of South Florida political science professor Edwin Benton offers several likely reasons for the change, such as improved media coverage on the issue and Florida’s rapid population growth.

National News

A National Academy of Sciences study shows that the United States is the world’s leading contributor to plastic waste. A report released by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency shows that today’s recycling system is not enough to combat the problem and more emphasis needs to be placed on reducing plastic production.
Since the Clean Water Act was passed in 1972, it has been useful for managing some causes of pollution, such as the dumping of wastewater. However, in recent years, “nonpoint source pollution” — which includes agricultural runoff, has become a more significant environmental threat. Runoff from fertilizer threatens clean drinking water supplies which can cause health problems for humans and toxic algae blooms. Recently, researchers have identified gaps in the legislation and are proposing revisions and new policies to counter nonpoint source pollution in the lead-up to the 50th anniversary of the act.
Two bipartisan companion bills introduced in Congress would allocate billions of dollars to help states fund wildlife recovery work. The funding would come from law enforcement revenue, though critics of the bills say the funding source is too unpredictable.
Despite drilling bans, Florida’s coastal communities are at risk from oil spills due to inadequate enforcement in other areas of the Gulf of Mexico, according to environmental researchers and federal regulators. But two bills awaiting a US House vote would strengthen offshore drilling regulations and impose annual fees on pipeline owners. The legislation is controversial as the new regulations would not directly affect offshore drilling on Florida’s Gulf coast due to restrictions previously passed by congress. However, proponents argue that coastal communities are still threatened by oil spills in other parts of the Gulf.

The More You Know

Researchers from UC Santa Cruz have found that in human-dominated landscapes, plants may not adapt as quickly to warming temperatures caused by climate change. Prior research found that plants change their phenology, or the timing of their seasonal processes, in response to warming temperatures. But after analyzing satellite remote sensing data, this study found a mismatch between growing seasons and temperature change — instead of seasons lengthening, some became shorter.
Researchers in Germany found that corals store about 20,000 metric tons of microplastics in their skeletons worldwide each year. But it is still unknown what impact this might have on reef health. Other common microplastic storage spots – sea ice and seafloor sediments – have yet to be quantified.
New research suggests that fungi may be essential for storing carbon in the soil, preventing it from being released into the atmosphere and contributing to climate change. Fungi may produce special enzymes that help bacteria in the soil create carbon compounds that are more stable and remain in the soil.
The number of dragonflies and damselflies is declining rapidly due to the loss of wetland habitats such as marshes, bogs and swamps. At least 40,000 species of insects worldwide have been officially listed as at risk of extinction. The primary reason for habitat loss is attributed to urbanization and unsustainable agriculture.