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Texas Must Protect its Waters from Nitrogen and Phosphorous Pollution
The Texas Gulf coast and all of its waters are
a beautiful treasure for the state and a big
part of the states’ economy. In the coastal
areas alone, tourism generates about $10
billion a year for the state and coastal fishing
generates another $4 billion. While Texas
does a better job incorporating the Clean
Water Act into state policies than the other
Gulf States in many categories, there are still
significant areas that need improvement.
States make choices as to how to use and manage their coastlines. Florida has historically made the decision
to manage and protect our coastlines to maximize coastal tourism, and the recreational use of coastal
resources. Additionally, Florida has conserved and placed in public ownership large sections of the Gulf
www.healthygulf.org Coast of Florida, particularly in the Nature Coast, and protected coastal marshes, seagrass beds, and
estuaries. These resources are critical to healthy commercial and recreational fisheries.
The routine pollution from offshore oil and gas drilling, the associated coastal infrastructure, and the potential
GRN Healthy Waters damage to both economic and environmental resources makes drilling unacceptable off the coast of Florida.
Program Staff Stay tuned for more information in future Wave Maker’s as this issue unfolds.
Florida:
Joe Murphy Victory for Florida’s Nature Coast
352-583-0870 or
joe@healthygulf.org As you may know from reading past editions of Wave Maker’s, Gulf Restoration Network, with our partners
the Gulf Coast Conservancy and Defenders of Wildlife, have been working to stop a mega-development,
Mississippi: called SunWest Harbourtowne, proposed for the southern Nature Coast,. Recently, we had a major victory
Casey DeMoss Roberts when the Florida Department of Community Affairs (DCA) issued a report which raised significant and wide
ranging concerns and objections to the project! Florida DCA raised tough and troubling questions about
504-525-1528 x 205 or planning, land use, public safety, and habitat. While this fight is not over, we are glad that state growth
casey@healthygulf.org management officials agreed with us in terms of the negative impacts this project poses for the Nature Coast.
Raleigh Hoke The proposed SunWest Harbourtowne development is a perfect example of unsustainable coastal
504-525-1528 x 204 or development that threatens Florida’s environment and citizens. The proposed development will introduce
raleigh@healthygulf.org 2,500 homes, a 500 boat marina, hotel, conference center, and 18-hole golf course in rural, low lying, coastal
Pasco County. This extreme large scale development in the coastal high hazard area will significantly increase
Louisiana: the risk of hurricane damage, destroy natural habitats, and result in higher costs to local and state taxpayers.
Matt Rota
SunWest Harbourtowne and the associated 2.7 mile channel dredge will cause significant environmental harm
504-525-1528 x 206 or to the coastal ecosystem. These environmental impacts include destruction of vital coastal habitat, damage to
matt@healthygulf.org the regional recreational and commercial fisheries resulting from degradation of the coastal marsh and
estuaries, impacts to numerous terrestrial species, and severing access to core habitat for the imperiled
Texas: Chassahowitzka River population of the Florida black bear.
Ellis Pickett
713-906-3940 or SunWest Harbourtowne threatens Florida’s vital economic and environmental resources, and it is heartening
ellis@healthygulf.org that the Florida Department of Community Affairs agreed with the conservation and community groups who
have opposed this project from day one.