It's not what you know, but who you blow.

Things are looking up for a huge confrontation here on the canal.

More than likely there will soon be mandatory yearly septic tank
inspections, and associated fines/and or rebuild costs.

If you know anyone who has a bunch of money to invest, this would be a great
place to get involved in a business offering environmentally friendly septic
systems or composting toilets and such.

It is going to hit the fan, sooner or later, and when it does, you guys in
Florida, which is basically diametrically opposite of the nation from us,
will be able to hear the howling.

At this point I will quote from The Holy Grail by Monty Python;

"Burn, Burn!"

Just in my mail this AM:

The public speaks out at the standing room only FDEP Lake Worth outfall
permit meeting.

NBC News Channel 5 opinion poll

Do you think the DEP should issue the permit?

Yes  3%
No 94%
Undecided 3%

The message was loud and clear, the meeting ran 2 hours past the allotted
time as one person after another approached the podium and voiced their
opposition against the permit to pollute. 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.

Pat yourselves on the back for making your voice heard and a job well done.
But the fight is just beginning. The first casualty of any battle is the
truth and this struggle is no exception. The misinformation and spin
campaign by the hired guns has started with analogies comparing the
wastewater to the purity of rainwater.  But the fate of the permit to
discharge wastewater into a coral reef ecosystem will be based on fact not
fantasy.

In an attempt to limit the dissemination of misinformation Reef Rescue has
posted a Lake Worth Outfall Issues web page designed to address many of the
concerns that have been raised and dispel rumors and deliberate
misrepresentations.

Visit our Outfall Issues web page at:

http://www.bluepogo.com/campaigner/q-chtrgfbhaqqvire%40tznvy.pbz%7C246%7C144

Outfall permit status?

The original FDEP plan was to have the final permit issued by June 22,
thanks to you that did not happen.  The FDEP and the city are regrouping,
but have not given up on getting a permit for the ocean outfall. There are
other alternatives; such as hooking up to county water, deep well injection
or building a nutrient absorbing mangrove estuary in the Lake Worth Lagoon.

The Lake Worth plan to remove brackish water from a deep aquifer and treat
it with a reverse osmosis system failed to provide an economical and
ecologically responsible means of process wastewater disposal.  The solution
to use an ocean outfall pipe to discharge the wastewater onto a coral reef,
one of the most sensitive and threatened habitats on the planet, because it
is the cheapest alternative that does not grant Lake Worth the right to
jeopardize endangered coral reefs; a source of income and pride to the
residents of Palm Beach County and a national treasure worth protecting.

Briny Breezes Update

Congratulations to everyone for achieving a real victory in the quest to
prevent unreasonable and irresponsible redevelopment of Briny Breezes.

The State of Florida through the Department of Community Affairs in
Tallahassee issued a rare and highly critical report of the developers
plans.  They used many of the same points we all have been making over the
last several months.

However, this is only phase one and the developers will try and revise their
plans to meet the multitude of objections.  We will, in turn, continue our
efforts at the same pace to counter their arguments.

To see some more information on the DCA report visit the
www.PreservationFLA.org website.  We understand that the many critical
submissions sent to the Department of Community Affairs set a record in the
State of Florida.

Divers at Risk

Hyperbaric chamber closes

At Reef Rescue our focus is on the environment and the protection of our
coral reefs, but we depart from our mission statement temporarily to address
this important issue to Palm Beach County divers. Palm Beach County is the
number one diving destination in the continental US, the only facility in
the county to treat decompression sickness has just closed.  Not exactly
closed, just closed to divers. The facility at St. Marys hospital will still
be available for hyperbaric wound treatment, just not for divers -
apparently treating decompression sickness is not profitable.

You have demonstrated that you can rally overwhelming support on issues that
threaten our coral reefs, how about voicing your opinion about this issue
that affects your health and the dive tourism industry of the county. Here
are two news articles:

Palm Beach Post

http://www.bluepogo.com/campaigner/q-chtrgfbhaqqvire%40tznvy.pbz%7C246%7C146

NBC News

http://www.bluepogo.com/campaigner/q-chtrgfbhaqqvire%40tznvy.pbz%7C246%7C148

Email the decision makers and tell them what you think.

Final Note

If you have a chance pick up the July/August Florida Sportfishing Magazine.
Much thanks to them for an excellent article on page 130, Stop the Lake
Worth Outfall Before it Becomes Another Delray Disaster.