Environmental restoration is moving in the right direction in NW Florida | Guestview
If good government happens, does it make a sound? I fully agree and believe that good government practices and execution should be the basic expectation of every voter and citizen. However, in the current culture that seeks and fosters conflict, we miss opportunities to recognize and support good collaboration that is occurring in our community. One of those good things that has recently been created to make NW Florida better is the Pensacola Perdido Bays Estuary Program (PPBEP).
Over the last six months, a series of local governmental actions in eight separate jurisdictions have set the stage for PPBEP to become an independent organization focused on the environmental restoration of Pensacola and Perdido Bays, including all their tributaries, without much notice. PPBEP was birthed five years ago with competitive funds from the RESTORE Act Component II monies administered jointly by federal government agencies and the five states of the Gulf of Mexico. While supported by two states and eight local governments, PPBEP began its existence as a part of Escambia County. However, to truly become an organization like the estuary plans of Sarasota Bay, Tampa Bay and Mobile Bay, it needs to operate independent from any specific jurisdiction in order to collaborate with each of its partners.
More: Pensacola and Perdido Bays Estuary Program releases its first "state of the bays" report
Why is PPBEP or any estuary program important? The bays, bayous, rivers and creeks that make the water resources of any community are the bedrock environmental foundation on which the physical community is built and holds the quality of life. All of us on the Gulf Coast experienced the tie between the fragility of our environment and our quality of life during the 2010 BP Oil Spill. Over 400 years of usage, development on the Gulf Coast has adversely impacted those water resources. However, there is hope in restoration that we can both use and maintain those resources to enjoy our quality of life while protecting our environmental foundation.
The job of PPBEP is to foster environmental restoration. It does this by first looking at the entirety of the bay and tributary watershed and applying science to find solutions. PPBEP is blessed to have not one, but two scientists on staff that have studied the watersheds of both bays. They have prepared an incredible report to chronicle our baseline and followed up with the first “State of the Bays” assessment. If you have not seen it online, I encourage you to go to PPBEP.org as it does an incredible job of breaking down the complex to a series of measurables and solutions.
More: Estuary program could be powerful guardian for Pensacola waters — with a bit more time
PPBEP then looks to support restoration through obtaining, federal, state and foundational funding to implement solutions. The program has already been successful in supporting funding awards for solutions in Carpenter’s Creek, Bayou Texar, Perdido Bay and Pensacola Bay through projects focused on reducing erosion, eliminating sedimentation, creating habitat and reducing impacts from septic intrusion. When the most recent awards are finalized, that funding should reach over $30 million and that is simply the tip of the iceberg of environmental funds available to Northwest Florida and South Alabama.
Over five years of existence, PPBEP has grown through the ups and downs of adolescence. Notably, it has gone through three separate executive directors in a Goldilocks effort to find what was “just right”. While young, Matt Posner is the best person to oversee this small but energetic group of six.
How young are they? When I recently visited the Great Plains and told them it reminded me of “Dances with Wolves”, none of them knew of the Oscar winning movie, like it was a black and white silent movie. Yet, this young PPBEP staff of six are creating significant, measured success across Northwest Florida and South Alabama, and the independence set to happen in months will exponentially aid their efforts to make our region better.
It is entirely likely that reading this editorial is the first time you have heard of this group and their efforts. However, while we should always expect good government, their efforts and success should be celebrated by all. Likewise, the support of all the elected officials in every member jurisdiction, Escambia County, Santa Rosa County, Okaloosa County, city of Pensacola, city of Milton, city of Gulf Breeze, city of Orange Beach and town of Century, should be recognized as not every community has this type of collaboration. They have enabled our community to take a big step in the right direction of environmental restoration and that should make a great sound.
Grover Robinson is the former mayor of Pensacola and a former Escambia County Commissioner.
This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Environmental restoration is moving in right direction in NW Florida
