Wednesday, February 26, 2014

Sea Grant Town Hall

You are cordially invited 
to The City of St. Marys                                        
Sea Grant Town Hall

Event Date: Wednesday, March 19, 2014, 6:30 pm

Location: City of St Marys (Theater By The Trax, 1000 Osborne St.)

St. Marys residents and municipal leaders are invited to learn about the development of a flood resiliency plan for St. Marys and share feedback on issues related to flooding, sea level rise and storm surges at a Sea Grant Town Hall.

The public meeting will include summaries of the plan by researchers from Georgia Sea Grant, the Carl Vinson Institute of Government and Marine Extension, public service and outreach units at the University of Georgia. Experts from North Carolina Sea Grant will provide information on the process that the project will follow.

Participants will have the opportunity to ask questions, provide input on the plan’s development, and make comments.
Speakers at the meeting will include Chuck Hopkinson, Director of Georgia Sea Grant; Kelly Spratt, Local Outreach Coordinator for Georgia Sea Grant and UGA Marine Extension, and Jessica Whitehead, Coastal Communities Hazards Adaptation Specialist from North Carolina Sea Grant.

In 2013, St. Marys was selected through a nationwide grant competition as one of five locations in the United States to undergo community resilience and adaptation planning. Funded by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Sea Grant Program, the findings will be shared with other coastal communities in Georgia, North Carolina and nationwide throughout the Sea Grant network. Additional project partners include the Lamar Dodd School of Art and the College of Environment and Design, both housed at the University of Georgia.

Researchers and extension specialists intend to tailor a plan with recommendations linked to the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Community Rating System program, focusing on the implementation of effective adaptation actions that may provide local residents flood insurance rate reductions.

 (This event is hosted by The St. Marys EarthKeepers, Inc.)



Congratulations, St. Marys!

Advanced Disposal had been asked to give us a clear idea regarding our curbside recycling participation rate (the national average compliance rate is 34%).
I'd known that we were doing extraordinarily well but the numbers below are better than I'd imagined. This is yet another prime example of what a dedicated organization, a progressive community, and a supportive Council can accomplish together.  

Monday - 59%
Tuesday - 81%
Wednesday - N/A (no recycle routes on this day)
Thursday - 65%
Friday - 85%

Total = 72.5%

Alex

Saturday, February 15, 2014

The Latest Threat to the St. Marys River

As you know, the St. Marys River is a low volume, oligotrophic waterway with a small watershed. Its waters are limited in supply and incapable of absorbing the impacts of over-use. Florida's water consumption creates an ever-growing need and the state looks (in part) to the St. Marys River to address its demands. 

I urge you to add your voices in protest for our community's future is intrinsically connected to the health of our river.
Here is a link to the St. Johns River Water Management District's "Water Supply Plan 2013"

Note Appendix F, page F-9. (Below)


Please submit your comments here http://floridaswater.com/DWSP2013/plancomments.html

Pass this message along to concerned others, please. The public comment period closes on Feb. 20th. 


Update Feb. 24 - The word went out and action was taken: 
http://jacksonville.com/news/georgia/2014-02-21/story/georgia-regulators-environmental-groups-oppose-floridas-plan-withdraw 

Dates To Remember

Please mark these dates in your calendar:

March 19th: Sea Grant Public Forum. (6:30 - 8:30 pm. Location to be announced soon.)


March 22nd: 2014 River Clean-up and Celebration http://www.saintmarysriver.org/docs/2014_River_Cleanup_Flyer.pdf


March 29th: EarthKeepers' Electronics Recycling Event - St. Marys Aquatic Park, Herb Bauer Dr., 10 am - 4 pm. 


March 29th: Earth Hour. Once again Camden County will extinguish all non-essential lighting in honour of global Earth Hour. 8:30 - 9:30 pm.