FORCE NEWSLETTER - Meeting February 25, 2010 11AM :: Rivers Coalition

FORCE - FRIENDS OF THE RIVERS COALITION eNEWSLETTER February 2010 PO Box 2627 Stuart, Fl 34995 772-225-6849 www.RiversCoalition.org
February 24, 2010

RIVER OF GRASS RESTORATION PLANNING TO BE UPDATED AT FEB. 25 RIVERS COALITION

You can hear all the latest about planning ways to move excess water south from Lake Okeechobee, instead of dumping it into our St. Lucie estuary, at the coming Rivers Coalition meeting

Do your own planning right now and be there at 11 a.m. Feb. 25 at Stuart City Hall. Concerned citizens must stay involved in order to restore and protect the estuary from the periodic bombardments of polluted water from inland.

Most of us feel certain that only a south outlet from the lake will save us from the damaging discharges made in wet years. Such a south outlet would be possible with the state's planned purchase of 73,000 acres from U.S. Sugar Corp.

The RC's special update will feature Matt Morrison, a division chief planner with the South Florida Water Management District.

Various configurations of land and water use are being considered to accomplish the storage, flow and treatment of excess water, and Rivers Coalition representatives have been active in the very complex process.

The Rivers Coalition's pending riparian rights lawsuit is a continuing impetus for government to develop a flowway from the lake. The planned sugarland purchase works hand in hand with the legal action.

Another major issue involves the U.S. EPA's proposed rule to establish numeric limits on nutrients put into our waters by agricultural and other sources. The Rivers Coalition intends to take part in the rule planning as advocates seek to reduce pollution to the lowest practical limits.

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STEPHEN SCHAFER DONATIONS GO TO RIVERS COALITION

A number of donations to the Rivers Coalition Defense Fund have been made in the memory of Stephen Schafer, a well known and beloved figure in the Stuart community who was tragically lost due to a shark encounter off the beach.

"We're heartened and humbled that the Schafer family asked that donations go to the Rivers Coalition Defense Fund," said Chair Leon Abood. "The river meant a great deal to Stephen and we will keep him in our thoughts as we press forward."

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What's Happening?

Thursday February 25, 2010

11am to 12:30pm at:

City of Stuart Commission Chambers

121 SW Flagler Ave, Stuart, Fl 34994

Business Matters

• Chairman’s Comments - Leon Abood

• Membership & Organizational Policy Review - Leon Abood/Marge Ketter

• Special Presentation - Matthew Morrison

“River of Grass Restoration Planning”

• Legal Update - Karl Wickstrom

• Fundraising - Karl Wickstrom

• WRAC "Water Resources Advisory Commission" - Ted Guy/Mark Perry/George Jones

Coalition Committee Reports

• Water Quality - Mark Perry

• Local issues - Ed Fielding

• State / Federal Issues - Kevin Henderson / Paul Gray/Ian Pollack

• IRL / CERP - Kevin Henderson / Paul Gray

• Martin County Updates - Paul Millar

• ROG Update "River of Grass" - George Jones

Progress Reports

• South Florida Water Mgmt - Jayne Bergstrom

• DEP - Jerilyn Krug

T-Shirts

New "Save My River" T-shirts featuring an attractive painting of the St. Lucie River wildlife will be available for purchase at the February 2010 meeting.

Read about the T-shirts here:
http://www.riverscoalition.org/t-shirts.php

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Thank you for all your support.
Editor: Jessica Briske

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