Fighting for the turtles on one side is the organization Surfriders Environmental Group. Saving the beach for Condo owners on the other side is the Palm Beach County Commission.

Saving turtles is high on the agenda in Florida when you consider all the Acts in place for their protection. Federal Endangered Species Act, Florida Endangered and Threatened Species Act, Marine Turtle Protection Act, Coastal Zone Protection Act, and Beach and Shore Preservation Act has set a number of guide lines in place for the cities and the state. On top of that add a number of non-profit organization looking out for the turtles in Florida.
Even so, the law is in the interpretation, and decisions can be made every now and then that can be devastating to the turtles.

Palm Beach County commissioners on Tuesday 7th of February will consider building a series of small, rock jetties off Singer Island to trap sand on the beach, reviving a 15-year effort to save the area's fast-eroding coastline. The County's consultant suggests stopping the eroding with emergent breakwaters connected to groins in the form of T-head groins.

Greg Lyons, advisory Council Chair of The Surfriders disagree:
"Surfrider Foundation was opposed to the original Singer Island Breakwaters project; we comparably are opposed to the revised Singer Island "T-Head Groins" project - as recommended by the County's consultant"

The reason they do not agree, he continues, is that the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) clearly dismiss that as a good option.

"The counter proposal is dune restoration. It is a far more reliable and desirable alternative, and it will cost just about as much as the unproved T-groins. The proposed T-Bone construction comes with a number of problems and follow ups, and will prove to be both more ineffective and expensive in the long run."

We are eagerly waiting for the outcome. Who will win, the turtles or the waterfront residents?

â—„ Previous | Image of | Next â–º

-