Print

Email story

Comment

Email editor

Enviro forum takes flight

Projects proposed for publicly owned county land, often controversial, will be discussed.

By WILL VAN SANT
Published June 28, 2006

Pinellas County's new environmental science forum will be transparent, independent, and not a way to provide political cover.

So said county administrator Steve Spratt at the group's first meeting Monday.

Spratt conceived of the forum in May after plans to expand concessions at Fort De Soto Park and pump water from the Brooker Creek Preserve to private golf courses were repulsed by an indignant public.

Ever since the idea of the group was broached, however, some environmentalists have questioned whether the forum will become a fig leaf.

Gabriel Vargo said he raised that issue in discussions with Spratt about joining the forum.

Vargo, an associate professor in the College of Marine Science at the University of South Florida's St. Petersburg campus, said he got the answer he was looking for.

"He has assured most of the members that he wants to listen to all sides of a story," Vargo said. "So let's hope that's the case."

Spratt began Monday's meeting by explaining his vision for the forum to members.

Projects proposed for the county's publicly owned lands, which could prove controversial, will be brought before the group for study and discussion, Spratt said.

The forum will be asked to relay its findings to him. And Spratt, in turn, will convey the information to the County Commission.

While the focus is scientific assessment, Spratt expects the group also to discuss the broader policy questions surrounding proposals.

The forum will not be limited to projects the county submits for review, he said. If members deem a matter worthy of attention, they may bring the issue to county officials.

The forum's 21 members were selected by staff of the county's environmental management department, Spratt said. Thirteen members attended the first meeting.

About half of the group have environmental science backgrounds; the rest are members of advocacy groups such as the Audubon Society.

The group decided that in cases where consensus can't be reached, they will provide Spratt with a majority and a minority opinion on a given project.

They also chose two co-chairs: Holly Greening, chief scientist of the Tampa Bay Estuary Program, and the Sierra Club's Darden Rice, who ran unsuccessfully for St. Petersburg City Council last year.

Rice, who also sits on an advisory board to the parks and recreation department, said as co-chair she would strive to communicate to the public just what the county has in mind for public lands so that people don't feel left in the dark.

She also spoke to the need for the group's work to be free of outside influence, whether from private interest or government officials.

"Something like that would destroy the integrity of this forum," she said.

The county created a Web site for the group, www.pinellascounty.org/scienceforum.htm. It plans to meet next on Aug. 10 to discuss proposed pumping in Brooker Creek Preserve.

Will Van Sant can be reached at 445-4166 or vansant@sptimes.com.

[Last modified June 28, 2006, 08:45:19]