Alachua Sink 6/4

[Cindy]

Thanks Ken, I knew about the law but didn't have the correct statutes. I can research it better now. I intend to get a few hardy souls together and track the cave from the surface, marking it with flags. I think a visual trail like that would be a good way of making it more 'real' to the locals. Besides right now I can't really prove where it goes in a way that people understand. John Moseley gave me a topo map showing the current survey and it really helped, that was the first thing I emailed to the Mayor. I already delivered a video to the manager and Mayor that was done by James Hurley. I'm trying to make them understand that the cave under their town is COOL! I hope to contact the schools soon and see if we can get some of our cave diver/school educators like Angie and Chip to give some presentations for the kids. So far all the response has been very positive. Cindy

[bmwcaves]

Yes, we have a cave protection law.....
Members of the Florida Speleological Society had alot of input into the verbage of that bill
..unfortunately... laws don't protect caves, people do.

Blue Caynon was filled in by the developer and the state did nothing. There was a bat colony in the dry portion of the cave, underwater passage over 50 ft in depth, lots of cave crayfish, a map, and even a gate installed by the FSS. The sink still got filled in. The state was contatced, the law was quoted, they did nothing.
Same thing happend to Jennings. The county was trhe cul;prit this time. Cavers finallly had to fix that damage.
Another example; Walmart in Ocla filled in lots of cave under thier new supercenter., and it's juts across the street from Scott Springs. All the runoff goes that way.

I can't really think of where the cave law has actually protected any caves. It's always the lobbing of people that care about them...and that's where caving and cave diving organizations need to be heard the most.

Point is, like Cindy said, caves needs people to protect them, a gaurdian that is vigilant about protection ...and loud.
I wished the cave laws actually worked but thay don't when development and money is involved.

Brian

[DeWayne]

How true that it is Brian. Leave it to politicians and rather than enforce the laws that are on the books they will go out and pass new laws that they won't enforce either, except for those aimed at making a quick buck off the small guy who cannot defend himself in a court of law the way Sam and others can. I am curious if the state ever offered up a reason for not at least attempting to enforce the laws that are now on the books. Makes one wonder if they saw it as just being too cost ineffective. We all need to speak out loud anytime something like this happens. Hit the politicians where it hurts them the worst, at the polls. Sure, the new ones may be even worse but we can keep voting out the riffraff until we finally get someone in office who will serve the people that elected them.

[Ken Hill]

Brian, good seeing you Sat. My thoughts are that the best way to defeat those that would develop is to stay ahead of the curve and make the objections publicly. That's the way the Long's beat the limerock people and why Manatee is clearer than its ever been. The other way is to encourage elected officials that there are votes to gain or lose as a result of their actions.

The bill that stalled is limited to the Suwannee and its WMD. We need the bill expanded to state wide. At a minimum this bill would set a precedent for others to follow.

The sponsor of the stalled bill is Sen Nancy Argenzaino (R) District 3 (basically cave country.) For Bio Please see:

http://www.flsenate.gov/Legislators/...chamber=Senate


The Community Affairs Committee where the bill stalled is at:

http://www.flsenate.gov/cgi-bin/View...ees/senate/ca/

Perhaps someone could come up with a polite letter of support for the Senator and her bill. The letter should ask her to forward messages of support to the appropriate Committee people. If she draws support from various people around the state (not just cave country), those representatives will be more likely to take note.

Florida has made it real easy to research pending bills and legislation Please see: http://www.flsenate.gov/Welcome/index.cfm. I try to keep up with it but they are a busy bunch with tons of legislative proposals.

The Senate meets from March to May but the preparation of bills is year long and normally deadlined the previous summer (August.) Therefore now is the time to ask for action or answers.

As a last thought, the developers are not always deaf to public pressure. As a matter of fact the ethical ones listen. It was a developer that backed off their objection to the initial opening of Madison. It was a forrester taht sold the the CDS the land that is the entrance side to Cow Springs. Water bottlers donated over $2000 to the CDS two years ago ... why because they are in favor of high flow with CLEAR water.

Remember the flow limits mean nothing to us if the water is green!!!


/Ken