June 27 2003 -
70 Ph.D. Scientists Urge Higher Environmental Standards
in Beach Dredge and Fill Projects - Environmental Defense,
The existing paradigm for managing
beach systems of the southeast United States using frequent and massive
dredge and fill projects ("renourishments") may have significant
cumulative effects upon coastal habitat quality and fisheries
production. Despite mounting evidence of both direct and indirect
environmental effects on fishes, invertebrates, and turtles in several
marine communities across the shelf, over 100 acres of nearshore reefs
are now proposed for burial by four beach dredging projects in east
Florida. Given the available scientific information and the increased
agency oversight of habitat quality mandated by the Essential Fish
Habitat component of the Sustainable Fisheries Act, and the Presidential
Coral Reef Initiative, we offer the following comments...
