TBO.com > News > Latest News Reports
- Moffitt Among Quarterfinalists For Lott Award
- Two Women Thrown From Boat When It Hits I-75 Bridge
- Judge Imposes Stay On Lethal Injections
- Poll: More Coastal Residents Would Not Evacuate For Hurricane
- Robbers In Ninja Garb Strike Hampton Inn
- Deputy Is Accused Of Domestic Battery
- 2 Men Burst Into Home, Steal More Than $7,000
- Temple Terrace Man Wounded In Shooting
- Polk Deputies Charge 17 Men After Weekend Cockfight
- Baby Dropped Off At Fire Station
- Jury Awards $21.1 Million In Wrongful Birth Case
- Deputies Investigate Bank Robbery
- Grandpa Robbed; Grandson Charged
- Composite Sketch Of Armed Carjacker Released
- Progress Village Homicide Victim ID’d
By Mike Salinero
The Tampa Tribune
Tampa’s City Council today jumped into the fight over whether Hillsborough County’s wetlands protection division should survive.
The council voted to send a letter to Gov. Charlie Crist and the local legislative delegation expressing concern over the County Commission’s vote last week to eliminate the county’s wetlands protections. The commissioners, sitting as the Environmental Protection Commission, justified eliminating the program by the need to cut the county budget. They also say the county’s wetland permitting reviews are also performed by state and federal agencies.
City Councilwoman Mary Mulhern made the motion to send the letter to Crist and legislators, saying that many of the wetlands that need protecting are in the city limits.
“We represent the citizens of the city,” Mulhern said. “It’s our water, too.”
The council also wants an examination of the makeup of the Environmental Protection Commission, which consists soley of county commissioners. Mulhern noted that the council had no warning that the EPC board would vote last Thursday to do away with the county’s wetlands protection rule and the scientists who enforce it.
Councilman John Dingfelder spoke in favor of Mulhern’s motion, citing the need to protect wetlands along the lower Hillsborough River in Tampa and in New Tampa that need protection against sprawling development.
“This is one thing that’s confusing to city residents,” Dingfelder said. “Just because the Board of County Commissioners is in the process of doing this, this is not going to be something that just affects the unincorporated areas of Hillsborough County. It’s going to affect the city of Tampa.”
Council members and some environmental groups are saying that Tampa and the cities of Plant City and Temple Terrace should also be represented on the EPC board.
The county commission has yet to take a final vote on killing the wetlands division.
Advertisement
Posted by Margaret Sorrell, Riverview, Fl on 06/29 at 07:21 AM
Hillsborough County, unincorporated Hillsborough County and the cities have many wetland areas. We the people of this county rely on our elected Commisioners to listen to us and protect our wetlands. State and/or Federal EPC don’t know about many of our County wetlands and they can’t or won’t hear the voices of the people. Do away with our county EPC, we won’t need County Commisioners.