Coral disease, re-birth, and personal pollution injury
A deadly coral disease is spreading across the Great Florida Reef, Tampa scientists announce a breakthrough in reproducing coral in a lab, a huge solar energy project comes to Central Florida, and the state Supreme Court ponders the question: can someone sue for personal injury under pollution laws? It’s all in this Environment & Engineering Digest.
Coral Disease: The Florida Department of Environmental Protection reports that half the corals from Martin County south to Key West are now infected with Stony coral tissue loss disease. The disease kills living tissue and turns coral white, with entire colonies dying in a matter of a few month. It was discovered off Miami in 2014.
The colonies are part of the Great Florida Reef, the only living coral barrier reef in the continental U.S. State and federal scientists are still trying to find the cause of the disease so they can hopefully develop a treatment before entire reefs die off, including those in the adjacent Caribbean Sea. For more, visit NOAA.
Stony coral tissue loss disease is spreading throughout the Great Florida Reef. Courtesy, Florida Department of Environmental Regulation
Growing Coral: While healthy samples of coral have been preserved for potential later transplantation back to the Great Florida Reef, scientists at Tampa’s Florida Aquarium have been working to grow their own. After nearly three years of research, they’ve announced a “scientific breakthrough.” They’ve successfully spawned endangered pillar coral.
“While many coral experts didn’t believe it could be done, we took that challenge to heart and dedicated our resources and expertise to achieve this monumental outcome,” said Roger Germann, the aquarium’s president and CEO. “We remain fiercely committed to saving North America’s only barrier reef.”
Representatives from various municipalities break ground on the Florida Municipal Solar Project in Osceola County, Florida, November 18, 2017. Courtesy, FMPA
Solar Power: The Florida Municipal Power Association and 12 of member-owner utilities have broken ground on a big solar energy project in Central Florida that in a few years should be able to generate electricity to power 45,000 homes. The Florida Municipal Solar Project involves more than 900,000 solar panels covering an area the size of 900 football fields in Orange and Osceola Counties.
To maximize electric generation, computers will move the ground-mounted panels to track the sun as it moves from east to west. When finished, the project will generate 223.5 megawatts of zero-emissions energy – equal to 37,250 average home rooftop systems. The association plans to grow the project to 375 megawatts in the future.
Personal Pollution Injury: Are personal injury lawsuits barred under Florida’s pollution statutes? That’s what the state Supreme Court is expected to answer when it delivers its ruling in Charles Lieupo v Simon’s Trucking. Mr. Lieupo, a tow truck driver, said he suffered injuries while working an accident where battery acid spilled onto the highway. The First District Court of Appeal overturned Lieupo’s $5.2 million circuit court award, citing a previous state Supreme Court decision, yet sent the case to the Supreme Court for clarification.
Court observers say if the Supreme Court rules for Mr. Lieupo, it will open the doors to personal injury cases for administrative violations, and actions beyond pollution discharges.
LMA Newsletter of 12-2-19
