Nate Geisler South Florida Community Organizer

Over the past year there has been much coverage about the heated debate over the Urban Development Boundary (let?s say it together: ?The U- D-B?). Not just developers, but County Commissioners as well have employed a dizzying array of tactics to discredit and silence the vast majority of residents who realize the extreme folly of allowing the boundary to be moved.

There have been attempts to silence Community Council members from appearing before the County on planning and zoning issues such as the UDB; efforts by Commissioners to erase from public record impassioned comments from those concerned that moving the UDB may in fact threaten Everglades restoration and water supply (an opinion vindicated yet again by the Department of Environmental Protection and South Florida Water Management District?s top officials who recently scolded the County for a pitiful water supply plan, rejecting requests to increase withdrawals from the Biscayne Aquifer); or even good proposals that have been shot down, like a recent move by Commissioner Carlos Gimenez to prevent city officials from lobbying to move the UDB, a logical reaction to city leaders whose assurances that they never intended to move the UDB through land annexations have proven false.

Now here?s where you come in. After taking heat about public comment protocol at the November UDB hearings, Commission Chairman Joe Martinez set aside three days to let air the concerns of County residents. Sounds great, but what this really does is take up three whole workdays to discourage public attendance. Don?t be deterred!

It will take not just yourself, but yourself tugging at the sleeves of your friends and relatives, co-workers and cohorts to come out in force this April and to be involved leading up to the County Commission?s decisions on April 10, 11 and 17. So don?t delay! Mark your calendar and call the Hold the Line campaign at 305-485-5949 and visit www.udbline.com to help!

READ THE LATEST POSITION PAPER

By now you have heard Curtis Morgan's Miami Herald article detailing the killing of one of Florida's most endangered creatures. Here is the chiiling eye witness account by Alan Farago....

On February 2nd, 2006 at about 8:30PM I was traveling westbound on Card Sound Road, returning from dinner at Ocean Reef with colleagues. About two - three miles past the Card Sound Bridge (one mile to the east of the big radio transmitter on the south side of the road) a car belonging to John Adornato was parked on the side of the road.

I slowly passed the car, and saw in front of them what appeared to be a Florida panther lying at the side of the road. I pulled my car to the side of the road in front of the panther. About ten minutes later, Cynthia Guerra also stopped. The panther appearedto be a juvenile female, uncollared.

I called the Monroe County Sheriff's Office and also the Florida State Police, notifying them of the location. Cynthia called the FWC.

The Fall Fundraiser originally scheduled right after Hurricane Wilma, has been set for March 24, 2006 at the Rusty Pelican Restaurant in Key Biscayne.

Special thanks go to the Maria Papazian and the Fundraising Committee for their Herculean efforts... Feel Free to make your reservations if you haven?t done so yet. Tickets may be purchased by contacting Maria at 305-519-0877 or mdpapazian@ms n .com.

Mr. Jim Defede will stir the pot with his wit and humour. Along with live music and pleny of fine wine from our sponsors should prove to be a great evening!

Tickets are #100.00 per person/ $1000.00 a table. Please consider investing in our local group!

Previously made reservations will be honored. Due to the nature of this event, Contributions to this event will not be tax deductible....

Sabrina Diaz National Park Service< -- PHOTO COKY MICHEL

After a devastating hurricane season, Flamingo is on its way back to recovery! On February 2, 2006 Everglades National Park Superintendent Dan Kimball announced the re-opening of the Flamingo campground, visitor center and Florida Bay ramp. Restored visitor access to selected areas is a result of continuing efforts to recover from significant impacts resulting from the passage on Hurricane Wilma on October 24.

Visitors launching boats at the Florida Bay boat ramp should use caution due to mud and storm debris resulting in a shallow draft. Other areas of Flamingo remain closed as clean up and recovery work continues. No lodging, food, fuel, bait or other goods or services are available at Flamingo.

Peter Hulse, Manager of the Flamingo Lodge and Marina announced that starting February 11 they will be running the Pelican backcountry boat tour. Tours are two hours long and will be offered Thursday thru Monday at 10:30 AM, 1:30 AM and 4:00 PM. In mid March the Marina store will re-open with fuel and bait available as well as canoes and skiff rentals.

With the Flamingo visitor center up and running several ranger-led programs are being offered in the Flamingo District. Join a ranger for a Morning Canoe Trip, an Early Bird Walk or get your feet wet while going on a guided Swamp Tromp. Additionally, ranger- led programs are being offered at the Royal Palm, Shark Valley and Gulf Coast Districts of the park. For more information about ranger guided programs within Everglades National Park visit us on the web at www.nps.gov/ever or call 305-242-7700.

Mark Oncavage

In 2003, the South Miami-Dade Watershed Study and Plan was started. Its purpose was to create a plan for the growth of South Miami-Dade, using 2025 and 2050 as target years. Engineering consultants were hired to compile and analyze data. The research examined areas such as population, water supply, flooding, land use patterns, schools, agriculture, property rights, ecology, employment, economics, housing, transportation, traffic, and pollution. Computer modeling was used to predict future values on all these areas for 2025 and 2050.

The predictions were organized into 3 policy scenarios. The first scenario utilized current land use practices with some movement of the Urban Development Boundary to predict future values. The second scenario utilized ?smart growth? practices with some expansion of the UDB to predict another set of future values. The third scenario predicted future values using no expansion of the UDB.

Armed with mountains of data and a vast array of maps, the Watershed Committee now has to plan the future of South Miami-Dade. There are many choices to make. Where do all the new housing units go? Can we keep the character of our communities through 2050? Where will the jobs be? What natural resources need the most protection? How bad will traffic be?

The Watershed Committee wants to hear from you. Please attend one of the meetings and tell the committee about the things that are important to you. Give your best suggestions how to make the South Miami-Dade communities more livable and more enjoyable.

Tuesday, February 21, 7 ? 9 pm, Florida International University, College of Engineering, Engineering Center, second floor, Room 2300. The Engineering Center is located at the corner of SW 107th Avenue and West Flagler Street. This building is not on the main campus.

Wednesday, February 22, Miami-Dade College, Homestead Campus, Building F, Room 222, second floor of the Aviation Building. Follow the banners.

Robinson

While Florida is relying on federally subsidized gas, coal, and nuclear energy systems, the world is rapidly adopting an alternative energy view. Extended Power outages resulting from hurricanes caused millions of dollars in lost business revenue. A Post 9- 11 energy paradigm should include renewable energy to help ensure stable, dependable electric energy for our community.

Today?s cheap fossil fuels are result of yearly 240 billion dollars in oil and gas subsidies. Our cheap energy days seem to be numbered; petroleum analysts have stated that we are rapidly approaching the era of Peak Oil. Future petroleum discoveries are getting scarce at the same time that rapidly industrializing China and India are pushing up energy demands. This will most likely increase price volatility of oil and gas.

The current energy infrastructure does not prepare us for the regions? inevitable barrage of hurricanes. Wilma?s winds wrecked utility poles well below their 125 mph. Since these poles are only inspected once every 10 years, the current grid infrastructure has decayed beyond repair. Alternatively, rooftop solar collectors are rated to 155 mph and have survived hurricane Andrew.

In a Post 9-11 world, it is time for Floridians to ask their elected officials and the Public Service Commission to provide them with a decentralized renewable source of energy. Let us give renewable energy the same long-term economic investment that we give fossil fuel and nuclear energy industries.

Robinson

Florida has decided to invest 25 % of the cost for a 9.5 mile extension of the Metrorail along Northwest 27th avenue to the Broward county Line. This followed the release of the Federal Transit Administrations rating of the project to medium. This is good news for commuters and Northwest Miami Dade county residents that were promised a rail connection nearly 20 years ago. The project?s completion date is 2012.

The remaining funds will be provided by Federal Government (50%) and the People?s Transportation Plan (25%)

Transportation projects involve a complex mixture of investments from different sources. Miami Dade residents passed a dedicated ½ cent sales tax to fund transportation projects. This fund known as the People?s Transportation Plan, is an independent agency in charge of the management of Transportation funds. The Agency created is known as the CITT (Citizens Independent Transportation Trust- http://www.miamidade.gov/trafficrelief/ )

Other projects that are being designed to enhance urban mobility include: the extension of the Metrorail to Florida International University (FIU), The Miami Street Car Project, and Baylink (The popular rail project connecting Miami with Miami Beach).

March 2, 2006 6pm Live Music Ana Kanpa- WallFlower Gallery 5$

March 9th, 2006 8pm Jonathan Ullman -"The Everglades Skyway" Wallflower Gallery $5.00

March 18th, 2006 4pm-3am BENEFIT CONCERT 10 acts 3 stages TOBACCO ROAD $10

March 26th, 2006 3pm Art Auction-Live Music Mike Mathews Wallflower Gallery FREE

Ken Smith

Join us at the March meeting and bring your 2006 pledge to Planet Earth. Commit to representing Sierra Club at one (or more?) festivals this year. Agree to make one phone call a month to a legislator, or to donate $50 (or $1000) to the Miami Group or to candidates who support a greener agenda, or to host a tea (or cocktail) party for 20 Sierrans in your neighborhood.

Join the membership or conservation or fundraising committee. Whatever it is, come and pledge it in March.

Together we will be heard.

PHOTO- ALANA DIMMICK

March 5 South Dade Greenways Bike. Off road bike trip on the Southern Glades Trail along the C 111 canal in the Southern Glades Wildlife and Environmental Area. Look for manatees in Manatee Bay. Lunch is included, but we will not have a sag wagon! Moderate. Limit 16. Cost: $10 members, $12 nonmembers. Leader: Diane Jacobs, 305 667 6962, e- mail: diane@cobb-ebin.com. Asst: Lee Jacobs, 305 667-6962, e-mail: eeljac@earthlink.ne t.

April 8, 9 Prairie Lakes Backpacking. Overnight trip to Prairie Lakes for backpacking. Easy fun trip for all. Leisure. Limit 8. Cost: $25 members, $30 nonmembers. Leader: Dan Cruse, 305-661 2975, 6580 Santona St. #27, Coral Gables,33146. Asst: Madeline Piero, 305-595-9376.

April 23 Annual Sierra Club Picnic. Join your friends for a fun day at the annual picnic. Details: TBA. Leader: TBA.

PHOTO ALANA DIMMICK

February 13, 2006 Sabrina Diaz of the Everglades National Park gacevr an engaging presentation surrounding current issues of Everglades National Park.

March 13, 2006 Kevin Para "Renewable Energy Systems in South Florida" Mr. Para works for the Utilities Commissione of New Smyrna Beach where he is promoting renewable energy.

April 10, 2006 Jim Robertson, president of BioFuels America, Inc. will be giving a general talk on BIODIESEL. Biodiesel has been getting much press lately in Brazil. Their country uses cars that operate on ethanol and gasoline.

May 8, 2006 Serena Cruz Women's Health and the environment

June- December, 2006 open but filling up fast....Do you know someone who wants to speak?? Contact mike at miamisierra@gmail.com.

email: miamisierra@gmail.com

web: http://florida.sierraclub.org/miami/