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Veto Polluted Sea Grass Bill

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: May 30, 2008

Until state Rep. Will Kendrick got his hands on it, House Bill 7059 did what the state has long needed to do - make it a crime for boaters to tear up sea grass in a state aquatic preserve.

The bill, which calls for fines of up to $1,000 for boaters who recklessly damage sea-grass beds, was strongly supported by environmental groups and state regulators.

Then Kendrick, a Carrabelle Republican who has previously tried to sabotage wetlands protections, slipped in an amendment he claimed would simply specify the sea-grass species that would be protected. Instead, his change makes it easier for developers to wipe out sea-grass beds, which sustain marine life, prevent erosion and filter water. As the "Ecosystems of Florida," edited by Ronald Myers and John Ewel, puts it, meadows of sea grass "provide the richest nursery and feeding ground in Florida's coastal waters."

Kendrick's ploy will allow developers to dredge up critical habitat so long as they promise to plant sea grass elsewhere.

A similar wetlands "mitigation" program has been a disaster in Florida. The St. Petersburg Times reported in 2006 that many of the credits helped preserve dry land.

Successfully starting sea-grass beds can be even more difficult than restoring a wetland. Given the state's history of lax oversight, Kendrick's mitigation scheme is certain to lead to widespread loss of resources. Already, the state has lost more than half of its traditional sea-grass beds.

The state should toughen penalties for boaters who purposely plow up sea grass, but lawmakers can do far better than this contaminated bill.

Gov. Charlie Crist should veto the sea-grass bill.

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