THE GREEN TRANSITION - JUNE 2021 AN ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY FOR SARASOTA-MANATEE - Progressive Sarasota
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THE GREEN TRANSITION
AN ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY
FOR SARASOTA-MANATEE
JUNE 2021
THE SUNCOAST
CLEAN JOBS ALLIANCE
CAROL LERNER
LISA STORTSTROM
JOHANNES WERNER
ROBIN WILLIAMS
The Suncoast Clean Jobs Alliance
Sarasota, FL
For more information, contact
Carol Lerner, carolmlerner@gmail.com, 941-342-7420
Johannes Werner, huitzi@aol.com, 941-210-1512
Contents
1 Introduction
2 1. Electricity generation, transmission and consumption
Contribution of the electricity sector to greenhouse gas emissions
The renewable-energy transition in Florida
Electricity in Sarasota-Manatee
Electricity projects’ economic impact
Biden administration proposals
Implications for labor
Implications for residents
5 2. Transportation/Mobility
Contribution of transportation to greenhouse gas emissions:
How transportation is important to the ecology and wellbeing
Governance of the local transportation sector
Main local transportation/mobility problems
Transportation/mobility projects underway in City of Sarasota
Transportation/Mobility projects underway in Sarasota County through
the Sarasota/Manatee MPO
Long-term transportation/mobility visions
Infrastructure project implications
Labor implications
Biden administration proposal
10 3. Land use, water use, and restoration
The problems
Solutions
Biden administration proposals
12 4. Phosphate mining, gypstacks, and water quality
The problem
Solutions
Biden administration proposals
14 5. Reading list, sources
THE GREEN TRANSITION x 1
INTRODUCTION
We are living in a critical moment that requires action. Climate change poses a major challenge to all of
us, but the issue has been politicized and the notion itself has been challenged; the term “climate change”
itself was avoided by officials of the governing party in Florida until very recently. Many voters in Sarasota-
Manatee share the skepticism of elected officials, believing the rhetoric that a transition to renewable
energy and more sustainable practices is detrimental to our economy — a “job killer”, in other words.
Nothing could be further from the truth. A mass mobilization to meet the challenge, and the investment
that comes with it, actually creates opportunity, jobs and thriving economies. This conviction is one of the
main motivations behind the creation of the Suncoast Clean Jobs Alliance.
The Biden administration has proposed a comprehensive plan, the American Jobs Plan, aimed at creating
millions of good, living wage jobs to build a modern, sustainable infrastructure that will deliver an equitable
clean energy future. As this plan currently faces an uphill struggle on Capitol Hill, one of our first tasks
is to seek support on Main Street by demonstrating the benefits this could bring to our local economy.
While it is important to talk about the environmental benefits of climate-change policies, this white paper
wants to put the focus on human and economic needs in the Suncoast area of Sarasota and Manatee
counties. But in addressing the human and economic needs of the population through good, clean jobs,
we will also begin to build a clean energy economy that tackles the climate-related concerns here in the
Suncoast region.
This white paper is based on the vision of a small group of Sarasota residents working with Progressive
Sarasota who came together to launch the Suncoast Clean Jobs Coalition. The members of this
group asked themselves: What would it mean for the Suncoast region if billions of dollars were made
available through the American Jobs Plan for climate-related infrastructure projects? So, we got to work
beginning the process of figuring this out based on the burning climate-related infrastructure needs of
the local region. This is a work in progress, and we realize that the American Jobs Plan, even if it gets
through Congress relatively intact, is just a down payment if we are to truly address climate change and
create an equitable, livable world for all people. We hope to further this work by bringing together other
environmental, worker and citizen organizations and individuals into the Suncoast Clean Jobs Alliance.
—Contributors:
Carol Lerner, Johannes Werner, Robin Williams, Lisa Stortstrom and Jessika Arman-Valdivia
THE GREEN TRANSITION x 2
1. ELECTRICITY GENERATION,
TRANSMISSION AND CONSUMPTION
Environmental benefits aside, the transition to renewable
energy in electricity generation offers business opportunities
and vast economic and lifestyle benefits.
Contribution of the electricity sector to greenhouse
gas emissions:
Depending on how the source of CO2 emissions are
defined, electricity generation is the largest or second-
largest contributor to climate-changing greenhouse gas
emissions. According to the EPA, electricity generation
is the second-largest source, contributing 25% to CO2
emissions in the United States. According to the Energy
Information Administration, electricity generation is the
largest contributor, with 32%. Nationwide, 54% of those
CO2 emissions are due to electricity generation from coal,
44% from natural gas, and 1% from oil, according to the
EIA.
In Florida, which has few coal power plants (one of which
happens to be just north of Manatee County, at Apollo U.S. Department of Energy
Beach), the bulk of CO2 emissions is from natural gas. map of the Suncoast’s
energy infrastructure
In 2019, natural gas fueled three-fourths of Florida’s net
generation, and seven of the state’s 10 largest power plants
by capacity and by generation are natural gas-fired. The
investor-owned utility Florida Power and Light (FPL) — and their role in keeping or erecting state regulatory
Florida’s largest power provider — is currently asking the obstacles to anything that would challenge their
state’s regulators to allow more gas power plants to be monopoly status makes sure things stay this
built. way. Florida was late in introducing net metering,
which allows solar renewable users to gain credit
The renewable-energy transition in Florida: by exporting surplus energy back to the grid;
Florida utilities offer some of the lowest feed-in
Florida is a latecomer to renewable energy. Although FPL tariffs (what grid contributors receive per kw/h),
has become one of the biggest owners and operators of thus disincentivizing building owners to go solar
wind and solar parks nationwide, the Sunshine State is and banks to lend money; Florida rules have been
lagging behind other states. The problem boils down to lack standing in the way of third-party providers to
of incentives and outright obstacles to getting solar panels install, own and operate solar panels on the roofs
on every roof. of homeowners.
Much of the lag in expanding renewable energy is due As of 2019, renewable energy fueled about 4% of
to FPL’s near monopoly of electricity generation and Florida’s net generation in 2019, with most of that
transmission in much of the state. FPL’s leverage with the coming from solar energy and biomass. At the end
Florida state legislature and the Public Service Commission, of 2019, Florida ranked fifth in the nation in total
THE GREEN TRANSITION x 3
solar power generating capacity. While that may sound
good, it is way below the state’s potential in terms of
size and location. Florida lags behind less sunshine-
endowed and smaller states such as Massachusetts
and North Carolina. In contrast to other states where
rooftop solar dominates, about 85% of Florida’s
solar generation is at utility-scale (1 megawatt or
larger) facilities. Florida is one of only four states with
utility-scale electricity generation, from solar thermal
technologies that concentrate sunlight to produce In 2020, the City of Sarasota joined the Ready for 100
the high temperatures needed to generate electricity. initiative, pledging to have all city-owned buildings and
The FPL-owned Martin Next Generation Solar Energy operations run on 100% renewable energy by 2030,
Center in Martin County is a 75- megawatt facility with the entire city going fully renewable by 2040.
with almost 200,000 mirrors, the only concentrating A Florida law signed by the governor in May 2021
solar thermal generating facility east of the Rocky prohibits municipalities from setting their own energy
Mountains. goals and policies; it remains to be seen how the city
will react and if there will be any legal challenges.
Florida accounts for about 8% of the nation’s biomass-
fueled electricity generation, more than all but two Power generation in the area: FPL operates a 1,150-
other states, California and Georgia. The largest share mw combined-cycle gas power plant in Parrish, a
of the state’s almost 1,200 megawatts of biomass- rural area northeast of Bradenton. Next to it, the utility
fueled generating capacity is at plants that process operates a 74.5-mw solar farm. FPL also operates a
municipal solid waste, followed by those fueled by 25-mw solar farm in Arcadia. TECO Energy operates
wood and wood waste, sugarcane waste (bagasse), the 1,800-mw Big Bend coal-fired power plant at Apollo
citrus pulp, and yard waste. Beach in Hillsborough County, with plans to convert it
to natural gas by 2023. Next to the power plant, TECO
Florida offers no significant wind resources, onshore operates a 23-mw solar farm.
or offshore, and no utility-scale wind power generating
capacity. FPL offers a program under which customers can pay
a premium for renewable energy, essentially having
Electricity in Sarasota-Manatee: customers pay for the company’s capital investment in
utility-scale solar farms without granting customers any
Governance: Both Sarasota and Manatee counties financial equity.
and the cities of Bradenton and Sarasota committed
to 30-year agreements that grant FPL a quasi- No data is available about installed rooftop solar
monopoly of electricity generation and transmission systems in Sarasota-Manatee. A solar co-op was
in the area. In a variety of ways, these FPL franchise launched in Sarasota-Manatee this year, leveraging
agreements have been standing in the way of a numbers to lower the initial investment cost of individual
transition to solar on every roof. solar systems for homeowners.
In a narrow 3-2 vote in 2010, the Sarasota city It wasn’t until 2018 that Florida regulators allowed third-
commission decided to renew its agreement with FPL party providers to get into the renewable business in the
for another 30 years, even though a broad-based state. These companies offer installation and operation
citizens’ initiative had advocated the city buy all of rooftop solar under Power Purchase Agreements
electricity assets from FPL and create its own utility, (PPO) to homeowners, with zero down and a fixed
following the model of taxpayer-owned power in cities monthly fee for electricity use. This could considerably
such as Gainesville. increase the number of panels in this area, particularly
THE GREEN TRANSITION x 4
on the roofs of rental homes.
Electricity projects’ economic impact:
• Power grid: The transition to renewable energy and
decentralized power generation and distribution has to go
hand in hand with a complete overhaul of the power grid,
building a decentralized, intelligent network of transmission
lines with sensors and intelligent meters. FPL is among
the intelligent-grid pioneers; in the early 2010s, the utility
invested $800 million — $200 million of that coming from
federal subsidies — to build a grid that automatically senses
Photo: Brilliant Harvest
and gathers data about consumer and supplier habits. As
solar and storage technology evolves, billions of dollars
more in investment will be needed, meaning thousands of
jobs statewide.
Also, higher-intensity storms and rising water levels have feed-in tariffs to residents and businesses that feed rooftop
prompted utilities in Florida to begin large undergrounding solar power into the grid, the economic potential would
programs of last-mile power cables in older and grow exponentially. Due to regulatory restrictions and a lack
vulnerable neighborhoods. FPL recently began a 30-year of incentives, right now 85% of the solar energy produced
undergrounding project at a cost of $25 billion-$35 billion, in the state is from utility-size solar farms. If small and
for which it will charge customers, essentially asking distributed-energy solar in Florida were to reach the share
consumers to pay for the company’s capital investments of total solar energy it has in the state of New York — 74%,
without obtaining equity. The Sarasota-Manatee area’s according to the Institute for Local Self-Reliance — solar
share of this investment would be roughly $2.1 billion-$3 businesses would grow exponentially.
billion. Residents and power consumers will benefit by
experiencing fewer blackouts. The biggest business A recent study by Ohio University looked at the economic
beneficiaries are utilities and their contractors. potential if Florida and its municipalities were to allow more
investment in small-scale solar under Power Purchase
• Utility-scale solar: According to Advanced Energy Agreements. The study looked at three scenarios, from
Economy, there were 3.4 gigawatts of utility-scale solar 95,000 homes in the most conservative scenario, to
energy installed in Florida as of 2020. If demand for utility- 159,000 homes in the most optimistic scenario. In the most
scale renewable power programs doubles every year, as optimistic scenario of adding 2 gigawatts a year in Florida,
predicted, utility-scale solar projects would create 27,000 PPA solar would provide nearly 26,000 construction jobs
to 48,000 mostly construction-phase jobs, and $2.4 billion and 230 permanent jobs per year, with a $3.8 billion impact
to $5 billion in capital investment for the state by 2030. in the construction phase. The Suncoast’s proportional
If construction of solar farms was proportional to the share in this scenario would be rooftop solar for 6,700
population of the Suncoast, the Sarasota-Manatee area’s homes, creating 1,100 construction jobs a year and 10
share of this would amount to 1,100-2,000 jobs and $100 permanent maintenance jobs.
million-$210 million in investment.
The main business beneficiaries in this case would
The main economic beneficiaries in this case are utilities be national and international solar panel and battery
and their large-scale national and international contractors. manufacturers, national third-party providers, and locally
and regionally owned solar installers. If these solar
• Rooftop solar: If the state were to set renewable-energy installations were manufactured in the state or this region,
targets and tell utilities to provide net metering with higher
THE GREEN TRANSITION x 5 that would add hundreds more permanent jobs. Biden administration proposals: Electricity generation and transmission: The American Jobs Plan proposes to spend $100 billion on improvements to electric power generation and transmission. The proportional share of the Sarasota-Manatee area would be $260 million. Incentivizing the transition to renewable electricity generation, the Biden administration proposes a 10-year extension of an expanded direct-pay investment tax credit and production tax credit for clean energy generation and storage. This will directly benefit homeowners and businesses in the area who decide to invest in rooftop solar. The plan would also complement state and local renewable-energy projects through block grants. The American Jobs Plan may also contribute to high-voltage transmission line construction in the area. Weatherization: Most importantly, the American Job materials and parts”, the plan states. Plan’s inclusion of residences and commercial buildings in a $213 billion weatherization and energy savings program Implication for residents: could have a major impact in the region. The proposal to “build, preserve and retrofit more than 2 million homes and Massive reconstruction would lower the share of electricity commercial buildings” aims at improving insulation, thus in household spending, increase the affordable housing reducing electricity consumption and lowering electricity stock, and make homes – well – nicer. bills. The Suncoast’s proportion of that program would be $550 million. The immediate beneficiaries — electricity consumers aside — would be window and door manufacturers, construction material manufacturers, roofers, and local and regional builders. The measure would immediately create thousands of jobs locally. Implications for labor: The Biden administration’s tax credits for renewable energy generation and weatherization subsidies “will be paired with strong labor standards to ensure the jobs created are good- quality jobs with a free and fair choice to join a union and bargain collectively,” the American Jobs Plan says. Construction of transmission lines will create “good-paying jobs for union laborers, line workers, and electricians, in addition to creating demand for American-made building
THE GREEN TRANSITION x 5
2. TRANSPORTATION/MOBILITY
Contribution of transportation to greenhouse gas
emissions:
The transportation sector generates the largest share of
greenhouse gas emissions in the United States, 28.2% of
the total, according to the EPA. The bulk of transportation- cycling.
related emissions — 59% — come from light vehicles
(passenger automobiles and light trucks). When medium • A truly modern, people-oriented transportation/mobility
and heavy-duty trucks — 23% — are added to light duty system can radically improve communities and enhance
vehicles, 82% of all transportation sector-related emissions residents’ quality of life, spurring on improvements in
come from vehicles. Other areas of transportation- related housing and increasing employment options.
emissions include: aircraft 9%; rail 2%; ships and boats 2%;
and other 5%. Governance of the local transportation sector:
One thing to keep in mind: The transition to electric vehicles In Sarasota County both Sarasota County and the City of
(both light and heavy duty) is important for the reduction of Sarasota have transportation departments. Other cities like
greenhouse gas emissions, but if these vehicles’ batteries Venice and North Port have fleet management within their
are charged using the existing fossil fuel-based power grid, Public Works Departments. In Manatee County, Bradenton
it will have a limited reduction in overall CO2 emissions — has its own Public Transportation Department; Palmetto’s
about 20%, because this will increase emissions from fossil- Engineering and Project Management Department handles
fuel power plants. Until we transition fully to renewables transportation-related issues. For Manatee County, the
in power generation, all electric vehicles will not create a Public Works Department manages traffic concerns and
dramatic reduction in emissions. there is a separate department for the Manatee County
Area Transit (MCAT).
How the transportation sector is important to the
ecology and wellbeing: The most important government body for transportation
planning is the Sarasota/Manatee MPO (Metropolitan
• Largest contributor to greenhouse gases, therefore any Planning Organization). The MPO Board has 17 members,
significant reduction will improve the environment and including representatives from both Sarasota and Manatee
reduce pollution. Counties and representatives from most of the cities and
towns in both counties, as well as a representative from
• Major factor in shaping communities — the proliferation Port Manatee. The MPO is the main planning body for
of automobiles created suburban sprawl, but planned transportation in the region and the main body through
transportation systems and improved mobility can enhance which state and federal transportation funding flows. MPOs
communities. are required by federal law for urbanized areas with a
population of 50,000 or more and are established by state
• Multi-modal streets (wide sidewalks, bicycle paths, and federal laws to coordinate with the Florida Department
bus lanes, good lighting, attractive landscaping), make of Transportation, the Federal Highway Administration and
communities safer and more attractive. the Federal Transit Administration.
• Important to economies — employees and employers The Sarasota/Manatee MPO commissions many
need good, reliable transportation systems. Companies transportation-related studies and recently (October 2020)
need good, reliable cargo systems. released, Transform 2045: Sarasota/Manatee MPO Long
Range Transportation Plan. This report was mandated by
• Important for good health — getting people moving a federal law passed in 2015, The FAST Act which also
safely by walking, cycling, etc. improves general health but provides long-term funding for transportation planning and
requires safe sidewalks/trails/ bicycle lanes for walking and investment. The 183-page report is comprehensive and
detailed.
THE GREEN TRANSITION x 6
The City of Sarasota does considerable transportation
planning independent of the MPO and issued its own
report in July 2020, Sarasota in Motion: Transportation
Master Plan. This 61-page report is based on a
community-driven process of gathering information
through community workshops, a community survey, pop-
up events and interactions with visitors to the interactive
online map. The report sets a vision of transportation/
mobility for the city for the near and far future, and
establishes priorities. The region is very automobile
dependent. Sarasota County (including a big part of the
city) is not very walkable, and the public transportation
system (SCAT in Sarasota County and MCAT in Manatee • Cargo transportation options in Sarasota are essentially
County) is very inadequate. There is no passenger rail in limited to trucking.
the entire region. Bradenton is connected to national rail
cargo systems, but the trunk rail line to Sarasota is so • Not enough bike lanes and paths.
depleted it is barely functional.
• Many existing sidewalks are too narrow or nonexistent.
Main local transportation/mobility problems:
• Not enough shade on sidewalks.
• The Sarasota-Bradenton-North Port metropolitan area
currently ranks fourth as the most dangerous region for • Dangerous crossing intersections for walkers.
walking and biking in the USA.
• No public “supercharger” station in the region for electric
• Traffic congestion. vehicles.
• Dangerous intersections and poor traffic light Transportation/mobility projects underway in City of
coordination. Sarasota:
• High auto fatality rate. • Continuing US 41 Bayfront Connectivity and Multimodal
Emphasis Corridor Plan-MPO applications (a multi-phase
• Roads in poor shape — most graded C, D and F. approach to enhancing US 41 through federal and state
funding).
• Too few bridges for safe evacuation from Longboat Key.
• Establishing a pedestrian safety crossing program.
• Large part of the population is of advanced age —
Sarasota County is 10th in the nation for the largest • Continuing safe driving and riding public outreach
percentage of the population over 65, which results in program.
decreased mobility, especially driving. A survey found that
44% of the city’s residents were either too young or too • Continuing implementation of the adopted Multimodal
old to drive. Connections Plan and Sidewalk Connectivity Plan
(citywide network for bikeways, trails and sidewalks).
• Area is very car dependent; public transportation is very
limited and under-utilized — in the City of Sarasota, 78% • Advancing Traffic Management Style Program
of people surveyed have never taken a bus. (modernizing traffic signal operations).THE GREEN TRANSITION x 7
• Subsidizing alternative ride services for barrier island
employees and visitors.
• Creating Transportation Demand Management (TDM)
program for incentives (such as subsidizing monthly
transit passes).
• Continuing Neighborhood Traffic Calming Program
(using design features, education and enforcement).
• Developing multimodal traffic data collection Among the City
continuous monitoring program (gathering diverse data, of Sarasota plans:
so as to understand how investments change travel 20-minute bus
service along
behavior).
select
thoroughfares.
Of the 40 projects identified through resident surveys,
the top ten projects are viewed as priority projects • Boulevard of the Arts.
and are either in the works or on the schedule. These
include: Some interesting projects that did not make the top 10 list
include: • Autonomous vehicle shuttle.
• Expanding city trail network.
• Pedestrian bridges over US 41 at the Bay waterfront.
• Streetscapes for east-west corridors (10th Street,
12th Street and 17th Street). • Pedestrian overcrossings at US 41 and 10th St.
• Continue Legacy Trail through the city center • Water taxi (Van Wezel, Marina Jacks, Mote Aquarium, St.
from Payne Park, north to county line, with further Armands). • Micro-transit.
connection into Manatee County (preserve the rail
line for future rail connection between the Sarasota- • Identifying long-range high-speed rail stations.
Bradenton international Airport and downtown
Sarasota). Transportation/Mobility projects underway in Sarasota
County through the Sarasota/Manatee MPO:
• Shade Avenue Complete Street (bike lane, wider
sidewalks, lighting, drainage, undergrounding of utilities • Barrier islands traffic study, particularly focusing on the
and landscaping enhancements). bridges.
• Core route transit improvement (New College/Airport; • US 41 Multi-Modal Emphasis Corridor — particularly
St. Armands Trolley Route; Hospital; and Downtown). pedestrian and bicycle facility improvements, lighting traffic
calming, trails, transit infrastructure, intelligent transportation
• Coconut Avenue and 2nd Street roundabout. system improvements, intersection and access
management improvements and landscaping.
• Fruitville Road Complete Street (from US 41 to US
301). • Public transportation alternatives study — a TCAR (Transit
Concept and Alternative Review) will be conducted on US
• Redesign Main Street (convert angled to parallel 41 that will look at the current system of SCAT and
parking; widen sidewalks, landscape, consider
pedestrian mall at certain times/locations. MCAT buses and possible alternatives (which could include
Bus Rapid Transit, light rail, automated guideway transit,
• Ringling Causeway/Coon Key Bridges (dedicated etc.
lanes for walking, biking and transit vehicles).THE GREEN TRANSITION x 8
Some ideas include:
• Enhance existing car-share programs.
• Establish rental bicycle system.
• Higher frequency bus routes, bundled along US 41,
Manatee Avenue, University Parkway, Fruitville-Lido, and
Bee Ridge-Siesta Key.
• Bus Rapid Transit along US 41.
• Local electric light rail along US 41.
• High-frequency regional passenger rail connecting
downtown Sarasota, the local airport, and Bradenton with
Tampa and Tampa International Airport, on existing rail
right-of-way.
• Connect to high-speed rail in Tampa, offering bullet-train
service to Tallahassee, Orlando, Jacksonville, Atlanta, Palm
Beach, and Miami.
• A maglev super high-speed train connecting major East
Wider sidewalks, occasional conversion to pedestrian mall: Coast cities from Boston to Miami.
City of Sarasota plan for Main Street.
• A dedicated-lane autonomous vehicle shuttle system
connecting North Port, Venice, Sarasota, Bradenton,
• Safety plan: fatality/injury reduction. Parrish, St. Petersburg with Tampa as hub. Autonomous
vehicles in dedicated lanes can go from the Sarasota hub
• Resiliency/vulnerability assessment — developing an (at I-75) to downtown Sarasota and along 41 to SRQ airport
emergency recovery plan, to assess and mitigate risks from and Bradenton with intermediate stops. This doesn’t require
all hazards that affect the region’s transportation system. as much infrastructure investment as light or regional rail
Numerous road and intersection improvement projects all and could be a quicker and more flexible system.
over the region — new lanes, street widening, roundabouts,
street completion, etc. • A public on-demand system (using Uber-like algorithms),
initially person-driven but eventually autonomous, can get
Long-term transportation/mobility visions: people to places off the main shuttle routes.
Sarasota is the perfect city to implement advanced With a fully modern publicly run transportation system, the
transportation/mobility systems. It offers urban density at entire downtown area could be closed off to traffic, making
the core, and is congested, but small enough that it could Main Street and the surrounding streets fully walkable
be easily transformed. similar to downtown Burlington, Vermont (which is notTHE GREEN TRANSITION x 9
only a shopping area but a major leisure destination with
musical events, sidewalk cafes, etc).
• The entire county would be made walkable with wide
sidewalks, nicely landscaped with shade trees and well lit.
• Bike trails will be connective and will be both north-south
and east-west.
• Each neighborhood will have a shopping area for
necessities that is accessible by walking and/or biking a
reasonable distance Biden administration’s proposal:
• Each neighborhood will have a park that is accessible by The American Jobs Plan will invest $621 billion
walking/biking a reasonable distance. nationwide in transportation infrastructure. This will
include $174 billion on electric vehicles, $115 billion for
Infrastructure project implications: fixing roads and bridges, $85 billion for modernizing
transit systems and $80 billion for a growing backlog of
Like anything, building and operating a sound Amtrak repairs.
transportation system is a matter of funding. In both the
regional MPO and the City of Sarasota studies, there are The American Jobs Plan could bring in close to $2
figures for projects that give a rough sense of costs. They billion in funding for transportation-related projects in
do not include, however, the cost of the long-term options the Suncoast region--enough to do some of the bigger
that would be the big-ticket items. projects in the region that could dramatically improve
daily life for Suncoast residents when it comes to
The good news is that both the regional MPO and the City mobility. Either a light rail system connecting Sarasota
of Sarasota are investigating some of these systems. If the and Bradenton to the SRQ airport and the Tampa
Biden administration is able to pass the American Jobs airport or an autonomous electric shuttle vehicle using
Plan in its existing shape, major funding for such projects a dedicated lane on I-75 between Sarasota and the
could become available. It would be interesting to look Tampa Airport and Tampa Union Station could remove
at how similar-size cities in the United States and Europe considerable gridlock in the Suncoast Region. For
have funded and organized such projects. either one of these projects, there could be dedicated
lane autonomous electric vehicle feeder routes to
Labor implications: downtown and important recreational locations.
Infrastructure construction and the operation of expanded
transportation systems would create thousands of jobs
locally. Using April 2021 figures available for highway
construction in Florida, workers in this sector are well-paid.
The average annual salary is $66,199, and the average
hourly wage is $32.00. Hourly wages range from $21/
hr (lowest 25th percentile to $62/hr (top earners). Annual
salaries range from $43,507 (lowest 25th percentile to
$127,989 (top earners). The Florida wages seem high, but
they are significantly lower than the national averages. The
average annual salary of highway construction workers is
$85,869 nationally. It is possible that federal infrastructure
funding, if it passes, will be tied to a national prevailing
wage rate — something that Florida used to have but
repealed in 1979.THE GREEN TRANSITION x 10
3. LAND USE, WATER USE,
AND RESTORATION
The problems: septic tanks from suburban areas that are not hooked up
to wastewater systems spill into the aquifer. Eighty-five
The extended red tide and cyanobacteria blooms (blue- percent of synthetic fertilizer in Sarasota County is used
green algae) of 2018-19, with their massive toll on marine for golf courses, ornamental lawns and other residential
life, human health, and tourism, made it eminently clear purposes, according to the Community Playbook for
that our physical and economic well-being is tied to water Clean Water, authored by Sarasotans Stephen Suau,
quality. David Shafer and Jennifer Shafer.
Excess nutrients and warmer water temperatures Agriculture is also a major polluter. Fifteen percent
increase the intensity, extent and duration of red tide and of synthetic fertilizer in Sarasota County is used for
cyanobacteria blooms, recent research shows. It is followed agriculture and nurseries. Less than half of larger farms
by reduced dissolved oxygen levels as heterotrophic in Sarasota County participate in agricultural best
bacteria consume the decaying material and can result in management practices to reduce nutrient runoff and for
dead zones killing off fish populations that require higher water management.
levels of dissolved oxygen. Every summer, the largest dead
zone in the United States, 6,500 square miles in the Gulf Meanwhile, toxic discharges from residences and
of Mexico, is caused by nutrient runoff from the Mississippi industries such as phosphate mining and sugar mills all
River Basin. In addition to killing fish, and invertebrates eventually end up in our estuaries.
like shrimp, crabs, some mollusks, and other invertebrate
species, there has been a loss of marine mammals, sea Over the past two decades, the amount of nitrogen in
turtles, and water birds from the algal blooms. Sarasota Bay has doubled, according to the Sarasota
County Water Atlas. Nitrogen concentration is not yet
Cyanobacteria and red tide also pose serious and chronic among the highest in the state, but macroalgae and
health hazards to humans. Research on these hazards is far phytoplankton are beginning to appear in local coastal
from complete but Karenia brevis, the dinoflagellate protist waters and seagrass acreage has declined.
that causes red tide causes human respiratory distress and
produces a powerful neurotoxin that causes neurotoxic In addition, herbicides and pesticides sprayed on land
shellfish poisoning (NSP) in humans. Cyanobacteria can and household toxins all runoff through storm water
cause diarrhea, intestinal pain and liver problems, and drains into water bodies.
researchers think there is a link with its neurotoxins and ALS
(Lou Gehrig’s Disease). Action must be taken.
Unless we reduce and remediate the flow of nitrogen and Solutions:
phosphorus into Sarasota Bay and Manatee River, healthy
seagrass and the aquatic life it breeds may see long-term • First of all, with budget cuts to the Department of
population declines. Environmental Protection, the state’s monitoring capacity
of water quality has been reduced considerably. The state
As the area’s cities and suburbs continue rapid growth, must fund consistent monitoring.
non-point source pollution, urban runoff, is the biggest
contributor. In addition to badly controlled stormwater • Next, the state should adopt action plans that achieve
runoff, most cities and counties in the region do not filter water quality goals within 20 years, set uniform rules for
nitrogen out of their wastewater, and produce frequent preventing groundwater withdrawals that drain springs
sewage spills, emergency releases and overflows as the and waterways, conduct groundwater monitoring to verify
aging water infrastructure is increasingly overloaded. Leaky the effectiveness of adopted best management practices,THE GREEN TRANSITION x 11
and take immediate enforcement actions against polluters.
• One of the solutions to reduce the flow of nutrients
into estuaries is by beefing up wastewater treatment
plants to remove nitrogen. The City of Sarasota’s
treatment plant already does that, but the five
Sarasota County treatment plants still produce
water with standard-exceeding amounts of nitrogen.
The county is planning a $157 million upgrade of
one plant. Billions of dollars more of investment
in wastewater treatment are needed. The biggest
beneficiaries of this would be engineering and
construction companies.
• Another solution, according to the Community
A $157 million project, and more to come:
Playbook for Clean Water, is the use of denitrification
Upgrade of Sarasota County’s Bee Ridge water treatment plant
systems with organic carbon — such as sawdust and
wood chips — in septic systems, which leak varying
amounts of nitrogen into the aquifer, surface water and
springs. But eventually, suburban areas that depend on The Biden administration proposals:
septic tanks must be hooked up to urban wastewater
systems. The biggest economic beneficiaries of this would In regards to land use, water and agriculture, the
be engineering construction companies. American Jobs Plan proposes to spend:
• A more controversial and complex solution is reducing • $56 billion in grants and low-cost loans to states, to
fertilizer use. The City of Sarasota and Sarasota County “upgrade and modernize America’s water, wastewater,
have fertilizer ordinances, but since state statutes now and stormwater systems”. The Suncoast’s proportion
preempt local fertilizer regulations, the state legislature of that would be $145 million.
could abolish these anytime.
• $10 billion to monitor and remediate toxic
• Most controversial: Water quality depends on proper substances in drinking water. The Sarasota-Manatee
land management. Whatever is added to, or altered on area’s proportion would be $26 million.
land, runs into our estuaries, bays, and the Gulf and
Atlantic Ocean. This is why ultimately overbuilding must • $5 billion on a Rural Partnership Program, in part to
be stopped and green space and wetlands preserved, to allow “positioning the U.S. agricultural sector to lead
act as natural filters. Barrier islands, in particular, should the shift to net-zero emissions while providing new
be returned to green space and parkland. How many golf economic opportunities for farmers”.
courses and new subdivisions can this region bear?
• $100 billion on a Civilian Climate Corps that would
• Agricultural best-management practices and a trend allow particularly young people to help with climate-
towards sustainable regenerative agriculture have reduced change mitigation projects while getting paid.
fertilizer use and safeguarded green space. Use of organic
fertilizer promotes long-term soil productivity and carbon • an undetermined amount on “maximizing the
sequestration. Sustainable agricultural practices include resilience of land and water resources to protect
no-till agriculture, diverse cover crops, tree intercropping, communities and the environment. President Biden’s
silvopasture, adaptive managed grazing, and composting. plan will protect, and where necessary, restore nature-
The biggest beneficiaries of this are organic farms in the based infrastructure – our lands, forests, wetlands,
region. watersheds, and coastal and ocean resources.” THE GREEN TRANSITION x 12
4. PHOSPHATE MINING, GYPSTACKS,
AND DRINKING WATER QUALITY
The problems:
Florida produces up to 80% of the phosphate mined in
the United States, and the ongoing Piney Point disaster
showed the cost of this. The globe’s largest phosphate
mining company, Mosaic — a subsidiary of the largest
privately held corporation in the United States, Cargill
— relocated its headquarters to Tampa Bay in 2019.
The company has a lot of clout with Florida politicians.
Mosaic holds permits issued by the FDEP to draw up
to 90 million gallons of clean Florida aquifer water daily
to process phosphate, which they return as a toxic
soup and dump into our rivers as phosphate process
water that enters lakes and the Gulf of Mexico. They
currently have a permit to dump 76 million gallons a day
of phosphate process water into the Peace River, where
Sarasota, Charlotte and DeSoto counties get their
surface drinking water supply through the Peace River
Map: People for Protecting Peace River
Water Authority. If expansion of mining is approved into
DeSoto County in 2023, Mosaic will be issued a permit
for an unlimited amount of dumping from eight new
slurry ponds into the Peace River. There are also plans
to truck in wastewater from Manatee mining ponds.
Our drinking water is already more radioactive than
most in Florida, and more dumping from this industry
will only cause it to get worse.
The gyp stack disaster at Piney Point will be minor
compared to what is in store for us in the future if more
mining and dumping is approved. operations, and the company would have gone bankrupt.
In this case, they will probably get their request approved.
A majority of Florida’s 25 gyp stacks are owned and
operated by Mosaic; 22 of them are within a 70- Solutions:
mile radius of Tampa Bay. More than 1 billion tons
of radioactive, toxic waste is already stored there, The Piney Point problem will not be “solved” via releases
sitting on top of our aquifer that supplies water to 10 and deep-well injections, as the state is doing. We need
million Floridians. We have already had sinkholes into better regulation, oversight and awareness of Mosaic and
our aquifer from these acidic gystacks, and they will phosphate mining.
continue. Mosaic is requesting permission to increase
a stack by 230 acres at their New Wales mine, where This past February, public health and conservation groups
the 2016 sinkhole occurred that dumped an estimated petitioned the EPA to start “overseeing the safe treatment,
215 million gallons of toxic, radioactive wastewater. In storage and disposal of phosphogypsum and process the
the past, the State of Florida, would have closed down wastewater, as required under the Resource ConservationTHE GREEN TRANSITION x 13 and Recovery Act and Toxic Substances Control Act.” Phosphate mining companies must be required to pay for the cleanup at the source. One company called Carbon Cycles claims to have developed a process to effectively clean up phosphogypsum radioactive waste and extract clean gypsum that can be used for building materials. Other companies have utilized extracted gypsum in other countries but the construction materials are usually contaminated. Phosphate mining should be banned in Florida given the vulnerabilities of our aquifers, our rivers, estuaries, and the Gulf. Reliance on synthetic fertilizers has been a detriment to healthy living soil, has contaminated our waterways and relying on finite extraction industries is environmentally unsustainable. Europe is moving toward reducing its reliance on importing phosphates. They have recently completed extensive mapping of soil characteristics throughout the EU. Mapping phosphorus concentrations will Phosphate mine in Florida. Photo: George Chase help with planning for long-term environmentally sustainable agricultural practices. Phosphorus is a renewable resource and it can be obtained through human and animal waste substances in drinking water. The Sarasota-Manatee streams as well as agricultural waste, but more research and area’s proportion would be $26 million. development is needed. Biden administration proposals: In regards to depleted mines and drinking water, the American Jobs Plan proposes: • to spend $16 billion to clean up abandoned mines. “Hundreds of thousands of former orphan oil and gas wells and abandoned mines pose serious safety hazards, while also causing ongoing air, water, and other environmental damage. Many of these old wells and mines are located in rural communities that have suffered from years of disinvestment.” The Suncoast’s proportional share of the program would be $41 million. • to spend $56 billion in grants and low-cost loans to states, to “upgrade and modernize America’s water, wastewater, and stormwater systems”. The Suncoast’s proportion of that would be $145 million. • to spend $45 billion on exchanging aging lead pipes and service lines. • to spend $10 billion to monitor and remediate toxic
THE GREEN TRANSITION x 14 5. READING LIST, SOURCES Project Drawdown. The World’s Leading Resource for Climate Solutions. https://drawdown.org U.S. Energy Information Agency: Where Greenhouse Gases Come From. https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/energy- and-the-environment/where-greenhouse-gases-come-from.php U.S. Environmental Protection Agency: Sources of Greenhouse Gas Emissions. https://www.epa.gov/ghgemissions/ sources-greenhouse-gas-emissions U.S. Energy Information Agency: State Profile Florida. https://www.eia.gov/state/?sid=FL Stephen Suau, David Shafer, Jennifer Shafer: Community Playbook for Healthy Waterways, Gulf Coast Community Foundation 2020. https://www.waterqualityplaybook.org Sarasota/Manatee Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO),Transform 2045: Sarasota/Manatee MPO Long Range Transportation Plan, October 2020, https://www.mympo.org/transformtomorrow City of Sarasota: Sarasota in Motion Transportation Master Plan, July 2020, https://sarasotainmotion.com The White House. Fact Sheet: The American Jobs Plan. https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements- releases/2021/03/31/fact-sheet-the-american-jobs-plan/ The White House. Fact Sheet: The American Families Plan: https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements- releases/2021/04/28/fact-sheet-the-american-families-plan/ Center for Biological Diversity EPA Petitioned to Protect Communities, Environment From Radioactive Phosphogypsum Stacks, Wastewater: https://biologicaldiversity.org/w/news/press-releases/epa-petitioned-to-protect-communities- environment-from-radioactive-phosphogypsum-stacks-wastewater-2021-02-08/ Chemistry World Carbon Cycle’s gypsum purification process cleans up radioactive fertiliser waste: https://www. chemistryworld.com/news/carbon-cycles-gypsum-purification-process-cleans-up-radioactive-fertiliser-waste/4010670. article EPA United States Environmental Protection Agency Nutrient Pollution The Effects: Dead Zones and Harmful Algal Blooms: https://www.epa.gov/nutrientpollution/effects-dead-zones-and-harmful-algal-blooms EU Science Hub New findings reveal a need to optimise the use of phosphorus in agriculture: https://ec.europa.eu/jrc/ en/news/new-findings-reveal-need-optimise-use-phosphorus-agriculture
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