Hurricane anxiety seems like it is in week two. It is almost boring “waiting.” Never seen one that just sits still in one place.
You don’t know me. Hopefully you do moving forward. I’m a published author, fishing guide and former pro baseball umpire living in Clearwater. 49 emails to the governor this year have produced NOTHING. Very disappointing. We have serious problems. The fishing has crashed. As a fishing guide, impacted me because I won’t take people when they aren’t going to catch anything. I am also the owner of one of the biggest fishing websites in the world. My publishing power is strong. The site takes 5 million or more hits a month.
If it doesn’t work, it’s not going to work out for you. It’s not going to work out for the governor. I’m just saying, we are almost to “last ditch” here.
An action guy, the fertilizer ban in the rainy season: That was me. My push made that happen. Talk to environmental agencies and bring up my name they are going to respond. I did that because “it was the right thing to do.”
The very few (I would say three) responses from the office of the governor “we have forwarded your email to the FWC.” Well, that doesn’t work because the FWC is part of the problem. Their inadequacy and mismanagement has been the biggest story in the last ten years. Real solutions require real people pushing for changes. The solutions: Not all falling on me. I can identify problems but what to do about it? I don’t have all the answers. One solution: Septic systems around Florida are a joke in a lot of areas. Spend the money, make the changes and stop the discharge of sewage into Florida waters. That one is simple. Private money. State money. Probably a combination of both gets it done but it has to be done. We are turning the Gulf of Mexico into a bacteria pit.
My solution with the FWC, put someone in charge who will do the right things. Captain Scott Moore of Anna Maria Island is my pick. I’m his pick. We talk all the time. Scott is the best historian of how things came to be. He understands the system. Nothing could be bad about having Scott being the guy heading the program. He cares. He has the ideas. He has me to help him out. Me, I have a degree in Finance and Accounting I never really used. Just published my fourth book. I’m no idiot. My father, departed a year and a half ago, watched my previous battles with half-interest. Told me not to waste my time a couple of times. He enjoyed the success I had and he knew, the success happened because I don’t quit. I am a winner. I see things through. I’m the guy everyone wants around for those reasons. It is out there: If I am a failure on this one, I’m selling out and leaving the state following people who have already done it. Life-longers that are simply tired of Florida not taking care of itself. They chose to leave and live out there days somewhere that doesn’t have the same problems. I will be joining them if things don’t change. I thought I would stay here forever.
The fishing was great ten years ago. Now, it’s bad. All kinds of things not working right. Other places, the fishing’s fine. The general Tampa Bay area is stressed.
You have been placed in a position of influence. What are you going to do with it? It is time that someone answers the bell. I’m hoping that you are the one that will get it there.
I’m not just “some guy.” I’m the most published fishing guide in the history of Florida. Published over 20,000 times, I just published my fourth book. I have a following. And people are watching. Everyone that enjoys the water here is aware there are problems. Do we just sit back, do nothing and see how it works out? No. My answer is no. You have to try.
Septic systems are big. But what about algae blooms? Flesh eating bacteria? Flesh eating bacteria you used to hear about once a year. A stretch this summer you were hearing about it every day. As humans, we are screwing things up. And we don’t have to. It is time to be responsible. It is time to do things the best they can be done.
Hatcheries would help. Those programs exist. But they aren’t necessarily getting fish in the locations that need them most. This should be expanded. Buy property and set up hatcheries right on the water where hatched fish swim straight out into the ecosystem.
Red Tide, things not being tried. Try chalk. Try industrial ice makers on ships. We don’t know if these things will work but we will never know if they are never tried.
I’m calling for a system that works better. Break the bureaucracy, tear down the FWC and rebuild it. Get people involved that fix things. I went to the governor because I was simply out of options. It has not been successful. I voted for the guy but I am currently unimpressed. Has he personally read anything I wrote?? If he had, I’d have probably heard from him. I’ll dig all that up for you to read. I took the time to do it. It is for the right reasons. We need to find allies to make things work better in this state.
I don’t care. I can cut these 30,000 people wide open and let you deal with them. Or. You can deal with me: Which is what THEY WANT. People know I’m looking out for the best interest of everyone. I have that respect and people are happy I exist. I’m a realist. I know the score. What are you going to do? Ignore me: You’ll go down with Desantis. His “email”, a total failure. I don’t feel like I’ve had any contact with my elected official (after 49 attempts). 49 emails. No progress. Not good.
The fishing we had. It’s gone. Will it come back? Can it come back. Other people are more accepting of it than I am. We can do things to bring it back. No question. Are we willing to do it? I can get the support. I can get other people to tell you their experiences that confirm what I am saying. Things are not what they were. I look back at pictures: Taking people fishing seven years ago. It was good. It has crashed. Offshore: Not as big an issue. Inshore, major problems. I hope that there is an answer. I hope reaching out to you helps us pursue that.
I’m no flamboyant idiot. Crazed citizen. I am a regular guy. A regular guy that is telling it like it is. We have major issues. I have been positive. Even without making any headway, I have stayed positive. People look to me for results. I haven’t provided any yet.
I can send you the 1000 pages of what I have written. It’s all here.
Who is Julia?
Governor Ron DeSantis Announces Dr. Julia Nesheiwat as Florida’s First Chief Resilience Officer
On August 1, 2019, in News Releases, by Staff
New Position Will Prepare Florida for the Environmental, Physical and Economic Impacts of Sea Level Rise
Tallahassee, Fla. — Today, Governor Ron DeSantis announced the appointment of Dr. Julia Nesheiwat as Florida’s first Chief Resilience Officer (CRO). The CRO is tasked with preparing Florida for the environmental, physical and economic impacts of sea level rise.
The CRO reports to the Executive Office of the Governor and will work in partnership with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, the Florida Department of Transportation, the Florida Division of Emergency Management, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity, in addition to local communities and stakeholders.
“Developing resilience goals for the state will help to protect our coastal communities and fortify Florida’s pathway to continued prosperity,” said Governor DeSantis. “Today, we take the step of appointing Florida’s first Chief Resilience Officer to coordinate a statewide response to prepare for the environmental, physical and economic challenges facing our state. Dr. Nesheiwat’s more than 20 years’ experience operating at the highest levels of government and academia focusing on renewable energy, environmental and critical infrastructure issues make her an excellent choice for this position. She has a proven track record of public, private and military service that will serve Florida well.”
“Thank you Governor DeSantis, it’s an honor to have the opportunity to serve the State of Florida on the important, cross-cutting issue of resiliency,” said Dr. Nesheiwat. “As a Floridian from Lake County, I know how important this issue is for the people of Florida. With 1,350 miles of largely low-lying coastline, the impacts from climate change and sea level rise present a significant challenge; but with Governor DeSantis’ leadership and vision, Florida will be a leader for the entire country on how best to confront these issues.”
“Surrounded by water, our state is ground zero for sea-level rise and is leading the country in resiliency efforts with the leadership of Governor DeSantis. This appointment of Dr. Nesheiwat is the first of its kind,” said Florida Department of Environmental Protection Secretary Noah Valenstein. “She is an exemplary representation of public service with more than twenty years of experience leading our country’s environmental policies at the highest level.”
“Dr. Nesheiwat is extremely well versed in a broad suite of issues related to resilience,” said Chief Science Officer Dr. Tom Frazer. “Her breadth of expertise will serve her well as CRO. I am thrilled to work with her on coordinated and well-rounded resilience strategies.”
“With this appointment of Dr. Julia Nesheiwat as Florida’s first Chief Resilience Officer, Governor DeSantis stands above all other governors in his leadership and commitment to ensure the Everglades and Florida’s water resources are protected,” said Eric Eikenberg, CEO of the Everglades Foundation. “Governor DeSantis made a wise choice. Dr. Nesheiwat is a proven resiliency leader in critical areas where the public, private and academic sectors intersect. Her years of environmental experience, with an emphasis on water and natural resources, will serve the people of Florida well.”
“As Governor DeSantis takes serious steps to protect Florida from flooding exacerbated by sea level rise and more intense rain events, I applaud his choice in Julia Nesheiwat as the state’s first Resilience Officer,” said Jay Faison, Chairman of the American Flood Coalition. “Julia is a strategic thinker whose vast experience will put Florida at the forefront of protecting citizen’s property and livelihoods from the effects of climate change.”
“Dr. Nesheiwat has accumulated a breadth of experience through her education, her military service and her public service as the U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Energy Resources implementing policies in energy, climate change, water and critical infrastructure protection,” said Dr. Paul J. Sullivan, Professor of Economics and Lead of the Energy Industry Study at the National Defense University. “I am confident she will serve the people of Florida exceptionally well.”
“I worked closely with Dr. Nesheiwat for several years when I was an energy envoy at the State Department and can tell you first-hand that she is passionately committed to climate issues,” said Richard Morningstar, former United States Ambassador to the European Union and to Azerbaijan. “Her doctoral work relating to resilience following the Fukushima accident is exemplary, and she is nothing short of an administrative and organizational genius, which will be critical in any crisis.”
Julia Nesheiwat, PhD
Dr. Julia Nesheiwat has over 20 years of renewable energy and environmental experience focused on water and natural resources as a senior executive in federal cabinet-level agencies, academia and as a combat veteran. She has proven leadership and technology skills serving in a variety of positions, including as former Deputy Assistant Secretary of State building the first Energy Resources Bureau working closely with the Oceans, Environment and Science Bureau and serving as Chief of Staff to Special Envoys and Under Secretary for Energy, Environment and Sustainability. Dr. Nesheiwat’s PhD dissertation from Tokyo Tech, “Post-Disaster Reconstruction in Energy Technology & Resiliency” focused on post-disaster reconstruction of coastal towns and urban resiliency. Dr. Nesheiwat managed the resiliency and energy working group on the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) Global Advisory Council and is a well-known advocate on energy and environmental programs and critical infrastructure protection (CI), power sector sustainability and innovation projects. She previously served as a visiting professor at the Naval Post Graduate School on Energy & Environmental Security and Lecturer at University of California San Diego & Stanford University. Dr. Nesheiwat is a former U.S. Army intelligence officer with combat tours in Afghanistan and Iraq. Raised in Lake County, Florida, Dr. Nesheiwat received her PhD in 2014 from the Tokyo Institute of Technology, a Master’s Degree in National Energy Security in 2007 from Georgetown University’s Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service and her Bachelor’s of Arts in Sociology in 1997 from Stetson University.
- The Neil Blog… - July 26, 2023
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- update - July 22, 2023
