As a member and proud supporter of National Teen Anglers, I am appealing
to your sense of environmental stewardship and hope you can help by
reinforcing our personal obligation to protect our nation's natural
resources. Teen Anglers is a 12 year old non-profit organization
dedicated to teaching teens the art of fishing, conservation, and the essentials
of boating with emphasis on safety and environmental responsibility.
In Osceola County Florida next to the Alligator Lake Fish Camp is a
public road that dead ends at a bay connecting to Alligator Lake. The
road and frontage portion of the bay is open to public access for
fishing or just watching wildlife that inhabit the bay. Local resident
and teen angler supporter Al Bernetti, with Osceola County engineering
approval, installed an approved drainage system on his adjacent property
to improve stormwater drainage through engineered swales and ponds
working to hold and clean (polish) the storm water and allow it to
percolate into the aquifer, rather than push it untreated into the water
body.
Initially the project went well helping the environment by reducing
nonpoint source pollution and enhancing local wildlife. Locals witnessed
bedding bass, catfish, and increased aquatic life.
Months later Osceola County came in and tore out the beneficial project
by installing a 10" drainage pipe thereby eliminating the natural
filter system choking up and killing the nearby vegetation in the front
area by the drain pipe.
Years ago not much was known about the effects of stormwater run-off and
the impact it has on our waterways. We had hoped this project would have
been a model for other areas bordering the Alligator and Kissimmee chain
of lakes including Lake Okeechobee since when they do the drawdowns
to bring the water levels in the lakes down it directly affects the
saltwater estuaries off the East and West Coasts of Florida.
The environmental and financially damaging actions by Osceola County are
forcing the Teen Angler organization to suspend all Florida activities.
This suspension will adversely impact Florida families, youth and local
businesses as a result. We are asking for your help to make Osceola
County, represented by Travelers Insurance, accountable for their
actions and force them to return the monies Al Bernetti put into the
initial approved project that in their infinite wisdom tore down the
approved environmentally friendly project.
Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter
