Environmental Protection
EPD News
Energy Conservation Strategies Commission
The responsibilities of the Advisory Board shall be to develop an exhaustive "menu of options" implementable by local government, with the goal of reducing per capita energy consumption in Alachua County.
Topics for consideration should include, but not be limited to: energy efficiency standards for new County construction; County operations and maintenance; incentives for energy efficiency in private sector construction; County Land Development Regulations; land use planning; transportation; renewable energy options; and public education. The Advisory Board shall submit its final report and recommendations to the Board before August,2008.
Contact Person: Sean McLendon
Phone: (352) 264-6802
Email: smclendon @ alachuacounty . us
What can you do stop global warming?
GRU offers some great rebates and incentives that will help the environment and your budget
Global Warming Information
- Read Alachua County's Action Plan and Reduction Strategy for Greenhouse Gases
- Alachua County Inventory of Greenhouse Gas Emissions
- The Greenhouse Effect - What is it? How does it work?
- What is Global Warming?
- What the Experts Say About Climate Change
- Why Should We Care?
- What Can We Do About Global Warming?
- How Do We Take the Earth's Temperature?
Welcome to the Environmental Protection Department for Alachua County Florida.
For public comment:
The rating system for LEED for Neighborhood Development ("the smart growth LEED") has been thoroughly revised since the pilot program was initiated early last year and is available for public comment. The LEED for Neighborhood Development program was developed through a partnership of the Natural Resources Defense Council, the Congress for the New Urbanism, and the US Green Building Council. NRDC has been the organizing partner on behalf of the smart growth community in the LEED-ND partnership. This is the first national program to use standards to define what is smart growth and separate the worthy from the pretenders. It is important that it does so accurately, since it will be influential in both the marketplace and public policy
The comment period will be open through January 5. After this first round of comments, the LEED-ND core committee will make additional revisions and republish for an additional round of comments on the aspects that have been revised.
The new standards, along with commenting formalities, may be accessed at http://www.usgbc.org/LEED/LEEDDrafts/ RatingSystemVersions.aspx
New Map!
11/5/2008 4:00:00 PM
An updated Alachua County map designating the Floridan Aquifer protection zones has been created which more accurately depicts the aquifer system's relative vulnerability and recharge. The more refined map will replace the high aquifer recharge map titled "Degree of Confinement of the Floridan Aquifer System (1988)", which is also referred to as the 3-color map.
Stay Informed with The Wader
9/11/2008 1:35:00 PM
There are so many environmental events and happenings that it is hard to keep up with them all. That is- it was hard, until the Wader washed up! The Wader is a quarterly electronic newsletter created by the Water Resources Department at the Alachua County Environmental Protection Department. Each issue has a few water related articles and a calender of upcoming events. Most issues also include some tips on how you can mimimize your pointless personal pollution. The Fall 2008 edition will focus on natural areas in Alachua County where you can go to connect with nature. To sign up for The Wader click below on Read the Full Article.
Cabot Koppers Superfund Site Documents
8/8/2008 4:55:00 PM
Cabot Koppers Document Library --Public View
Selected recent Cabot-Koppers Superfund site technical documents are now available for public view.
Free Springs Celebration
7/9/2008 4:50:00 PM
Experience the magic of Florida springs and learn how to protect them at the 2nd Annual Springs Celebration. Enjoy the live music of Patchwork, Bob Patterson, Dale Crider, and Palm Valley. Highlights will include kayak demonstrations, interactive water education activities, and live animal exhibits.
Admission is free throughout the event, which runs from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Poe Springs County Park is located at 28800 N.W. 182nd Ave., High Springs. For information call 352-264-6800 or check out the Santa Fe River Springs Basin Working Group website at www.santaferiversprings.com.
Environmental Ambassadors
6/18/2008 2:55:00 PM
Environmental Protection Department welcomes the Environmental Ambassadors Class of 2008.
On Friday June 20, we will host an interactive GIS exercise with the class.
Cabot-Koppers Superfund Site Public Meeting
4/28/2008 11:05:00 AM
A public update on the Cabot-Koppers Superfund Site will be provided on May 1, 2008 at 5:00 p.m. at a special joint meeting of the City of Gainesville and Alachua County Commissions in Room 209 of the County Administration Building located at 12 SE 1st Street, Gainesville.
Florida and Climate Change: The Costs of Inaction
12/17/2007 10:15:00 AM
GDAE's Dr. Elizabeth Stanton and Dr. Frank Ackerman are the authors on a new report commissioned by Environmental Defense, �Florida and Climate Change: The Costs of Inaction.� The report is the first detailed analysis on the potential consequences of continued climate change for the state�s economy. The report concludes that if left unchecked, climate change will significantly harm Florida�s economy in the next several decades, and that impacts on just three sectors � tourism, electric utilities, and real estate � together with effects of hurricanes would shrink Florida�s Gross State Product by 5% by the end of this century.
STATEMENT ON SEA LEVEL IN THE COMING CENTURY
10/15/2007 3:15:00 PM
Miami-Dade County Climate Change Task Force has released a statement on sea level rise in the coming century. "Significant sea level rise is a very real threat to the near future for Miami-Dade County." www.alachuacounty.us/assets/uploads/images/epd/documents/ECSC/Statement.pdf
