To: President Donald Trump and Governor Ron DeSantis
REVOKE VOLUSIA COUNTY, FLORIDA INCIDENTAL TAKE PERMIT
In 1996 US Fish & Wildlife politically expedited an Incidental Take Permit to facilitate recreational beach driving on the beaches of Volusia County, Florida. The Permit was given to a known ESA violator, for an activity which had been labeled "lethal" by the Florida Supreme Court. Notwithstanding the history of the applicant, who was being sued for violations of the ESA, and potentially lethal consequence of the Permit, FWS expedited it to keep the ESA violations from going to trial. The Administrative Record on this Permit substantiates the politics involved, along with the subsequent adverse environmental and human impacts.
The Permit was renewed in 2005 until 2030, and the "take" expanded to include piping plovers in their 2001 federally designated Critical Wintering Habitat. Politics again trumped logic and morality.
Ignoring the deaths of two four-year-olds run over by recreational beach drivers in 2010 and the foreseeability of the carnage continuing, politicians involved find it politically inexpedient to deal with the issue.
The Permit was renewed in 2005 until 2030, and the "take" expanded to include piping plovers in their 2001 federally designated Critical Wintering Habitat. Politics again trumped logic and morality.
Ignoring the deaths of two four-year-olds run over by recreational beach drivers in 2010 and the foreseeability of the carnage continuing, politicians involved find it politically inexpedient to deal with the issue.
Why is this important?
Since 1990 Volusia County has been warned by FWS and the State about its violations of the ESA with beach driving. V/C callously ignored the warnings, and the agencies involved took no action. Both the environment and humans have paid the price for their political decisions. According to data, children under six have been the most severely adversely impacted by the inactions of those without the moral courage to address it. FWS propagandizes its duty to protect the environment, when in fact, from my personal experience their practice is somewhat different. Taxpayers funding these agencies should be outraged that most of the good coming from FWS/DOI is litigation driven. I was a plaintiff in the original lawsuit against V/C for its violations of the ESA in 1995. The permit was expedited to keep that action from going to trial. Had it been tried, beach driving would have been banned and lives would have been saved and much human suffering avoided.