Pinellas Environmental Future
Everyone living in the Paradise News readership area in Pinellas County has a vital stake in our environmental future. Covering sewer and water infrastructure, renewable energy and environmentally friendly building standards, the quarterly Tampa Bay Beaches Chamber Community Advocacy meeting drew a good audience August 17 at South Pasadena City Hall.
With moderator Doug Izzo, TBBC Governmental Affairs Director, the panel included Blake Lyon, Pinellas County Development Review Services Director; Randi M. Kim, Pinellas County Utilities Director; Thomas Lawery, Duke Energy Wholesale Renewable Manager, Distributed Energy Resources; and Rep, Kathleen Peters, District 68.
All panel members also highlighted the importance of the Penny for Pinellas renewal vote in November, urging all county voters to learn about the importance of Penny funds to their respective communities over the past nearly 30 years. Paradise News also got comments from several local Mayors on the panel topics and the Penny vote.
Lyon: Land Use Planning
“Starting at the national level and working down to our County,” Lyon emphasized, “over the next 32 years with the effects of both natural and ‘built’ environment, only 50% of the needed commercial and residential buildings exist today. Energy use consumption drives land use and transportation, with vehicle miles traveled increasing much faster than population and offsetting fuel savings.
“Pinellas County development patterns over the last century, including valuable waterfront communities, has not left much available land for future greenfield development. Critical areas of concern include aging building stock, older industrial properties, affordable housing production, and infrastructure costs for roadways, bridges and utilities.
“We need to balance suburban, urban and rural needs – in Pinellas and elsewhere – to get lower per capita costs for every resource item, and come up with a better fiscal approach going forward. We need a more flexible and adaptable approaches for more middle income housing, one example.
And all the details on the Penny for Pinellas history are available online at www.pinellascounty.org/penny.
Kim: Water & Sewer Focus
“Our concerns over the past few years,” Kim said, “include our aging sewer infrastructure, reclaimed water usage and potable water delivery. Some cities like St. Petersburg, Clearwater and Tarpon Springs have their own utilities, while others tie in to the overall County system. We update our Master Water Plan every five years to meet anticipated needs over the next 20 years, working with the Tampa Bay Water Regional Authority.
“Pinellas County demands are pretty flat with Hillsborough and Pasco counties seeing more growth. Regional per capital use is down to about 69 gallons from 100 to 150 gallons plus over the past five years. Solutions include the use of more reclaimed water, water conservation, and the use of more water-efficient appliances.
“Providing capacity at wastewater treatment plants vs managing to reduce stormwater and groundwater inflow and infiltration to the wastewater system pipelines are the real challenge. The combined capacity of all wastewater treatment facilities in Pinellas County is an average 155 million gallons a day, and peak flow is designed for twice that amount or over 300 million gallons. In 2015 during Hermine we had to handle three times the average flow in our wastewater system due to stormwater inflow and infiltration.
“As a result, our new Wastewater/Stormwater Task Force is working with our Utilities and Public Works departments to keep more stormwater out of our sanity sewer system to eliminate future overflows. Among proposals are adding more capacity and a public education program focused on both commercial and residential customers to keep many objects out of the system.
Lawery: Duke & Renewables
With Duke Energy and former Progress Energy for 28 years, Lawery emphasized the firm’s commitment to an economic-driven energy policy. “Our solar program is kicking into high gear,” he said. “We just announced an agreement that, if
approved by the Florida Public Service Commission, will include nearly $6 billion in investments in the communities that we serve. We expect to construct or acquire 700 megawatts (MW) of solar power facilities within the next four years, greatly accelerating the company’s previous 10-year solar installation plan.
“While wind farms have been successful in other areas like Block Island, RI, solar is much cheaper to develop here in Florida. For the first time in Florida, through the optional Shared Solar program, all Duke Energy customers will be eligible to participate in solar even if they don’t own their property or have viable rooftops for solar panel installation. We will also provide more than 500 electric vehicle charging stations throughout our communities, along with the infrastructure with grid communications as part of a 5-year pilot program. We want to encourage more customers to ‘think renewables.’
“We need to educate our universe about solar advantages here in Pinellas County and elsewhere, and are working with USF St. Petersburg and Perry County Schools, as two examples. While still in development, Duke Energy also plans to design, own, and operate 50 MW of battery storage. In addition, our biomass program using wood waste and pellets is expanding.”
Rep. Peters: Energy & Utilities
As chair of the Florida House Committee on Energy & Utilities, Rep. Peters is on top of the various topics in both areas of vital concern to all residents. “I’ve toured many of our power plants,” she said, “seen some of our solar farms, and feel storage is an issue for solar to truly be reliable. Many power companies are investing in Tessa and other research groups working on energy storage, and I see biomass as a future possibility; however, the cost to produce energy this way far exceeds other methods — therefore not much energy is produced.
“We’re working with the Federal government on the Gulfstream Project off Lake Worth — with turbines on the bottom of the ocean producing hydroelectricity through a pipeline to the city and surrounding areas.
“As Tom Lawery noted, Duke is connecting with schools on solar energy education, including Perry County and Florida Polytechnic, among others. We also need more cities like those here in Tampa Bay to use more reclaimed water to conserve potable water supplies.” ”Neglected infrastructure was a major cause of last fall’s sewage overflows, with Pinellas County responsible for over 50% of the statewide total. The public is now aware of their town’s sewage inflow problems and are taking necessary remedial steps, including St. Pete Beach, Clearwater, Largo and Tarpon Springs, among others.
“In the Legislature, we’ve proposed benefits to cities for sewer and stormwater infrastructure upgrades, and incentives to farmers to better control their nitrogen-producing runoffs that contaminate our fresh water supply. And every homeowner has to know that one of the biggest culprits in letting waste water into our sewer system is the clean-out valve in every lawn.
“Working together, we can solve the local problems that will insure more renewable energy in the future, and better sewer and stormwater controls to prevent more overflow disasters.”
Local Officials Comment
After thanking the panel for their respective comments, TBBC CEO & President Robin Sollie emphasized, “From utilizing energy-efficient, we need to hold our elected officials responsible in planning for the future, with more renewable energy and funding for infrastructure needs. We can proudly say that Pinellas County is a moving-forward county!”
Treasure Island Mayor Robert Minning noted, “The City prepared a Capital Improvement Plan for Fiscal Year 2017 – 2018 that addresses the Stormwater and Sewer Collection Systems. A total of $2.4 million is included for Phase VI – Stormwater Best Management Practices – Sunset Beach; Rehabilitation Parking Lots 2 and 3; Rehabilitation of 3 Sewer Lift Stations; and Stormwater Master Plan.
“Included is our ongoing relining of buried sewer pipe to minimize the infiltration of stormwater to the sewer collection system. This is performed by a process that utilizes trenchless technology called Cured In Place Pipe (CIPP). This is a joint-less, seamless, pipe-within-a-pipe with the capability to rehabilitate pipes ranging in diameter from 4 to 110 inches. In addition, manhole covers will be supplied with a Rain-Catcher that will minimize the inflow of rainwater during extended rainfall events.”
“For the past few years our city has been on a mission to repair and upgrade our sewer system,” St. Pete Beach Mayor Alan Johnson told Paradise News. “A study completed in 2015 examined our almost 60 miles of pipes and we set out to clean, line and — where necessary — repair them. Spending more than $1.6 million per year on that effort, it will be complete in the ‘17-’18 budget year. Along with that effort we are rebuilding our 800 or so manholes. All of this will work toward eliminating water intrusion into our sewers that causes them to overflow.
“We are finishing a major re-build of Pass-a-Grille Way, a large part of which is a huge upgrade to our stormwater drainage system there. This includes baffle boxes through which stormwater drains into the intracoastal water way. These boxes filter debris out of storm runoff, avoiding that source of pollution.
“One of the goals of our Comprehensive Plan is to work toward a ‘green’ city. This involves our designing our buildings around environmentally friendly designs that are energy efficient. Another is creating streets and walkways that are more pedestrian friendly, thus reducing the volume of automobile traffic and the need for more parking.”
Madeira Beach Mayor Maggi Black stated, “Our City policy is directed at conservation of its character and promotion of a sustainable future through establishment of compatibly-mixed land uses, improvement of ecological function, preservation of natural resource and the best use of public investment.
“Madeira Beach will be extending its stormwater infrastructure in FY2018. Projects include Rex Place with $890,000 budgeted, and stormwater work at the 137th Ave. Circle with $935,000 allocated. The City is also working on a renewable energy plan with outside consultants that will be implemented in FY 2018, and we will continue forward in pursuit of sound environmental sustainability.
“From utilizing energy efficient equipment and recycled materials to investing heavily in preventative maintenance of key infrastructure,” South Pasadena Mayor Max V. Elson said, “our city strives to do its part to protect Pinellas County’s environmental future.
“Our Comprehensive Plan stresses the importance of preserving our natural environment, increasing greenspace whenever possible, and supporting state and county initiatives. Our gravity sewer system is 100% slip-lined. We utilize environmentally conscious technology like propane mowers, LED streetlights, and solar streetlights. We even updated our development standards to require an additional two feet of freeboard to promote safer construction.
“We may be just a small piece of Pinellas County, but the environmental wellbeing of our entire community has been and will continue to be a priority for South Pasadena.” These comments from the panel and local officials re-emphasize the commitment of Pinellas County to a more sustainable environmental future.
Story by STEVE TRAIMAN
[Editor’s Note: Special thanks to Blake Lyon and Randi Kim, Pinellas County; Tom Lawery, Duke Energy; Rep. Kathleen Peters, Robin Sollie, TBBC; Treasure Island Mayor Bob Minning, St. Pete Beach Mayor Alan Johnson, Madeira Beach Mayor Maggi Black and South Pasadena Mayor Max V. Elson for their excellent comments.]
[Steve Traiman is President of Creative Copy by Steve Traiman in St. Pete Beach, offering freelance business writing services. He can be reached via email at traimancreativecopy@gmail.com ]