The Issue Whether Petitioner, Miami Yacht Divers, Inc., is entitled to reimbursement for cleanup costs.
Findings Of Fact The Respondent is the state agency charged with the responsibility of administering claims against the Florida Coastal Protection Trust Fund. Petitioner is a company located in Dade County, Florida, which performs commercial diving operations. Such operations include oil pollution containment and clean-up. At all times material to the allegations of this case, Dan Delmonico was the principal officer or owner for the Petitioner who supervised the operations of the company. In April of 1993, Mr. Delmonico discovered a fuel discharge next door to the premises of Defender Yacht, Inc., a company located on the Miami River in Dade County, Florida. The source of the discharge was an abandoned sunken vessel. This derelict vessel had no markings from which its ownership could be determined. Upon discovering the vessel, Mr. Delmonico did not contact local, state, or federal authorities to advise them of the discharge. Instead, Mr. Delmonico contacted several colleagues whose help he enlisted to assist him to clean up the discharge. In this regard, Mr. Delmonico procured the services of a diver and a crane company to remove the vessel from the water. Additionally, Mr. Delmonico utilized a boom and oil absorbent clean-up pads to remove the discharged fuel from the water. In total, Mr. Delmonico maintains it took four work days to complete the removal of the discharge and the salvage of the derelict vessel. At no time during this period did Mr. Delmonico contact local, state, or federal authorities to advise them of the foregoing activities. No official from any governmental entity supervised or approved the clean-up operation or salvage activity which is in dispute. After the fact Petitioner filed a reimbursement claim with the United States Coast Guard. Such claim was denied. Upon receipt of such denial, Petitioner filed the claim which is at issue in the instant case. In connection with this claim with Respondent, Petitioner submitted all forms previously tendered to the Coast Guard including the standard claim form, labor receipts, rental receipts, supply receipts, trailer and storage receipts, cash expenses, a job summary, and photographs. On or about September 20, 1996, Respondent issued a letter denying Petitioner's claim for reimbursement for expenses associated with the above-described salvage and clean-up activities. The grounds for the denial were the Petitioner's failure to obtain prior approval for the activities and the absence of "good cause" for the waiver of prior approval. Additionally, the Respondent maintained that Petitioner had failed to provide evidence that a pollutant discharge existed and that the removal of the vessel was necessary to abate and remove the discharge. It is undisputed by Petitioner that prior approval for the clean-up activities was not obtained. Petitioner timely disputed the denial and was afforded a point of entry to challenge such decision.
Recommendation Based on the foregoing Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law, it is RECOMMENDED that the Department of Environmental Protection enter a Final Order denying Petitioner's claim for reimbursement. DONE AND ENTERED this 31st day of December, 1997, in Tallahassee, Leon County, Florida. J. D. Parrish Administrative Law Judge Division of Administrative Hearings The DeSoto Building 1230 Apalachee Parkway Tallahassee, Florida 32399-3060 (850) 488-9675 SUNCOM 278-9675 Fax Filing (850) 921-6847 Filed with the Clerk of the Division of Administrative Hearings this 31st day of December, 1997. COPIES FURNISHED: Kathy Carter, Agency Clerk Department of Environmental Protection 3900 Commonwealth Boulevard Mail Station 35 Tallahassee, Florida 32399-3000 F. Perry Odom, General Counsel Department of Environmental Protection 3900 Commonwealth Boulevard Mail Station 35 Tallahassee, Florida 32399-3000 Kathelyn M. Jacques Assistant General Counsel Department of Environmental Protection 3900 Commonwealth Boulevard Mail Station 35 Tallahassee, Florida 32399-3000 N. Paul San Filippo, Esquire Seidensticker & San Filippo Parkway Financial Center 2150 Goodlette Road, Suite 305 Naples, Florida 34102
The Issue Whether Building permit no. 93-2-4072 issued to Respondents William Lledo, Owner, and Key Marine Equipment, Inc., General Contractor by Monroe County violated Monroe County Comprehensive Plan provisions and Land Development Regulations.
Findings Of Fact On April 28, 1996, Petitioner, Department of Community Affairs (Department), received Monroe County Permit 93-2-4072 issued to Respondents, William Lledo (Lledo) and Key Marine Equipment, Inc., to construct a seawall with a five-foot wide cap which would serve as a docking facility. The project is proposed to be constructed on an undeveloped piece of real property owned by Lledo. The property is known as Lot 37, Sombrero Anglers Club South Subdivision, Boot Key, Monroe County, Florida. The property is located within the Keys Area of Critical State Concern. The proposed seawall/dock will not be supported by pilings or other supports and will not act to stabilize a disturbed shoreline. The shoreline at the subject property is not eroding. An eroding shoreline shows signs of the water undercutting the shoreline and contains no vegetation on the shoreline and submerged shelf. The subject property’s shoreline and adjacent submerged shelf are vegetated. The project will not be replacing a deteriorating seawall or bulkhead. The project, as proposed, requires the placement of fill in a manmade canal below the mean high water line. No principal use or structure has been established on the property nor is there any plan to construct a principal use on the property.
The Issue Whether the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission ("FWC," "Respondent," or "Commission") properly determined that two (2) vessels owned by Jeffrey Sundwall ("Petitioner" or "Sundwall") were derelict or abandoned upon the waters of the state of Florida ("State") in violation of section 823.11, Florida Statutes (2018),1/ and, therefore, subject to the provisions of sections 823.11, 705.101(3), and 705.103, Florida Statutes.
Findings Of Fact The undersigned makes the following findings of material and relevant fact: Following the aftermath of Hurricane Irma in September 2017, law enforcement officers from FWC investigated what were categorized as "displaced vessels" found around the State that had been impacted and dislocated by the hurricane. Many had been ripped from their moorings, slips, or docks and floated away, driven by the winds and tides. Vessels displaced by Hurricane Irma included those that were either wrecked or sunken in waters of the State. Vessels that were left on the waters of the State in a wrecked or sunken state by Hurricane Irma were considered "derelict vessels" by FWC under section 823.11(1)(b). Following Hurricane Irma, derelict and displaced vessels were dealt with differently by FWC than derelict vessels would ordinarily be handled. For instance, ordinarily, derelict vessels would be left on the waters of the State while the owner was determined, located, and notified and the investigation process was completed. In the wake of Hurricane Irma, however, since there were so many derelict vessels that littered the waters of the State, particularly in South Florida and the Florida Keys, the State authorities chose to be more proactive and remove the derelict vessels from the State waters and store them for 30 days. After the hurricane in September 2017, FWC attempted to locate and notify owners that their derelict vessel had been located, removed from the waters of the State, and stored. The owner could either (1) retrieve the vessel during a 30-day window following notification, (2) waive their interests in the vessel and allow the State to destroy the vessel sooner than 30 days, or (3) do nothing. If the owner had not recovered the vessel or challenged the derelict determination after 30 days, Respondent would proceed with destruction of the derelict vessel. Ordinarily, the private owner of a derelict vessel is responsible for all costs associated with its removal and destruction. Despite this, after Hurricane Irma, the State assumed those costs. The law enforcement officers who testified at the hearing received training at the law enforcement academy to identify derelict vessels as defined by State law. Facts Relating to the Vessel, Cuki Following Hurricane Irma, FWC personnel determined that a vessel named Cuki was displaced following Hurricane Irma. It was found grounded and partially imbedded on the beach just south of Spessard Holland Beach Park in the unincorporated area of Melbourne Beach in Brevard County. The Cuki, is a 1974 Columbia 45-foot, two-masted sailboat. Depending on the level of the ocean tide, this area of the beach was rather wide and flat, and frequented by members of the public and other beachgoers.3/ An Incident Summary Report was prepared by Kelsey Grenz on November 21, 2017. The Cuki was first reported to FWC as grounded on the beach in Brevard County on September 19, 2017. Resp. Ex. 1. The facts, and reasonable inferences from the facts, indicate that when it was first reported to FWC on September 19, 2017, the Cuki was in reasonably decent condition.4/ See Pet. Exs. N and X. Respondent investigated ownership of the Cuki and identified Petitioner as the last documented owner of the Cuki.5/ Resp. Ex. 2, pp. 1-2. On November 15, 2017, Grenz and her supervisor provided written notice to Petitioner that his vessel, the Cuki (documented vessel DO564929), was wrecked and grounded off the coast of Brevard County, Florida, following Hurricane Irma. Resp. Exs. 1 and 2. The notice was hand-delivered to Petitioner by Grenz while he was in custody and incarcerated at the Monroe County Detention Center on several unrelated criminal charges.6/ Resp. Ex. 1, pp. 1-2. In addition to the written notice informing Petitioner that the Cuki had been displaced following Hurricane Irma, Grenz also provided Petitioner with a waiver document that would have allowed Petitioner to waive his interests in the Cuki, and allowed the State to remove and destroy the vessel at no cost to him. Resp. Ex. 1, p. 2. Petitioner was unwilling to sign the waiver.7/ By November 15, 2017, the vessel, although derelict and grounded on the beach in Brevard County, was still considered physically in the waters of the State. Resp. Exs. 5a and 5b. More specifically, it was below the high-tide watermark on the beach, and, at times, the normal tidal flows of the Atlantic Ocean washed up against and around it. Resp. Ex. 5. On January 16, 2018, Respondent, Law Enforcement Officer Bob Wehner, went to the location of the Cuki and recorded the vessel’s condition as he personally observed it then. In a short report, Wehner described the Cuki as follows: Vessel "CUKI" is a 1974 45’ Columbia Fiberglass sailboat that is beached on the Atlantic coast in the unincorporated area of Brevard County (N28.0454 W80.5462). The portside of the vessel is partially imbedded in the sand below the high-water tidemark on the beach. The vessel is equipped with an inboard motor, however, there is no shaft or propeller present. The vessel has no rudder, or steering wheel at the helm and no other means of steerage. The vessel is equipped with two masts. The mast at the stern of the vessel is broken at the base and suspended only by a single cable. There are no sails and the sail rigging is either missing or in disarray. The hatches at the topside of the cabin and windows on the portside have no covers leaving the interior open to the rain and wave activity. Resp. Ex. 3, p. 2. A detailed series of daylight pictures of the Cuki were taken by Wehner on January 16, 2018. The pictures generally reveal and show that the vessel: Was grounded on the beach in waters of the State. Resp. Ex. 4(a). The Cuki had cables attached to the sail that were tangled up, or in disarray. Resp. Exs. 4(a) and 4(h). Some of these cables and other riggings were supposed to be attached to the masts and were broken off. Resp. Ex. 4(d). The Cuki had seven (7) or eight (8) open hatches or doors on the top side of the vessel that were subject to wind, rain, ocean spray, and other natural elements. Resp. Exs. 4(c), 4(d), and 4(g). The Cuki was lying on its port side, pointing generally north with the bottom/keel area facing out towards the Atlantic Ocean. It was partially imbedded in the beach sand all the way up to the gunwale on the port side of the vessel. Resp. Exs. 4(d) and 4(e). Its rear mast was broken at the base, making the mast unusable. Resp. Exs. 4(f) and 4(g). It had no rudder or steering wheel to navigate the vessel when it was under power. The drive shaft and propeller were missing and were not connected to the inboard motor used to power the vessel when it was not under sail. Resp. Exs. 4(i), 4(j), and 4(k). The Cuki’s keel, necessary for stabilizing the vessel, was imbedded in the sand and was cracking and rusting where it was affixed to the hull. Resp. Exs. 4(l), 4(m), and 4(n). The vessel had no skeg to protect the rudder. Resp. Exs. 4(i) and 4(j). FWC hand-delivered a supplementary written notice to Petitioner on January 17, 2018. The notice provided Petitioner with additional details of the specific condition of the Cuki, as detailed above on January 17, 2018. Resp. Ex. 6. At present, the Cuki is still located on the beach in Brevard County, Florida. At some point in time when Respondent was prepared to remove the Cuki from the Brevard County beach as a derelict vessel, it determined that an order had been entered by the Monroe County Court for the Sixteenth Judicial Circuit of Florida. It ordered FWC, and other state entities, not to destroy, remove, alter, move, or otherwise dispose of the Cuki until certain that misdemeanor criminal charges filed against Petitioner were resolved.8/ Resp. Ex. 10. Apparently, this July 24, 2017, order was lifted when an Amended Order Granting State’s Motion to Reconsider was entered on January 8, 2018. Resp. Ex. 12. This second order specifically stated that FWC "may remove the [vessel] or the vessel may be removed by the post-Irma federal grant program." Resp. Ex. 12. It further stated that Petitioner, as the defendant in that criminal case, could "make arrangements, prior to the local, State, and/or Federal government removing the vessel, to have the vessel removed and stored on private property with the consent of the property owner." Resp. Ex. 12. Neither party did so.9/ Petitioner does not contest that the Cuki is "destroyed" or "abandoned." Sundwall also characterized the Cuki as a "carcass at this point." Rather he argues, in part, that FWC had a duty to maintain or protect the Cuki after it grounded in Brevard County. Facts Relating to the Vessel, Sea Myst Following Hurricane Irma, FWC personnel determined that another vessel, named the Sea Myst (documented vessel FL6220JX), registered to Petitioner, was displaced following Hurricane Irma. The Sea Myst is a 15-foot, fiber-glassed open motorboat. The Sea Myst was wrecked and substantially dismantled in the waters of the State in Monroe County. Resp. Ex. 8. When it was found, a visible water line stain and barnacle growth on the outside of the hull indicated that the vessel had been partially submerged or sunken in the sea water. The barnacles attached to the hull indicated to the officers that it had been submerged in sea water for an extended period of time.10/ Resp. Exs. 9(a), 9(b), 9(c), and 9(d). When it was first discovered, it appeared that approximately 75 percent of the Sea Myst vessel was underwater at the bow. Resp. Ex. 9(a). There was no outboard motor or other means of propulsion on the vessel. There was also no steering linkage with which to steer the vessel. Resp. Ex. 9(d). When it was first found, the Sea Myst was lodged alongside other derelict vessels, which were lying "stacked up" against the shore. Pet. Ex. W. To determine if a vessel is substantially dismantled, FWC commonly looks to three categories: propulsion, steerage, and hull integrity. Since the Sea Myst was missing both propulsion and steerage, it was substantially dismantled, given the conditions under which it was recovered following Hurricane Irma.11/ Post-Hurricane Irma Investigation and Collection of Derelict Vessels Following Hurricane Irma, the U.S. Coast Guard removed displaced and derelict vessels from the waters of the State that were not able to be retrieved by their owners, including the Sea Myst. Neither FWC nor the U.S. Coast Guard removed any vessels from the waters of the State following Hurricane Irma, unless they were left on the waters of the State in a wrecked or derelict condition. This included vessels that were submerged, partially submerged, beached, or grounded in a position where they could not be moved under their own power without mechanical assistance. All the vessels removed by the U.S. Coast Guard or the Commission were on waters of the State. Removal of these vessels was also necessary to prevent hazards to navigation. Following removal from the waters of the State, the Sea Myst, like other vessels, was put in a storage location that was monitored by FWC. This was to allow Sundwall, identified as the registered owner, an opportunity to receive notice of the vessel’s condition and to retrieve the vessel from the storage location, without incurring the costs of removal from the waters of the State. Resp. Ex. 8, pp. 1-2. On January 19, 2018, David Bellville hand-delivered written notice to Petitioner that his vessel, the Sea Myst, was damaged and displaced by Hurricane Irma. Resp. Ex. 7. In addition to this notice, Bellville also provided Petitioner with a waiver document that would have allowed Petitioner to waive his interests in the Sea Myst, and allowed the State to remove and destroy the vessel at no cost to him. Petitioner did not agree to sign the vessel over to the State. Petitioner testified that he is not the owner of the Sea Myst and that the Sea Myst had been bought and paid for by an un-named person and never collected. Petitioner further stated that he filed a Petition for an Administrative Hearing regarding the Sea Myst in error and that he felt the vessel should be destroyed with federal disaster/FEMA funds. Nonetheless, the more credible evidence indicates that Petitioner is still the titled owner of the Sea Myst, which is a derelict vessel.
Recommendation Based on the foregoing Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law, it is RECOMMENDED that the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission enter a final order finding Petitioner’s vessels, the Cuki and the Sea Myst, derelict vessels under section 823.11, Florida Statutes, and abandoned property pursuant to chapter 705, Florida Statutes; that Petitioner was obligated to remove his derelict vessels from the waters of the State and has not done so; that Respondent did not violate any responsibility or duty to protect, maintain, or preserve the vessels; that appropriate costs be recovered upon proper application and proof; and that Respondent may dispose of both vessels as authorized by law. DONE AND ENTERED this 25th day of July, 2018, in Tallahassee, Leon County, Florida. S ROBERT L. KILBRIDE Administrative Law Judge Division of Administrative Hearings The DeSoto Building 1230 Apalachee Parkway Tallahassee, Florida 32399-3060 (850) 488-9675 Fax Filing (850) 921-6847 www.doah.state.fl.us Filed with the Clerk of the Division of Administrative Hearings this 25th day of July, 2018.
The Issue Whether the Administrative Complaint should be dismissed on the grounds asserted by Respondent in his Motion to Dismiss/Motion to Remand for New Probable Cause Hearing, as amended? If not, whether Respondent committed the violations alleged in Administrative Complaint? If so, what disciplinary action should be taken against him?
Findings Of Fact Based upon the evidence adduced at hearing, and the record as a whole, the following Findings of Fact are made: Respondent is now, and has been since December 12, 1986, certified by the Commission as a law enforcement officer. He holds certificate number 12-86- 002-03. Respondent is a police officer with the Port St. Lucie Police Department (hereinafter referred to as the "PSLPD"). He began his law enforcement career with the PSLPD in 1986. At around 2:00 or 3:00 a.m. on July 28, 1989, Respondent and two of his PSLPD fellow officers, Officer Raymond Steele and Officer Richard Schichtel, were at a convenience store when they received a call over their police radios that there was a reported burglary in progress on Damask Street. All three officers responded to the call in separate marked patrol cars. Steele lead the way. Behind him was Respondent. Schichtel was in the rear. As they were travelling eastbound on Port St. Lucie Boulevard, they approached from behind a slow-moving, orange Volkswagon Beetle occupied by two white males. Steele safely passed the slow-moving vehicle. As Respondent attempted to pass, the Volkswagon suddenly and unexpectedly turned left in the path of Respondent's patrol car, which was travelling at a high rate of speed. Respondent took evasive action. He avoided hitting the Volkswagon, but lost control of the patrol car. The patrol car spun around and skidded across the roadway. It finally came to rest after making contact with a concrete wall. Respondent was shaken by the accident. He had hit his head against the cage inside the patrol car 1/ and had momentarily lost consciousness. He had no visible injuries, however, and, upon regaining consciousness, did not believe that his condition was such that he required medical attention. Schichtel, who was following behind Respondent, stopped at the accident scene to render assistance. Steele, who was ahead of both of them, proceeded to the location of the reported burglary. A few minutes later, while Schichtel was still present, Christian Selph, the driver of the Volkswagon that Respondent had attempted to pass, arrived on the scene. Selph walked up to Respondent and asked him if he was okay. Respondent responded that he was fine and that there was no need for Selph to remain. Selph thereupon left the accident scene and continued on his way. 2/ Respondent tried to move his patrol car from where it had come to a stop, but his efforts were unsuccessful. Respondent radioed his supervisor, Sergeant Steve Claus, told Claus where he was, and requested Claus to meet him at that location. Complying with Respondent's request, Claus proceeded to the accident scene. Schichtel left the accident scene to join Steele at the location of the reported burglary. Schichtel arrived at the location of the reported burglary as Steele was about to leave. He informed Steele that Respondent had been involved an accident. He then returned to the accident scene with Steele following behind him. Respondent was not provided, nor did he request, medical attention following the accident. Based upon what they had observed and what they had been told by Respondent, it did not appear to any of those who arrived on the scene following the accident that Respondent was in need of such attention. The accident was investigated by Officer Charles Taylor of the PSLPD. Taylor collected physical evidence at the scene and interviewed Respondent, Schichtel and Steele before completing his accident report. Taylor interviewed Respondent at approximately 5:00 a.m. the morning of the accident. In a clear and coherent manner, Respondent related to Taylor how the accident had occurred. He made mention of the Volkswagon, its two white male occupants and its role in the accident. He further stated that the Volkswagon did not stop at the scene of the accident. 3/ During his interview with Taylor, Schichtel likewise reported that the Volkswagon did not stop at the scene of the accident. Within weeks of the accident, Respondent's and Schichtel's superiors received information that Selph, the driver of the Volkswagon, did stop of the scene of the accident after the accident had occurred. A PSLPD internal affairs investigation into the matter was conducted. After learning that the investigation had commenced, Respondent, who at the time was president of the union that served as the collective bargaining representative of the PSLPD's rank and file police officers, informed Schichtel about the investigation, advised him of his rights under the law enforcement officers' "Bill of Rights," and indicated that the union would be providing him an attorney if he so desired. Following this discussion between Respondent and Schichtel, Schichtel sent a memorandum to Lieutenant W.D. Hart of the PSLPD, dated August 18, 1989, which provided in pertinent part as follows: I did not see the VW, and assumed that it fled the area. The VW did return to the scene, but I am unsure if this was before I left to respond to the burglary or after I returned. The only conversation I recall was one of the occupants of the VW saying to Officer Dobler, "You didn't have your blue lights on did you?" I assumed that Officer Dobler had obtained the necessary information from them. After he released them from the scene, he told me that they were not pertinent to the accident, and for me not to mention that they stopped. I was unsure of his reasoning, but felt that it was his business. I feel that Officer Dobler was very shook up after the accident, and did not realize what he was doing until it was too late. I feel partially responsible for not stepping in and handling the situation, but I felt I should not override a senior patrolman. I am very sorry for my actions, and I know what I did was wrong. I was in a situation I did not know how to handle, and used poor judgment. I feel confident that if I am faced with a similar situation in the future, I will know how to handle it properly. The PSLPD suspended Schichtel for five days for having falsely stated to Taylor that the Volkswagon had not stopped at the scene of the accident. Respondent, on the other hand, was terminated by the PSLPD in accordance with the unanimous recommendation of the review board that considered his case. Respondent appealed his firing. Pursuant to a settlement agreement, Respondent was subsequently rehired as a police officer by the PSLPD. The Commission received notice of Respondent's termination on May 10, 1990. A case file was prepared and the matter was assigned to Commission employee Linda Hodges, who at the time was working on approximately 300 other cases. Hodges requested additional information from the PSLPD on June 26, 1990. The requested information was received on July 20, 1990. It was not until May 17, 1991, that Hodges completed her work on Respondent's case and prepared and mailed Respondent a letter notifying him that his probable cause hearing would be held on July 24, 1991. Respondent, through his attorney, requested a continuance of the hearing. The request was granted and the hearing was rescheduled for October 23, 1991. Respondent was notified of such action by letter from the Director of the Division of Criminal Justice Standards and Training, dated August 19, 1991, the body of which read as follows: This notice will serve to advise you that a Panel of the Criminal Justice Standards and Training Commission will meet in regular session on October 23, 1991, 8:30 a.m., at the Gainesville Hilton, 2900 Southwest 13th Street, Gainesville, Florida. The above noted-case will be presented to the panel to determine if probable cause exists to initiate a formal legal proceeding to revoke your Law Enforcement certification. The hearing will be conducted in accordance with the provisions of the Administrative Procedures Act, Chapter 120, Florida Statutes. Due to the preliminary nature of the hearing, no witnesses will be subpoenaed and the Panel will judge probable cause based upon written materials. You may attend the hearing or submit documents which refute, explain, or mitigate the allegation(s) against you. The documentation must be submitted to the attention of Linda Hodges no later than September 5, 1991. Should probable cause be found a later hearing will be made available to you prior to the final resolution of this matter. If you require specific information regarding the alleged misconduct, please contact me or Linda Hodges, Standards and Training Specialist in the Bureau of Standards, at 904-487-4922. Please notify this office if you are planning to attend the hearing. Prior to the scheduled probable cause hearing, Respondent unsuccessfully sought to examine the materials in the Commission's file on him to determine its completeness. He then attempted to obtain an injunction to prevent the Commission from holding the probable cause hearing. Respondent withdrew his request for an injunction based upon the representation made by Commission staff that, if a finding of probable cause was made at the October 23, 1991, hearing, Respondent could ask for a new probable cause hearing at which he would have the opportunity to present additional material information to the probable cause panel. Respondent's case was heard by the probable cause panel on October 23, 1991, and probable cause was found. Neither Respondent nor his attorney appeared before the probable cause panel. Schichtel's case was presented to the probable cause panel the very same day. No probable cause was found in his case. The Commission issued an Administrative Complaint against Respondent on December 18, 1991. Respondent requested a formal hearing on the allegations set forth in the Administrative Complaint. After a finding of probable cause was made in his case, Respondent was allowed to review his Commission file. In his opinion, the file contained inaccurate and incomplete information. Respondent sought a new probable cause hearing to present additional information to the probable cause panel. His various requests were denied. On January 19, 1993, the instant matter was referred to the Division of Administrative Hearings for the assignment of a hearing officer to conduct the formal hearing Respondent had requested on the allegations set forth in the Administrative Complaint issued against him by the Commission. Although Respondent is still employed as a police officer by the PSLPD, he has been assigned administrative duties pending the outcome of this disciplinary proceeding. While the final hearing in this case was held almost three years from the date the Commission had been made aware by the PSLPD of Respondent's alleged misconduct, the passage of time has not adversely affected in any material way Respondent's ability to defend himself against the allegations made against him, nor has it otherwise impaired the fairness of this proceeding.
Recommendation Based upon the foregoing Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law, it is hereby RECOMMENDED that the Criminal Justice Standards and Training Commission enter a final order (1) finding the evidence insufficient to prove that Respondent is guilty, as charged, of having failed to maintain "good moral character" in violation of Section 943.1395, Florida Statutes, and (2) based upon such a finding, dismissing the Administrative Complaint issued against him. DONE AND ENTERED in Tallahassee, Leon County, Florida, this 23rd day of June, 1993. STUART M. LERNER Hearing Officer Division of Administrative Hearings The DeSoto Building 1230 Apalachee Parkway Tallahassee, Florida 32399-1550 (904) 488-9675 Filed with the Clerk of the Division of Administrative Hearings this 23rd day of June, 1993.
The Issue Whether the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) should grant or deny the application for a license to Possess Class I and/or Class II Wildlife for Exhibition or Public Sale submitted to FWC by Melanie Boynes and Tarzan's Big Cat Sanctuary, Inc. (Ms. Boynes or, collectively, Petitioners).
Findings Of Fact FWC is the agency of the State of Florida that regulates the possession, sale, and display of captive wildlife in Florida. Petitioners applied for the subject license by filing Application ID No. 2038 with FWC on or about April 20, 2012.1/ Petitioners want to operate the proposed facility as a sanctuary for big cats. The operation of the proposed facility as a sanctuary would not require commercial activity, and it would not require a license from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Ms. Boynes was licensed by FWC from September 25, 2006, to October 2, 2011, to possess Class I and Class II wildlife "for exhibition or public sale" at the prior facility. Ms. Boynes represented to FWC on the 2006 license application, and on the subsequent annual renewal applications (the prior FWC applications), that the intended commercial activity for the prior facility was a "permanent exhibition." That operation required commercial activity at the facility, and it required a license from the USDA. Ms. Boynes applied for the requisite USDA license, but she was denied that license by the USDA. On her USDA application, she represented that she intended to keep the big cats at the prior facility as pets. Ms. Boynes's representations to FWC that she intended to possess the big cats as a "permanent exhibit" on the prior FWC applications were misrepresentations of her intentions. As will be discussed below, there was no evidence that the big cats were being possessed at the prior facility as anything other than pets. Ms. Boynes applied for a renewal of her FWC license prior to its expiration on October 2, 2011. The FWC denied that application for renewal.2/ On March 1, 2012, Ms. Boynes incorporated Tarzan's Big Cat Sanctuary, Inc. (the corporate Petitioner) as a not-for- profit corporation for purposes that included submitting the subject application. Ms. Boynes is president of the corporate Petitioner. The premises consist of caging for big cats, an open- air area, and perimeter fencing on a five-acre tract. While the prior facility has been operated under the name of Tarzan's Big Cat Sanctuary for many years, the business was not incorporated until March 1, 2012. Mr. Sipek is a former actor who once starred in Tarzan movies. Mr. Sipek held a FWC license for the prior facility and possessed big cats there for many years before Ms. Boynes became involved with the prior facility. Mr. Sipek's FWC license authorized him to possess Class I and Class II wildlife for the same purposes as Ms. Boynes's license. His license also required commercial activity at the prior facility, and it required a license from USDA. Mr. Sipek has not held a FWC license since May 5, 2011. There was no evidence that he ever held a USDA license. Ms. Boynes first became associated with the prior facility as a volunteer in 2006. Ms. Boynes has been residing on the premises with Mr. Sipek since December 8, 2007. Mr. Sipek was listed as vice president of the corporation when it was first incorporated. Mr. Sipek has not been an officer or director of the corporate Petitioner since October 25, 2012. Until February 27, 2012, three big cats were housed at the prior facility. The prior facility had a four-and-a-half year-old tiger named Lepa, a seven-year-old tiger named Bo, and a 17 year-old leopard named Oko. On February 27, 2012, Mr. Sipek was arrested and FWC removed Lepa, Bo, and Oko from the facility. FWC delivered all three cats to Vernon Yates, who has provided them sanctuary. All three cats were healthy when Mr. Yates received them. Ms. Boynes intends to have all three of those animals returned to the proposed facility if the subject application is granted and Petitioners become licensed to operate the proposed facility as a sanctuary. Shannon Wiyda and Jon Garzaniti are investigators employed by FWC. As part of their duties, they conduct inspections of animals in caged security enclosures to ensure humane treatment and sanitary conditions for animals and to make sure the public is kept safe. Inv. Wiyda conducted an inspection of the prior facility in September 2007. Ms. Boynes was present during that inspection. Numerous violations were detected during that inspection. Those violations included gaps in caging, rust on caging, and vegetation on fencing. Gaps in caging can enable an animal to escape and can enable visitors to the facility to get too close to an animal. Rust on caging can cause the cage to lose its structural integrity and could cause parts of the cage to break off, leaving a sharp object that could injure an animal. Vegetation on the fences compromised the structural integrity of the fencing, and provided a means for the animals to climb the fencing. The caging and fencing deficiencies constituted a potential danger to the animals and to the public. Ms. Boynes received verbal warnings of the violations and a copy of the written report generated by Inv. Wiyda. Inv. Wiyda conducted an inspection of the prior facility in October 2008. Ms. Boynes was present during that inspection. Some deficiencies present in the 2007 inspection had been corrected, but others had not. There were still caging and fencing deficiencies. Gaps in the caging and rust were still present. The wire used to connect fencing or caging was not of sufficient gauge (strength). Vegetation was overgrowing the perimeter fence. Structures had been placed too close to the perimeter fence. The caging and fencing deficiencies constituted a potential danger to the animals and to the public. Ms. Boynes received verbal warnings of the violations and a copy of the written report generated by Inv. Wiyda. Inv. Wiyda conducted an inspection of the prior facility in March 2009. Ms. Boynes was present during that inspection. Numerous caging and fencing deficiencies were detected during that inspection. Wire less than the required nine-gauge was used to connect pieces of the cages and fencing. Surface rust was observed. One of the animal enclosures did not have a roof, which is required to prevent animals from escaping. Structures were placed too close to the perimeter fencing. Vegetation was growing over parts of the perimeter fence. The caging and fencing deficiencies constituted a potential danger to the animals and to the public. Inv. Wiyda conducted an inspection of the prior facility in May of 2010. Ms. Boynes was present during that inspection. The licenses held by Mr. Sipek and Ms. Boynes were to possess the animals for sale or exhibition. Neither activity was occurring at the prior facility. A USDA exhibitor's license was required for the facility. Neither Mr. Sipek nor Ms. Boynes had the required USDA license. Numerous caging and fencing deficiencies were detected. The deficiencies observed during the 2010 inspection were similar to the deficiencies observed in the previous three inspections. Rust was observed on many surfaces of the cages and fencing. Required roofing was non-existent. Structures were placed next to fencing and vegetation overgrowth was present on the fencing. Structurally unsound enclosures, including cages, were discovered. Improper strength wire was used to hold cages together. The condition of the facility was poor. The caging and fencing deficiencies constituted a potential danger to the animals and to the public. On or about August 24, 2010, Mrs. Boynes and Mr. Sipek applied for the requisite USDA exhibitor's license. Megan Adams, an Animal Care Inspector employed by the USDA, inspected the prior facility on August 10, 2010. Her observations and findings were similar to those of the FWC investigators. Ms. Adams observed unsanitary conditions and caging and fencing deficiencies. Ms. Adams also noted that all three of the animals at the facility had been declawed. The USDA has prohibited declawing of big cats since before 2006 and the American Veterinary Medical Association condemns the practice. By letter dated September 16, 2010, the USDA denied the application submitted by Ms. Boynes and Mr. Sipek. FWC does not have a rule that prohibits the declawing of big cats. Mr. Sipek had had Oko and Bo declawed before Ms. Boynes became involved with the prior facility. In 2008, Lepa arrived at the prior facility. Lepa was considered to be Ms. Boynes's animal. When Inv. Wiyda inspected the prior facility in 2008, she told Ms. Boynes not to declaw Lepa, and gave her a copy of the USDA policy against declawing big cats. Ms. Boynes subsequently had Lepa declawed by a veterinarian. At the formal hearing, Ms. Boynes testified, credibly, that she would not declaw any other big cats should FWC grant the subject application. Inv. Garzaniti conducted an inspection of the prior facility in August 2011. Ms. Boynes was present during that inspection. Mr. Sipek was not licensed at the time of the inspection. Ms. Boynes's license was active at the time of the inspection. Numerous caging and fencing deficiencies were detected. There were gaps in the caging, which compromised the integrity of the enclosures. Caging and fencing was mended together and piecemealed with bailing wire of less gauge than required. Rust was observed on surfaces of cages. One area of a cage had several pieces of rebar extending down from the ceiling of the cage with no brace on the bottom to support the rebar. One of the pieces of rebar broke off when light pressure was applied. Vegetative overgrowth was present on perimeter fencing, which negatively impacted the integrity of the fencing. The perimeter fencing was structurally unsound. The caging and fencing deficiencies constituted a potential danger to the animals and to the public. Ms. Boynes possessed no USDA license as required. There was no evidence that the animals were being possessed for any purpose other than as pets. Invs. Wiyda and Garzaniti conducted an inspection of the prior facility on February 27, 2012. Ms. Boynes was present during the inspection. Numerous caging and fencing deficiencies continued to exist. The cages and the perimeter fencing were not structurally sound. Structures were placed too close to the perimeter fencing. Vegetative overgrowth was observed on the perimeter fencing. Sanitation violations were also observed. Standing water was discovered in cages. Proper drainage for surface water runoff was not provided. Standing water is unsanitary and can contain bacteria and feces, which can make an animal sick. There were multiple piles of old feces throughout the enclosure. Fecal waste is required to be removed daily because it is unsanitary and contains bacteria that can make an animal sick. Unclean water dishes with yellow and brown slime were discovered. The caging and fencing deficiencies constituted a potential danger to the animals and to the public. The unsanitary conditions constituted a potential danger to the animals. Ms. Boynes did not have the required USDA license. There was no evidence that the animals were being possessed for any purpose other than as pets. On February 27, 2012, FWC arrested Mr. Sipek and removed the animals from the prior facility. Ms. Boynes was emailed and sent a copy of the report that was generated by the investigators. As to each FWC inspection, Ms. Boynes received verbal warnings as to the violations during and following each inspection, but she was not issued a written citation by FWC or the USDA for any of the deficiencies set forth above. As a licensee, Ms. Boynes was required to assure that the caging complied with FWC's rules setting caging, fencing, and sanitation standards. As alleged in FWC's denial letter, Ms. Boynes violated those rules.3/ On July 9, 2012, Ms. Boynes became solely responsible for the operations and maintenance of the facility. Since that date, Ms. Boynes has built three new pens and new perimeter fence. Inv. Garzaniti inspected the re-built facility on July 9, 2012. The re-built facility met all applicable standards, and Inv. Garzaniti recommended that the subject application be granted and the license issued.4/ FWC's denial letter stated as a ground for denying the subject application the alleged fact that Paul Fisher had been bitten by Oko (the leopard) at the prior facility on December 30, 2010. While FWC received a report of that incident, there was insufficient proof to establish that the incident occurred. FWC's denial letter also states as a ground for denying the application alleged deficiencies in the diet provided the animals at the prior facility. There was insufficient evidence to establish that the diet provided for the animals was insufficient.
Recommendation Based upon the foregoing Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law, it is hereby RECOMMENDED that the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission enter a Final Order adopting the findings of fact and conclusions of law set forth in this Recommended Order. It is further Recommended that the Final Order deny the subject application for licensure filed by Melanie Boynes and Tarzan's Big Cat Sanctuary, Inc. DONE AND ENTERED this 29th day of March, 2013, in Tallahassee, Leon County, Florida. S CLAUDE B. ARRINGTON Administrative Law Judge Division of Administrative Hearings The DeSoto Building 1230 Apalachee Parkway Tallahassee, Florida 32399-3060 (850) 488-9675 Fax Filing (850) 921-6847 www.doah.state.fl.us Filed with the Clerk of the Division of Administrative Hearings this 29th day of March, 2013.
Findings Of Fact This case is promoted based upon the previously mentioned Administrative Complaint and the Respondent's ensuing request for formal hearing pursuant to Section 120.57(1), Florida Statutes. Respondent is licensed by the Board of Pilot Commissioners pursuant to Chapter 310, Florida Statutes. He holds pilot license No. 0000033. Register has served as a licensed pilot in the St. Johns River in the Port of Jacksonville, Florida, for a period in excess of 20 years. Respondent has piloted ships in and out of the Port of Jacksonville on the St. Johns River approximately 20,000 times. One of the assignments which Captain Register had as a pilot pertained to piloting the outbound vessel Oakland on the St. Johns River in Jacksonville, Florida, on March 19, 1983, commencing approximately 2303 hrs when he received the con of the vessel from the dockingmaster. The Oakland is a C-4 type of vessel or container ship which is approximately 685 feet long and 96 feet wide. At the time of these events in March, 1983, the Oakland was sailing under Registry, bound for a foreign port. The vessel was heavily laden, but not in excess of cargo capacity. The trip out the St. Johns on March 19, 1983, is graphically depicted in Petitioner's Exhibit No. 3, admitted into evidence, which is a chart diagram of the river and adjacent shoreline, together with approximate positions of the Oakland and commands given taken from an interview with the Respondent and from the ship's log. The weather on this occasion was not an inhibiting factor in the navigation of the vessel, in fact the weather was "outstanding," with westerly winds of 8 knots. The steering gear on the vessel had been checked at 2130 hrs the day of the scheduled voyage of March 19, 1983, and was found to be in acceptable working order. No problems had been experienced with the steering from mid- January 1983 through the date of the aforementioned check. When Captain Register took over at 2303 hrs, the master of the vessel and other crew members were on the bridge to assist. In addition, the chief mate was on the bow as lookout. The chief mate, serving as anchor watch on the bow, was in communication with the ship's master via walkie-talkie. Once the vessel had been steadied up in the river, upon command of the Respondent, the vessel proceeded at full ahead and reached the approximate velocity of 10 to 12 knots before 2312 hrs. At 2312 hrs, Respondent ordered half ahead to maneuver in the Long Branch Range portion of the St. Johns. Half ahead represents 6 to 8 knots of speed in the water for the Oakland. At 2314 hrs, the command of slow ahead was given to avoid undue suction related to a vessel in a docking area adjacent to the St. Johns, known as the bulk terminal. When that command was given at 2314 hrs, the Oakland was carrying 6 to 8 knots of speed in the water. Also, at 2314 hrs, the chief mate was told to "stand by" the anchors. This command was given by Captain Fisher, the Oakland's ship's master. In this time frame, 2314 hrs through 2316 hrs, the chief mate had some concern that they might have some trouble maneuvering by the Meton, a vessel moored in the St. Johns ahead of the Oakland as it was proceeding outbound. This vessel was a different ship than that found at the bulk terminal. The chief mate expressed the opinion that it looked like they would probably clear the Meton but it would be a close call. Five to ten seconds later, he told the bridge they weren't going to make it. The bow watch was assisting in this regard in view of the fact that the bow is some 600 feet forward of the bridge where the pilot and master were located. Between 2314 hrs and 2316 hrs, Register gave the command half ahead and the speed of the Oakland at that time was approximately 5 to 6 knots. Register also ordered 20 degrees right rudder to negotiate the Chaseville Turn and avoid the moored vessel Meton, a gasoline tanker. The ship did not respond readily to the 20 degree right rudder and immediately thereafter a hard right rudder command was given by Register. At 2316 hrs, a danger signal was sounded upon instigation of the Respondent. At 2317 hrs, Register ordered full astern with a jingle and the command was given to let go of the anchors. This command was relayed by Fisher to the chief mate on the bow. Additionally, the crew member on the bridge at the helm was responding to commands by Register and Register's commands were being communicated to the engine room through the ship's master. When the command to let go of the anchor was received by the chief mate, he went to the brake wheel to comply with the command. A boatswain was there to assist him. Upon reaching that location, the Oakland was approximately 200 feet away from the Meton, too late for the deployment of the anchors to help avoid a collision and the chief mate abandoned his post and moved away from the bow area without dropping the anchors. At that moment, the two ships were approximately 100 feet apart. In effect, there was not enough time to drop and set the anchor from the time the command was given at 2317 hrs and the time of an eventual collision between the Meton and Oakland. The collision occurred in view of the fact that the efforts to turn away from the Meton and avoid the collision, i.e., the 20 degree right rudder, hard right rudder and full astern were not sufficient to avoid that collision. The collision occurred at 2319 hrs when the Oakland's bow struck the Meton's bow. At the point of impact, the Oakland was proceeding at 2 to 3 knots. Structural damage was caused to the vessels. No indication was given as to any injuries of ship personnel or others. From 2303 hrs through 2319 hrs, the critical period in consideration, ample assistance was afforded to Captain Register by members of the Oakland's crew. After disengaging from the collision, the steering gear was checked by the chief engineer on the Oakland with particular emphasis on the rudder response and no abnormalities were detected. Tests by Coast Guard personnel made at dockside at 0930 hrs on March 21, 1983, and again while the ship was underway on March 24, 1983, did not reveal any abnormalities in the steering gear and response time for operation of the rudder was found to be within acceptable time constraints. The repairs that were made to the "key" involved in the steering mechanism, effective March 18, 1983, and repairs to the telemotor subsequent to the accident were routine and not contributors to the collision between the Oakland and Meton. Captain Register and the master expressed surprise at the inability of the Oakland to maneuver by the Meton without collision. Nonetheless, neither of these witnesses or other persons who gave testimony were able to indicate some mechanical malfunction or outside contributing force which would have led to the eventual collision between the ships. Nor were the other witnesses helpful in this regard, to include pilots Steele and Williamson. In essence, no explanation was given to establish why a ship which was shown to be in good repair, sailing in uneventful weather, should collide with a stationary object, the Meton. Consequently, it is determined that negligent judgment in the operation of the ship on the part of the Respondent led to the collision. The testimony by Captains Fisher, Steele and Williamson as to the conduct of the Respondent in his performance do not excuse his negligence. Instead they speak convincingly to Respondent's efforts to mitigate the results of his error in judgment.
The Issue Whether the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (“Respondent” or “the Commission”) correctly determined that a vessel owned by Robert Sweeney (“Petitioner”) was a “derelict vessel” or an “abandoned vessel” within the meaning of section 823.11, Florida Statutes (2020), and, therefore, subject to the provisions of sections 823.11, 705.101(3), 376.15(3)(a), and 705.103, Florida Statutes (2020).
Findings Of Fact Based on the competent substantial evidence adduced at the final hearing, and the record as a whole, the following Findings of Fact are made: Mr. Sweeney is the registered owner of a 37-foot sailboat, Islander 37, registration number FL4412SK (“sailboat”), found in the public waters of Manatee County, Florida. The Commission is empowered to remove, or cause to be removed, derelict vessels from the waters of Florida. §§ 376.15(3)(a) and 823.11(3), Fla. Stat. A vessel is considered to be “derelict” if it is left, stored, or abandoned “[i]n a wrecked, junked, or substantially dismantled condition upon any public waters of Florida.” § 823.11(3), Fla. Stat. Lieutenant McCorkle is a sworn law enforcement officer (“LEO”) with 14+ years of experience with the Commission. His training in derelict vessel investigations includes over 50 hours of derelict vessel identification and investigation. Major Rowe is a sworn LEO and 22-year employee of the Commission. He began his career as a water patrol officer and worked his way through the ranks of lieutenant, captain, and is now a major. He developed and fine-tuned the Commission’s derelict vessel training program, and is now in the Commission’s mentoring program to become a lieutenant colonel. In mid-November 2020 (after Tropical Storm Eta passed through Florida), Lieutenant McCorkle saw the sailboat in the Manatee River in Manatee County, Florida. He initiated a derelict vessel investigation. Lieutenant McCorkle observed the sailboat to be in a wrecked condition, grounded on submerged lands, and listing (leaning) to the port (left) side. He observed the keel, the elongated protrusion on the bottom of the sailboat that provides stability to the vessel, to be “imbedded” (or stuck) in submerged land. Because the sailboat was stuck on submerged land, it could not be moved “without some kind of mechanical assistance.” Lieutenant McCorkle located the sailboat’s registered owner, Mr. Sweeney, at his residence. Mr. Sweeney acknowledged he was the owner of the sailboat. On November 17, 2020, Lieutenant McCorkle hand-delivered a “derelict vessel packet” to Mr. Sweeney. This packet provided that the Commission had determined that the sailboat was in a derelict condition and provided the following description: The above vessel is being stored, left or abandoned in a wrecked condition upon public waters of this state. The vessel is currently aground as a result of TS Eta at N 27° 31.9771 W 082°38.4427. In Lieutenant McCorkle’s presence, Mr. Sweeney acknowledged receipt for the “derelict vessel packet.” Lieutenant McCorkle understood that Mr. Sweeney did not have the financial resources to remove the sailboat at that time. In November 2020, Lieutenant McCorkle took a series of three pictures of the sailboat. These pictures confirmed that Mr. Sweeney’s sailboat was on the public waters of Florida in Manatee County. The pictures showed the sailboat’s registration number, its rudder was partially submerged, the keel was imbedded in submerged lands, and the sailboat was listing to the port side, with the starboard side hull exposed to the air. The lines to the sails appeared to be connected to the mast or appropriate cleats. At that time, Lieutenant McCorkle placed the Commission’s notice of derelict vessel on the sailboat’s starboard bow, such that it was visible from the navigable waterway. Approximately two weeks before the hearing, Lieutenant McCorkle again observed the sailboat in the same location and in a similar condition, listing to the port side. Lieutenant McCorkle took two more photographs of the sailboat which remained in the location where it was first observed, stuck in the submerged lands, and listing to the port side. Additionally, the sailboat appeared to be deteriorating, in that some of the lines were no longer connected to cleats, but were hanging from the mast and now dangling down towards the water. Lieutenant McCorkle found the sailboat to be in a wrecked condition, and considered it a derelict vessel. Major Rowe did not participate in the investigation of this sailboat. Further, he did not discuss the sailboat investigation with any of the LEOs involved. Major Rowe did review the two sets of pictures taken, and based on his years of experience and training testified that this sailboat was a “classic example of a wrecked vessel,” and thus a derelict vessel. The testimony of Lieutenant McCorkle and Major Rowe was unrefuted.
Recommendation Based on the foregoing Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law, it is RECOMMENDED that the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission issue a Final Order deeming the sailboat to have been a “derelict vessel” within the meaning of section 823.11(1)(b)1. and that the Commission is authorized under section 376.15(3)(a) to relocate or remove it. DONE AND ENTERED this 27th day of April, 2021, in Tallahassee, Leon County, Florida. S LYNNE A. QUIMBY-PENNOCK Administrative Law Judge 1230 Apalachee Parkway Tallahassee, Florida 32399-3060 (850) 488-9675 www.doah.state.fl.us Filed with the Clerk of the Division of Administrative Hearings this 27th day of April, 2021. COPIES FURNISHED: Brandy Elaine Elliott, Esquire Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission 620 South Meridian Street Tallahassee, Florida 32399 Eric Sutton, Executive Director Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission Farris Bryant Building 620 South Meridian Street Tallahassee, Florida 32399-1600 Robert Sweeney 104 26th Street Northwest Bradenton, Florida 34205 Emily Norton, General Counsel Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission Farris Bryant Building 620 South Meridian Street Tallahassee, Florida 32399-1600
The Issue The issue is whether Respondent should be terminated for just cause from his employment under a professional service contract pursuant to Section 231.36(6), Florida Statutes.
Findings Of Fact Petitioner hired Respondent as a school teacher under a Professional Service Contract for the 1997-1998 school year. Respondent's duties included teaching physical education and serving as head basketball coach at Dunnellon High School in Dunnellon, Florida. At all times material to this case, Bobby James was Respondent's principal. Sometime during the 1997-1998 school year, but prior to the incident at issue here, Mr. James had reason to counsel Respondent and the school's wrestling coach. Mr. James advised both teachers that they should not patronize a nightclub known as Party Central. 1/ Mr. James felt that such places were not appropriate for educators. 2/ On April 9, 1998, Mr. James performed an annual teacher assessment for Respondent. Mr. James found that Respondent met all acceptable standards. Mr. James concluded that Respondent did not have any professional areas that needed improvement. On the evening of May 9, 1998, around 11:00 p.m., Respondent and his then fiancée, Theresa Casko, went to Party Central/Shark Attack with one of their male friends, Mike MacGuymo. 3/ The purpose of the night out was to celebrate the 21st birthday of Ms. Casko's male cousin, Jason Tovine. During the evening, Ms. Casko began dancing with Tammy Burke and several of the club's male customers. Both Ms. Casko and Ms. Burke had been drinking alcoholic beverages. Respondent was drinking alcoholic beverages but he was not dancing. Respondent became upset with the manner in which a male customer was dancing behind Ms. Casko. Respondent repeatedly went on to the dance floor in an attempt to persuade his fiancée to leave the establishment. Shortly after midnight, on the morning of May 10, 1998, Respondent and Ms. Casko began arguing at the edge of the dance floor. Respondent took Ms. Casko by the arm and went outside with her. Ms. Casko's cousin followed them. The argument between Ms. Casko and Respondent continued in the parking lot of Party Central/Shark Attack because she did not want to leave the club. Respondent also became angry with Ms. Casko's cousin and grabbed him by the face. At that point, Ms. Casko stepped in between them and began hitting Respondent. During the altercation, Respondent struck Ms. Casko. There is no persuasive evidence that Respondent intentionally struck Ms. Casko. Ms. Casko gave Respondent his engagement ring and walked across the street in the area of a mobile home sales company. Respondent followed her. Ms. Casko told Respondent to get away from her and walked back across the street to the parking lot of Party Central/Shark Attack. Respondent remained in the vicinity of the parking lot of the mobile home sales company. The bouncer from the Party Central/Shark Attack observed the argument and the struggle between Respondent, Ms. Casko, and her cousin. The bouncer had seen Respondent hit Ms. Casko. He asked the club's manager to call the police. In the meantime, Officer Harold Compton was flagged downed by someone in the parking lot as he drove past the club. Soon thereafter, three other officers arrived in their patrol cars. The bouncer told Officer Compton that Respondent had hit Ms. Casko. Officer Compton then went across the highway and down the street in his patrol car to look for Respondent. Officer Wayne Sellers and Officer Tommy Ketner also drove across the street to look for Respondent. Officer Nick Viaggio stayed with Ms. Casko in the club's parking lot. Ms. Casko told Officer Viaggio and Tammy Burke that Respondent had hit her but that she did not want to press charges and that she did not need medical treatment. Calls made to the Ocala Fire Rescue Emergency Medical Service and the Munroe Regional Medical Center Ambulance Service to provide Ms. Casko with medical treatment were cancelled. Officer Compton eventually located Respondent and asked him to get in Officer Ketner's patrol car so that they could return to the Party Central/Shark Attack parking lot. Respondent was cooperative. When the police returned to the club's parking lot with Respondent, Officer Compton interviewed Ms. Casko and determined that he had probable cause to arrest Respondent for domestic violence. Upon learning that he was arrested and going to jail, Respondent became belligerent. As the officers attempted to handcuff Respondent, he backed away from them, tensed up his arms and shoulders, and began to utter profanity. The officers had to hold Respondent against the hood of a patrol car in order to put the cuffs on him. Ms. Casko began to plead with the officers to let Respondent go home with her. She told Respondent she wanted her ring back. The ring was in Respondent's pocket. Officer Compton and Officer Sellers walked Respondent over to Officer Compton's patrol car because he was the arresting officer. Ms. Casko followed trying to get the ring from Respondent. A crowd gathered as people began to leave the club. About the time that the officers and Respondent reached Officer Compton's vehicle, a call came through from a police officer in another location asking for assistance. Officer Viaggio got in his car and started to leave to respond to the emergency call. Respondent refused to get in the police car as directed by Officers Compton and Sellers. Instead, he turned to talk to Ms. Casko and to try to give her the ring. As Respondent turned to face Ms. Casko, he accidentally butted Officer Sellers in the head, leaving him stunned. Seeing that Officer Sellers was stunned and believing that Respondent might strike Officer Sellers again, Officer Compton sprayed Respondent's face with pepper spray. Respondent then began to struggle vigorously. Officer Viaggio rushed to assist in restraining Respondent. Eventually, the officers were able to subdue Respondent on the ground. They had to warn Ms. Casko and others to stand back out of the way. There was a large crowd in the club's parking lot. Consequently, the police officers took Respondent back across the road to await medical assistance to treat Respondent for injury due to pepper spray. The Ocala Fire Rescue Emergency Medical Service terminated its response because the Munroe Regional Medical Center Ambulance Service had arrived on the scene. The ambulance service medics irrigated Respondent's eyes with a saline solution. They also washed pepper spray from the hands of the officers. The medics wiped Respondent's face with a towel. They gave towels to the officers. Officer Compton then took Respondent to the jail. Respondent was released the next day. The State Attorney charged Respondent with resisting a law enforcement officer with violence, battery on a law enforcement officer, and domestic violence battery. On March 18, 1999, Respondent was tried on reduced charges of resisting arrest without violence and battery on a law enforcement officer. During the criminal trial, Respondent and his wife, formerly Ms. Casko, testified that Respondent did not strike her in the early morning hours of May 10, 1998. Respondent also testified that he received no medical attention whatsoever for his eyes before arriving at the jail. He stated that it was a "preposterous lie" that a rescue squad had irrigated his eyes across the street from the club. The jury acquitted Respondent of all charges. 4/ Petitioner suspended Respondent without pay on or about June 23, 1998. On or about July 21, 1998, before Respondent was acquitted, Mr. James made a public statement that was reported in the local newspaper. Mr. James indicated that he substituted another teacher in Respondent's coaching job because of the unresolved criminal case against him and not because of his professional performance. Specifically, Mr. James's comments included the following: Barry is to be commended for the tremendous job that he has done. No matter what happens, that is something you can't take away from anyone. He is an excellent coach and teacher. Mr. James's duties as principal include assessing the performance of teachers under his supervision. In making such assessments, Mr. James considers the teaching ability and classroom performance of teachers. He also considers the effectiveness of teachers in light of their presentation of themselves to their students, parents, and the community, i.e., as role models and counselors. Mr. James testified that he could not recommend retaining any teacher who was not "up front," trustworthy, and loyal. According to Mr. James, a teacher needs to maintain the highest standards and be able to give students the best possible advice. During the hearing, Mr. James testified that he would not recommend that Respondent be retained as a teacher. Mr. James based his decision on his reading of the criminal trial transcript, information in Joint Exhibit 2, 5/ Respondent's failure to heed the prior admonition not to patronize nightclubs like Party Central/Shark Attack, and the assumed impact of his performance if he were to be reinstated. Specifically, Mr. James stated as follows: The jury [in the criminal trial] that tried his [Respondent's] case had no bearing on my recommendation to the superintendent. The jury that tried his case is the jury of the young people that I have and the parents of those folks. Dr. John D. Smith, Superintendent of Marion County Schools, testified that he had: (a) read the criminal trial transcript; (b) considered information presented by his support staff; (c) considered Mr. James's recommendation to terminate Respondent's employment; (d) considered Joint Exhibit 2; (e) read newspaper articles relative to the May 10, 1998, incident; and (f) consulted with three members of the school advisory council of Dunnellon High School. Dr. Smith determined that Respondent should be terminated because of his questionable integrity. Dr. Smith did not believe that Respondent was trustworthy to be responsible for supervising, advising, and influencing students, especially in situations beyond the classroom or where he is the only adult present, such as field trips, athletic events, and club activities. Dr. Smith concluded that Respondent would no longer be effective as a teacher. He reached this conclusion in part based on his consultations with the three members of the student advisory council. Respondent did not present any evidence from students, parents, his colleagues, or community members regarding his continued ability to be an effective teacher.
Recommendation Based on the foregoing Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law, it is RECOMMENDED: That Respondent be reinstated in a teaching position with back pay and benefits lost during his suspension. DONE AND ENTERED this 4th day of October, 1999, in Tallahassee, Leon County, Florida. SUZANNE F. HOOD Administrative Law Judge Division of Administrative Hearings The DeSoto Building 1230 Apalachee Parkway Tallahassee, Florida 32399-3060 (850) 488-9675 SUNCOM 278-9675 Fax Filing (850) 921-6847 www.doah.state.fl.us Filed with the Clerk of the Division of Administrative Hearings this 4th day of October, 1999.
The Issue The issues are whether Respondents constructed a dock and walkway on state lands in Collier County, Florida, without obtaining authorization, and if so, whether an administrative fine should be imposed for this action; and whether certain corrective action should be taken by Respondents, as described in Petitioner's First Amended Notice of Violation, Orders for Corrective Action, and Administrative Fine Assessment (First Amended NOV) filed on March 24, 2015.
Findings Of Fact The Board is responsible for overseeing state-owned lands and ensuring that they are managed in trust for the citizens of the state. The Department of Environmental Protection (Department) performs all staff duties and functions related to the administration of state lands. See § 253.002(1), Fla. Stat. Pursuant to that authority, the Department has prosecuted this action on behalf of the Board. Since December 1, 2005, Respondents, Margarita Quintero and Thomas Patas, as tenants in common, have owned property at 1899 Sheffield Avenue, Marco Island, Florida. See Bd. Ex. G. The property is more specifically identified as Parcel ID No. 57200400000, Section 16, Township 52 South, Range 26 East. A narrow wooden walkway extends in a south-southeasterly direction from Respondents' property to a small terminal platform in Barfield Bay, a waterbody that lies south of Respondents' lot. See Bd. Ex. C. The Board owns uplands located in Section 16, Township 52 South, Range 26 East, and those sovereign submerged lands of Barfield Bay lying adjacent to Section 16. Those lands are described as follows: Lots 22 and 23, Block 149 and Lot 10, Block 150, and that portion of Dogwood Drive lying between Lots 22 and 23 and Lot 10, of the subdivision of Marco Beach Unit Five recorded in Plat Book 6, Pages 39 through 46, Public Records of Collier County. See Bd. Ex. G-2. Most of the uplands were deeded to the state in 1985 pursuant to a settlement agreement with The Deltona Corporation, while a small sliver of land was deeded to the state in September 2013. Respondents' property is located adjacent to these state-owned lands. On March 28, 2012, the Department received a complaint from a third party that the walkway and dock had been constructed adjacent to Respondents' property. In a letter dated April 19, 2012, the Department warned Respondents of "possible violations of the law." See Bd. Ex. J. The letter stated that the Department believed Respondents were responsible for a dock being installed on state-owned lands and mangroves had been altered for the installation of the dock. The letter also noted that Respondents' property did not appear to be riparian. Respondents were requested to contact the Department within 15 days to arrange a meeting to discuss these issues. Respondents did not reply to the letter or meet with Department representatives. On June 14, 2012, the Department recorded a Notice of Unauthorized Structure (NOUS) in the public records of Collier County. See Bd. Ex. H. The NOUS was intended to serve as notice to prospective purchasers and other interested persons that certain unauthorized structures were located on state lands adjacent to Respondents' property. There is no evidence that Respondents responded in any manner to the NOUS. On December 10, 2012, a Department Environmental Specialist III conducted an inspection of the walkway and dock. He observed a two-foot wide access walkway extending 335 feet from Respondents' property, which terminated at a 63-square-foot terminal platform (dock) in Barfield Bay. The total dock size is 733 square feet, while the walkway encompasses around 670 square feet. See Bd. Ex. A. A follow-up inspection on January 12, 2015, revealed that the structure had not been removed. See Bd. Ex. K. Property records and a coastal engineering site survey confirm that the structure passes over state-owned uplands before crossing the Mean High Water Line and onto sovereign submerged lands in Barfield Bay. See Bd. Ex. C. There is no evidence that Respondents obtained authorization to construct the walkway and dock. To determine when the dock and walkway were constructed, the Department reviewed aerial images of the property taken in 2004, 2006, 2009, and 2012. See Bd. Ex. B. The walkway and dock did not appear until the 2012 image. This confirms that Respondents constructed the walkway and dock after they purchased their property in December 2005. The First Amended NOV seeks to impose an administrative fine on each Respondent in the amount of $2,500.00 for unauthorized use of sovereign submerged land. If the walkway and dock are removed within 20 days, no fine will be imposed. For every day after the 20 days that removal does not occur, the Board intends to impose a fine accruing at a rate of $10,000.00 per day. As corrective action, the Board proposes generally that Respondents remove the walkway and dock within 20 days from the date of a Final Order; that during such removal steps be taken to ensure that no further impacts to mangroves, wetlands, and bay bottom occur; that water quality be protected during this process; and that the material be disposed of in an appropriate upland location.
Recommendation Based on the foregoing Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law, it is RECOMMENDED that the Board of Trustees of the Internal Improvement Trust Fund enter a final order sustaining the charges in the First Amended NOV. Within 20 days of the entry of a final order, each Respondent shall pay $2,500.00 to the Department. Payments shall be made by cashier's check or money order payable to the "Internal Improvement Trust Fund." All payments shall be sent to the Department of Environmental Protection, South District, SLERP Section, Post Office Box 2549, Fort Myers, Florida 33902-2549. If Respondents complete removal of the walkway structure and dock from Board property in accordance with the corrective action described in paragraph 19, Respondents do not have to pay the fines. If Respondents fail to complete removal of the dock and walkway structure in accordance with the corrective action, the fine will begin accruing at a rate of $10,000.00 per day. DONE AND ENTERED this 5th day of May, 2015, in Tallahassee, Leon County, Florida. S D. R. ALEXANDER Administrative Law Judge Division of Administrative Hearings The DeSoto Building 1230 Apalachee Parkway Tallahassee, Florida 32399-3060 (850) 488-9675 Fax Filing (850) 921-6847 www.doah.state.fl.us Filed with the Clerk of the Division of Administrative Hearings this 5th day of May, 2015.
The Issue The issue is whether proposed regulations for Brevard County manatee protection areas by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWCC), which are amendments to Rule 68C- 22.006, Florida Administrative Code, noticed in the April 20, 2001, Florida Administrative Weekly (F.A.W.)("Proposed Rule"), with a Notice of Change published in the F.A.W. on June 15, 2001, are an invalid exercise of legislative authority.
Findings Of Fact Based upon observation of the witnesses and their demeanor while testifying, the documentary evidence received, and the entire record compiled herein, the following material and relevant facts are found. Effective July 1, 1999, Respondent, FWCC became primarily responsible for implementation of the Florida Manatee Sanctuary Act, Section 370.12(2), Florida Statutes (2000) instead of the Department of Environmental Protection, by operation of Section 45, Chapter 99-245, Laws of Florida. FWCC is the State agency responsible for promulgating rules pursuant to Section 370.12, Florida Statutes. Respondent noticed proposed rules, and is a mandatory party to a challenge thereto. Section 120.56(1)(e), Florida Statutes. STANDING OF THE PARTIES McGill, Pritchard, Dovark, Gentile, Akins, Mason, Jaren, Robertson, Standing Watch, Inc., Save the Manatee Club, Inc., Florida Wildlife Federation, Inc., and Sea Ray Boats, Inc.1, are substantially affected by one or more of the Proposed Rules in that they operate motorboats in one or more of the areas proposed for regulation, or in that they represent the interests of members who operate motorboats in one or more of the areas proposed for regulations, or who desire to protect manatees and manatee habitats on behalf of members who derive aesthetic or other benefits from manatees, and who observe or otherwise enjoy manatees in Brevard County and elsewhere. Intervenor, Florida Power and Light Company (FPL), is a Florida corporation that owns and operates the Cape Canaveral Power Plant located in Cocoa, Brevard County, Florida. FPL's operations are specifically addressed in the proposed rule in that the proposed rule creates a no-entry zone along an area bordering the FPL Cape Canaveral Power Plant property boundary including easements and right-of-way where electrical generation operating equipment and electrical distribution and transmission equipment are located. Intervenor, Cocoa Beach is a Florida Municipal Corporation located in Brevard County. The Cocoa Beach Sports Area located with the Banana River Lagoon has been designated since 1988 as an area for water-related recreational activities for the residents of the City of Cocoa Beach and for the general public. The Proposed Rule seeks to impose speed restrictions for boats operating within this area and, if promulgated, will directly regulate and restrict the boating, fishing and other water-related recreational activities of the public within the area. Intervenor, Titusville is a Florida Municipal Corporation located in Brevard County, whose elected body has determined that a substantial number of its residents are substantially affected in the Proposed Rule. The parties alleged facts supported their standing in individual petitions, and the parties stipulated to standing. Therefore, none of the Petitioners presented any evidence regarding their standing. Petitioners and Intervenors are substantially affected by one or more sections of the proposed rule in that they operate motorboats in one or more of the areas proposed for regulation, or they represent the interests of members who operate motorboats in one or more of the areas proposed for regulation or who desire to protect the manatees and manatee habitat on behalf of members who derive aesthetic or other benefits from manatees and who observe or otherwise enjoy manatees in Brevard County. ADOPTION PROCESS FOR THE 2001 RULE PROPOSAL On September 6, 2000, the Commission authorized staff to initiate amendments to the Brevard County rules at a public meeting in Deland, Florida. On October 6, 2000, the Commission published a Notice of Rule Development in the Florida Administrative Weekly and announced a rule development workshop. On October 26, 2000, the Commission staff conducted a rule development workshop in Melbourne, Brevard County, Florida. On January 24, 2001, the Commission directed staff to conduct a second rule development workshop in Brevard County, Florida. On February 16, 2000, the Commission published notice in the Florida Administrative Weekly of the rule development workshop scheduled for March 7, 2000. On March 7, 2000, the Commission staff conducted a second rule development workshop in Viera, Brevard County, Florida. On March 30, 2000, the Commission conducted a public meeting in Tallahassee, Florida, and authorized publication of a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking in the Florida Administrative Weekly. On April 20, 2001, the Commission published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking in the Florida Administrative Weekly and advertised public hearings to be held on May 3 and May 23, 2001. On May 3, 2001, the Commission staff conducted a public hearing on the Proposed Rule in Melbourne, Brevard County, Florida. On May 23, 2001, the Commission staff conducted a public hearing on the Proposed Rule in Melbourne, Brevard County, Florida. On June 15, 2001, a Notice of Change was published in the Florida Administrative Weekly. There are no algorithms, formulae, protocols, matrices, math models, or metrics used by the Commission to combine the individual data sources into findings that idle-speed, slow-speed, or no-entry zones were required for any specific zone in question. Aerial surveys have been conducted by the Florida Marine Research Institute (FMRI) and others. One type of aerial survey technique is a statewide survey. These surveys are typically flown in the winter, after the passage of a cold front. Typical winter aggregation areas are included in these surveys. The synoptic surveys are used for monitoring winter aggregations of manatees. Population biologists working on manatee recovery view synoptic survey results as the best available information about the minimum estimated size of the manatee population in Florida at this time. The statewide synoptic survey data from the past several years is as follows: 1991 1,268 manatees 1991 1,465 manatees 1992 1,856 manatees 1995 1,443 manatees 1995 1,822 manatees 1996 2,274 manatees 1996 2,639 manatees 1997 2,229 manatees 1997 1,709 manatees 1998 2,022 manatees 1999 2,034 manatees 1999 2,354 manatees 2000 1,629 manatees 2000 2,222 manatees 2001 3,276 manatees During the most recent statewide synoptic survey, portions of Brevard County were observed in five counts made during January 5, 6, and 7, 2001. Of the 591 manatees observed in Brevard County on January 6, 2001, 457 manatees were adjacent to Florida Power and Light Company's thermal discharge, 38 manatees were in Sebastian River, 16 manatees were in Berkley Canal System, and 8 manatees were along the east Banana River shoreline on the southeastern extension of Merritt Island. In addition to statewide surveys, targeted aerial surveys in specific areas are used to establish manatee distribution and relative manatee abundance. These types of surveys are used by the FWCC in assessing manatee use of an area and then establishing manatee protection regulations. The most recent, comprehensive FMRI aerial survey in Brevard County consisted of 45 flights between September 1997 and September 1999. A standardized flight path designed to cover most probable manatee habitats was flown over Brevard County at least once per month during the two-year period at an altitude of approximately 500 feet (except for June 1999, where excessive smoke covered the area); the only area of the county not covered at all was restricted airspace associated with the Kennedy Space Center Complex. The highest number of manatees counted during this survey was 790 manatees in March 1999. General Description of Brevard County. Located in east central Florida, Brevard County is approximately 72 miles north-south and approximately 20 miles east-west. The west boundary of the county is the St. Johns River; the east boundary is the Atlantic Ocean. The Indian River Lagoon in Brevard County extends north of the Kennedy Space Center, at the north end of the county, to Sebastian Inlet, at the south end of the county. Brevard County consists of two major landforms and two major surface waters. From east to west, the geographical features are the Atlantic Ocean, a barrier island running the length of the county, the Indian River Lagoon, and the mainland. Northern Brevard County contains two other major geographical features. The barrier widens to form the Canaveral Peninsula on the east and Merritt Island on the west. Merritt Island is bordered by the Indian River on the west; the Banana River on the east; and the Mosquito Lagoon on the north. At the southern end of Merritt Island, the Banana River joins the Indian River. Besides Sebastian Inlet at the southern boundary of the county, the only navigable connection between the Indian River Lagoon and the Atlantic Ocean is at Port Canaveral. Port Canaveral cuts across the Canaveral Peninsula; along the west shoreline, the Canaveral Locks permit vessels to pass from the Port into the Banana River. The Mosquito Lagoon, Indian River and Banana River are located in a transitional zone between the temperate and tropical zones and form one of the most diverse estuaries in North America. The Indian River Lagoon varies from 0.5 to 5 miles in width and has an average depth of one meter (39.4 inches). The Indian River Lagoon system is not subject to significant periodic lunar tides. The water depths are depicted as mean lower low water, while the shorelines are represented in terms of approximate mean high water. In the lagoon system in Brevard County, the relative water levels rise and fall as influenced by wind, rainfall, storms, and tides. Expert witnesses with local knowledge of the waters acknowledged the variation in water level or relative depth and testified that the water level fluctuates in the Indian River Lagoon by more than three feet and fluctuates by two or two and one-half feet or greater annually. The Indian River Lagoon contains extensive sea grass beds, which are the preferred food for manatees. A bathymetric survey commissioned by the St. Johns River Water Management District determined the acreage of submerged land within the lagoon that can be potentially vegetated with submerged aquatic vegetation at a depth of six feet below mean sea level. Brevard County is the hub of the Atlantic Coast manatee population with a large year-round and a large migratory transient manatee population present throughout the year. THE MANATEE The West Indian manatee (Trichechus manatus) is one of endangered marine mammals in coastal waters of the United States. The West Indian manatee is presently classified as an "endangered species" by the federal Endangered Species Act and has protected status under the Marine Mammal Protection Act. The West Indian Manatee is one of the four living species of the mammalian Order Sirenia, the other three are the West African manatee, the Amazonian manatee and the dugong; the fifth species, Stellar's sea cow, was hunted into extinction. In the southeastern United States, manatees are limited primarily to Florida and Georgia and this group forms a separate subspecies called the Florida manatee (T. manatus latirostris). The Florida manatee (hereinafter "manatee") is a migratory species with a large range of movement along the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts of the United States. During the winter, cold temperatures keep the population concentrated in peninsular Florida, but during the late spring and summer they expand their range and are seen infrequently as far north as Rhode Island, and as far west as Texas. Manatees demonstrate "site fidelity" with some individual mammals adjusting their behavior to take advantage of changes in the availability of resources. Manatees often return to the same winter thermal refuges and the same summer habitats year after year. Manatees prefer water temperatures above 68 degrees F and when ambient water temperatures drop below 68 degrees, they seek warm water refuges, such as spring-fed rivers and power plans discharge outs. Florida Power and Light Company and Reliant Energy Power Plants and the Sebastian River are the primary warm water refuges sought by manatees in Brevard County. For feeding, resting, cavorting, mating and calving, manatees prefer shallow sea grass beds in coastal and riverline habitats with ready access to deep channels, particularly near the mouths of creeks, embayments and lagoons. Manatees sometimes prefer vegetation growing along the banks of waterways, instead of submerged or floating aquatic vegetation. Manatees seek and find sources of fresh water for drinking. In brackish or estuarine environment, they locate fresh water sources, either natural or artificial. They have been observed drinking fresh water at marinas, from air conditioning condensate discharge, from pockets of fresh water floating on the surface of the saltier water, from storm water outfalls and from springs. Typically, six-to-eight hours per day are spent on feeding, usually at one-hour intervals. Intermittently, between two and 12 hours per day are spent resting or sleeping either at the surface of the water or on the bottom. Time not devoted to feeding or sleeping is spent in traveling, socializing or exploring during both day and nighttime hours. The basic social unit consists of a female manatee and her dependent calf. Manatees, apart from winter aggregations at warm water resources and transient mating herds, are semi-social or mildly social mammals. Manatees usually prefer to swim below the surface at one to three meters (3.28 to 9.84 feet) depth, surfacing every few minutes to breathe. They typically have a swimming cruising speed between four and ten KM/HR (2-6 MPH), but can swim in short bursts at up to 25 KM/HR (15 MPH). Manatees have been seen in shallow waters with their backs and heads out of the water and on occasion have been observed fully or partially out of the water to feed or escape pursuing male manatees. Female manatees reach sexual maturity by age five years and males at the age of three to four years. Mating occurs when estrous females are successfully approached by dynamic epherimal mating herds of between five and 20 males (lasting up to four weeks). Female manatees will swim to very shallow water when pursued by mating herds of males as a preventive measure from mating. Manatees have a low reproductive rate and a long life expectancy. Manatee's gestation period is 11 to 14 months with usual birthing of one calf. Dependent calves remain near their mother's side from one to two years, swimming parallel to its mother, directly behind her flipper. Life expectancy for a manatee is in excess of 50 years. A significant decrease in adult survivorship due to, among other things, watercraft collisions could contribute to a long-term population decline. The manatee population in Florida has shown yearly increases resulting in more manatees now than there were in 1976 in the areas of Brevard County that are subject to the Proposed Rules. MANATEE PROTECTION PLANS The United States Fish and Wildlife Service developed an initial recovery plan for West Indian manatees in 1980, primarily for manatees in Florida. The plan was revised in 1989 and 1996. A third revision to the Recovery Plan was noticed for public comment in November 2000, and in July 2001. The recovery plans hereinabove recognized the major human-related cause of manatee mortality is collisions with watercraft. The existing and draft recovery plans state: Because watercraft operators cannot reliably detect and avoid hitting manatees, federal and state managers have sought to limit watercraft speed in areas manatees are most likely to occur to afford boaters and manatees time to avoid collisions. Avoidance technology research is ongoing for deterrent devices designed to "avoid collisions"; however, no device or combination of devices has gained acceptance and approval by the Marine Biological Scientific Community. The Florida Legislature has designated the entire State a refuge and sanctuary for the manatee--the Florida State marine mammal. Section 370.12(2)(b), Florida Statutes. HISTORY OF MANATEE PROTECTION IN BREVARD COUNTY The Florida Legislature initially authorized the adoption of manatee protection rules for Brevard County effective July 1, 1978, when it required the (former) Florida Department of Natural Resources to adopt rules regulating the speed and operation of motorboats between November 15 and March 31, 1978, in those portions of the Indian River within 3/4 mile of the then Orlando Utilities Commission (now Reliant) and Florida Power and Light Company power plant effluents. These rules became effective on March 19, 1997 (former Rule 16N-22.06, Florida Administrative Code ("Brevard County Manatee Protection Rules" or "BCMPR"). In 1989, a strategy to improve manatee protection in 13 key counties was approved by the Governor and Cabinet. The strategy called for development of manatee protection plans, for boat facility siting criteria, for priority land acquisition of critical manatee use areas, and improved aquatic preserve management for sea grass protection. Guidelines for implementation included new or expanded speed zones, refuges or sanctuaries for the regulation of boat speeds in critical manatee areas. Financial assistance was given Brevard County for its manatee protection plan in 1993. After creation of the FWCC, effective July 1, 1999, the BCMPR and other manatee protection rules were transferred from Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) to the FWCC, and the Secretary of State renumbered the prior rules to Chapter 68C-22, Florida Administrative Code. In 1994, FDEP amended BCMPR to establish manatee protection zones in the Canaveral Barge Canal and portions of adjacent areas of the Indian and Banana Rivers; to expand the existing "slow speed" zone in Sykes Creek (north of "S Curve") to include the channel; to establish a maximum 25 MPH zone in the Sykes Creek channel between Sykes Creek Parkway and the "S Curve"; and to renumber and correct map inconsistencies. This site- specific rule-making action was taken in response to proposed additional threats to manatees resulting from development of Abby Marina (now Harbortown Marina), pending completion of Brevard County comprehensive countywide manatee protection plan. In 1998, FDEP amended the BCMPR to establish seasonal "motorboats prohibited" and "no-entry" zones at the then Orlando Utilities Commission's (now Reliant) power plant and a seasonal "no-entry" zone at Florida Power and Light Company's power plant. THE PROPOSED MANATEE PROTECTION RULE AMENDMENTS FOR BREVARD COUNTY 1906 Section II - Proposed Rules THE FULL TEXT OF THE PROPOSED RULES IS: (Substantial rewording of Rule 68C-22.006 follows. See Florida Administrative Code for present text.) 68C-22.006 Brevard County Zones. The Commission hereby designates the waters within Brevard County, as described below, as areas where manatee sightings are frequent and where it can be assumed that manatees inhabit on a regular, periodic or continuous basis. The Commission has further determined that a likelihood of threat to manatees exists in these waters as a result of manatees and motorboats using the same areas. The primary purpose of this rule is to protect manatees from harmful collisions with motorboats and from harassment by regulating the speed and operation of motorboats within these designated areas. A secondary purpose is to protect manatee habitat. In balancing the rights of fishers, boaters, and water skiers to use these waterways for recreational and commercial purposes (as applicable under 370.12(2)(j), F.S.) with the need to provide manatee protection, the Commission has examined the need for unregulated areas or higher speed travel corridors through regulated areas. Such areas or corridors are provided in those locations where the Commission determined, on the basis of all available information, (1) there is a need for the area or corridor and (2) the area or corridor will not result in serious threats to manatees or their habitat. Unregulated areas or higher speed corridors are not provided in locations where both of the above findings were not made. The following year-round and seasonal zones are established, which shall include all associated and navigable tributaries, lakes, creeks, coves, bends, backwaters, canals, and boat basins unless otherwise designated or excluded. As used in this rule, ICW means the Intracoastal Waterway. Access to the NO ENTRY and MOTORBOATS PROHIBITED zones designated in paragraphs (2)(a) and (b) will be provided in accordance with procedures set forth in subsection (4), hereunder, and applicable provisions of Rule 68C-22.003. NO ENTRY (November 15 – March 31) Indian River, Reliant Corporation Delespine Power Plant Area: All waters within the discharge canal of the Reliant Corporation Delespine power plant, and; All waters southerly of a line extending eastward from and following the same bearing as the southernmost seawall of the power plant discharge canal, with said line bearing approximately 70º, westerly of a line 250 feet east of and parallel to the western shoreline of the Indian River, and northerly of the jetty on the north side of the power plant intake canal. Indian River, FPL Frontenac Power Plant Area: All waters in the vicinity of the Florida Power and Light (FPL) Frontenac power plant southerly of a line connecting the northern guy wires of the power poles immediately north of the FPL Unit 2 discharge area from the western shoreline of the Indian River to the third power pole east of the western shoreline (approximately 1,650 feet east of the shoreline), and westerly of a line running from said third power pole to the easternmost point (approximate latitude 28º 28' 07" North, approximate longitude 80º 45' 19" West) of the jetty on the north side of the FPL intake canal. MOTORBOATS PROHIBITED (All Year, except as noted) Indian River, Reliant Corporation Delespine Power Plant Area: All waters in the vicinity of the Reliant Corporation Delespine power plant southerly of a line bearing 90º from a point (approximate latitude 28º 29' 41" North, approximate longitude 80º 46' 35" West) on the western shoreline of the Indian River 95 feet north of the northernmost seawall of the power plant discharge canal, westerly of a line 250 feet east of and parallel to the western shoreline of the Indian River, and northerly of a line extending eastward from and following the same bearing as the southernmost seawall of the power plant discharge canal, with said line bearing approximately 70º. This zone is in effect from November 15 through March 31. C-54 Canal: All waters of the C-54 Canal (South Florida Water Management District Canal 54) east of the spillway (approximate latitude 27º 49' 50" North, approximate longitude 80º 32' 24" West) and west of a line drawn perpendicular to the northern shoreline of the C-54 Canal at a point (approximate latitude 27º 49' 55" North, approximate longitude 80º 32' 00" West) on the northern shoreline 2,500 feet east of the spillway. IDLE SPEED (All Year, except as noted) Indian River, Power Plant Area: All waters west of the western boundary of the ICW channel, south of a line bearing 90° from a point (approximate latitude 28º 30' 13" North, approximate longitude 80º 46' 48" West) on the western shoreline of the Indian River approximately three-fourths of a mile north of the Delespine power plant discharge canal, and north of a line bearing 90° from a point (approximate latitude 28º 27' 27" North, approximate longitude 80º 45' 43" West) on the western shoreline of the Indian River approximately three-fourths of a mile south of the Frontenac power plant discharge canal, except as otherwise designated under (2)(a) and (b)1. This zone is in effect from November 15 through March 31. Banana River, Cape Canaveral Area: All waters north of a line bearing 270° from the southwesternmost point (approximate latitude 28º 23' 29" North, approximate longitude 80º 37' 10" West) of Long Point in Cape Canaveral to a point (approximate latitude 28º 23' 29" North, approximate longitude 80º 37' 49" West) in the Banana River approximately 3,500 feet west of Long Point, and east of a line bearing 331° from said point in the Banana River to a point (approximate latitude 28º 24' 16" North, approximate longitude 80º 38' 19" West) on the State Road 528 Causeway (west of State Road 401). Section II - Proposed Rules 1907 Banana River, Manatee Cove Area: All waters of Manatee Cove (on the east side of the Banana River, just south of State Road 520) east of a line at the mouth of the cove running between a point (approximate latitude 28º 21' 21" North, approximate longitude 80º 36' 52" West) on the northern shoreline and a point (approximate latitude 28º 21' 09" North, approximate longitude 80º 36' 51" West) on the southern shoreline. Turkey Creek: All waters of Turkey Creek north and east (downstream) of Melbourne- Tillman Drainage District structure MS-1 and south and west of a line at the mouth of Turkey Creek that runs from the southeasternmost point (approximate latitude 28º 02' 21" North, approximate longitude 80º 34' 48" West) of Castaway Point to the northeasternmost point (approximate latitude 28º 02' 14" North, approximate longitude 80º 34' 43" West) of Palm Bay Point. Sebastian Inlet Area: All waters of the cove on the northern side of Sebastian Inlet (commonly known as Campbell Cove) northwest of a line running between the two rock jetties at the entrance to the cove. Sebastian River Area: All waters of the North Prong of Sebastian River, and; All waters of the North Fork Sebastian River (also known as Sebastian Creek) and the C-54 Canal west of a north-south line from a point (approximate latitude 27º 50' 08" North, approximate longitude 80º 31' 02" West) on the northern shoreline of the North Fork Sebastian River at the intersection of the river and the North Prong and east of a line drawn perpendicular to the northern shoreline of the C-54 Canal at a point (approximate latitude 27º 49' 55" North, approximate longitude 80º 32' 00" West) on the northern shoreline 2,500 feet east of the spillway. SLOW SPEED (All Year) Mosquito Lagoon: All waters west of the ICW channel, south of the Volusia County/Brevard County line, and north of ICW channel marker “43,” and; All waters of Mosquito Lagoon (including the ICW channel) south of ICW channel marker “43,” southwest of a line commencing at ICW channel marker “43” and then running to ICW channel marker “45” and then on a bearing of 132° for a distance of 1,000 feet to the line’s terminus at a point in Mosquito Lagoon (approximate latitude 28º 44' 35" North, approximate longitude 80º 44' 35" West), and north of a line running from said point in Mosquito Lagoon on a bearing of 221° to the western shoreline of Mosquito Lagoon. Indian River, Turnbull Basin Area: All waters south and east of a line commencing at a point (approximate latitude 28º 44' 36" North, approximate longitude 80º 46' 19" West) on the eastern shoreline of Turnbull Basin (about one mile north of Haulover Canal) and then bearing 193° to a point 1,500 feet northwest of the ICW channel, then running in a southwesterly direction 1,500 feet northwest of and parallel with the ICW channel to a point (approximate latitude 28º 41' 22" North, approximate longitude 80º 49' 05" West) 1,500 feet northwest of ICW channel marker “12,” and then running in a southerly direction 1,500 feet west of and parallel with the ICW channel to the Florida East Coast Railroad Bridge, including all waters west of the ICW channel and south of an east-west line 1,500 feet north of the point where the Florida East Coast Railroad Bridge crosses over the ICW, but excluding the ICW channel as designated under (2)(e)2. Indian River, Titusville Area: All waters south of the Florida East Coast Railroad Bridge, east of the ICW channel, and north of an east-west line 1,200 feet south of the point where the Florida East Coast Railroad Bridge crosses over the ICW, and; All waters west of the ICW channel south of the Florida East Coast Railroad Bridge and north of the State Road 402 Bridge and Causeway. Indian River, State Road 402 (Max Brewer Causeway) to State Road 405 (NASA Parkway): All waters within 2,000 feet of the general contour of the western shoreline of the Indian River, excluding the ICW channel where the channel is less than 2,000 feet from the western shore; All waters within one mile of the general contour of the eastern shoreline of the Indian River south and east of a point (approximate latitude 28º 36' 04" North, approximate longitude 80º 44' 44" West) on the western shoreline of Peacock’s Pocket (northwest of Banana Creek), and; All waters south of an east-west line 3,400 feet north of the point where the State Road 405 Bridge crosses over the ICW, excluding the ICW channel as designated under (2)(e)3. Indian River, State Road 405 (NASA Parkway) to State Road 528 (Bennett Causeway): All waters north of an east-west line 3,000 feet south of the point where the State Road 405 Bridge crosses over the ICW, excluding the ICW channel as designated under (2)(e)3.; All waters west of the ICW channel and north of the overhead power transmission line that crosses the western shoreline of the Indian River approximately 1,200 feet north of State Road 528, excepting those areas otherwise designated for seasonal regulation under (2)(a), (b)1., and (c)1. when said seasonal zones are in effect; All waters south of said overhead power transmission line and west of a north-south line running through the second power pole east of the western shoreline; All waters within one-half mile of the eastern shoreline of the Indian River north of a point (approximate latitude 28º 25' 47" North, approximate longitude 80º 43' 24" West) on the eastern shoreline of the Indian River 1,500 feet south of the canal on the southern side of Meadow Lark Lane, including all waters of Rinkers Canal, and; All waters east of the ICW channel and south of the overhead power transmission line that crosses the eastern shoreline of the Indian River approximately 3,900 feet north of State Road 528. Indian River, State Road 528 (Bennett Causeway) to State Road 518 (Eau Gallie Causeway): All waters within 1,000 feet of the general contour of the western shoreline of the Indian River; All waters south of State Road 528 and within 1908 Section II - Proposed Rules 500 feet of the State Road 528 Causeway, within 500 feet of the State Road 520 Causeway, within 500 feet of the State Road 404 Causeway, and north of State Road 518 and within 500 feet of the State Road 518 Causeway; All waters within 1,000 feet of the general contour of the eastern shoreline of the Indian River between State Road 528 and State Road 520; All waters east of the ICW channel from State Road 520 to an east-west line 300 feet south of the southernmost point (approximate latitude 28º 19' 22" North, approximate longitude 80º 42' 00" West) of the spoil island east of ICW channel marker “80,” and; All waters within 500 feet of the general contour of the eastern shoreline of the Indian River south of the aforementioned east-west line and north of State Road 404 (Pineda Causeway). Indian River, State Road 518 (Eau Gallie Causeway) to Cape Malabar: All waters within 1,000 feet of the general contour of the eastern shoreline of the Indian River; All waters south of State Road 518 and within 500 feet of the State Road 518 Causeway and within 500 feet of the State Road 192 Causeway; All waters within 1,000 feet of the general contour of the western shoreline of the Indian River south of State Road 518 and north of the easternmost point (approximate latitude 28º 02' 24" North, approximate longitude 80º 34' 48" West) of Castaway Point (including all waters of the Eau Gallie River and Crane Creek), and; All waters south of said easternmost point of Castaway Point, north of Cape Malabar, and west of a line commencing at a point (approximate latitude 28º 02' 29" North, approximate longitude 80º 34' 38" West) in the Indian River 1,000 feet northeast of said easternmost point of Castaway point, then bearing 130° to the westernmost point (approximate latitude 28º 02' 15" North, approximate longitude 80º 34' 19" West) of the spoil site west of ICW channel marker “14,” then bearing 153° to the westernmost point (approximate latitude 28º 01' 32" North, approximate longitude 80º 33' 55" West) of the spoil site southwest of ICW channel marker “15,” then bearing 138° to the line’s terminus at a point (approximate latitude 28º 01' 12" North, approximate longitude 80º 33' 35" West) in the Indian River approximately 2,400 feet northeast of Cape Malabar. Indian River, Cape Malabar to Grant: All waters within 1,000 feet of the general contour of the eastern shoreline of the Indian River south of Cape Malabar and north of a point (approximate latitude 27º 55' 59" North, approximate longitude 80º 30' 30" West) on the eastern shoreline of the Indian River (north of Mullet Creek); All waters south of Cape Malabar, north of the spoil island between ICW channel markers “25” and “27,” and west of a line commencing at a point approximate latitude 28º 01' 12" North, approximate longitude 80º 33' 35" West) in the Indian River approximately 2,400 feet northeast of Cape Malabar, then bearing 157° to the easternmost point (approximate latitude 28º 00' 26" North, approximate longitude 80º 33' 13" West) of the spoil site between ICW channel markers “16” and “17,” then bearing 152° to the easternmost point (approximate latitude 27º 59' 21" North, approximate longitude 80º 32' 35" West) of the spoil island west of ICW channel marker “22,” then bearing 166° to the line’s terminus at the easternmost point (approximate latitude 27º 57' 50" North, approximate longitude 80º 32' 10" West) of the spoil island between ICW channel markers “25” and “27;” All waters within 1,000 feet of the general contour of the western shoreline of the Indian River south of said spoil island between ICW channel markers “25” and “27,” and north of ICW channel marker “35,” and; All waters west of the ICW channel between ICW channel markers "35" and “38.” Indian River, Grant to the Indian River County Line: All waters west of the ICW channel between ICW channel marker "38" and the Brevard County/Indian River County line, including those waters east of the centerline of the U.S. 1 Bridge over the Sebastian River, and: All waters within 1,500 feet of the general contour of the eastern shoreline of the Indian River, south of a point (approximate latitude 27º 55' 59" North, approximate longitude 80º 30' 30" West) on the eastern shoreline of the Indian River (north of Mullet Creek) and north of an east-west line running through ICW channel marker “59” (approximate latitude 27º 51' 38" North, approximate longitude 80º 28' 57" West), including those waters within 1,500 feet west of the westernmost edge of the Mullet Creek Islands, within 1,500 feet west of the westernmost edge of the islands south of Mathers Cove, within 1,500 feet west of the westernmost edge of Long Point, and within 1,500 feet west of the westernmost extensions of Campbell Pocket south to said east-west line running through ICW channel marker “59,” and; All waters of the Indian River and Sebastian Inlet east of the ICW channel, south of said east-west line running through ICW channel marker “59,” north of the Brevard County/Indian River County line, and west of a line 200 feet southwest of and parallel with the centerline of the State Road A1A Bridge, except as otherwise designated under (2)(c)5. and excluding the marked Sebastian Inlet channel. Sebastian River Area: All waters of the Sebastian River (including waters also known as San Sebastian Bay), the South Fork San Sebastian River (also known as St. Sebastian River, Sebastian River and Sebastian Creek), and the North Fork Sebastian River (also known as Sebastian Creek) within Brevard County west of the centerline of the U.S. 1 Bridge and east of a north-south line from a point (approximate latitude 27º 50' 08" North, approximate longitude 80º 31' 02" West) on the northern shoreline of the North Fork Sebastian River at the intersection of the river and the North Prong of Sebastian River. Canaveral Barge Canal: All waters of the Canaveral Barge Canal east of the general contour of the eastern shoreline of the Indian River and west of the general contour of the western shoreline of the Banana River. Sykes Creek and Kiwanis Basin: All waters of Sykes Creek and Kiwanis Basin south of the Canaveral Barge Canal and north of the centerline of State Road 520. Section II - Proposed Rules 1909 Newfound Harbor: All waters south of State Road 520 and within 1,000 feet of the State Road 520 Bridge and Causeway; All waters within 1,000 feet of the general contour of the western shoreline of Newfound Harbor north of the runway for the Merritt Island Airport (approximately one mile south of State Road 520), and; All waters within 1,000 feet of the general contour of the eastern shoreline of Newfound Harbor and an extension of said shoreline to a point 1,000 feet south of Buck Point. Banana River, North of State Road 528: All waters within 1,500 feet of the general contour of the western shoreline of the Banana River south of a point (approximate latitude 28º 26' 10" North, approximate longitude 80º 39' 35" West) on the shoreline near Kars Park on the boundary of the federal No Motor zone; All waters south of an east-west line running through the westernmost point (approximate latitude 28º 24' 42" North, approximate longitude 80º 38' 34" West) of the first spoil island north of the Canaveral Locks (commonly known as Ski Island), including those waters in Port Canaveral west of State Road 401, and; All waters east and south of a line commencing at the northernmost point (approximate latitude 28º 24' 44" North, approximate longitude 80º 38' 32" West) of Ski Island, then running to the southernmost point (approximate latitude 28º 24' 55" North, approximate longitude 80º 38' 31" West) of the second spoil island north of the Canaveral Locks, then following the eastern shoreline of said spoil island to its northernmost point, then bearing 6° to a point (approximate latitude 28º 25' 09" North, approximate longitude 80º 38' 29" West) in the Banana River underneath the overhead power transmission line south of the third spoil island north of Canaveral Locks, then following said transmission line (which is the boundary of the federal No Motor zone) in an easterly direction to the line’s terminus at a point (approximate latitude 28º 25' 16" North, approximate longitude 80º 36' 13" West) on the eastern shoreline of the Banana River. Banana River, State Road 528 to State Road 520: All waters south of State Road 528 and north of an east-west line 1,000 feet south of the point where the State Road 528 Bridge crosses over the main Banana River channel, except as otherwise designated under (2)(c)2.; All waters west of a line running from a point (approximate latitude 28º 24' 16" North, approximate longitude 80º 39' 30" West) on the State Road 528 Causeway east of the western State Road 528 Relief Bridge to a point (approximate latitude 28º 21' 26" North, approximate longitude 80º 39' 32" West) on the State Road 520 Causeway approximately 1,200 feet west of the water storage tanks, and; All waters south of a line bearing 270° from the southwesternmost point (approximate latitude 28º 23' 29" North, approximate longitude 80º 37' 10" West) of Long Point in Cape Canaveral to a point (approximate latitude 28º 23' 29" North, approximate longitude 80º 37' 49" West) in the Banana River approximately 3,500 feet west of Long Point, and east of a line bearing 174° from said point in the Banana River to a point (approximate latitude 28º 21' 28" North, approximate longitude 80º 37' 35" West) on the State Road 520 Causeway approximately 1,000 feet west of Cape Canaveral Hospital Complex. Banana River, Cocoa Beach Area: All waters south of State Road 520 and within 1,000 feet of the State Road 520 Causeway, excluding the main Banana River channel; All waters within 1,000 feet of the general contour of the western shoreline of the Banana River, south of State Road 520 and north of Buck Point and an extension of said shoreline to a point 1,000 feet south of Buck Point, excluding the main Banana River channel where the channel is less than 1,000 feet from the western shoreline, and; All waters east of a line commencing at a point (approximate latitude 28º 21' 25" North, approximate longitude 80º 38' 30" West) on the State Road 520 Causeway (approximately 2,000 feet east of the State Road 520 Bridge over the main Banana River channel), then bearing 190° to a point (approximate latitude 28º 19' 15" North, approximate longitude 80º 38' 55" West) in the Banana River approximately 1,900 feet west of the northwesternmost point of the Cocoa Beach Municipal Park, then bearing 270° to a point (approximate latitude 28º 18' 38" North, approximate longitude 80º 38' 55" West) in the Banana River approximately 1,700 feet west of the southwesternmost point of the Cocoa Beach Municipal Park, then bearing 171° for approximately 3,000 feet to a point (approximate latitude 28º 18' 07" North, approximate longitude 80º 38' 50" West) in the Banana River east of channel marker “15,” then bearing 124° to a point (approximate latitude 28º 16' 52" North, approximate longitude 80º 36' 45" West) in the Banana River 1,000 feet west of the eastern shoreline of the Banana River, then heading in a southerly direction 1,000 west of and parallel with the eastern shoreline of the Banana River to the line’s terminus at a point (approximate latitude 28º 15' 51" North, approximate longitude 80º 36' 38" West) in the Banana River near the northern boundary of Patrick Air Force Base. Banana River, South of Cocoa Beach to State Road 404 (Pineda Causeway): All waters south of an east-west line running through the southernmost point (approximate latitude 28º 16' 19" North, approximate longitude 80º 39' 25" West) of the more southerly of the two islands east of Macaw Way (on Merritt Island) and west of a line bearing 162° from said southernmost point to State Road 404; All waters south and east of the overhead power transmission line in the Banana River adjacent to Patrick Air Force Base, and; All waters north of the centerline of State Road 404 and within 2,000 feet of the State Road 404 Bridges and Causeway, excluding the main Banana River channel as designated under (2)(e)5. Banana River, South of State Road 404 (Pineda Causeway): All waters south of the centerline of State Road 404, including those waters east of a line bearing 270° from the southernmost point (approximate latitude 28º 08' 32" North, approximate longitude 80º 36' 15" West) of Merritt Island 1910 Section II - Proposed Rules (commonly known as Dragon Point) to the Eau Gallie Causeway, excluding the main Banana River channel as designated under (2)(e)5. 25 MPH (All Year) Mosquito Lagoon: All waters in the ICW channel south of the Volusia County/Brevard County line and north of ICW channel marker “43” (north of Haulover Canal). Indian River, Turnbull Basin and Titusville Area: All waters in the ICW channel southwest of ICW channel marker “1” (southwest of Haulover Canal) and north of an east-west line 1,200 feet south of the point where the Florida East Coast Railroad Bridge crosses over the ICW. Indian River, State Road 405 (NASA Parkway) Area: All waters in the ICW channel south of an east-west line 3,400 feet north of the point where the State Road 405 Bridge crosses over the ICW and north of an east-west line 3,000 feet south of the point where the State Road 405 Bridge crosses over the ICW. South Indian River Area: All waters in the ICW channel south of ICW channel marker “59” and north of the Brevard County/Indian River County line. South Banana River Area: All waters in the main Banana River channel south of a point in the channel 2,000 feet north of the State Road 404 Bridge, and north of a point (approximate latitude 28º 09' 15" North, approximate longitude 80º 36' 32" West) in the channel on the northern boundary of the local Idle Speed zone approximately 1,900 feet north of the Mathers Bridge. Commercial Fishing and Professional Fishing Guide Permits: The following provisions pertain to the issuance of permits to allow individuals engaged in commercial fishing and professional fishing guide activities to operate their vessels in specified areas at speeds greater than the speed limits established under subsection (2) above. Procedures related to the application for and the review and issuance of these permits are as set forth in 68C-22.003, Florida Administrative Code. Permits shall be limited as follows: Permits shall only be available for the zones or portions of zones described under (2)(d)1. through (2)(d)9., and (2)(d)13. through (2)(d)18. Permits shall not apply on weekends or on the holidays identified in s. 110.117, F.S. Permit applications may be obtained at the Commission’s Law Enforcement office at 1-A Max Brewer Memorial Parkway in Titusville or by contacting the Commission at Mail Station OES-BPS, 620 South Meridian Street, Tallahassee, Florida 32399 (850-922-4330). Access to the NO ENTRY and MOTORBOATS PROHIBITED zones is allowed for Reliant Corporation employees or their authorized agents (for the zones designated under (2)(a)1. and (b)1.) and for Florida Power and Light Company employees or their authorized agents (for the zone designated under (2)(a)2.) provided that entry into the zones is necessary to conduct activities associated with power plant maintenance, emergency operations or environmental monitoring. The Commission must receive notification of the activity prior to its commencement. In the event of an emergency activity, the Commission shall be notified no more than one week after the activity has been commenced. All vessels used in the operation or associated with the activity shall be operated at no greater than Idle Speed while within the zones and must have an observer on board to look for manatees. The zones described in 68C-22.006(2) are depicted on the following maps, labeled “Brevard County Manatee Protection Zones.” The maps are intended as depictions of the above-described zones. In the event of conflict between the maps and descriptions, the descriptions shall prevail. DATA SOURCES CONSIDERED BY FWCC IN PROMULGATING THE PROPOSED RULE FWCC's staff who were primarily responsible for the development of the recommended revisions to the BCMPR to the FWCC included: Scott Calleson, who holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Marine Science and a Masters of Science degree with emphasis on Environmental Planning and Natural Resource Management, and has worked with manatee protection rules since 1992; David Arnold, who holds both a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology and a Master of Science degree in Biological Oceanography, and who supervised the Department of Environmental Protection's marine turtle protection program prior to becoming Chief of the Bureau of Protected Species Management in 1995; and Dr. Charles Deutsch, who has both a Bachelor of Science and a Doctorate degree in Biology with specialization in biology of marine mammals and behavior, animal behavior and behavioral ecology, and worked for the United States Geological Survey (USGS) in a number of analyses of manatee radio tracking along the Atlantic Coast. The verbal, narrative and graphical presentations of the experts were relied upon in making recommendations to the FWCC for the proposed rule revisions. FWCC's staff gave good faith consideration to the experts' opinions, publications, articles, data analysis, and reasonable inferences and predictions. MANATEE MORTALITY DATA FWCC relied upon manatee mortality data in evaluating manatee inhabitation (Brevard County Mortality Information and Brevard County Misc. Information), including FMRI manatee salvage database for Brevard County from January 1974 to December 2000 (including carcass recovery location and cause of death). AERIAL SURVEY DATA In evaluating manatee inhabitation, FWCC relied upon manatee aerial survey data in existing manatee inhabitations. Included in this process were: information on aerial surveys performed for Kennedy Space Center by Dynamic Corporation; Geographic Information System information for FMRI's 1997-1999 Brevard County aerial survey along with data in "Seasonal Manatee Distribution and Relative Abundance in Brevard County, Florida, 1997-1999"; Geographic Information System data from earlier Brevard County aerial surveys; and aerial surveys conducted by the Florida Marine Research Institute and others. Aerial Surveys Aerial surveys have been conducted by the Florida Marine Research Institute and others using various techniques. One type of aerial survey technique is a statewide survey. These surveys are typically flown in the winter, after the passage of a cold front. Typical winter aggregation areas are included in these surveys. The synoptic surveys are used for monitoring winter aggregations of manatees. Population biologists working on manatee recovery view synoptic survey results as the best available information about the minimum estimated size of the manatee population in Florida at this time. The statewide synoptic survey data from the past several years is as stated in Finding of Fact 23 herein above. In addition to statewide surveys, targeted aerial surveys in specific areas are used to establish manatee distribution and relative manatee abundance. The commission in assessing manatee use of an area and then establishing manatee protection regulations uses these types of surveys. SYNOPTIC AERIAL SURVEYS Considered by FWCC was the statewide synoptic survey for the period 1991 to 2001. These surveys are used for monitoring winter aggregation of manatees and provide a minimum estimate of the number of manatees observed. Population biologists view synoptic survey results as the best available information source to estimate the minimum size of the manatee population in Florida at the present time. The statewide synoptic survey data for the years 1991-2001 are detailed in paragraph 22 herein above. The Berkeley Canal system location, where manatees were observed on January 6, 2001, has four connecting canals to the eastern shoreline of the Banana River; the northernmost connection is just south of the Pineda Causeway and the southernmost connecting canal is located about three and three-fourths miles to the south between Carter's Cut and the Mathers Bridge. The West Banana River shoreline locations where manatees were observed on January 6, 2001, is the Banana River Marina. MANATEE DISTRIBUTION AND RELATIVE ABUNDANCE Targeted aerial surveys in specific areas are used to establish manatee distribution and relative manatee abundance. They are used in assessing manatee use of an area and then in establishing manatee protection regulations in those areas. Forty-five flights between September 1997 and September 1999 are the most comprehensive and recent FMRI aerial surveys in Brevard County. Aerial surveys possess an inherent bias because the location of animals can only be seen during daylight hours and do not account for nighttime locations. FWCC's aerial survey data were presented in various forms: raw data entry sheets completed by the surveyors; a composite, GSI plot of the data points for Brevard County; small- format GIS plots of data points that depicted manatees seen by month; and small-format GIS plots of data points that depicted manatees seen during each flight, along a flight path. Before the 1997-1999 Bervard survey, relative abundance and distribution surveys for portions of Brevard County were conducted in late-1985 through early-1987. The 1985-87 Banana River surveys included only the area between Launch Complex 39B and Eau Gallie, but included portions of Canaveral Barge Canal, Sykes Creek and Newfound Harbor. Flights were flown over the Cocoa Beach area during morning hours for a nine-month period (March 3, 1990- November 27, 1990), and showed more than one manatee during each flight, with one exception on March 3, 1990. SATELLITE TELEMETRY DATA AND VHF RADIO TELEMETRY DATA The FWCC relied upon manatee telemetry data in evaluating manatee inhabitation for Brevard County. Included in the satellite and VHF radio telemetry data relative to inhabitation was a GIS database obtained from the "United States Geological Survey (USGS) Biological Resources Division, Florida Carribean Science Center, Sirenia Project, Gainesville, Florida," and reports authored by Dr. Charles Deutsch who analyzed the USGS data. The USGS Sirenia Project data analyzed by Dr. Deutsch were collected from May 1986 to May 1998, and included both VHF radio and telemetry and satellite telemetry data for the 78 manatees that were tagged for varying amounts of time during that period along the lower East Coast of the United States, excluding data for manatees that were born and raised in captivity. This data was considered by Dr. Deutsch as the best telemetry data available. Of the full USGS Sirenia Project data evaluated by Dr. Deutsch, 61 manatees were tracked at some time during the study period in Brevard County, including 16 manatees that were only tracked using VHF radio tracking and not satellite telemetry. The maximum number of tagged manatees observed in Brevard County during the study period was 12 manatees at one time. Dr. Deutsch opined that about one or two percent of the documented East Coast manatee sub-population was tracked each year. The radio telemetry data subsets from the Sirenia Project covered a ten-year period from May 1986, and included over 6,000 manatee observations for 54 individual tagged manatees. Of those 6,000 observation points, three-quarters (almost 5,000) were actual visual sighting of manatees made by persons on shore or in vessels. Of those visual sightings, approximately ten percent were made by non-government employees. The satellite telemetry data evaluated by Dr. Deutsch included data for 45-tagged manatees that was collected from April 1987 to May 1998, with over 34,000 location records of Class 1, 2, or 3 accuracy. Of the 61-tagged manatees that were observed in Brevard County during the 12-year study period, the median tracking period was 135 days, with some animals tracked for several years while others were tracked for shorter periods of time. Of the 61 manatees tracked in Brevard County, approximately one-half were fitted with radio or satellite telemetry transmitters (tags) while in Brevard County, the other half were tagged in different areas of northeast Florida, in southeast Georgia, or in southeast Florida. A majority of the animals tagged outside of Brevard County were observed in Brevard County, and Dr. Deutsch opined that this data demonstrated Brevard County to be the hub of manatee activity along the Atlantic Coast. MIGRATORY RANGE OF TAGGED MANATEES The size of the migratory ranges of tracked manatees varied with considerable variation of movement by individual manatees in Brevard County. Some manatees would spend eight months of the year near Canaveral Sewer Plant (Banana River) and spend each winter near Port Everglades (Ft. Lauderdale). Many tagged manatees displayed strong site-fidelity, returning to the same seasonal locations yearly while others did not. Telemetry data points are not precisely a depiction of the actual and true location of the manatee at the time of data transmission from the tag to the satellite. Services Argos, the company that administers the hardware, assigned 68 percent of the data points within 150 meters of the true location in class three locations. In 1994, USGS performed accuracy experiments in Brevard County of satellite telemetry and found location class 3 data points to be within 225 meters of the true location, and 95 percent within 500 meters of the true location. In addition to Dr. Deutsch's reports, FWCC considered various telemetry papers and publications pertaining to Brevard County: "Tagged Manatee Use of the Cocoa Beach/Thousand Island Area;" "Winter Movements and Use of Warm-water Refugia by Radio- tagged West Indian Manatees Along the Atlantic Coast of the United States;" and "Easton, Tagged Manatee Movement through the Canaveral Barge Canal, Brevard County Florida" (February 14, 1997). MANATEE SIGHTING DATA FWCC relied upon manatee sighting data in its evaluation of manatee inhabitation. Included in the sighting data was the Brevard County 2001 Rule Development and Trip Notes of February 6- 7, 2001; Sea Ray Boats, Inc. Water Test Re-Run Manatee Sighting Records for 2000-2001; Canaveral Barge Canal Boater Activity and Compliance Study; Sharon Tyson's Sykes Creek Observation Records; and cold-seasons sighting logs for the C-54 canal structure. STUDIES AND REPORTS PERTAINING TO MANATEE DISTRIBUTION, RELATIVE ABUNDANCE, HABITAT, BEHAVIOR, OR OTHER MANATEE INFORMATION. FWCC considered and relied upon the Brevard County Manatee Protection Plan that included an inventory and analysis section about manatees, analysis of manatee mortality data, manatee legislation and protection, law enforcement, habitat issues, existing boat facilities, Brevard County boating activity patterns, and an inventory of present manatee education programs. The existing Federal Manatee Recovery Plan, to which members of the Bureau of Protected Species and Florida Marine Research Institute contributed, was relied upon. SCAR CATALOG DATA FWCC considered and relied upon scar catalog data in evaluating manatee protection needs with Brevard County Misc. Information as the source provider. EXPERT OPINIONS FWCC relied upon expert opinions in evaluating manatee inhabitation. A staff meeting with manatee experts, as part of the process, included, but was not limited to, meetings with Jane Provancha and Sharon Tyson in December 2000, meetings and discussions with Dr. Charles Deutsch between November 2000 and May 2001, and various discussions with members of the federal Recovery Plan Team. OTHER AVAILABLE SITE-SPECIFIC INFORMATION FWCC considered site-specific information that was available, principally drafts of the Brevard County Manatee Protection Plan. FWCC also considered site-specific information about water skiing areas and prospective additional travel times in various waters proposed for new, or changed, regulations. DATA ANALYSIS Threat Analysis Rule 68C-22.001(3), Florida Administrative Code, contemplates a qualitative assessment and exercise of discretion by taking into consideration a balancing of manatee protection needs, including an assessment of relative threats to manatees, with the right of boaters, fishers and water skiers. In assessing where threats to manatees may exist from motorboats, the manatee death database provides information on confirmed interactions, such as locations where manatee carcasses have been recovered. Manatee deaths, carcass recovery and confirmed interactions locations are maintained in FMRI's database. From January 1974 to December 2000, 728 manatees died in Brevard County and 184 of those deaths were because of interactions with watercrafts. Watercraft related deaths account for 23.5 percent of all manatee deaths recorded in Brevard County between 1974 and 2000. Approximately 19 percent of all watercraft related deaths of manatees in Florida have occurred in Brevard County. FWCC has determined that manatee death from watercraft interaction is due to blunt trauma more than 50 percent of the time. Deaths from propeller cuts account for less than 50 percent. Often injury instead of immediate death from motorboat strikes is the case. Many manatees have scars from previous sub- lethal motorboat strikes, and manatees have been observed with more than 30 different strike patterns. Where the cause of death is classified as watercraft related, carcass recovery may or may not be where the collision occurred depending upon the acuteness of the injury at the time of collision. Acuteness of the injury, wind, current, tide, and decomposition all affect the location of the carcass at the time of salvage. Additionally, operation of motorboats can disrupt essential manatee behaviors such as warm water sheltering, feeding, sleeping, mating, and nursing. This harassment can lead to cold-related illnesses and increase mortality risk by driving manatees from warm water refuges. The increase in the Atlantic Coast manatee population and the increase of the number of boat registrations result in an increase in the threat of harmful collisions between boats and manatees. Geographic Scope of Threat Analysis Section 370.12(2)(m), Florida Statutes, does not specifically describe the geographic scope of the FWCC's evaluation of "other portions of state waters" for manatee sightings and assumed inhabitation on a periodic or continuous basis. Subsection 370.12(2)(g), Florida Statutes, suggests that the evaluation of manatee sightings is appropriate for large portions of navigable waterways, such as the Indian River between St. Lucie Inlet and Jupiter Inlet. A "waterway" is generally defined as "a navigable body of water." (Webster's Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary, p. 1333.) Rule 68C-22.001(3)(a)2.f., Florida Administrative Code, contemplates a qualitative assessment of the "likelihood of threat" to manatees. The only reference is to the "characteristics of the waterway in question." The rule does not mandate the geographic scope of a "threat evaluation." The FWCC analyzed various data on different scales depending upon the nature of the inquiry - the evaluation of sighting "frequency" generally considered a large geographical area such as a section of a river. Conversely, the regulatory alternatives to protect manatees were evaluated at a smaller or finer scale. The Commission also considered segments of waterways divided by causeways or natural barriers. The Commission considered research that divided Brevard County (north of Eau Gallie) into 12 zones for purposes of analysis. In the Brevard County Manatee Protection Plan, the waterways were analyzed in terms of seven "planning zones," to include review of physical characteristics such as bathymetry and sedimentological conditions, shoreline conditions, and water quality; Manatee Habitat Features, including sea grass, mangrove/salt marsh, freshwater sources, warm water refugia, calving and resting areas, feeding areas, travel corridors, and habitat protection; Manatee Data including manatee abundance and distribution and manatee mortality; boat facilities; boating activity patterns; waterspouts areas; and manatee zones. The Commission's consideration of waterway characteristics and manatee behavior during the Brevard County rule-making process, including the geographic scope of manatee inhabitation and threat from watercraft, was reasonable and consistent with the approach taken by other resource management agencies and researchers as contemplated by the statutory purpose. Proximity and Degree of Known Boating Activities FWCC evaluated available boating activity information in assessing threat. Staff considered the general analysis of boating activity and detailed analysis of boating activity in specific portions of Brevard County as provided in the County's MPP; included therein were maps that show locations of the County's 72 marinas and 65 boat ramps, of which 27 are public ramps. Also considered was the study of Brevard County-Wide Boating Activity by Dr. J. Morris, of the Morris of Florida Institute of Technology. Dr. Morris' inquiry resulted in the following specific finding. First, Brevard County residents are the primary ones who launch at boat ramps, followed by residents of Orange, Osecola, Seminole, Indian River and Volusia counties. Second, the Inter Costal Waterways experiences increases in transient traffic during late fall and winter months, including out-of-state boats. Third, Class One boats (16 to 25 feet) are the most observed type, followed by Class A (less than 16 feet) vessels. Fourth, most boating activity occurs during weekends. Fifth, the greatest concentrations of boats were in specific areas such as NASA causeway (SR 405, Indian River), East Canaveral Barge Canal, SR 520 and the Banana River (the Merritt Island Causeway), the Pineda Causeway (SR 404, Banana River), the Melbourne Causeway (Indian River), near Grant Island Farm, the Sebastian River and the Sebastian Inlet. Dr. Morris concluded that the boating public preferred to cruise the waters of the lagoons with the marked channels and use Indian and Banana Rivers as highways for recreational boating purposes. The United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) closed a portion of the northern Banana River within the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge to public boat entry, limiting public entry to wading or by non-motorized vessels. The closed area has one of the largest concentrations of manatees in the United States, and recently has been the most important springtime habitat for the east coast manatee population. As a result of the March 1990 closing to motorized boats, an average increase of manatee use observed during the summer months in the area increased by 60 percent. The increased use is attributed to improved habitat quality aided by the lack of human disturbance and reduced propeller scarring of sea grass. In December of 1994, Dr. Morris submitted a report, "An Investigation of Compliance to Boat Speed Regulations in Manatee Protection Zones in Brevard County, Florida." This report contained an analysis from on-water and aerial observations in both "slow speed" and "idle speed" zones in various areas of Brevard County for a one-year period of April 1993 to April 1994. At Mosquito Lagoon, of 1,214 boats observed, speeds were clocked for 98 percent of the boats and 11 percent of those exceeded the posted Inter Costal Waterways 30 MPH speed limit, all of which were recreational boats. At the Indian River site between Grant and Sebastian, 2,511 boats were observed, speeds were clocked for 97 percent of the boats and 16 percent of those exceeded the posted ICW 30 MPH speed limit. In posted "slow speed" zones outside the ICW channel, 25 percent of boats observed underway were deemed non- compliant with the speed zone limitation. Of those non-compliant Class A powerboats, the violators were typically personal watercrafts ("Jet Ski" type vessels.) A detailed boater activity study was made of the Canaveral Barge Canal and Sykes Creek Area. The study found, in part, that: highest boating use occurred during holidays, except during bad weather; most use occurred on weekends; and in Canaveral Barge Canal and Sykes Creek 63 percent of the vessels were Class 1 boats and 74.3 percent of the vessels were Class 2 or Class 3 boats. INCREASED LEVEL OF BOATING ACTIVITY IN BREVARD COUNTY In general, the level of boating activity in Brevard County continues to increase with the increasing population, launching facilities, and boat registrations in Brevard County and nearby counties, including Orange and Seminole counties. In 2000, 34,316 vessels were registered in Brevard County. In the preceding year there were 31,842 vessels registered. In 1995, 28,147 boats were registered and in 1987, 23,352 boats were registered in Brevard County. In 2000, Florida registered 840,684 recreational vessels, an increase over the 695,722 vessels registered in 1994. Boating accidents increased with the increased registration of vessels with Brevard County ranking 10th out of the state's 67 counties with the number of boating accidents. Brevard County, since mid-1990's, has registered an increased number of "flats skiffs" which are shallow draft, low profile motorboats capable of speeds up to 50-60 MPH while operating in shallow (about 1 foot) water and often used for sight-fishing in shallow sea grass flats. SEASONAL AND/OR YEAR-ROUND PATTERNS OF MANATEE USE AND THE NUMBER OF MANATEES KNOWN OR ASSUMED TO OCCUR IN, OR SEASONALLY USE THE AREA FWCC staff evaluated whether seasonal restrictions could or would be effective. Staff concluded that the only seasonal regulation of motorboats justifiable by the data was at the power plant discharges in the Indian River. At those locations, extreme concentrations of manatees are regular during the cold season. Year-round manatee protections were proposed for this area, but they would have to be more restrictive during the winter months. During the coldest periods of winter, following a strong cold front, manatees have been observed in large concentrations in: the power plant discharges at Florida Power and Light Company's Indian River plant and at the adjacent Reliant Energy Plant and the Sebastian River Canal. The congregation of manatees at thermal refuges on cold winter days was not for the duration of the winter season. They have been known to leave the thermal refuge for a part of a day, a day, or for many days at a time. Sharon Tyson, observer, performed a detailed Brevard County Manatee Photo-Identification Project during late 1999 and early 2000 at the Brevard County power plants, and documented a number of manatees in the FPL discharge zone between December 24, 1999, and March 4, 2000. During that period the number of manatees in the zone varied greatly, through late-December to mid-January (from 7 to 57 manatees). On January 16, 2000, no manatees were present. On January 17, 2000, 10 manatees were present. On January 23, 2000, 29 manatees were counted. Two weeks later, February 6, 2000, 111 manatees were present. Similar sightings made at the C-54 Canal Structure (near Sebastian Creek), during the same time-period, found as few as 11 manatees to as many as 90 manatees. Apart from the extreme concentration of manatees during extremely cold periods, manatees are distributed through the county waterways during each season of the year. The 1997-1999 Brevard County Aerial Survey GIS Plots gave a clear representation of year-round manatee distribution patterns varying greatly. MANATEE MORTALITY TRENDS WITHIN THE AREA Only in rare cases is the approximate or actual location of a manatee and motorboat collision known. The FWCC considered and relied upon a review of the general trend of watercraft-related (and other) mortality County-wide to assess a generalized increased mortality trend. In doing so as part of the rule-making process, FWCC reviewed total manatee mortality for Brevard County for the period for which records existed from 1974 to 2000. That data base source indicated increasing watercraft mortality in recent years. FWCC evaluated manatee salvage data for January-March 2001 and preliminary information for April-May 2001. Staff employee, Scott Calleson's working file mortality information was reviewed and considered as was Dr. Ackerman's "Mortality Rates White Paper," which concluded that human-caused manatee mortality levels were at an unsustainable rate in the Atlantic, Brevard County, Tampa Bay, and Southwest Florida Regions. The Florida Inland Navigation District provided documentation that was considered in the FWCC rule making that included a regional evaluation of "Watercraft Related Manatee Deaths in the Nine Critical Counties of FIND" from 1990-1999. Of these nine critical east coast counties, Brevard County had the highest mortality trend. During the last two-to-three years, there has not been a clear trend of increased manatee mortality in Brevard County, but the number of watercraft-related mortalities is capable of being reduced, in part, through improved regulations. Historical manatee mortality data for Brevard County from 1977 through 2000 demonstrates a clearly increasing trend in watercraft-related manatee mortality. For each five-year increment, water-related manatee mortality has increased as follows: from 1977-1979 there were an average of 1.9 water-related mortalities/year; 1980-1985 there were 4.6 mortalities/year; 1986-1990 there were 7 mortalities/year; 1991-1995 there were 8.8 mortalities/year; and 1996-2000 there were 11.8 mortalities/year. EXISTENCE OF FEATURES WITHIN THE AREA THAT ARE ESSENTIAL TO THE SURVIVAL OF, OR KNOWN TO ATTRACT, MANATEES SUCH AS SEAGRASSES, FAVORABLE WATER DEPTHS, AND FRESH OR WARM WATER SOURCES Dr. Deutsch stated that his telemetry analysis indicated that the most important habitat correlation for Brevard County manatees was with sea grass, and in particular, often with outer edge of sea grass beds. Manatees prefer feeding on submerged, emergent and floating vegetation, generally in that order. Manatees extensively use Brevard County sea grass beds for feeding. Sea grass coverage is depicted on the Florida Department of Environmental Protection's Boater's Guide to Brevard County, which has no date, but was prepared by the DEP. Sea grass coverage in 1989 is depicted in the 2000 maps prepared by the STMC, using the Atlas of Marine Resources, Versions 1.2 and 1.3b. The most recent St. Johns River Water Management District sea grass coverage data for the Indian River Lagoon indicates a strong correlation between sea grass coverage in waters with an average depth of 66.93 inches (1.7 meters) or less. As of 1992, of the estimated 46.190 acres of sea grass in Brevard County, nine percent of the sea grass suffered light scarring from boat activity; 4.2 percent of the sea grass suffered moderate scarring; and 13.4 percent of the sea grass suffered severe scarring. Areas with boat scarring of sea grass included a number of areas that are included within proposed "slow speed" zones: the eastern portion of Turnbill Basin; the eastern shoreline of the Indian River between the NASA railroad bridge and Rinkers Canal; the Banana River around Manatee Cove and south of the City Golf Course; the northwest part of Newfound Harbor; and the western shoreline of the Banana River, between Newfound Harbor and Pineda Causeway. The location of the proposed manatee protection zones corresponds well to the location of sea grass beds, deeper waters and channels adjacent to sea grass beds or established migratory routes, and fresh warm water sources. FAVORABLE WATER DEPTHS Dr. Deutsch stated that his telemetry analysis indicated that bathymetry is an important habitat correlate for Brevard County. Generally, tagged manatees were observed in the area from a two-meter (6.65 feet) depth contour to the shoreline. FWCC consideration of "favorable water depths" took into account the fact that water levels fluctuate in the Indian River Lagoon. However, unlike many coastal areas of Florida, the Indian River Lagoon does not experience significant daily tidal fluctuation. On an annual basis, however, the water level fluctuates about 2.5 to 3 feet in response to environmental conditions. It was determined to be impractical to amend manatee protection rules (and to move regulatory signs implementing the rules) in response to changing water levels. Manatees usually swim between one to three meters (3.28 to 9.84 feet) below the surface, surfacing every few minutes to breathe, and typically feed at just below the surface to a depth of three meters. Manatee experts, including persons with extensive experience observing manatee behavior in Brevard County, all testified that manatees used areas where the water level at the time was less than three feet for mating, feeding, fleeing a pack of male manatees, and resting. The FWCC used a bathymetric survey prepared on behalf of the St. Johns River Water Management District for purposes of establishing preferred sea grass habitats during the rule-making and considered the bathymetry in conjunction with other data to predict areas where manatees are likely to inhabit. The St. Johns District advised the FWCC staff that the 1.7-meter depth on its bathymetric survey was the rough depth limit for sea grass, and provided the FWCC staff with a GIS file on the bathymetric survey at 0.3-meter depth intervals for most areas, although the approximate sea grass contour was shown as 1.5 to 1.7 meters. Surveys are tied to a horizontal datum and a vertical datum. A survey depicts the three-dimensional lagoon basin, part of the spheroid planet Earth, on a two-dimensional map. The hydrographic survey data used by the FWCC in the rule-making was based upon a survey tied to a horizontal datum - North American Datum (NAD) 83/90; and a vertical datum - North American Vertical Datum of 1988 (NAVD-88). The horizontal and vertical accuracy of the survey differs. Positional accuracy of horizontal (e.g. shorelines) points is within 1 to 5 meters (3.28 to 16.4 feet). Vertical accuracy of depth data points averages within .03 feet. The hydrographic survey states that it is not to be used for navigation - - "The use of NAVD-88 for the bathymetric survey gives the impression of deeper water than is actually present within the lagoon since the "0" contour of NAVD-88 is located on dry land approximately 1 foot above the ordinary water line." Manatee distribution from aerial surveys and 1992 bathymetry data was graphically depicted by the STMC and confirms manatee use of areas proposed for regulation in the proposed rules. FRESH WATER SOURCES FWCC considered and relied upon major fresh water sources that have been historically used by manatees such as: Turnbull Creek; Titusville Marina/POTW; Addison Canal; the two Indian River power plants; two wells along the eastern shoreline of the Indian River approximately two miles south of Rinkers Canal; the intersection of Bacardi and Dakar Drive in Sykes Creek; the Cape Canaveral POTW (sewer plant); the Banana River Marina; the outfall into the Indian River from the east shore of Merritt Island westerly of the south end of Newfound Harbor; the Indian River Isles; the Eau Gallie River; Crane Creek; Turkey Creek; and the Sebastian River. Also considered were less significant sources of fresh water found at many marina basins, at the Sear Ray Boats, Inc. facilities and in residential canals. WARM WATER SOURCES FWCC considered major warm water sources in the two Indian River power plants and the Sebastian River Canal. Minor sources of warm water include deeper water and areas with artesian springs such as: Port Canaveral; a basin off Wynar Street in Sykes Creek; the Banana River Marina; and the Berkeley Canals. CHARACTERISTICS OF THE WATERWAY IN QUESTION IN RELATION TO KNOWN BOATING ACTIVITY PATTERNS FWCC considered, as its basic source document, Morris' Final Report for Brevard County Boating Activity Study. Boating activity patterns in Brevard County are dependent upon weather, economic conditions, and other factors. Larger motorboats (including tug/barge combinations) are constrained in movement to deeper water--in some areas, primarily within marked or maintained navigation channels including the Canaveral Locks, Canaveral Barge Canal, ICW, and Banana River main channel. In the Indian River, south of the NASA railroad bridge, the deeper area outside of the marked channel widens to between half-a-mile to a mile with depths ranging from seven to 12 feet MLLW, all the way to Rock Point, just north of Grant. For most of the length of the County, larger boats have sufficient water depth to travel adjacent to the ICW channel. Waters outside the main channel in the Banana River are relatively shallow. The Canaveral Barge Canal is dredged to maintain a depth of approximately 15 feet. Barges and escorting tugs navigate through the Canaveral Locks and into the ICW. Some barges proceed northward from the Canaveral Locks into the Banana River channel to make deliveries to the Space Center, according to the Lockmaster, Mr. Querry. Sea Ray Boats, Inc.'s, design and production facilities located along the Canaveral Barge Canal use the Canal to access testing areas to the west in the Indian River ICW, to the east in the Banana River channel, and in the Atlantic Ocean. Limited retests are permitted in an area adjacent to the Canaveral Barge Canal facilities. Recreational motorboats and personal watercrafts can be operated outside of marked channels. Some of these recreational motorboats can navigate "on plane" and up to 60 MPH in water about one-foot deep. Motorboat users engage in a variety of activities having differing operational patterns. Fishers might prefer to travel at relatively high speed enroute to preferred fishing areas, and then operate with a push pole, trolling motor or adrift, in order to hunt certain species of fish. If no fish are located, then high-speed operation to another spot is used, repeating the pattern of locating fish by sight. Water-skiers usually operate at high speed in a relatively small area, usually protected from the wind, and often located near an island or park. BOAT-MANATEE INTERACTIONS FWCC considered that manatees display varying reactions to motorboats. Higher speed motorboat operation in relatively shallow water presents a greater threat to manatees than operation at slow speed or idle speed or than operation in relatively deeper waters, since manatees have fewer opportunities to avoid the collision. Manatees can swim or rest at the surface or underwater and must come to the surface to breathe air every two to three minutes for smaller, active manatees and up to 20 minutes for large, resting manatees. Their general cruising speed is two to six miles per hour, but they can travel at short bursts up to 15 MPH. Boats operated at "slow speed" vary in miles-per-hour over the bottom within a range of about seven to eight miles-per- hour. At "slow speed," the manatee and vessel operator have more time to avoid collision, or the manatee can avoid serious blunt trauma injury from collisions with most vessels. The ability of manatees to avoid being hit by motorboats has diminished in Brevard County as a result of an increase in the manatee population, increase of motorboats, increase in boating access points, and development and use of faster boats that operate in less-predicable (non-linear) patterns in relatively shallow waters where manatees often feed on submerged vegetation. TESTIMONY REGARDING MOTORBOAT-MANATEE INTERACTION Officer Dennis Harrah, qualified as expert in boating safety, marine law enforcement, and local knowledge of the waterways of Brevard County, testified that "slow speed" zones provide greater reaction time for the vessel operator to avoid collision than unrestricted speed areas and than the "25 MPH maximum speed" areas. He further testified that "idle speed" zones provide greater reaction time for vessel operators to avoid collision than "slow speed" areas. Dr. John Reynolds, qualified as expert in marine mammal conservation and policy, manatee biology and behavioral ecology of marine mammals, opined, based on frequent observation of motorboat-manatee interactions, review of videotapes of such interactions, and review of studies on the subject, that there is an increased threat to manatees associated with boats that operate in planing speeds as opposed to slow speeds. His opinion is based, in part, on "common sense" that objects moving faster have greater momentum and therefore greater magnitude of impact, and on the reduced reaction time of both vessel operators and manatees to avoid collision. Dr. Reynolds was not aware of any evidence to suggest that the majority of watercraft strikes to manatees are from vessels operating at "slow speed," and it is his belief that "a good percentage of manatee mortality was from fast-moving vessels." Ms. Spellman, qualified as expert in marine biology and in manatee rescue and salvage, testified that she had observed considerable variability in manatees' reactions to kayaks, canoes and windsurfers, including manatees approaching the vessel, manatees not reacting at all, and manatees swimming away. She has observed manatee reactions to small motorboats as highly variant, depending upon the animal, including: swimming under a slow-moving motorboat, moving just as a motorboat approaches at idle speed, or diving and leaving the area as soon as a motorboat got anywhere near. Ms. Spellman testified, based upon her presence in the waters of the Canaveral Barge Canal or in the Port east of the Locks, that she has been in the water with manatees on five occasions when a barge/tug combination came by and in all cases the manatees reacted to the barge well in advance of the barge coming near her and the manatee, and that in each instance the manatee swam to within 15 to 20 feet of the shoreline. Of the thousands of times that she has seen manatees, she estimated that 95 percent of the time the manatees had scars from boat propellers or skegs. Dr. Powell testified, based upon over 30 years of observation of boat-manatee interactions, that the typical reaction is a flight or startle response, often to dive to deeper water. The diving response may take the manatee under the boat, away from the boat, or across the path of the boat. Based on his observations, including manatees reacting to motorboats moving at "idle-speed," "slow-speed" and at "faster-speeds," Dr. Powell opined that the manatees' reactions resulted from acoustical cues, visual cues, and perhaps pressure cues. Captain Singley, tugboat operator in Brevard County for over 30 years, observed a group of manatees react to a fast moving planing hull; some animals broke the surface, others scattered to the right or left, and others dove to the bottom. Mr. Walden, Sea Ray's Boat, Inc.'s, performance and water test specialist, testified that he had observed manatees in the Barge Canal, and sometimes the manatees would react to the motorboat. The majority of time when the boat was operating at planing speed or faster the manatee would dive and go deeper, and would began evasive action, upon hearing and noticing the motorboat a couple of hundred feet away. Dr. Gerstein testified that fast moving boats can hit manatees and that he was not aware of any physical evidence, eye- witness account, or law enforcement report of a slow-moving boat hitting a manatee. STUDIES ABOUT MOTORBOAT-MANATEE INTERACTION KNOWN BOAT STRIKES FWCC considered that watercraft collisions with manatees are rarely reported to authorities, and, as a result, it is difficult to directly assess the circumstances of such collisions, such as boat size, type and speed at the time of collision. A summary entitled "Watercraft-related Manatee Deaths Where the Responsible Vessel is Known," indicates that barges, displacement hull vessels, and planing hull vessels are known to have been in fatal collisions with manatees. In those planing- hull incidents where the vessels and estimated speed are known, the speed of the vessel ranged from getting-up-on-plane (45-foot boat with twin 425 HP outboard motors) to 35 MPH (18-foot boat with 150 outboard motor). Two other incidents were a 46-foot boat with twin inboard motors operating at 18 knots and a 20- foot boat with 200 HP outboard operating at 20 MPH. The only indication that a slow-moving planing-hull vessel struck a manatee is a report from an individual who was operating at estimated five MPH in a flat hull vessel and reported to have "felt a bump on aft hull, saw two animals (manatees) swam off." PROTECTION OF MANATEE-SEA GRASS HABITAT FWCC considered protection of sea grass habitat a secondary purpose in the Proposed Rule for areas subject to Section 370.12(2)(m), Florida Statutes. The Florida Guide To Recreational Boating notes that: Sea grass beds have been severely scarred (torn up) by boats operated in extremely shallow water. This is due, in part, to the "flats fishing craze" and the rising popularity of vessels designed to operate in shallow water. The Guide recommends that operators set the boat's drive unit at the highest possible setting and that the operator "proceed at idle speed when moving through shallow grass beds." Dr. Reynolds testified that "idle speed" or "slow speed" shoreline buffer zones provide greater sea grass protection (and manatee conservation) than higher motorboat speeds. The Executive Director of the Indian River Guides Association testified that the group is promoting "pole and troll" areas within the Merritt Island National Wildlife refuge portions of the Indian River Lagoon. He stated that many people from Orlando and elsewhere bring their boats by trailers to Brevard County, or move to Brevard County, and operate their boats so as to tear up seagrass beds. FWCC correctly concluded that "slow speed" and "idle speed" zones provide a greater measure of protection to shallow seagrass beds than do higher speeds for motorboats. DATA SOURCES CONSIDERED BY FWCC IN PROMULGATING THE PROPOSED RULE Differing Opinions About Manatee Protection Areas FWCC's Opinion The FWCC, based on the following, took the position that the proposed rules are more likely to protect manatees from motorboat impacts than the existing rules, and that the proposed rules take advantage of the available science of manatee biology and conservation, using the same basic approach used in manatee conservation by officials in Australia to protect dugongs (another Sirenian) from motorboats. The FWCC postulates that "idle speed" and "slow speed" zones provide greater protection to manatees than do higher motorboat speeds. "Maximum 25 MPH" speed zones in deeper water areas provide greater manatee protection than do unregulated waters. Most motorboats observed operating in unregulated areas (outside "slow speed" or "idle speed" zones) in Brevard County, during Dr. Morris' boating compliance study, were operating at or below 25 MPH. The FWCC correctly concludes that "maximum 25 MPH" speed was reasonable in light of research into the minimum planing speed of most recreational motorboat models, the observations of typical motorboat speed and operation in unregulated waters of Brevard County. The FWCC considered 1997 DEP-solicited information from motorboat manufacturers to determine minimum planing speeds and maximum planing speeds, and draft on- and off-plane for various sizes and types of motorboats. Considered also by the FWCC was boating test literature to determine that most boat models could reach planing speed at or slightly below 25 MPH. The FWCC considered information that was submitted showing that many production boats reached planing speed between 20-25 MPH. For example, Scout Boats' 11 models planed between 20- 25 MPH, and Shamrock's 13 models planed between 20-25 MPH. The Florida Marine Research Institute's 1992 information on this topic found a range of minimum planing speed between 14 and 24 MPH. Motorboats operating at speeds higher than 25 MPH are many. Ranger Boats offered several models with maximum speed in the "upper 60's" to "low 70's"; Scout Boats' models had top speeds of 35-60 MPH; Shamrock's models ran at the top end between 36-41 MPH; Donzi Boats operate at speeds in the 70 MPH range; and Bayliner's Capri 1700LS had a top speed of 46 MPH, as did Stingray's 180RS. Since the FWCC's creation, speed zone rules adopted for Lee County included maximum 25 MPH zones. Rule 68C-22.005, Florida Administrative Code for Brevard County has regulated motorboats with a "maximum 25 MPH" speed in channels. Commission staff applied their professional judgment in developing recommendations on manatee protection areas, and presented those recommendations to the FWCC, who considered staff recommendation, in context with public comment, to determine what manatee protections were warranted. PETITIONERS' OPINIONS The various Petitioners advocate manatee protection zones that, in many cases, are similar to the FWCC's proposed rules, including "slow speed" shoreline buffer zones and "maximum 25 MPH channels." Petitioners' challenge to many of the protection zones alleges that FWCC's basic regulatory mechanisms are flawed. FEDERAL LAWSUIT-SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT On or about January 13, 2000, STMC and other related environmental groups filed a lawsuit in the Federal District Court against Alan Egbert as Executive Director of the FWCC. The suit alleged, inter alia, that the FWCC is in violation of the Endangered Species Act by permitting the unauthorized taking of manatees in the State of Florida. During the pendency of the litigation, FWCC engaged in a series of mediations resulting in a settlement agreement approved by FWCC and executed by the parties in April 2001. The agreement contained a series of maps with draft manatee (speed) zones for Brevard County. Petitioners alleged that "the genesis of the Proposed Rule is this settlement agreement reached in the Egbert case, and there is a definite connection between the language of the Proposed Rule being challenged and the settlement agreement." Petitioners' speculative conclusion regarding this suit was tendered without one iota of evidence. Mr. Calleson, FWCC's staff employee, acknowledged that portions of existing speed zones and proposed speed zones in maps resulting from the federal mediation process contained a "lot of similarities" with speed zones in maps of the proposed rule. Mr. Calleson acknowledged that the FWCC did not direct staff to conduct negotiated rule-making on the proposed rule, and staff participation in the federal mediation process was not a negotiated rule-making process pursuant to Section 120.54(2), Florida Statutes, which provides, in pertinent part: (d)1. An agency may use negotiated rulemaking in developing and adopting rules. The agency should consider the use of negotiated rulemaking when complex rules are being drafted or strong opposition to the rules is anticipated. The agency should consider, but is not limited to considering, whether a balanced committee of interested persons who will negotiate in good faith can be assembled, whether the agency is willing to support the work of the negotiating committee, and whether the agency can use the group consensus as the basis for its proposed rule. Negotiated rulemaking uses a committee of designated representatives to draft a mutually acceptable proposed rule. * * * 3. The agency's decision to use negotiated rulemaking, its selection of the representative groups, and approval or denial of an application to participate in the negotiated rulemaking process are not agency action. Nothing in this subparagraph is intended to affect the rights of an affected person to challenge a proposed rule developed under this paragraph in accordance with s. 120.56(2). THOMAS MCGILL PETITIONERS Most of the McGill Petitioners support the adoption of rules that are consistent with the Citizens for Florida Waterway, Inc. (CFW), proposal submitted on December 29, 2000. The CFW proposal endorsed the use of "slow speed" zones, the use of "maximum 25 MPH zones," existing power plants "idle speed" and "motorboat prohibited" zones, and the use of shoreline buffers. The CFW proposal differed from the proposed rules primarily in scope of the proposed zones, rather than the nature of the proposed zones. The CFW proposal recommended numerous 25 MPH channels (in marked channels) through protected areas: from the Canaveral Locks through the Canaveral Barge Canal to the Indian River (except for three slow-speed boating safety zones); in North Sykes Creek; in the Banana River north of State Road 528 and between Bicentennial Park to the State Road 520 Relief Bridge. STANDING WATCH, INC. Stowell Robertson, one co-Petitioner of Standing Watch, Inc., is Executive Director of the Indian River Guides Association, Inc. (Guides). Mr. Robertson wrote the Guides' Recommendations, but his personal recommendation differed in two respects: in the North Indian River between NASA railroad bridge and the State Road 405 bridge, he would establish a "slow speed" zone from the western shoreline out to 500 feet (instead of 300); and he would impose a maximum 25 MPH speed in the Canaveral Barge Canal instead of 20 MPH. The Guides recommended that motorboat speed and operation be limited as follow: Mosquito Lagoon-make no changes to existing rule Turnbull Basin, North Indian River Create two "slow speed" zones in Turnbull - one in the Mimms Scottsmoor Canal, another from Jones Road boat ramp to Little Flounder Creek from the shore to 100 feet into the Basin; Set a new "slow speed" zone on the north side of the NASA railroad causeway and bridge out to 250 feet; Set a maximum 25 MPH in the ICW from Haulover Canal to the NASA railroad bridge; Take no further action [to change regulations]. Indian River, NASA railroad bridge to S.R. 402 Place "slow speed" zones on the south side of the NASA railroad bridge and causeway out to 250 feet; Reduce the [existing] west shoreline "slow speed" zone so that the western boundary is 350 feet from the ICW between markers R2 and G1; Set a maximum 25 MPH in the ICW; Take no further action [to change regulations] Indian River, State Road 406 to State Road 402 (1) and (2) Replace eastern "slow speed" zone with reduced "slow speed" zone extending from Peacock's Pocket to the existing "slow speed zone north of the State Road 405 Causeway, extending from shore to 250 feet west of the sand bar/drop off or three feet of water; Reduce the size of the "slow speed" zone north of State Road 405 Causeway to 300 feet; Reduce the size of the existing western shoreline "slow speed" zone to 500 feet from shoreline; Take no further action [to change regulations]. Indian River, State Road 405 to State Road 528 Bridge Close the warm water refuge sites at the power plants to manatees, not to boats; Deliver fuel to the power plants by land; Reduce the existing "slow speed" zone on the western shoreline to 1,000 feet from the shore; Take no further action [to change regulations]. Canaveral Barge (and Banana River to Locks) Maximum 20 MPH channel from Indian River to entrance to Canaveral Locks with "slow speed" zones at 100 feet either side of State Road 3 bridge, Sea Ray docks, Harbor Square Marina; Take no further action (to change regulations). Banana River (1) (2) All waters of Banana River, including channels, not otherwise regulated at "slow speed" should have 25 MPH limit; Reduce all existing "slow speed" zones along east and west shorelines, causeways, and bridges to 500 feet of shore; Retain existing "slow speed" zones in the two channels into "Long Point"[north and south ends of Canaveral Sewer Plant area]; Take no further actions [to change regulations]. Newfound Harbor (1) (2) All waters of Newfound Harbor, including channels, not otherwise regulated at "slow speed" should have a 25 PMH daytime limit and 20 MPH nighttime limit; Establish a "slow speed" zone along western shoreline from State Road 520 south to Two Islands; Establish a "slow speed" zone along eastern shoreline from State Road 520 south to the inside point north of Buck Point; The east and west "slow speed" zones be 500 feet from shorelines, and 200 feet[along northern shore] from S.R. 520; Take no further action. Sykes Creek North State Road 520 Set speed limit in marked channel at 20 MPH; All residential canals should be "slow speed"; Take no further action. Indian River State Road 528 to State Road 520 Establish 500 foot "slow speed" zones along western and eastern shorelines and 200 feet from causeways and bridges; Take no further action. Indian River State Road 520 to State Road 404 Establish 500 foot "slow speed" zones along western and eastern shorelines and 200 feet from causeway bridges; Take no further action. Indian River State Road 404 to State Road 518 Establish 500 foot "slow speed" zones along western and eastern shorelines and 200 feet from causeways and bridges; Take no further action. Indian River State Road 518 to State Road 192 Establish 500 foot "slow speed" zones along western and eastern shorelines and 200 feet from causeways and bridges; Establish Eau Gallie River "slow speed" zone with 20 MPH speed limit in marked channel daytime only, "slow speed" at night; Take no further action. Indian River (1) Establish 500 foot "slow speed" zones along western and eastern shorelines and 200 feet from causeways and bridges; (2)-(5) Crane Creek, Turkey Creek, St. Sebastian River, C-54 canal should be "slow speed"; Take no further action. Mr. James Kalvin, Standing Watch co-Petitioner and also President of Standing Watch, Inc., testified at deposition that neither he, nor the corporation, had any objection to the existing Brevard County manatee protection rules. SPECIFIC PROPOSED ZONES CHALLENGED The Petitioners' Challenge All Petitioners challenged the validity of Proposed Rule 68C-22.006, as "an invalid exercise of delegated legislative authority" as that phrase is defined in Section 120.52(8), Florida Statutes. MCGILL PETITIONERS The McGill Petitioners challenged the proposed rule amendment for Brevard County manatee protection areas, Proposed Rule 68C-22.006 (2)(d)2, 5, 6, 7, 8, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, and 18, as an invalid exercise of delegated legislative authority. They allege that additional slow speed zones in Brevard County are invalid because the FWCC exceeded the authority granted in Section 370.12(2), Florida Statutes. McGill Petitioners based their allegations on the FWCC's lack of definable principles or data and an erroneously assumed cause-effect relationship for boat-manatee collisions, failure by the FWCC to consider the hearing limitations and capabilities of manatees in their environment, and a failure by the FWCC to employ standards and definitions for critical terms in its rule promulgation. At the final hearing, McGill Petitioners agreed that they do not object to that portion of Proposed Rule 68C- 22.006(2)(d)15 that reduces the width of the slow-speed zone in the Banana River between State Road 528 and State Road 520 causeways. Petitioners do, in fact, object to removal of the 25 MPH exemption for residential channels. The McGill Petitioners' position as set forth in their Prehearing Stipulation states: The Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission has exercised unbridled discretion and acted beyond the authority delegated in 370.12(2)(m), Florida Statutes, and has developed the proposed rule in an arbitrary and capricious manner. The proposed rule exceeds the delegated legislative authority because it is not based on scientifically definable principles or data. By failing to understand the root cause of watercraft mortality such as the manatee's inability to hear slow moving vessels, the Commission cannot deem their actions "necessary" to justify imposing speed restrictions as required by Section 370.12(2)(m), Florida Statutes. The Commission continues to impose speed motorboat restrictions even after finding that such restrictions are ineffective at preventing manatee mortality. The Commission relies on a flawed mortality database, a poor understanding of the limitations and applicability of satellite telemetry data, and lack of standards and definitions for critical terms. [emphasis added] The McGill Petitioners' Amended Petition alleged in paragraph 6: The Commission has not employed the best available science or even reasonable science. . . . aerial survey and telemetry data were misapplied. . . . in that areas that did not reflect frequent usage . . . were designated . . . slow speed zones. Also, the use of inaccurate telemetry tracking information was used as the basis for justifying areas where aerial survey data showed no manatee activity. . . . In support of their alleged inaccuracy of the satellite telemetry data, Petitioners presented the testimony of Mr. Dvorak and his Power-point Presentation of Aerial Survey Mortality, Telemetry and Bathymetry Assessment, and other technical papers. Mr. Dvorak did not include in his presentation/analysis survey data available on the Atlas or Marine Resources and did not include all telemetry data available from the United States Geological Survey, which was included in Dr. Deutsch's analysis presented for Respondent, FWCC. The Amended McGill Petition, paragraphs 10 and 12, stated: The McGill Petitioners advised the FWCC that creation of new "slow speed" zones was based upon incorrect assumption "that such slow speed zones alleviate collisions between vessels and manatee" and they suggested that "slow moving vessels are responsible for the majority of documented manatee collisions." McGill Petitioners' evidence proffered to demonstrate that "slow moving vessels are responsible for the majority of documented manatee collisions," consisted of inclusive studies and undocumented theories to demonstrate that slow speed zones do not alleviate collisions between vessels and manatees. FWCC considered an abundance of the best evidence of known or suspected collisions between vessels and manatees that demonstrated that "fast moving motorboats" are a known major source of manatee- vessel collisions. The McGill Petitioners further stated in paragraph 11 that: The rule does not consider the acoustic realities of the manatee's hearing limitations and its environment. McGill Petitioners presented the testimony of Dr. Edmund Gerstein regarding his measurements of the manatees' ability to hear noises. Dr. Gerstein concluded from his research that manatees have difficulty hearing and locating low-frequency sounds (below 400Hz), and they have difficulty detecting sounds of any frequency when it is not sufficiently louder than the ambient noise level. The testimony of Dr. Joseph Blue was given in support of the McGill Petitioners' position that low-frequency sounds are quickly attenuated in shallow water because of the Lloyd Mirror effect. Upon this foundation, Dr. Blue testified that since sound is shadowed ahead of the barge(s), the tugs that push the fuel oil barges between Prot Canaveral and the power plants on the Indian River emit low-frequency sound that is shadowed in the forward direction by the barge(s) and it would be undetectable to animals. Thus, the McGill Petitioners' witnesses concluded that there are acoustic consequences associated with slowing down boats. According to Dr. Gerstein, requiring motor boats to travel a slow speed deprives manatees of acoustic information they can use to detect, localize, and avoid boats. It is this "science of acoustics" Petitioners alleged that the FWCC gave no weight in promulgating the proposed rule. The FWCC considered the issues raised by acoustic studies. The FWCC's Executive Director was advised on the subject by the Manatee Technical Advisory Committee (MATC) whose recommendation resulted from a workshop on acoustic research and technology with presentations of the work of Drs. Gerstein and Blue. No reliable scientific sources, professional literature, expert opinions, and direct observations of manatee reactions to motorboats, supports the proposition of Drs. Gerstein and Blue that manatees cannot hear slow-moving motorboats. The FWCC rejected the studies of Drs. Gerstein and Blue. McGill Petitioners' alleged in paragraphs 3, 4, 13, and 14, of their Amended Petition that the FWCC did not provide a reasonable opportunity for and ignored much of the public's input. In their Prehearing Stipulation, the McGill Petitioners' acknowledgement of public hearings held by FWCC and the opportunity for pubic input during those hearings. There is an abundance of evidence in the record that demonstrates that the FWCC staff held non-mandatory pre-rule development meetings with interested persons, including some of the McGill Petitioners. The Staff held two rule development workshops in Brevard County. Staff held a public hearing specifically on the Proposed Rules in Brevard County. Staff considered the rule adoption at many hours of public hearings on three different dates and locations. Staff mailed special notices regarding the Proposed Rules to all identified waterfront property owners of whom many are the McGill Petitioners, and Staff mailed a series of survey documents to identified boaters and businesses in conjunction with the preparation of a statement of estimated regulatory cost. (CSERC) In paragraphs 7 and 9 of their Amended Petition, the McGill Petitioners alleged that the FWCC entered into a Negotiated Rule-Making Process with litigants to the exclusion of a balanced committee in violation of 120.54(2)(d)1., Florida Statutes. Section 120.54(2)(a), Florida Statutes, authorizes an agency to engage in development of a "preliminary text" or "preliminary draft" of proposed rules prior to the publication of a notice of rule development. Preliminary maps of amendments to the BCMPR were similar to maps being discussed as part of the federal mediation. This fact alone is not a basis to conclude violation of the above-cited statutes. A second rule development workshop was noticed to discuss a preliminary copy of the Staff's "zone configuration" being considered. Subsequent to the second workshop, the FWCC authorized publication of Notice of Proposed Rule-making that incorporated changes to the preliminary draft maps that were discussed at the workshop. The McGill Petitioners, during the hearing, agreed that they do not object to that portion of Proposed Rule 68C-22.006(2)(d)15 that reduces the width of the slow-speed zone in the Banana River between State Road 528 and State Road 520 causeways. Petitioners do, in fact, object to removal of the 25 MPH exemption for residential channels. Petitioners offered no testimony in support of this allegation, choosing rather to adopt the evidence and position proffered by Standing Watch, Inc., herein below addressed. In paragraphs 5 and 15 of their Amended Petition, the McGill Petitioners alleged that the Commission did not properly address the consideration of lower cost regulatory alternatives. The "lower cost regulatory alternatives" submitted by McGill, Pritchard and Dvorak were considered and were discussed in the draft SERC. The draft SERC gave reasons for the rejection of each of the proposed "lower cost regulator alternatives," primarily because none would substantially accomplish the objectives of the law being implemented. The SERC was finalized, as required by Sections 120.541(1)(a) and (c); and 120.56(2)(b), Florida Statutes, before filing for adoption with the Secretary of State. In paragraph 17 of their Amended Petition, the McGill Petitioners alleged that the FWCC failed to employ metrics or standards that could be used to validate the effectiveness of both proposed and existing rules, in rule promulgation, and that without the use of metrics, the FWCC had no way to determine and verify that speed zones they propose are necessary to protect harmful collisions with motorboats. The McGill Petitioners proffered no evidence of specific "metrics or standards" that would validate the effectiveness of the existing and or the proposed rule they contend the FWCC could have or should have used in the Proposed Rule development. The FWCC relied upon the best available and reliable information in its rule-making, including opinions of experts. To the information available to it, the FWCC applied its professional judgment, gave consideration to public comments/concerns provided during public meetings, and considered the estimated regulatory costs and other applicable rule-making requirements. In paragraph 18 of their Amended Petition, the McGill Petitioners alleged that the FWCC repeatedly ignored requests to sub classify watercraft-related mortalities in order to properly identify appropriate corrective action. The FWCC considered all available data regarding manatee injury and death resulting from the speed of motor boats and rejected Petitioner's contention that boat size, large boats such as tugs and barges, were more dangerous to manatees than smaller and faster motorboats. Sea Ray Boat, Inc. Petitioner, Sea Ray Boats, Inc., challenged only Proposed Rule 68C-22.006(2)(d)(11) that modifies the existing manatee protection speed zones in the Canaveral Barge Canal (that is 200 feet wide with a 125-foot navigation channel maintained at a depth of 12.5 feet) such that the entire Canal will now be designated a "slow speed" zone. Sea Ray does not argue that the FWCC did not consider all available information or that FWCC's consideration of the information was not complete. Sea Ray's position is, were one to consider the information presented to the FWCC, as balanced against the federal lawsuit filed by Save the Manatee Club, Inc., the challenged Proposed Rule is the result of the latter not the former and, therefore, is an invalid delegation of legislative authority. Sea Ray alleges that the FWCC did not analyze nor address the adequacy of the existing rule and speed zones in effect in the Canaveral Barge Canal. Sea Ray alleged that the FWCC did not consider the alternative (with weekend boating increases over weekdays) whether the risk to manatees would be reduced by "restricting slow speed zones in the channel to weekend and holidays." Sea Ray alleged that the FWCC failed to apply "properly" the mandatory balancing test of the impact of the proposed rule on the rights of commercial and recreational boaters. Section 370.12(2)(j), Florida Statutes. Sea Ray argues that the FWCC's consideration of information in formulating the Proposed Rule was devoid of "ascertainable quantitative criteria, standards or analytical processes," that Sea Ray maintains is required by Section 370.12, Florida Statutes. Standing Watch, Inc. Standing Watch, Inc.'s, Second Amended Petition challenged and alleged that the proposed speed in proposed Rule 68C-22.006(2)(e) 1-5 is not based upon "competent, substantial evidence" and does not comport with Section 370.12(2), Florida Statutes. Paragraphs 38 and 39 alleged that the proposed speeds in the Proposed Rule 68C-22.006(2)(c) 1-6 and (2)(d) 1-18 are not based upon "competent, substantial evidence" and do not comport with Section 370.12(2), Florida Statutes. Standing Watch, in essence, challenges all "idle," "slow" and "25 MPH" maximum speed zones proposed. Standing Watch argues that the FWCC failed to "quantify" by rule or working definition such terms such as "frequent" and "seasonal" and failed to define the term "periodic." Therefore, without working definitions the FWCC had no "threshold" from which to determine whether manatees were "frequently sighted," and the proposed rule is, accordingly, invalid in its entirety. Thus, it is alleged that the FWCC made no independent findings based upon the data reviewed that manatees were "frequently sighted" in any specific area of Brevard County. Standing Watch alleged, "The genesis of the Proposed Rule is this settlement agreement reached in the Egbert case, and there is a definite connection between the language of the Proposed Rule being challenged and the settlement agreement." Mr. Calleson acknowledged that portions of existing speed zones and proposed speed zones in maps resulting from the federal mediation process contained a "lot of similarities" with the speed zones in maps of the Proposed Rule. The FWCC declined to direct staff to conduct negotiated rule-making on the Proposed Rule. Accordingly, staff's participation in the federal mediation process was not a negotiated rule-making process pursuant to Section 120.54(2), Florida Statutes. Continuing their argument, Standing Watch alleged that the FWCC without algorithms, formulae, protocols, matrices, mathematical models, or metrics made no separate determination for each zone and/or area (of the proposed rule) and had no factual basis for the identification of separate speed zones, rendering all determinations made by the Commission as arbitrary and capricious. Based upon the foregone foundation, Standing Watch challenged Proposed Rule 68C-22.006 in its entirety as arbitrary and capricious. City of Cocoa Beach Watersports Area Cocoa Beach intervened to challenge that portion of Proposed Rule 68C-22.006(2)(d)16, that "reduces allowable speeds in the area known as Banana River, Cocoa Beach Waterspouts Area." In support of its challenge, Cocoa Beach adopted the Proposed Final Order submitted on behalf of Petitioners, Standing Watch, Inc., Jim, Kavin, Thomas Mason, Dougals P. Jaren and Stowell Robertson. Additionally, Cocoa Beach relied upon "facts" particularly applicable to the Cocoa Beach (Waterspouts Area). Cocoa Beach alleged that prior to the Proposed Rule and subsequent to 1988 the FWCC had no evidence of manatee deaths attributed to watercrafts having occurred in the Watersports Area; that two years prior to the proposed rule only one or two manatees were sighted in that area; that the sea grass preferred by manatees is not found in the area, and that the Watersports Area does not have the depth [bathymetry] preferred by manatees. Petitioners contend that a "sub-classification" would corroborate Mr. James Wood's view "a majority of watercraft collisions are caused by large, slow-moving vessels, not by small, recreational motorboats." Mr. Wood's analysis was inconclusive as to the characteristics of watercraft that caused manatee injury. The reliable and available evidence, including documentation on known or suspected boat strikes, scar catalog data, and affidavits of persons who perform manatee necropsies, does not support the view held by Mr. Wood. To the contrary, evidence and testimony of experts herein presented, established that small, fast moving motorboats kill and injure manatees and their habitat. The sub-classification of watercraft-related mortalities is not required for rule adoption. The proposition set forth by McGill Petitioners, and adopted by other Petitioners, that larger vessels and barge/tugs were responsible for Brevard County manatee mortalities was raised in an earlier rule challenge filed by McGill, and was rejected, as it is herein rejected. DOAH Case No. 99-5366, page 18 (officially recognized); Final Order, McGill v. Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, 23 F.A.L.R. (DOAH 2000). All data, 1997-1999 Brevard County relative abundance and distribution aerial survey, 2000 synoptic aerial survey, telemetry analyses, other data considered, and professional literature indicated that Brevard County is an important year- round habitat for manatees.
