Story #2 Emerald CoastKeeper

Happy 10th Anniversary!

On Mar.13 Emerald CoastKeeper will be celebrating their 10th anniversary as a growing and successful environmental group.

Serving as the Northwest Fla. chapter of the Waterkeeper Alliance, Emerald CoastKeeper has overcome several challenges and completed many projects that have bettered the water quality around the area.

“There are many, many water quality issues in Northwest Fla.,” Taylor Kirschenfeld, the CoastKeeper of our area, said.

Kirschenfeld, along with many others, have been working hard to improve on these issues, improving the quality of life for those who live in and vacation in Fla.

Emerald CoastKeeper Inc. is an environmental organization whose members are citizens in the Northwest Florida Gulf Coast area, and who actively protect our waterways through education, outreach programs, and leading by example. When required, the CoastKeeper will pursue all legal remedies to protect our waterways.

Emerald CoastKeeper is part of the Waterkeeper Alliance, a group comprised of over 200 organizations throughout the world, whose philosophy is based on the notion that the protection and enjoyment of a community's natural resources requires the daily vigilance of its citizens.

“This is the philosophy that really drives the Waterkeeper Alliance,” Kirschenfeld said. “It really gets right to the heart of the issue.”

Emerald CoastKeeper has a lot to celebrate on their anniversary when it comes to accomplishments. They have participated in many projects and legal actions that have all bettered the quality of our water.

“Water quality is not only important to us that live in this area, but it is so important to tourism as well,” Kirschenfeld said.

Kirschenfeld believes that much of our water pollution is “coming form out of state.” They recently battled Jefferson Smurfit-Stone Corporation in Brewton, Ala. Smurfit Stone was putting 32 million gallons of discharge per day into the Conecuh River, which flows directly into the Escambia River.

Filing the lawsuit against Smurfit-Stone was a success and Emerald CoastKeeper got Ala. to change the permit so that Smurfit-Stone has to now meet Fla. water quality standards.

“That was a real success story,” Kirschenfeld said. “That was the first time anyone was able to get water quality standards changed across state lines.”

The Smurfit-Stone case was not the only one to have negative affects on the waterways. In Bayou Texar, there were creosote pilings left over from a CSX railroad trestle that Kirschenfeld said were “due for replacement.”

“Creosote is a very toxic substance that leaks for hundreds of years or more in the water,” Kirschenfeld said. “Creosote is a human carcinogen that is detrimental to water quality and the quality of life.”

The railroad agreed to replace the trestle with concrete, but refused to take the creosote pilings completely out of the water. Emerald CoastKeeper disputed, filed a lawsuit challenging the Department of Environmental Protection permit, and caused CSX to agree to pull the old creosote pilings out of the water.

These are only a few of the issues in which Emerald CoastKeeper has stepped up and improved the quality of the water in the area. They have also been involved with other activities such as Project Greenshores, City of Pensacola Tree Ordinance, and the Pensacola Bay Pitcher Plant Prairie.

With many more water quality issues to dispute, this is not likely to be Emerald CoastKeeper’s last anniversary. Although there are many more difficulties to face, Kirschenfeld seems positive about the future of our waterways.

“We will continue to keep tabs on our waterways,” Kirschenfeld said. “There’s already been a big improvement in the quality of the water in our area.”