Tate's Hell State Forest GRASI Initiative TOWNHALL MEETING 12 12 13 Apalachicola
Video recording of a Town Hall Public Forum requested by NW Florida regional community members regarding a proposal for Air Force Training in Tate's Hell S.F. that recently came to light. This meeting was requested as a follow up to a previous NEPA Scoping meeting held in August of 2013 wherein the Air Force outlined their plans without opportunity to take questions from the public.
This meeting explained Florida State Forestry's role, and the decision making process more fully. A broad cross-section of citizen stakeholders attended this meeting and posed many thoughtful questions for agency representatives to answer. The overwhelming majority of stakeholders in attendance voiced opposition, at this point, to the initiative.
Vlog: Dwarf Cypress Boardwalk and High Bluff Coastal Trail - Tate's Hell, Florida 20150402
The Dwarf Cypress trees in Tate's Hell State Park are hundreds of years old, and yet look barely bigger than saplings. This gives them both a spooky appearance and yet creates a calming environment.
The High Bluff Overlook Trails has... ALLIGATORS!!!! Really after we dealt with the hissing alligator the rest is a bit of a blur...
Dwarf Cypress Boardwalk:
High Bluff Overlook Trail:
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Video Clips Barred from Presentation at the USAF GRASI Tate's Hell Draft EIS Public Comment Meeting
Serge LaTour, owner of an environmental resource consulting firm, and ecotour operator, took this video footage on March 19th, 2014 from his home and headquarters on Pine Log Creek in Tate's Hell State Forest. Residents of this rural area, just north of Carrabelle, have already have gotten a taste of airspace tactical training from the Emerald Warrior Tactical training that Franklin County has allowed, with mixed success, to be carried out on private land in the County for the past two years. There were numerous complaints by residents near Apalachicola airport, and also, in Carrabelle and Eastpoint.
Mr. LaTour and The Half Shell attempted to submit this video, along with other comments, as new information at the Draft Environmental Impact Statement Public Comment meeting in Carrabelle on June 3rd, 2014, but were turned down by Mr. Mike Spaits, Eglin Public Affairs. We were told by Mr. Spaits that our 143 seconds of video did not meet the criteria for public comment according to Federal guidelines.
Written comments to be considered for the final EIS may be submitted by June 23rd, 2014 to the following contact:
grasieis.leidoseemg.com
or contact:
Mr. Mike Spaits, Eglin AFB Public Affairs Office, 96TW/PA, 101 West D Ave., Room 238, Eglin AFB, FL 32542-5499; (850) 882-2836; michael.spaits@us.af.mil
Video Footage of the entire Air Force Presentation and Public Comments made in Carrabelle (June 3rd) and Apalachicola (June 4th) may be found on The Half Shell Channel at this link:
Public Comment on Air Force GRASI Environmental Impact Statement for Tate's Hell State Forest
INDEX TO INDIVIDUAL SPEAKERS AND LINK TO ADDITIONAL VIDEO FOOTAGE MAY BE FOUND BELOW DESCRIPTION.
This is a video recording by The Half Shell of two Public Comment Meetings held for the review of a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) regarding the U.S. Air Force's proposed GRASI airspace activities and ground troop training in Tate's Hell State Forest, 200,000+ acres on Apalachicola Bay in Franklin County & Liberty County, Florida. The Forest was purchased 20 years ago by the State of Florida, with the expressed goal of To restore, protect and manage Tate's Hell ecosystems, while integrating public use. (Northwest Florida Water Management District website). A direct relationship has been established between the natural hydrological function of surface waters in Tate's Hell, and the health of Apalachicola Bay. A National Fisheries Disaster was declared for the Apalachicola Bay in 2013, largely due to the collapse of the oyster harvest.
The video is divided into three parts. Part 1 is the public comment submitted in Carrabelle, FL. on June 3rd, 2014. Part 2 is comprised of the Air Force's presentation and slideshow regarding the EIS process and an outline of their proposed actions, as recorded during the Apalachicola Public Comment meeting the following evening, June 4th. Part 3 is the public comment submitted on June 4th in Apalachicola, FL. At the end of the video, The Half Shell has provided the 143 seconds of video footage that was disallowed from submission at the Carrabelle meeting by Mike Spaits, Eglin AFB Public Affairs, allegedly because it did not meet the criteria for public comment under Federal guidelines. The footage simply shows the noise impact from some of the proposed airspace activities as recorded on 2/19/14 by a Carrabelle resident at his home and business on Pine Log Creek, in Tate's Hell State Forest.
TO OBTAIN INFORMATION AND SUBMIT COMMENTS BEFORE JUNE 23, 2014, GO TO:
grasieis.leidoseemg.com
or contact:
Mr. Mike Spaits, Eglin AFB Public Affairs Office, 96TW/PA, 101 West D Ave., Room 238, Eglin AFB, FL 32542-5499; (850) 882-2836; michael.spaits@us.af.mil
The following is an index to public comment speakers in the video (Click on blue numerals to navigate to that point in the uploaded video):
Part 1 - Carrabelle Public Comment:
Serge Letour, Ecotour operator, Carrabelle - 5:30
Mike Vroegop, Florida Geotourism Assocs., Apalachicola - 10:40
Jim Cummins, P.E., Sound engineer, Alligator Point - 11:36
Gathana Parmenas, Panhandle Citizens Coalition - 17:44
Sue Early, Wakulla County Ochlocknee Rvrfront. Prop. owner - 21:42
Mark Nobles, Carrabelle Airport Manager - 26.45
Robert Siedler, Sopchoppy Resident - 31:43
Lesley Cox, Pres., Florida Green Guide Assoc. - 33:28
John Waldron - Florida Outdoor Recreation Coalition - 38:01
Carole Butler, Apalachee Canoe and Kayak Club - 40:30
Bruce McCormack, Gulf Unmanned Systems Center - 43:12
Jennifer Bowers, Carrabelle Property Owner - 44:24
Gary Service (?), Carrabelle resident - 46:08
James Bryan, Korean War Veteran, Carrabelle Resident - 49:28
*Serge LeTour, Ecotour Operator, Carrabelle - 51:38
Betty Cummins, Resident of Franklin Co., FL - 53:48
*Jim Cummins, P.E., Sound Engineer & Franklin Co. resident - 57:11
For the Florida Forest Service:
James R. Karels, Director - 1:01:19
Part 3 - Apalachicola Public Comment:
Betty Cummins, Franklin County resident - 1:38:04
Serge LaTour, Ecotour Operator - 1:42:42
Margherite Williams, AL Res., Tate's Hell Camper, Birder - 1:50:27
*Serge Letour, Ecotour Operator, Carrabelle - 1:54:25
Charles Brannen, Pres., Florida Doghunters Assoc. - 1:54:51
Dan Tonsmeire, Apalachicola Riverkeeper - 1:56:04
Lisa Spooner, Gulf Unmanned Systems Center (video interruption)
Barrian Turey, Oyster Harvester - 1:58:42
Guy Hogan, Eastpoint resident, Tate's Hell hunter, fisherman- 2:00:13
Anita Grove, Exec Dir. Apalachicola Bay Chamber of Comm- 2:00:44
Cheryl Sanders, District 2 Franklin County Commissioners - 2:03:19
Frank Venable, Eastpoint Resident - 2:06:43
*Dan Tonsmeire, Apalachicola Riverkeeper - 2:12:17
DISALLOWED VIDEO OF CV-22 (OSPREY) Tate's Hell Training over Pine Log Creek and the Crooked River on March 19, 2014 may be found on The Half Shell Channel at this link:
Oyster Harvester Barrian Turey Speaks at Air Force Grasi EIS Public Comment Meeting 6 4 14
Franklin County resident Barrian Tury speaks on behalf of the oystermen in his 3 minutes of allotted time during the Public Comment Meeting held in Apalachicola, Florida on June 4th concerning the GRASI (Gulf Regional Airspace Initiative) Draft Environmental Impact Statement. The U.S. Air Force proposes use of Tate's Hell Swamp, a 200,000+ acre State Forest in Franklin and Liberty Counties, for airspace and ground Troop Training. This huge land tract, which ultimately drains into Apalachicola Bay, was purchased by taxpayers beginning in 1994 for the purposes of hydrological and ecological restoration and public recreation and is now managed by the Florida Forest Service.
In 2012, after a long period of drought, a National Fisheries Failure was declared for Apalachicola Bay, primarily because of a collapse in the famous oyster harvest there. The Bay is now hopefully, on a slow road to recovery, as a significant portion of the economy of Franklin County depends upon its healthy ecological function.
Oyster harvester Turey also addresses the issues of noise and potential hydrocarbon pollution in his remarks, especially in respect to the inevitable impact of that disturbance, as well as toxins, on the bald eagles which nest in Tate's Hell State Forest. There were no representatives of Audubon that spoke at either the Apalachicola or Carrabelle meetings, even though Florida Audubon facilitated the purchase of nearby Lanark Reef, a famously productive shorebird breeding area just south of Tate's Hell State Forest.
Residents of this area already have gotten a taste of airspace tactical training from the Emerald Warrior Tactical training that Franklin County has allowed, with mixed success, to be carried out on private land in the County for the past two years. There were numerous complaints by residents near Apalachicola airport, and also, in Carrabelle and Eastpoint.
Written comments to be considered for the final EIS may be submitted by June 23rd, 2014 to the following contact:
grasieis.leidoseemg.com
or contact:
Mr. Mike Spaits, Eglin AFB Public Affairs Office, 96TW/PA, 101 West D Ave., Room 238, Eglin AFB, FL 32542-5499; (850) 882-2836; michael.spaits@us.af.mil
Video Footage of the entire Air Force Presentation and Public Comments made in Carrabelle (June 3rd) and Apalachicola (June 4th) may be found on The Half Shell Channel at this link:
Serge LaTour's March 19th, 2014 video of CV 22 (OSPREY) Aircraft training low over Pine Log Creek and Crooked River in Tate's Hell, may be found on the Half Shell here:
Florida Green Guide Association Submits Comments to Air Force GRASI DRAFT Environmental Impact Stat
Lesley Cox, President of the Florida Green Guide Association, submits comments regarding the Draft EIS for proposed U.S. Air Force airspace and ground troop training in Tates's Hell, a Florida State Forest purchased for the purposes of hydrological and ecological restoration and public recreation in 1994. Also participating from the Association were Vice President, Serge LeTour, and Treasurer, Robin Vroego (Video/Editing) and member Debbi Clifford. Green Guide Alumnus, George Weymouth, of Smith Creek, painted the interpretive mural of Tate's Hell, which now hangs in the Carrabelle City Complex where the Public comment meeting was held on June 3, 2014. Written comments to be considered for the final EIS may be submitted by June 23rd, 2014 to the following contact:
grasieis.leidoseemg.com
or contact:
Mr. Mike Spaits, Eglin AFB Public Affairs Office, 96TW/PA, 101 West D Ave., Room 238, Eglin AFB, FL 32542-5499; (850) 882-2836; michael.spaits@us.af.mil
Video Footage of the entire Air Force Presentation and Public Comments made in Carrabelle (June 3rd) and Apalachicola (June 4th) may be found on The Half Shell Channel at this link:
Serge LaTour's March 19th, 2014 video of CV 22 (OSPREY) Aircraft training low over Pine Log Creek and Crooked River in Tate's Hell, may be found on the Half Shell here:
Exploring the Apalachicola National Forest 2
Took a drive to the national forest to explore and see what out there. Explored an area North of Forest Road 105. This is video #2.
The video playback is 2x speed.
Boone checks out Apalachicola Florida Farmers market.
Apalachicola is a city in Franklin County, Florida, United States, on the shore of Apalachicola Bay, an inlet of the Gulf of Mexico. The population was 2,231 at the 2010 census. Apalachicola is the county seat of Franklin County.
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Bradwell Bay Swamp Stomp 2014
Backpacker Magazine calls this one of the twelve toughest hikes in the United States! Why? Probably 'cause this year 6 1/2 of the 8 miles were under water! Another because of its virgin forests filled with pine, magnolia, titi, and tupelo - some champion trees are 10-15' circumference, over 100' tall, and predate the first colonies in America. Encompassing 24,000 acres in the Apalachicola National Forest is Bradwell Bay Wilderness...truly majestic. Twelve of us ventured into the swamp and returned yesterday...8 miles and 6 hours of swamp time later.